Discover the Best Drawing Classes in Washington, D.C.
Drawing is one of the most versatile skills in the world and provides both personal enjoyment and economic benefits. Thankfully, you can learn to draw in using in-person or online courses, depending on class availability. These programs provide many unique benefits and cover multiple subjects, such as specific art styles. Knowing what classes are available can help you make an informed and intelligent learning decision.
Why You Should Learn Drawing in
is a uniquely engaging city with a large art scene that includes painters, sculptors, and illustrators. As a result, learning to draw may help you join this community and make new friends. Even better, learning to create art can be good for your mental health. Multiple studies find that arts and crafts can reduce anxiety and depression symptoms.
Furthermore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that artists can make about $24.02 per hour on average. Though this rate is well below the average salary, it may work well as a side hustle. For instance, you create and sell art in your freetime to make a little extra money. Or you could simply give your art away as gifts to your loved ones.
In-Person Drawing Classes in
Learning to draw in by attending in-person classes can provide many unique benefits. For instance, you’ll get hands-on support from a live professor who can walk you through your lessons. They’ll assess your art, identify things you do well, help you figure out where you’re struggling, and improve your skills and techniques.
Thankfully, there are many in-person drawing classes in you can attend. Many include your materials in your course cost, which ensures you have all you need to complete engaging and attractive art. The following classes cover multiple subjects and can give you the unique support you need to become a better artist.
Drawing
Drawing is a Stone Branch School of Art program on Rockville Pike that covers basic drawing techniques. You’ll learn about sighting, shading, measuring, and composing your artwork, as well as simple sketching techniques. Drawing accepts students of all skill levels and provides materials like paper and pens to ensure you can create attractive artwork.
Drawing With the Figure
Drawing With the Figure is a McLean Community Center course on Chain Bridge Road that Figure Drawing is a Washington Studio School program on South Street that works best for people with intermediate drawing skills. It includes a live model who takes multiple poses to help you master techniques like perspective, structure, movement, and expressive qualities. Your teacher will help you develop a more personalized drawing approach.
Drawing Fundamentals
Drawing Fundamentals is a McLean Community Center class on Chain Bridge Road that’s designed for students between 8-12 years old. It accepts all skill levels, including more advanced or naturally skilled artists. This program covers important fundamental drawing skills, such as composition, proportion, perspective, volume, and observation.
Figure Drawing
Figure Drawing is a Washington Studio School class on South Street that features a live model. This model takes multiple poses to help you capture the human body in more depth and detail. In this course, you’ll learn how to draw gestures, contours, and values, as well as use drawing tools like pencils, erasers, and even charcoal.
Drawing: Portrait
Drawing: Portrait is a Stone Branch School of Art learning program on Rockville Pike that teaches you how to draw gorgeous portraits. You’ll learn how to use charcoal and pencil to sketch, texture, and shade your artwork. Each class includes a live model and a professor who can help you master your drawing techniques.
Basic Drawing
Basic Drawing is a course by The Art League on North Union Street in Alexandria, Virginia that teaches fundamental art techniques for true beginners. You’ll learn about using lines, values, gestures, and perspectives, as well as crafting shapes and texturing your work. Subjects include landscapes, still lifes, and occasionally live models.
Figure Drawing
Figure Drawing is a class provided by The Art League on North Union Street in Alexandria, Virginia, not far from DC. In this program, you’ll work with male or female models and master techniques like measuring, webbing, foreshortening, and gesturing. Each week focuses on learning to draw different sections of the body using inexpensive materials like pencils and sketch pads.
Virtual Drawing Classes
If none of the classes we reviewed above interest you, online drawing courses may be a great alternative. They provide many benefits, including the ability to learn wherever you want. For instance, you can practice drawing while at home or even on vacation. Even better, you can take classes held in far-off places like Chicago, Los Angeles, or Houston.
However, it’s important to recognize that virtual courses have some limitations. For instance, you will typically have to pay for your materials, such as pencils, sketch pads, and erasers. Furthermore, you’ll get less personal time with your professor, which may not work well for people who need more guidance while learning.
That said, online drawing classes provide far more benefits than they do downsides. That makes them an excellent option if you want to learn drawing but would rather not go to an in-person classroom. Here are a few learning options you can consider that may work well for your experience level and artistic interests.
Online Drawing
Online Drawing is a New York School of the Arts class that teaches up to 10 people various drawing techniques. You’ll learn how to sketch, texture, and shade your work, as well as produce attractive landscapes and figures. This course’s live professor will create a program based on your environment and learning skills to ensure you’re comfortable.
Drawing for Beginners
Drawing for Beginners is a 92nd Street Y program that helps up to 14 beginners learn the basics of drawing. You’ll use pencils, erasers, and sketch pads to practice drawing lines, shapes, shadows, tones, and perspectives. Even better, you’ll learn basic critiquing skills to ensure you can understand and improve your art more effectively.
Online Intro to Drawing Class
Online Intro to Drawing Class is a Pastimes for a Lifetime course that covers basic drawing techniques in a fun and comfortable environment. Subjects include improving your hand-to-eye coordination, measuring for proportion, sketching, shading, and crafting 3D artwork on a two-dimensional plane. This course is designed for beginners and out-of-practice artists.
Private Group Drawing Classes in
Are you interested in drawing classes for private groups in for your next teamwork-building exercise? CourseHorse provides many unique class options that may work well for you. Benefits of working with them include carefully vetted programs, 24-hour confirmation, no booking fees, and adjustable class sizes up to the day it starts.
For example, Virtual Group Drawing & Sketching teaches up to 255 people how to draw still life, landscapes, botanical art, and faces. This course includes support from a live online professor who can make your learning easier. Similarly, Virtual Pancake Art is a quirky, 100-person class that teaches your team how to draw while enjoying delicious handmade pancakes.
If you don’t see a class that interests you, reach out to CourseHorse to set up a private learning experience for your employees. They’ll sit down with you and discuss what kind of program you’d like to study. Then, they’ll provide in-depth planning to ensure you find the course that works the best for your team.
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