DRAWING & PAINTING
Instructor - Sue Archer - AWS, NWS, TWSA, FWS
Sue is a studio and plein air artist, national workshop instructor and national juror and judge for watercolor exhibitions. She showed her work in Art Festivals in Florida from 1985 -2014 and still shows her work in national watercolor exhibitions. Since Sue began exhibiting her work in 1985, she has won over 200 state and national awards, has received a Florida State Individual Artist Fellowship grant for painting, and has a DVD “Commanding Color”.
For 25 years Sue had painted large still lifes showing strong light and with textural interest. Now she is doing abstracted-textural work, close-up or mid-distant landscapes, some figurative works, and drawings in-studio and plein air. Painting the effect of light on her subjects and creating texture are still a passion of hers no matter what the genre.
BEGINNING DRAWING
Supply List
You Can Learn to Draw!
A Progressive Drawing Course with Sue Archer
Learning to draw begins with learning to see.
In this progressive, workshop-style course, Sue Archer guides students through the foundations of drawing using focused observation, thoughtful instruction, and consistent practice. Whether drawing is your primary interest or a skill you want to strengthen for painting and other visual arts, this course is designed to help you see more carefully, understand what you are observing, and translate it onto paper with greater confidence.
Although the class meets weekly, the course is structured much like a workshop. Each session builds upon the concepts introduced before it, and students should expect meaningful drawing exercises and assignments between classes. The more time you spend drawing, the more you will develop your eye, hand, and understanding of the drawing process.
As Sue emphasizes, there is one essential ingredient to learning to draw:
Practice, practice, practice!
Learning to See
Throughout the course, students will explore the idea that drawing is much more than creating an accurate picture. Drawing is an act of observation, a process of discovery, and an important foundation for nearly every form of visual art.
Students will explore:
-
Learning to draw by learning to see
-
Drawing as focused observation
-
Drawing as a process rather than simply a finished product
-
Different approaches to drawing and the reasons artists draw
-
The role of drawing as the foundation of painting and other visual arts
-
Drawing as an expressive medium in its own right
Topics & Techniques
Sue aims to cover the following concepts and techniques throughout the program:
Drawing Foundations
-
What is a drawing?
-
Building your drawing “tool belt”
-
Understanding line
-
Understanding value
-
Working within the drawing field
Approaches to Drawing
-
Contour drawing
-
Gesture drawing
-
Cross-contour drawing
-
Relationship drawing
-
Mass drawing
Essential Concepts
-
Shape and form
-
Value relationships
-
Light and shadow shapes
-
Basic perspective
-
Creating the illusion of distance
Because this is a progressive course, regular attendance and practice between classes are strongly encouraged. Students should plan to spend time drawing outside of class in order to receive the greatest benefit from the program.
Questions about course content may be directed to Sue Archer at suearcherville@gmail.com.
Tuesday Mornings 9:00am - 12:00pm
$440 - 8 Week Course
BEYOND THE BASICS: DRAWING & WATERMEDIA
This class is designed for intermediate to advanced students working in watercolor, acrylic, or gouache, as well as intermediate to advanced drawers. Students who have completed Peggy’s three beginner watercolor classes are welcome to join.
You’ll be encouraged to explore your own artistic direction by drawing and painting from personal reference material. Bring printed photos of your chosen subject matter (on 8.5” x 11” paper) or have them ready on a tablet—please note that we will not be working from phone screens. If you prefer to work from life, you are welcome to bring in your own still life setup or use one provided in class.
Instruction will focus on expanding technique, introducing foundational design concepts, developing personal style, and learning how to bring a painting to a polished finish.