Week Sixteen: Proportions, Anatomy, and Our Online Student Show

Even though we're going down the home stretch towards the last week of school, each of you sketchers kept AMAZINGLY focused on the lesson. Coming off of the challenging portrait from the previous week, you kept the momentum going and drew lots of cool skulls. I have to say, the highlight of last week was sitting down and seeing the results of the hard work each of you put into your drawings!

I'll be in class to draw with you this Thursday and Friday morning (10:00 a.m.). We'll continue with your portrait of Einstein (or the hero of your choice) and also have fun throwing some imagination into it, if you'd like. --Rob

And now... welcome everyone, to the...

sLv sKeTcHeRs
Online Student Show
2009


Our gallery exhibits some of the hard work by our intrepid drawing students during the 16-week course. They learned basic fundamentals and drew after big-time artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso, da Vinci, Corot, and Leger. Featured students are: Elvis, Gage, Jamee, Keeley, Leif (above right), Tiana (above left), and Shaylah!


Be sure to scroll all the way down to 'older posts' at the bottom of the page to view the outstanding gallery drawings by our teachers: Patty (above left) and Hilda (above right)!


Also, click 'older posts' to check out the cool gallery drawings done by various students who have joined SLV Sketchers throughout the year: Craig, Doug (above right), Gia, Jaime, Jared (above left), Kayla, Michael, Ricky, and Zach!

Note: If you really want to see how much work these students have put into improving their skills, click onto the first weeks of the course (shown in the column at right) to see their first drawings.

Enjoy the show!

Shaylah

Outstanding!! Drawing!! Shaylah!! Accuracy of proportions and details, line quality, and shading are VERY well executed! Your confident lines are beginning to show your own unique style of drawing. The fact that you enlarged the proportions of the skulls (without grid lines) from smaller reference photos, and maintained accuracy, is a testament to your hard work in this class.



Well-rendered textures and details show the 3D form of your teddy bear--stellar work! A summer sketchbook would be a GREAT way to keep drawing objects and people from life. :) You've come a long way during many weeks of learning! You're definitely ready to explore more advanced drawing techniques and ways to apply drawing to your future.

Keeley

AWESOME skull drawings, Keeley!!! First of all, you joined the SLV Sketchers mid-course, and then continued to work extra hard on learning basic skills. Then you quickly began drawing accurate proportions, as shown in your Van Gogh sketch, below. And now, with the skull drawings, you're blazing exciting new trails with your ability to sketch accurate proportions and realistic shading! The sky's the limit!



Really cool to see your drawings from the lessons in my book How to Draw Things in Nature! You pulled off some REALLY nice drawings! I liked how you started experimenting with combining different drawings into the same composition. I hope that you'll explore drawing from memory and your imagination. And I hope you start a sketchbook over the summer and practice sketching from life.

Elvis

Elvis, you've consistently cranked out lots and lots of EXCELLENT drawings for all 15 weeks!!!!! The skull shows your bold line sketching style. Your shading skills and ability to draw 3D form have been a big influence on all of the other students since day one! You've worked diligently to develop a solid foundation of skills that will help you explore drawing realistically. And, I hope you start a sketchbook this summer. You have great potential with your ability to draw. Keep practicing drawing from life!

Gage

Gage, when the pencil eraser shavings clear at the end of the day, it's always been your drawings that have shown a consistent, distinct graphic style that you call your own!! And just like your drawings of the past 15 weeks, you've nailed accurate proportions, clean lines, and realistic 3D shading in this skull. I hope that you keep developing your style and pursuing new techniques. Your inventive style could fit well with computer illustration. A summer sketchbook would be a great way to save your ideas and explore drawing from life.

Tiana

Straight up, you've got skillz, Tiana!!! Your quick eye and line work seem to be very natural for you. I've seen you capture the essence of what you're looking at in class with quick, accurate lines and tones. These skull sketches are excellent examples of your fantastic sketching ability! I know you're interested in exploring storyboarding and drawing people. I hope to be helping you move in that direction next fall. And, I hope you find time to start a sketchbook this summer. Honing your eye for sketching from life will be very beneficial to your artistic pursuits.

Jamee

Jamee, you joined SLV Sketchers late in the game, but have excelled in drawing accurate proportions and really tight contour lines. Your ability for looking at things and drawing them accurately really showed in the portrait of the girl in the previous lesson. You did a great job of drawing the skull. Excellent details and shading! With focused effort, your drawing skills could lead you to exciting opportunities! A summer sketchbook is an excellent way to hone your skills and explore drawing from life.

Leif

And then there's Leif!! Your tenacity for improving your lines, shapes, form, and proportions have earned you the title of this year's Most Improved Sketcher! I remember the breakthrough moment when you were doing the exercise of drawing your own hand, many weeks ago. After that, you've continued to gain more and more confidence in your drawing skills. This 3/4 view of the skull is a fantastic sketch, man! You're ready to explore new and exciting techniques. Hopefully you'll take time to start a summer sketchbook and draw like the wind! :)

Our Teachers!

Whoa! Hilda! Absolutely cool skulls! Accurate proportions! Clean contour lines! And, of course, your shading is a really nice touch in bringing these skulls to 'life'. :) I really think your style has evolved a lot during these many weeks. As I've said before, you and Patty have helped the students in a BIG way.






And, Whoa! Patty!!! Exquisite portrait of Mr. Obama! In your inimitable style, you nailed an overall likeness of our president. I'm really glad you've gotten back into drawing again. Now that you've rekindled the skillz, maybe you'll do some cool drawings over the summer. :)