Live Lessons: Drawing Bootcamp

Drawing bootcamp - learn the foundations to drawing
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This lesson series features:
5 Hours of Instruction
5 Videos

Lessons

Lesson 1: (57:38) Lesson 2: (1:01:00) Lesson 3: (1:02:29) Lesson 4: (57:00) Lesson 5: (1:01:24)

About This Lesson Series...

A five-part series on the core fundamentals to drawing. Learn to see as an artist, use line to add depth and form, develop shading and value, and create the illusion of realistic textures in your drawings. Each lesson covers a different concept and method.

Lesson 1 (57:38)

In lesson one, we dispel many of the myths around drawing and begin drawing a subject using lines.

Lesson 2 (1:01:00)

In lesson two, we take a look at drawing subjects with basic shapes.

Lesson 3 (1:02:29)

In lesson three, we look at value and creating shading in a drawing.

Lesson 4 (57:00)

In lesson four, we look at creating the illusion of texture through value.

Lesson 5 (1:01:24)

In lesson five, we finish our texture study and review what we've learned.

Resources for this Lesson...

References

Photo Reference - Lesson 1

Object #1 - Lesson 2Object #2 - Lesson 2Object #3 - Lesson 2Object #1 - Lesson 2Photo Reference - Lesson 3

Photo Reference - Lessons 4 and 5

Here's what you'll need...

  • Sketch paper
  • Gray drawing paper
  • Drawing pencils
  • Kneaded eraser
  • White charcoal pencil
  • Blending stumps

Lesson Discussion

  1. This drawing bootcamp is great Matt, I know I’ve mentioned before about my chronic pain conditions to you, well I’ve not been too good recently, my pain level is really bad and to make matters worse I’ve got a virus I can’t seem to shake off. Normally when my pain is bad I can’t sit at my table easel.
    So I got a couple of sketching boards so I can sit on my sofa where my back rest and heat pad is and draw away, but when I’m not actually feeling too good it’s hard for me to do any drawing.
    I’m also waiting to go on stronger morphine and it’s taking a while because hospital is behind with letters of instructions for my GP to wean me off pain mess I’m on now to cross over to stronger morphine patches Which I should of started beginning of new year.im pretty strong with my pain levels meaning I can stand quite a lot but I’m really needing that pain relief now.
    It frustrates me I can’t draw or do my lessons but what I’m getting too ( eventually ha ha ) is that this drawing boot camp is a way for me to just watch and kind of acts as a revision of the elements of art and it’s just bringing it all back to me what I’ve learnt so far on secrets to drawing I’m doing.

    I will actually do these properly at some point but they are great for me to watch and re- cap back a bit.im wanting to get secrets drawing finished this year but again the start of the year health wise is not great but I will get there I’m sure then I can move onto your portraits course.

    Cheers Matt, all the best x

    • Christien I to have chronic pain. Fortunately I am prescribed morphine to manage it. Wit out it sitting to draw would be short lived. You mentioned u can stand for a while. Have you tried drawing while standing? With all the hope concerning opiates. Most doctors are eliminating or cutting them back. They cut mine back. I asked primary again to increase and thankfully he did. I hope you GP will have mercy on uou

      • Apologies I just saw your message, it’s a long time ago now and you probably won’t see this buy I’ll write it in case ya do.
        Chronic pain sacks doesn’t it.
        I did get the morphine patches, I still have pain 24/7 I can hardly walk now as well.
        Ifs still interferes with my art and I should be further than I am but I take each day as it comes and do more courses on here and I have some good books with good projects in them.
        Apologies again even thought ya might not see this after years gone by xxx

        • Christine, healing thoughts sent to you. When you are in chronic pain you are vulnerable and it can be bad to get no interaction in a teaching forum. Since you are still here that hasn’t deterred you so I am happy for that (because it shouldn’t). The venue used here doesn’t really alert anyone that there are posts šŸ˜‰ But I keep losing what course I am on and where I am in it – lol – so, looking around to start again I came across Boot Camp. Looks like it might be a good place to start.

  2. Plus also wanted to say, I actually enjoy just watching you work and the way you talk and teach is really good, your voice is quite calming I think, which is why i find you easy to understand which is important when you are learning art, some seem to rush over so quickly. I remember my art teacher at school and she didn’t know how fast to skim over stuff which didn’t always go in.

