Introduction to Figure Drawing or Life Drawing Classes

WARNING!- The contents of these lessons could contain NUDITY. If this offends you, please do not sign up.

Hello, my name is Joanie (painter48) and I will be guiding you along with Venus on this basic figure drawing class. I know a lot of you were wondering when it was going to happen. Well, just be a little more patient and it will be here before you know it. The classes will begin on Sunday, May 6th 2007.

This class is being put together by Venus and Painter48 (Joanie) and will be quite different from the Drawing Challenges and other tutorial type postings on Drawspace. It involves a substantial amount of time and energy to put this together for you so in order for it to be truly appreciated we are asking everyone who is interested in the class to SIGN UP with either Venus or Painter48 by sending a PM to either of them to get your name on the list and to give them your email address. If you do not want us to have your regular email address, please use FREE Yahoo or MSN Hotmail and make a free email address to use for just this purpose. Last day for sign up is May 5, 2007. (Central Daylight Time)

The classes will begin on Sunday, May 6,2007 and each lesson will run for one week.

There will be 5 or 6 lessons all together. This will then take 5 or 6 weeks to complete.

When the classes begin, you will be sent an Adobe PDF file to your private email address. This file can be opened by Acrobat Reader 7 which is a free download you can get on the internet. These lessons will NOT be posted on Drawspace. They will also be copyrighted as well as the pictures therein. They may contain some nudity. These are NOT lessons created by Brenda nor did she have anything to do with their creation.
Each Lesson will have information for you to read and learn and then will have appropriate exercises for you to do. You may post your progress on the thread. If you do post your exercises on the thread they will be critiqued and commented on. We will encourage everyone including non-participants to comment on the posts.

NOTE TO ALL PARTICIPANTS:
In order for the participants to learn they must accept the fact that
their work will be critiqued by everyone and they must be willing to accept this graciously in the spirit
in which it was meant. We welcome everyone to comment whether good or bad but hopefully they
will do so nicely and tactfully. You will never learn anything if you do not accept the good with the
bad. If someone makes a derogatory comment – accept it and use it to better your drawing and
move on. These comments are not made about the person, but about the art. We also do not want
all comments to be on the positive side when there is improvement that could be made on a drawing.
It doesn’t teach the artist anything other than to keep making the same mistakes – although positive
enforcement is something we all like to hear now and then too. So please keep this in mind when
commenting and do not complain to the mods if someone says something you really don’t want to
hear. Keep this in mind when you sign up for the classes.

After you have completed your exercises for each class, we would like you to post them so they can be commented on before the end of the week. After you have completed that assignment you will be sent the second PDF File with the next Lesson Plan.

If you cannot keep up with the Lessons (vacations, etc) you will not be sent the next Lesson until you have posted the one before it. The reasoning behind this is that if you do not do these lessons in the order they are presented, you could get to the later ones and not have the knowledge or ability to complete it. I feel that if you are dedicated to learning then you should be able to complete the lessons within the 7 day time period. "You will only get out of this class what you put in it!" Quote, Paulette LOL

~*~If you have not signed up by May 5, 2007, you may sign up again (we will provide another thread for this) and we will be starting the course again after the first one is finished if we have enough people signed up for it in advance.

~*~The only rules that would apply are that you do NOT do any drawings that show detailed genitalia. This is not too much to ask as there are children and others who may be offended by this and it is not necessarily an essential part of figure drawing.

~*~MATERIALS NEEDED:
1) Graphite pencils or charcoal or carbon – your choice
2) Lots of paper – cheap drawing paper or newsprint to begin with (you will use lots of paper)
3) Portfolio – you can make one using Brenda’s directions in Drawing Lesson A05 (Optional)
4) Erasers - Kneaded and Plastic
5) Ruler or pencil to use as a measuring device

~*~So you may want to know why this is being done in this format. It really is very simple. It is to keep gawkers and lurkers from just coming in here to see nude pictures etc. it's very possible that there may never be any anyway. We really only want participants who are truly interested in their art and not a bunch of idiots just looking for cheap thrills.

~*~We hope you will join us in this endeavor and enjoy yourself while learning. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to PM either Painter48 or Venus.

Come on and Sign Up and have some fun!

WOW Joanie - what a great start!!

You've set the right tone from the word go and I really like the system you have devised to avoid situations that could be very tricky and very sticky!

Oh, and yes, this means I'm signing up. You know where I live!

Thanks, Rose, I knew you would sign up for sure. Its late (2am) and I just finished typing the above so I'm going to bed now. Nitey nite. (btw, I just sent you an email)

This is a great idea!!!

