Hocbigg - Drawing
Contents
Summary
The Drawing curriculum is a comprehensive education in Drawing, designed for self-directed study using online materials.
Organization
This repository is organized into three main components:
- Core Curriculum (this page): the foundational knowledge of the field;
- Advanced Topics: focused study in specific areas;
- Projects: support learning through practical application throughout the curriculum.
Process: Learners may work through the curriculum independently or collaboratively, and either sequentially or selectively.
- For simplicity, courses in the Core Curriculum are ordered according to their prerequisites.
- The Core Curriculum provides a shared foundation and is intended to be completed in full.
- Advanced Topics are optional; learners are encouraged to select one area of focus and complete all courses within that topic.
Practical work is integrated through the Projects section and may be undertaken alongside coursework.
Note: When there are courses or books that don't fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings.
Communities
- Forums:
- WetCanvas (active traditional art forums with drawing sections and critiques)
- Creative Spark (artist discussion forum, successor vibe to older sites)
- Subreddits:
- r/learnart (focused on learning and constructive critiques)
- r/learntodraw (beginner-friendly drawing help and feedback)
- r/drawing (sharing techniques, practice, and critiques)
- r/ArtCrit (dedicated to constructive criticism)
- r/ArtFundamentals (Drawabox community for structured feedback)
- Discord servers:
- Drawabox Official Discord (structured critiques tied to lessons)
- New Masters Academy Discord (open to all, focused on serious art study and feedback)
- You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
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Join our Discord server (for discussions around this and other curricula):
Curriculum
Fundamentals of Line, Shape, Form, and Construction
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Drawing & Form | Build confidence in lines, understand 3D forms, and develop constructive thinking essential for all drawing. | Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain OR The Natural Way to Draw | DrawABox - Part One: The Basics |
Observational Drawing and Still Life
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Observational Drawing Fundamentals | Develops seeing and recording skills, training the eye to capture reality accurately as the basis for all drawing. | Keys to Drawing by Bert Dodson | New Masters Academy - Fundamentals of Drawing OR DrawABox observational extensions |
Gesture Drawing
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gesture Drawing | Capture movement, energy, and pose quickly; foundational for dynamic figures. | Proko - Gesture Basics + S. Michael Hampton Gesture |
Perspective
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perspective | Create convincing 3D space; critical for placing forms believably. | Perspective Made Easy | moderndayjames Perspective series |
Human Anatomy Fundamentals
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Human Anatomy | Understand structure and proportions for believable figures. | Figure Drawing for All It's Worth by Andrew Loomis (free) | PROKO ANATOMY TUTORIALS |
Value, Light, and Shading
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value and Shading | Master value to create volume and illusion of form. | Light, Shade and Shadow | Shading - Alphonso Dunn OR Proko shading |
| Light and Shadow | Understand how light creates predictable patterns for realistic 3D illusion. | A Beginners Guide to Light & Shadow |
Color Theory
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Color Theory | Understand hue, saturation, value, and harmony for effective color use. | Color and Light by James Gurney | Marco Bucci Color |
Composition
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composition | Arrange elements to guide the eye and create impactful images. | Art Lessons: Composition - ArtOfSoulburn |
Congratulations
After completing the requirements of the curriculum above, you will have completed the equivalent of a full bachelor's degree in Drawing. Congratulations!