Draw Anything: Basic Techniques for Realistic Proportions

Have you ever wondered how to make your drawings look more realistic? Do you spend lots of time putting in details, but still struggle to give your subjects a sense of weight and reality? Do you want to improve your observational drawing skills overall?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this class is definitely for you!!

The truth is that the best way to draw anything realistically is to understand and create realistic proportions. 

In this class, I’ll talk through and demonstrate how to achieve realistic proportions in your drawings when working from a reference, using 4 simple steps:

1. Capturing the basic form
2. Putting down landmarks
3. Carving out large shapes
4. Describing details

The four steps are simple, but they aren't necessarily easy. They can be challenging especially if you're new to drawing, and will take you some time to master. But if you really apply yourself and practice, these techniques will enable you to draw whatever you want in as realistic a style as you like.

Class demo piece:

This class is best suited for beginners and people who want to draw in a realistic style. We’ll be working exclusively in pencil, so you really won’t need much in the way of supplies.

For the class project, you'll create your own line sketch with realistic proportions that you can go on to develop with shading, or turn into a painting.

One last thing to note: this class is technique focused, which means that I will be explaining and demonstrating the specific skills used to create realistic proportions via a demo drawing. This is a class about the process and skills needed to draw anything from observation, and it’s geared towards people who want to develop and grow in their drawing skills. 

• Intro
• What are Proportions?
• Four Simple Steps to Draw Anything
• Materials & Set Up
• Step 1: Basic Forms
• Step 2: Key Landmarks
• Step 3: Big Shapes
• Step 4: Details
• Step 4: Details, Part 2
• Final Thoughts
• Class Project and Closing