This is a one day live workshop that covers everything you need to know about leveling up as an artist

HERE’S WHAT I’LL BE TEACHING:

Session 1: Gesture and Design

This is where it all starts. Your gesture drawing sets the tone for the entire piece. It shows movement, balance, and intention. If your gesture is off from the beginning it doesn’t matter how well you end up rendering the piece, something will feel lifeless about it.

I’ll teach you how to design a character, a place, and a thing. I’ll guide you through an approach to gesture drawing that has worked for me for years. I’ll show how to give your character weight and balance. How to place them in an environment, and holding an object.

But gesture isn’t everything. Learning proper design principles is what separates a good drawing from a great drawing. This is where you get to add your personal flair and signature style to your drawing. I’ll show how to use proportion, repetition, balance, and contrast to create something unique, compelling, and beautiful.

Session 2: Volume

Once you’ve nailed down your gesture and design, you need to define the volumes and structures that give your drawing weight, spacial context, and overall believability. Without a proper understanding of how to add volume and structure to your gesture, your drawing will end up looking flat.

In this session I’ll teach you how to give your drawing structure and dimension. I’ll show you how basic shapes can be combined to create complex designs. You’ll learn to draw these shapes from different perspectives and viewing angles to give your work a 3D look.

Session 3: Rendering

This is the final execution of your artistic vision. Whether it’s in color, black & white, or just line-work, you need to master the craft of finishing your drawing. An understanding of light and shadow, line quality, and values is essential in making a piece worthy of your portfolio.

In this session you’ll learn different rendering techniques and how to practice them on your own. You’ll learn how to apply these techniques to your sketches to make beautiful finished pieces.

HERE’S HOW THE DAY BREAKS DOWN:

My workshops are 9 hours divided into 3 equal segments. It’s a long, intensive day, but people walk away having made friends, leveled up in their art, and have a clear direction about what they need to do moving forward. The day breaks down like this:

Day breakdown

9AM Meet and Greet
9:30AM – 12:30PM: Session 1
1 Hour Lunch Break
2PM – 5PM: Session 2
2 Hour Dinner Break
7PM – 10PM Session 3

Session breakdown:

90 minutes of instruction
10 minute break
30 minute demo
10 minute break
40 minutes of student drawing time where I critique each students work and do draw-overs on them.

Jake Parker is a New York Times Best Selling Illustrator with a background in animation, illustration, and comic books. For 12 years he has worked in the animation industry, and is currently an independent artist working from his studio in Utah. His workshops focus on drawing and creating art for the entertainment and publishing industries.