Art & Drawing Ladder · Middle school · Grade 5–12

Drawing Basics

For age 10 to adult: pencils and paper, contour and gesture, forms, value and shading, light and shadow, measuring, one-, two- and three-point perspective, composition, faces, hands and figures, with a drawing pad and printable practice sheets.

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59 topics in 12 units. Builds on Drawing for Young Artists. Leads to Color and Design. Not sure this is the right course? Find your rung.

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Unit 1 Tools and Materials

4 topics

Pencil grades, paper and erasers, how to hold the pencil, and charcoal, ink and colored pencil.

  1. Pencil Grades: H, HB and B
  2. Paper and Erasers
  3. Holding the Pencil
  4. Charcoal, Ink and Colored Pencil

Unit 2 Line

5 topics

Line weight, contour, blind contour, cross-contour and gesture: the ways a line can look and what each one trains.

  1. Line Weight and Line Quality
  2. Contour Drawing
  3. Blind Contour Drawing
  4. Cross-Contour Lines
  5. Gesture Drawing

Unit 3 Shapes and Forms

5 topics

Positive and negative space, flat shapes into solid forms, boxes, ellipses and building objects from forms.

  1. Positive and Negative Space
  2. From Shapes to Forms
  3. Drawing a Box
  4. Circles in Depth: Ellipses
  5. Building Objects from Forms

Unit 4 Value and Shading

6 topics

The value scale, hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, smooth tone and contrast.

  1. Value and the Value Scale
  2. Hatching
  3. Cross-Hatching
  4. Stippling
  5. Smooth Tone and Blending
  6. Contrast and Key

Unit 5 Light and Shadow

5 topics

One light source; highlight, core shadow, reflected light and cast shadow; shading a sphere and a box.

  1. Where the Light Comes From
  2. Highlight, Core Shadow and Reflected Light
  3. Cast Shadows
  4. Shading a Sphere
  5. Shading a Box: Three Planes

Unit 6 Proportion and Measuring

5 topics

Comparing sizes, sighting with a pencil, angles and plumb lines, the grid method and checking a drawing.

  1. Proportion: Comparing Sizes
  2. Sighting with a Pencil
  3. Angles and Plumb Lines
  4. The Grid Method
  5. Checking Your Drawing

Unit 7 Perspective

7 topics

Overlap, size and placement; the horizon line; one-, two- and three-point perspective; atmospheric perspective.

  1. Showing Depth: Overlap, Size and Placement
  2. The Horizon Line Is Eye Level
  3. One-Point Perspective
  4. Roads, Rooms and Rails
  5. Two-Point Perspective
  6. Three-Point Perspective
  7. Atmospheric Perspective

Unit 8 Composition

5 topics

The rule of thirds, the focal point, balance, leading lines and thumbnail sketches.

  1. The Rule of Thirds
  2. The Focal Point
  3. Balance
  4. Leading Lines
  5. Thumbnails and Viewfinders

Unit 9 Still Life, Texture and Cloth

4 topics

Setting up a still life, drawing texture, shiny and see-through things, and folds.

  1. Setting Up a Still Life
  2. Drawing Texture
  3. Shiny and See-Through Things
  4. Folds in Cloth

Unit 10 Drawing Faces

5 topics

Proportions of the head, eyes, nose and mouth, turning the head, and expressions.

  1. Proportions of the Head
  2. Drawing Eyes
  3. The Nose and Mouth
  4. Profile and Three-Quarter Views
  5. Expressions

Unit 11 Hands and Figures

5 topics

Hands, figure proportions in heads, the line of action, the mannequin and the clothed figure.

  1. Drawing Hands
  2. Figure Proportions in Heads
  3. The Line of Action
  4. The Mannequin Figure
  5. The Clothed Figure

Unit 12 Practice Plans

3 topics

Warm-ups, a sketchbook habit and drawing from life and from photos.

  1. Warm-Ups
  2. A Sketchbook Habit
  3. Drawing from Life and from Photos
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