Realistic People Drawing Class
Beginner Portrait & Figure Drawing

This class is a great fit for young artists who would like to learn beginner sketching techniques for drawing realistic people, including faces / human proportions and pose/movement.

Private 1:1 Lessons

✨ 25- or 55-Minute Session

✨ One-Time or Recurring Weekly

✨ Meet Via Zoom

✨ Personalized Lessons

✨ Suitable for All Ages

Class Description

Interested in learning to draw and sketch realistic people to improve your artwork? Then you've come to the right place! Each week we will practice drawing people, and you will learn many techniques along the way!

Follow along with me, as I demonstrate step-by-step how to break down the subject (the person or body part we're drawing) into basic shapes, positive vs. negative space, and more! A beginner will absolutely be able to follow along and quickly improve. For this class, you don’t need any drawing experience!

At the end of each lesson, you will have an opportunity to be Spotlighted to share your drawing and progress with me (always optional, some learners decline). All comments or feedback will be positive, uplifting, and kind! 

* * *
As some learners prefer not to share in class, they may send their artwork afterwards via email. If they do so, I will write back with positive, uplifting feedback. If a learner doesn't prefer to talk during class, for the most part they can use basic gestures like thumbs up/down or head nods and shakes. 
* * * 

Every other week we will draw a portrait, and learners are encouraged to add new actors / actresses / famous people to our Potential Subjects list. On opposite weeks, your learner will dive deep into how to draw a specific body part, such as eyes, ears, nose, etc. Sometimes we will draw the full body for clothed figure drawing practice and movement / pose, and other times we will focus on the face or facial detail.

Please let me know if there's a Subject you would like to add to our list! All figures will be modestly clothed, and portraits will include people from a variety of ethnicities.

✨ Potential Subjects ✨
- Emma Watson
- Zendaya
- Taylor Swift
- Halima Aden
- Reese Witherspoon
- Dwayne Johnson
- John Legend
- America Ferrera
- Anne Hathaway
- Malala Yousafzai
- Tom Hanks
- Natalie Portman
- Chris Hemsworth
- Serena Williams
- Halle Bailey
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Hugh Jackman
- Zac Efron
- Earl Nightingale
- Lucille Ball
- Maya Angelou
- Rosa Parks
- Jenna Ortega
- Denzel Washington

Your learner may start this class at any time, and may stay for as many weeks as they choose. The lessons are not sequential, and they do not necessarily repeat. For those who choose to stay long-term we will review and practice previously learned skills in order to sharpen them.

✨ Weekly Themes ✨
2024
Week of 06/30 - 07/06 Portrait
Week of 07/07 - 07/13 Hair (Styles: Male & Female)
Week of 07/14 - 07/20 Portrait
Week of 07/21 - 07/27 Bodies in Motion

Week of 07/28 - 08/03 Portrait
Week of 08/04 - 08/10 Ears
Week of 08/11 - 08/17 Portrait
Week of 08/18 - 08/24 Hands
Week of 08/25 - 08/31 Portrait

Week of 09/01 - 09/07 Body Proportions (Male)
Week of 09/08 - 09/14 Portrait
Week of 09/15 - 09/21 Feet
Week of 09/22 - 09/28 Portrait

Week of 09/29 - 10/05 Eyes
Week of 10/06 - 10/12 Portrait
Week of 10/13 - 10/19 Bodies in Motion
Week of 10/20 - 10/26 Portrait
Week of 10/27 - 11/02 Noses

Week of 11/03 - 11/09 Portrait
Week of 11/10 - 11/16 Lips (Smiles)
Week of 11/17 - 11/23 Portrait
Week of 11/24 - 11/30 Body Proportions (Female)
[No Class: 11/28/2024]

Week of 12/1 - 12/7 Portrait
Week of 12/8 - 12/14 Foreshortening
Week of 12/15 - 12/21 Portrait
Week of 12/22 - 12/28 Lips (Emotions) 
[No Class: 12/25/2024]

2025
Week of 12/29/2024 - 01/04/2025 Portrait
Week of 01/05 - 01/11 Arms
Week of 01/12 - 01/18 Portrait
Week of 01/19 - 01/25 Legs
Week of 01/26 - 02/01 Portrait

Week of 02/02 - 02/08 Foreshortening
Week of 02/09 - 02/15 Portrait

** Weekly themes are always subject to change. **

More Details

Learning Goals

Students will learn traditional techniques for creating realistic people with 1:1 attention. 

The Weekly Themes are a guideline, and in this 1:1 class your learner should feel free to request specific features and/or subjects they would like to focus on each week.

Supplies Needed

* * Learners may use whatever materials they are comfortable with, for many that will be traditional materials and for some that might be digital drawing materials. * *

Paper (please provide more than one sheet, 2-3)
Pencil
Sharpener
Eraser

OR

iPad / Drawing Tablet
Learner's preferred app: iBis Paint X, Procreate, Photoshop, Clip Studio, etc.

* * For learners who choose to join with digital materials, you should be experienced and comfortable using your chosen materials for drawing and should use whatever Pencil(s) your application comes with. I will not be troubleshooting technical issues for digital learners' applications during this lesson. * *

* * Teacher will be drawing on the computer so that learners can see the reference(s) and my drawing clearly without my hand obscuring them. There will be an overhead view as well that parents/learners can "pin" to Zoom in case you would like to be able to see this. * *

Things to Note

For this class, your learner will not need anything other than their drawing materials and a device for joining the Zoom call.