So you want to learn to draw?

Posted by Kathleen Shure on

So you’ve bought a few casts, sharpened your pencils, but aren’t sure where to go from here. Or maybe you studied cast drawing years ago but are looking to fine-tune your craft or find some guidance to improve. We thought we’d share some great online resources for learning to draw. They've all used our casts!

Sadie Valeri's Online Cast Drawing Course

"Learn how to create a cast drawing to historic levels of excellence. In this course you’ll watch one of our atelier instructors demonstrate drawing a cast of the ancient Greek Venus de Milo sculpture, using the classical methods introduced in our 'Intro to Classical Drawing' and 'Bargue Plate Drawing' courses. Eight lessons show in-depth, comprehensive video footage of each stage of this 120-hour drawing. The entire process is documented from beginning to end, including hi-resolution closeups of masterful graphite shading technique in more detail than is observable even in person."

Learn more here: https://sadievaleriatelier.net/courses/cast-drawing/

Photo of cast drawing of Item 78 Venus de Melo by Ian Hurtado Zafra

 


Skill-Based Art Website 

Emilio Longo is the founder and director of Skill-Based Art: A Learning Resource for Art Students & Artist-Teachers. Officially founded in 2017, Skill-Based Art is a developing movement which has been established in effort to add to the body of knowledge regarding the principles, methods and ideologies exemplified in pre-twentieth century drawing, painting and sculpture. 

Regarding his work, Mr. Longo states, "Skill-Based Art currently takes the form of a website that has a vast range of essays, interviews, demonstrations and products available for artists, students and teachers who favour art that is made with integrity, beauty and fine craftsmanship. It is essentially a place for realists to go to learn about the grand tradition in which we stand for. If you have ever felt out of step with the contemporary art world, like you don't quite fit in, then Skill-Based Art is for you."

To learn more visit: https://skillbasedart.weebly.com/

 
Skill-Based Art Logo

Sight-Size Cast Drawing

Have you always wanted to attend an atelier? It is clearly the best way to learn how to see. But if that's not possible for you, the Sight-Size Cast Drawing online course can help. Even if you have no experience whatsoever, you can learn how to see and draw in your own home through Atelier Rousar | online.

Check it out here: https://atelierrousar.com/sight-size-cast-drawing/
 
The course utilizes casts of course!

 

Let's Learn to Draw with Peter Pletl
 
Let's Learn to Draw with Peter Pletl is an online hub of people supporting each other with self-study. You can “like” Peter’s page or join his group to give and get feedback. There are many videos posted where Peter corrects members’ drawings. Check it out on Facebook!
 

We hope these resources help!
 
And of course, here are a few of our favorite casts to draw from:

Old Man with Beard Mask #711
The masks in our collection, which can be hung on a wall, are perfect for drawing lessons, and offer a less-expensive option than an entire, in-the-round bust. This piece is popular due to the partially-open mouth, the flowing beard, and the hair.

David Full-Size Details #150
The left eye, left ear, nose, and mouth from Michelangelo’s David are excellent casts for study as they allow students to focus on facial features individually and perfect their skills. These pieces are also sold separately.

Geometric Shapes, Set of Three #335
In order to learn how to see more complicated shapes it can be incredibly helpful to draw simple ones. These shapes can be ordered individually or as a set. Made of a variety of sturdy materials, we paint them white for your study purposes.

If you utilize these resources or our casts, we’d love to see your drawings!
 
Sincerely,
Robert, Kathleen, Kayla and Lisa and the team

 

Want content like this delivered to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter!

← Older Post Newer Post →


Comments


  • Thanks, Matt! We know the Vitruvian Studio well and plan to add it to this post. We will continue to update this post with schools and programs.

    Caproni Collection on
  • The Vitruvian Studio near Chicago has a similar series of courses, including a course on drawing from plaster casts.
    https://vitruvianstudio.com/

    Matt on

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published