    You really are a fantastic teacher, I know I keep saying that but you are and we students I’m sure appreciate it, I’m sure I do.your passion for art and of course teaching it shines through always.
    Cheers x

    • Update – got secrets finished šŸ˜ƒ, I’ve learnt so much, now I’ve finally started your portrait course. Looking forward to this one as portraits interest me a great deal, as you know I’ve done a couple animal ones so now I want to do people !!!! šŸ˜ƒ All the best Matt Christine x

  3. Hi there. I have recently become a member and am really enjoying the recorded lessons. Currently busy with drawing bootcamp. Unfortunately it seems that lessons 3 – 5 are the same as lesson 2?

    Regards
    Elize

      • When I open this page from my history All I seem to get is video 5 on all the tabs on the left. That may be the problem that Elize had encountered.

  4. Hi Matt,

    Is there a place on your site that I can go to study proportionality in drawing? That seems to be my biggest challenge right now.
    Thank you. You are an excellent teacher.

    Robin

  5. This is a great place for me to start since years ago I pretty much just drew contour drawings with lines, and had only experimented with real value towards the end. I’m so glad after all this time I am getting back into it!! Your art lessons are so much better than the drawing books I took out of the library. Glad to be here.

    By the way I think eyes must be glands (LOL)

  7. Matt. I was able to follow you and did a pretty good job drawing part of the flower. But when I tried on my own I kept losing my place and couldn’t figure out which petal I should draw. Is there a way a beginner like me can not get too confused? Thanks.

  8. The Values lesson was very interesting and helpful. I hope that sometime you’ll consider doing a similar one with pen and ink. I’m having a lot of trouble using a full range of values on my cross-hatched portraits, especially. Thanks.

  10. Thanks for another great course. I have just finished lesson 3 & I did enjoy the sphere! Learning a lot but also I am gaining that important element of confidence.
    Thanks again.

  13. First of all thank you for your generosity. I have been practicing hard, but I feel my progress is not worthy of your tuition, Can you look at my attempts, and guide me ,as to where I am going wrong. How do I send my drawings to you. Once again thank you for allowing me to learn from you. Yours Ernie

  15. Hi Matt. At 70 years old i have wanted to draw and paint for a long time. I am a living example of student B.
    Drawings I did with a little ‘free expression’ were never received well so eventually Igave up. Now I am trying again armed with your mindset that “Ican draw given the knowledge and the practice”. I will succeed Matt.
    Many Thanks

  16. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your lessons are inspiring, encouraging, and truly so helpful. Following your suggestions, I was able to more fully understand the idea of line…in conjunction with the other elements – especially form and value, through this lesson. Your website is brilliant and a treasure!! I am so excited to have found it. Again, thank you. (several years later) šŸ˜€

    • I’m just now watching these lessons. I can’t tell you how true this is. I took band in junior high school and my teacher made fun of my playing in front of the whole class. He didn’t take into consideration the circumstances of how hard it was to do the practice necessary to improve in my skills due to some issues I had. The next year I gave up band. But my junior high and high school art teacher praised my work in front of the whole class and I excelled in art in school. This is an example of exactly what you were talking about in this first lesson. Encouragement is such a powerful tool to motivate people to gain the skills necessary to succeed. Thank you for your perspective on this and thank you for encouraging others by addressing this issue.

  17. Hi Matt,
    Thank you for spending the time on these fundamentals. I’m finally drawing!!! This boot camp is helping a ton. I’m so glad to watch the slow application. It was easy to see what a difference it makes – I can’t wait to practice listening to my audiobook.
    Thank you so much,
    Kathy.

  18. My first view of your site, Matt, and Iā€™m more than impressed by what you have accomplished and how much you offer. Iā€™m going to love my journey with you. Others certainly do!

  19. Hi Matt.
    I’m new to the Virtual Instructor Membership. I have now watched the 25 days to Better Drawing, this Drawing Boot Camp course and doing the Drawing with Pen & Ink course at the moment. They are great courses and I am enjoying doing them and making a mess!
    I do wish that you had a course dedicated to ONLY INK using just dip pens and or a brush.

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