Basic Skills / Getting Started with Drawing

Drawing is not a talent. It’s a skill anyone can learn. Designed for aspiring painters, graphic designers, illustrators and artists of all types, The Art & Science of Drawing series will teach you the foundation of art and design of all kinds: drawing.

BASIC SKILLS is the first course in the series and will teach you the basics of drawing one day at a time. 

Here’s how it works:

Each day you’ll watch one video lesson that will teach you an essential drawing skill.  At the end of each lesson you’ll be given a project designed to build your drawing skills quickly and efficiently.  After doing the project, you’re ready for the next day’s lesson and project! 

In this beginning drawing course you’ll learn:

• How to use the pencil like an artist
• How to draw any shape
• How to analyze and draw any subject by simplifying it into basic shapes

BASIC SKILLS is overflowing with powerful insights into the drawing process and offers some of the clearest, most accessible drawing instruction available.  Many of the tools and techniques you'll learn here are rarely taught outside of private art academies.

BASIC SKILLS is the first course in The Art & Science of Drawing  series designed to take students from the absolute basics to advanced drawing techniques like perspective drawing and shading. If you're a beginner, we recommend going through the entire series in the following order:

The Art & Science of Drawing Learning Path:

• BASIC SKILLS / Getting Started with Drawing 
• DYNAMIC MARK MAKING / Drawing with Expression & Creativity
• FORM & SPACE / 3D Drawing & Perspective 
• MEASURING & PROPORTION / Drawing with Accuracy & Precision
• CONTOURS / Drawing with Compelling Contours & Foreshortening:
• SHADING FUNDAMENTALS / Drawing with Dramatic Light and Shadow
• SHADING BEYOND THE BASICS / Shade Any Subject No Matter How Complex 

Brent has two drawing books that many students find valuable learning tools to accompany his courses. His first book "The Art & Science of Drawing: Learn to Observe, Analyze and Draw Any Subject" is available in paperback and for kindle. 

Many frequently asked student questions are answered here.

Brent's latest series The Drawing Laboratory includes everything taught in the original Art & Science of Drawing courses and far more. It contains many new skills, projects and demonstrations. The first course in the new series is How to Draw: A Beginner's Guide. 

Additional drawing fundamentals tutorials can be found on Brent's YouTube Channel.

• Introduction to Basic Skills
• How to Begin
• Circles & Ovals
• Straight Lines & the Shapes They Make
• Charting the Course of Curved Lines
• Putting it all Together
• Scrub Jay Demo Pt 1: Simplifying Shapes
• Scrub Jay Demo Pt 2: Adding Detail
• Scrub Jay Demo Pt 3: Finishing the Drawing
• Botanical Demo Pt 1: Basic Shapes
• Botanical Demo Pt 2: Texture & Detail
• Botanical Demo Pt 3: Finishing the Drawing
• Figure Drawing Demo Pt 1: Gesture & Basic Shapes
• Figure Drawing Demo Pt 2: Defining the Forms
• Figure Drawing Demo Pt 3: Shading & Finishing
• Orientation and Materials