How many adults have you heard say, “I do not have an artistic bone in my body” or “I can’t even draw a straight line”?

That’s because, many people stop drawing around 10 years of age, often becoming self-conscious and overly critical of their abilities. As Pablo Picasso famously said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” However, the good news is that drawing is a skill—just like riding a bicycle or playing an instrument—that anyone can learn, and we can teach you (see what you can learn).

Furthermore, our adult classes offer personalized instruction based on each student’s experience and interests. As a result, participants can work on different projects at various skill levels to track their individual progress (see before/after progress gallery).

For adult students who are beginners

We recommend that beginners start with drawing.
After all, drawing is the foundation for all other media—like learning to walk before you run. It helps students develop observation, coordination, and confidence, which are essential for progressing into painting or more complex projects.

To support this, adult beginners begin with drawing exercises from Dr. Betty Edwards’ “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain”, along with additional exercises developed by our team.

The curriculum includes contour, cross-contour, negative space, perspective, understanding of value and basic shading techniques, primarily using pencil and paper. Once these core skills are mastered, students transition to charcoal and soft pastels to deepen their understanding of values and shading.

For experienced students

Before starting, we begin with a conversation to better understand the student’s current skill level, artistic interests, and goals for class. This initial discussion helps us create a personalized path for learning.

Once we’ve established a starting point, we design a series of tailored projects that either build on existing skills or introduce new techniques and mediums. 

Students can improve their skills in any of the following mediums: charcoal, graphite pencil, colored pencil, ink, watercolor, gouache, soft pastels, oil pastels, and acrylics.