Classical Foundations: Gesture, Proportion, and Form

In this 8-class course, students will be introduced to the core methods of classical figure drawing. Learn how to observe and construct the human figure using envelope shapes, gesture, and proportion. Through guided exercises (without live models), the course builds confidence in seeing the figure as both movement and structure. It starts with simple stick figure gestures to loosen the hand and progress into more intentional drawings.

The curriculum moves step by step: from understanding ideal vs. natural proportions, to adding three-dimensional form, and exploring expressive gesture with ink. In the latter half of the course, students will apply these skills to a longer pose drawing, developing it over multiple sessions. By the end, students will have a clear, structured approach to drawing the human figure with both accuracy and sensitivity.