And such a wonderful system. So even a "learnlazybones" like me learns a lot!!!!!
I'm signing up.

this is fantastic-- thanks joanie and venus, i am pm you now. thanks again. i am really looking forward to this.
Lori

Joanie, AWESOME INTRO!!!!

Wish I had all of the different smilies!! I would apploud you..LOL. Just so everyone knows, Joanie is doing a majority of the teaching and work..I am just her little helper.. She is working hard on this and I love everything she is doing!!!

Here you go Venus!

Thanks Rose!!!

You guys have done a great job on this ! count me in ..

Ok...I am a little scared to participate because I am still such a beginner. But.... I am throwing caution to the wind and leep head forward in and hope to be able to produce something worth showing. This is to good to miss! Thanks Joanie and Venus for doing this for us!

Christine

Christine .. please do not be worried .. just remember they will critique your work but it is too help you better your skill ...these classes are awsome and at the cost of nothing you cant pass it up

thanks again Venus and Joanie .

Be brave Christine. I'm scared of committment also

LOL...I am trying to be....

OMG Rose, earlier when I looked in here and thanked you for the picture you posted I didn't let my page load fully before I replied and just now noticed that the people moved and were clapping!! That is sooo great, thanks for adding the picture again..hahaha still laughing here..to cute.

Christine and Bob, I am very new with figure drawing as well and I just wanted to let you know that we are all to be critiques, not just Painter and I. So we are helping each other learn with this class and there isn't anything to be afraid of I swear. Plus, Joanie (Painter) is a great person, she won't bite your head off the first class...LOL..

Please sign me up. I am very excited to learn.

Judyvan

Rose - thanks for the applause (I know where you got it..........NA NA NA NA NA NA)

Actually, I would like to thank everyone for their support. I will probably need it before this is over. LOL

I know Venus will be helping me along the way but I will also be needing feedback on how I am doing on the class. Having feedback from the participants is important from the teaching standpoint. I'm presently teaching my Senior Citizens and doing okay but I've never taught online before. It's entirely different. So I hope you will all learn - that is my goal.

Venus is right, I won't bite your head off! at least not right off the bat! LOL Just kidding. The lessons are geared for beginners - just practice your shading and when we get that far - you'll do just fine nothing to be afraid of.

Also, Venus, I want you to know that giving the teacher an apple won't get you anywhere! ROFL

Again, thanks everyone for your support of mine and Venus' project.

BTW - we now have 15 people signed up - Way to go! I'm pleased with this number of participants and we even have some newbies!

Joaner by what are you referring too? Are you saying I am a teacher's pet? Or a suck up?

Welllllllllll Lets just say I recall an incident once upon a time in a forum, .......on a planet,......... in a galaxy far, far away with a teacher called Miss Jeanette........................but that couldn't have been ....................you.......................................or could it? ROFL

Count me in too.
Paulette

Miss Joaner's, by this i swear I have no idea what you are referring too... So then this wouldn't help???

LOL Weeeelllllll we will see - maybe it will.Its an awfully pretty apple.

I know I am such a suck up...

Hi, just checking that you received my pm to join the figure drawing class, Joanie.

Thanks

Andrea

Andrea - yes, I did receive it and thanks for signing up for the class. I hope you will enjoy it. I apologize to everyone who signed up that I haven't acknowledged their emails.

Here is a list of those who signed up. If your name isn't on here, then I didn't get your email and you will have to resend it.


Farfallina
Venus
Kim
Irbaboon
Tramsonne
Hardboot
Blade21292
Nikokar
Raphaelmarron
Racedolls
Alyehs
Cyn
Shutterbug
BRB
Judyvan
Paulette
Southern Cross
Vijay
Meow2000
Artfix
JohnCampo
BrianDavid
Chloe 1
Leonardotmt
Yoona
DEWinter
Marijke
NancyB
Peewee
Jonsie
Nutbuter
Gmags



Don't forget to send me your email address when you sign up!

Joanie

WOW, good list we got going here Joanie!! I can't wait to see how many people by the end of this week sign up, I am also going to pin this thread so that people can see it at the top of General Discussion Threads.

Joanie and Venus....this looks great!......Cyn just gave me a push.... so I am going to sign up.....just don't laugh too hard....all my figures tend to look like cartoons. Guess I came to the right place...I need help! Thanks and thanks for the push Cyn.... Brian.

Brian - this will be a piece of cake for you. The figures that we start out with will be very simple just like cartooning! You already have some knowledge with regard to action and movement so you are a little ahead of the game.



Venus and I are waiting for your PM with your email address so we can sign you up! LOL

I just saw this thread, and would like to participate.
I've been wanting to take Life Drawing here in Vancouver ; but haven't been able to get around to it.
I am looking forward to it.

