Drawing Nature, Still Life, Landscapes_ Afsaneh Michaels_ Sept 3 – Oct 8 _ Wednesdays_ 9:30-12:30 _Studio 1

Drawing Nature, Still Life, Landscapes
September 3 – October 8 , 2025
Wednesdays 9:30-12:30
Studio 1
I aspire to empower my student artists by helping build a solid foundation in observation, technique, and artistic understanding in drawing. My teaching approach focuses on building fundamental skills and understanding core artistic concepts.

Fundamentals of drawing are best understood through a study of visual thinking and detailed and methodical practice over several weeks with individualized attention from Afsaneh. A wide range of materials and mediums are gradually introduced with demonstrations.

In all my classes I create a cohesive environment without judgement where you see and appreciate a variety of art and inspire each other. Beginners, intermediate, and more experienced students work together in one class, each group working on material appropriate to their group, overlaps are encouraged among the various levels.

All drawing students learn the elements of art and principles of design introduced as foundational vocabulary. These are: line, shape, value (understanding of light), form (representation of the three dimension), texture, space, composition, and proportion, and learn to draw using different subject matter such as objects in a still life, or what nature offers such as branches, leaves, small flowers, fruits, vegetable, a bird, butterfly, or a landscape of choice.

Beginners Will have one or two completed drawings with three or four components. Great emphasis is put upon learning the foundational skills and principles of drawing and design. Teacher chooses all the subject matter.
Beginners come to the first class half an hour early to meet and greet and to receive the beginner materials.

Intermediate students produce more complex drawings of natural materials or scenery or a still life, perhaps work on a series and learn to use color (optional) with colored pencils, pastels, or watercolor mixed with drawing. This group produces several drawings, some in color and some in graphite or charcoal pencil.

More advanced students work with scale, tonal variation and more detail and color and possibly work on a self generated project, ie. A garden of their choice or other subjects.

We will use pencils, charcoal, colored pencils, pens, but a lesser extent watercolor ( always combined with pencils or pens). Great emphasis is on drawing real objects or specimens and not necessarily working from photos. Small things are brought into the studio or from your home as models.

Please come with your materials or at least a sketchbook and some pencils to the first class and learn about materials then.

Instructor: Afsaneh Michaels AfsanehAm@gmail.com
September 3 – October 8 , 2025
Wednesdays 9:30-12:30
Class Fee: $180.00 Members. $200.00 Non-members
Place: studio 1
Number of students: 18
Materials: Sketchbook: 1) 93-120 Ibs. weight of your choice. 2) Pencils: 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, F, H, 2H, 4H. 3) Set of charcoal pencils. 4) Pink/white eraser. 5) kneaded rubber eraser. 6) Pencil sharpener. 7) Gray scale.
8) Blending stumps. 9) Small ruler, 10) Set of colored pencils if you choose color (Prismacolor is ideal but other brands work too).