Life
Drawing

Campus / 4 Total Projects / $1040 GST Included (13 Weeks)

This weekly class is taught by industry animators and features professional models posing in our dedicated life drawing classroom. Students explore short poses, long poses, gesture, structure and detailed anatomy studies.

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Course Mission

This weekly class is taught by industry animators and features professional models posing in our life drawing classroom. The course provides comprehensive figure drawing training through short poses, long poses and anatomy studies. Figure drawing is a crucial part of an animator’s toolkit, helping artists understand movement, weight, balance and dynamic posing. Whether students are new to life drawing or looking to strengthen their existing skills, the course provides a structured path for continued development.

Course Summary

Students will study gesture, line of action, proportion, balance, structure, anatomy and lighting through direct observation of professional models. Short-pose exercises will develop speed, movement and clarity, while longer studies will focus on anatomy, portrait construction, form and rendered light. Students will also experiment with charcoal, Conté, coloured pencils and newsprint to develop confident and expressive figure drawings.

Classes Info

Term(s): Ongoing
Course Name: Life Drawing
Instructor(s): Rotating industry instructors
Studio Classroom: Richmond
Scheduled Days: Sundays, 9:30 AM–12:30 PM
Weekly Hour(s): 3 studio hours*
Total Projects: 4 projects
Course Format: In person with all-access Discord online support

*Additional studio access is available to portfolio students only.

Student Learning Outcomes

Analyze the differences between strong and weak figure poses.
Understand the essential components of dynamic life drawing.
Use figure drawing materials proficiently, including charcoal, Conté, newsprint and coloured pencils.
Draw short-duration poses using gesture, line of action and basic structure.
Draw long-duration poses featuring detailed anatomy, portrait construction and rendered lighting.
Apply different drawing techniques to construct convincing forms and poses.
Improve observation, proportion, balance, movement and anatomical understanding.

Required Materials

Drawing Surfaces

Newsprint drawing pad
Large-format drawing paper
Drawing board or firm backing surface

Drawing Tools

Charcoal pencils or charcoal sticks
Black and coloured Conté
Blue or coloured animation pencils
Kneaded eraser
Pencil sharpener

Figure Drawing Course

Course Content with Time Allocation

Develop confident figure-drawing skills through gesture, structure, anatomy, portrait studies, short poses, and extended observational drawings focused on movement, proportion, and form.

Final Figure Drawing Samples

01

2 Weeks

Figure Drawing Fundamentals

Learn the foundations of figure drawing, including line of action, head-to-body proportions, simplified anatomy, structural body shapes, weight distribution, balance, and dynamic movement.

02

2 Weeks

Bean & Head Construction Studies

Use the bean method to simplify the torso and understand twisting, bending, compression, and extension. Students will also apply the Loomis method to construct the head and become more confident drawing dynamic poses.

03

3 Weeks

Short Gesture Poses

Practice quick one-minute, two-minute, and five-minute poses. Students will learn how to identify the main action, capture weight and movement, simplify the body, and communicate the pose clearly within a limited amount of time.

04

3 Weeks

Long Figure Poses

Develop ten-minute, fifteen-minute, twenty-minute, and thirty-minute drawings with greater attention to structure and observation. Students will study portraits, torso construction, hand landmarks, muscle groups, form, value, and shading.

05

2 Weeks

Portrait & Expression Studies

Break down the portrait through facial proportions and the construction of the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, jaw, and hair. Students will then explore how these features change through different facial expressions.

06

2 Weeks

Anatomy: Torso, Hands, Feet & Limbs

Focus on body areas that students often find challenging. Learn how to construct the torso, arms, legs, hands, and feet using simplified forms, anatomical landmarks, joints, muscle groups, and clear spatial relationships.

Education Consultant

Ivan Wang

Director & Education Consultant

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