Hi Joanie and Venus,

I really think it’s great what you are doing for the fellow drawspace-members, putting so much time and effort in everybody improving their skills!!
I was wondering… I think I would like to join the class (the ‘pressure’ of making my homework would be good for me). But I’m not too good in drawing yet, and haven’t done any of Brenda’s lessons.
I wouldn’t mind being the worst in class haha, but I could imagine that signing up for this class would be a little too soon. Can you give me advice? Should I join or would it be best to first do some lessons and wait for another opportunity like this in the future?

Thanks in advance,

Marijke

Hi Marijke - I think you should sign up and if it doesn't work out for you, then you can drop out. This class is geared for a beginner so you would probably do just fine with it as long as you are willing to dedicate the time and effort. I would also recommend that you do the hatching and cross hatching lessons that Brenda has on Drawspace to get you in practice for shading later in the figure drawing lessons.

I look forward to your PM with your email address to get you signed up.

Joanie )

Hi Marijke,

I am new to drawing to and have joint the class. So, no need to feel alone. We can hold each others hand and give it our best try, what you think? The people here are very nice and encouraging, and I believe this class will be a good way to learn.

Cheers,
Christine

Thanks Joanie and Christine for the encouragement, I will sign up then!

See you in class

Hey I know that my art can use improvement. Sent PM. So sign me up.

Joanie...your words sound very encouraging.....thanks I am looking forward to this.


HI PEEWEE

Hi there, first post here. Mostly been lurking the couple weeks. I've sent a pm to sign up for the class. Very much looking forward to it.

-Scott

Welcome to Drawspace. Hope you enjoy the classes and if you have time, please check out some of the challenges too.

Hello everyone - I just want to give you an update on the Figure Drawing Classes. I have been very ill since Thursday and haven't had a chance to finish the first lesson. I've been in bed and not able to keep any foods down until today and that was just a couple pieces of toast. So I may be a little late getting them out to everyone tomorrow.

I might just skip that part that I don't have finished and add it to the next lesson. I apologize for this but how was I to know I'd get so sick. I'm hoping that by tomorrow I'll feel better.

Again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience.


Joanie

You just get well, darlin' and don't worry about it. We will all be here when you feel better.. My life is hectic right now anyway and a little extra time is good for the soul.
Get well and remember we all love you.

joanie first things first hun ....take care of yourself .. not to worry we will all be here when you feel up and ready .. please do not push yourself ...get well hun .

Sounds like you have that evil flu that we Canadians had .It's awful and the exhaustion that comes with it is just as bad. Take your time .. drink lots of fluids( if you can hold then down) . Hope you feel better soon.

Hope your feeling better Joanie ....get well soon....that is more important.

I hope I'm not too late, I just read the post! I'm kinda nervous, I've never taken any art classes or anything, but I would like to try. Please sign me up if I'm in time!! Elizabeth

Awww Miss Joanie!! You worry about yourself first then the class. If you need anything just let me know. I hope you feel better soon.

Ewall - please send a PM to Painter48 or Venus and we will get you on the list. thanks


Thanks everyone - I appreciate your thoughts. Tim, you are right about the exhaustion - I feel terribly weak. I've been drinking lots of water but food is rather nauseating yet. I managed a little soup tonite. Hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow and feel fine.

Hope you are feeling better soon, just take your time, lots of fluids and light food if you can manage it.
A few days extra before the class starts won't make any difference in the scheme of things, we'd much prefer you to feel yourself again.

Please just take care and don't worry about the class. I had that nasty flu and it took me a week to recover. Sending get well wishes.

Judyvan

Joanie,
Please add me to the list of people on here who care more about you, than ANY class or drawing lesson!! If I could somehow tell you how much more important your health is than this class, maybe it would put it all in "perspective" for you. Please accept my two cents worth, take care of yourself, and get fully rested and recovered before you even think of starting with the class, ok? Bottom line is, YOU matter!!

Jonsie

Oh gosh Joanie - no inconvenience at all!!! Just take all the time you need to get better.... we can wait. Don't even think about it until you're one hundred per cent fit... please.

Hi, Joanie, I just took the time to read the posts here. Last night when I signed up for the class it was about midnight here and I couldn't sleep. I have RLS and my medication isn't working the way it should right now, so I'm up alot late at night. Anyway, I didn't take the time to read all the posts until this morning. I really hope you're feeling better soon. My Mother is just getting over some stomach bug that lasted about 4 days, although I know when you feel that bad it seems like it takes alot longer. Plenty of rest and fluids, hope you're better soon! Elizabeth

Joanie,

Please don’t start the class before you really feel better and up to it!! You should fully enjoy teaching us, and I think that’s only possible when you feel well. Take all the time you need.
I’m hoping for you that you will feel better soon!

Marijke