Samples

 A few samples of student artwork. For this beginning class we do all sketching in pencils and some charcoal.  It is easier to learn the foundational elements working with a simple monotone media, we will delve into color on just a couple occasions for fun.  Second year students will be working in color media.
Here is a student's charcoal still life and next a charcoal study of draped cloth.

A pencil drawing done to practice accurate proportions of people and the next photo is of an assignment to draw a well proportioned facial portrait of a gentleman (assorted pencils on toned paper).  

Before and After

Below are some snap shots of 'before' and 'after' drawings from some of last years students.  During the first class students draw their self portraits having no previous instruction. The second sketch is the same student's self portrait, drawn on their last day of class.  Here are the results!  (Click on the photos to view them at a larger sizer and higher quality)


 (I apologize for the poor quality of ALL these photos, the original drawing was scanned with an average home scanner, which was running out of toner and thus created blotchy spots on some of the copies.  Then I took photos of the scans with my little 'point and shoot' camera... so they lack the crispness and clarity of the original drawings, but you can at least get an idea of the difference in skill levels at the beginning of the year versus the end) :)

These first 3 are from a few of my high school students.  2 had never had any drawing lessons, and 1 had enjoyed drawing as a hobby for fun.

Here are some of my middle and junior high students before and after portraits...

(Again, apologies for the photo quality!  I tried to improve this next batch by photographing the scans individually then creating a collage, it helped a little. :-/ )

As you can see all the students display a marked improvement in their ability to draw realistically, to capture a good likeness of their subject (themselves!), and in adding texture, tone, detail, and shading.  They all had varying degrees of drawing ability when they began, and all of them honed their skills, some a little and some quite a lot.  I helped equip them with the tools they need to get over the notion that 'drawing is hard' or that 'some people are naturally talented and others just can't draw'.  That is not true... some people do seem to intuitively know how to draw realistically, the rest of us just need to be shown the right way to see along with some helpful techniques and we can all draw fairly well.  Any one can draw beautifully if they take the time to learn and practice.     ;)

About My Classes

Drawing classes offered for Middle School through High School homeschool students (age 11 and up).

Hello!  I'm Mrs. K,  mom to 3 adult sons, 2 of whom we graduated from our family homeschool.  

I teach drawing classes for homeschoolers, in the southeast valley of Phoenix, AZ (Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert and Maricopa are all within 20 minutes of the class location).  This fall's bi-weekly classes will begin in September at 1:00 to 3:30 pm, and continue through mid December.  A Spring semester will be available beginning January of 2013.  Classes are small with 5 students, maximum per class, to optimize the experience and allow time for individual attention. Currently Thursday's class has a couple open spots and I'm taking names of those interested to create an additional class or two.  The additional classes may be on Mon, Tuesday and/or Wednesdays depending on which day is best for the majority. Please leave a comment if you would like to contact me about this possibility.

About the classes:   This is a foundational drawing class which focuses on the elements of art and composition.  The elements of art are space, line, texture, shape, form, value and light.  We will focus on a different element each lesson, incrementally building artistic understanding and drawing skills.  Students will learn to develop and strengthen their ability to observe and then draw realistically.  This class is appropriate for students of varying experience, whether they are new to drawing, or already exhibiting a knack for sketching .  Everyone can learn to draw, just as we learned to read and write.  :)  Students are taught to recognize the elements of art within classic works by master artists, and then how to achieve those elements in their own drawings.  Different drawing subjects are explored through the exercises and assignments; landscapes, still life, people, animals, drawing from photos and from a variety of observed objects.

Homework assignments are given to complete between classes.  These are required for the students practice to develop skill (as well as hours toward high school credit).  Homework assignments are brought back to the next class to be assessed.  I evaluate each student’s work, offering encouragement and instructive comments.  

In this foundational class the students work in pencil, charcoal or ink media.  It's important to learn to render accurate shapes and values without the added element of color.

My second year students will work in color media; pastels and watercolor. If you have a student who is already skilled in drawing and understands foundational drawing concepts and terminology who would like to take the Color course, please contact me.  I will need to see some samples of their artwork to determine if they would benefit from being placed in this class without taking the Drawing class.  2 spots open in this Friday afternoon class, which begins August 31. 

I give an honest evaluation and assign letter grades based on the objective of each assignment and a student's class participation.  No matter what a student's artistic skill are, a good (or poor) grade is given based on their effort to meet the objectives, which are clearly explained in the homework assignments.  An 'A' is not automatic for a student with strong drawing talent, but is based on their comprehension and effort to incorporate the concepts taught within their drawings, taking time to do their best, and being attentive and involved during class.  As your student's parent you actually decide what grade to give your student on their homeschool transcript. 

A semester is worth a half credit for your high school student's transcript. Two semesters total a full credit towards the fine arts elective 'Drawing 1'.  The second semester course will be a continuation building on the fall drawing class. 

If you would like more information about my classes or would like to inquire about reserving a spot for your student, please email me at   AZ Kate @ gmail.com  (remove all spaces) or leave me a comment with your email address and the day(s) of the week which work for your schedule.  I'll send you more information in a private format. Thank you!