DrawingAcademy

Aleksei Savrasov – Russian landscape painter

August 21, 2014September 26, 2018
5 Comments

Article by Vladimir London, Drawing Academy tutor

Born 12 May 1830 in Moscow, Aleksei Savrasov demonstrated artistic skills early; indeed, he sold his earliest landscape paintings at age twelve! Although his father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become a merchant, Savrasov entered the Moscow School of Painting and Sculpture in 1844, focusing on landscapes. His father was so opposed to art school that Savrasov quit after only a few weeks, but was encouraged to return by his instructors in 1848. Studying under Rabus, he became the most distinguished landscape student at the academy. After he caught the notice of a notable patron of the arts, Likhachev, he received a scholarship to study in Odessa, where he further developed his landscape technique. The paintings made around this time earned him a certificate of appreciation from the art school,…

Drawing of a windmill

August 21, 2014September 27, 2018
2 Comments

Drawing by Ronnie Rayner Larter

This drawing is of a windmill a few miles from my home. I completed a few days ago using the hatching technique. To create a sense of restfulness I used horizontal hatching for all buildings, trees and sky, but for the windmill I used cross-hatching, which I felt gave it a sense of solidity.

August 21, 2014November 5, 2025
2 Comments

Hands drawing by Malvina James

How to Overcome Artist’s Blocks

August 20, 2014May 13, 2020
3 Comments

Questions from Iuliana

“How to overcome mental blocks holding me back from actually getting in the “stream” of drawing… the fear of not being good enough?”

August 19, 2014October 28, 2025
7 Comments

ballet-dancer-painting2

I am a ballet teacher that wants to be a fine artist.

I have studied drawing, painting and sculpture (a little at a time) over the years and am hoping to make painting and sculpture of dancers my main vocation…

COPYING: Should it be Part of the Learning Process?

August 18, 2014November 6, 2025

Article by Ronnie Rayner Larter

There seems to be a debate about whether or not it’s good to copy when drawing. Some say no, others say yes. Did you know they used to do that in the old school of art where new students were made to copy from drawings and prints of their masters. In fact, they would spend the first year constantly copying from prints, or from the ‘flat’ as they called it, which was taught as being good practice…

Artwork by Jorge Jez

August 18, 2014September 30, 2018
2 Comments

My name is Jorge and I’m from Colombia I live in a small beautiful city called Buga. Sadly, there is only one art school here, which teaches abstract art and quite expensive as well. However, I want to learn good drawing techniques.

When I was a child, my father gave the book on drawing; now I’m also looking on Internet for good lessons…

Artwork by Jivaji Deshpande

August 16, 2014September 30, 2018

This is Jivaji Deshpande, from New Delhi, India.

Art is my childhood passion. Unfortunately, I could not take up any course in art, much as I wanted to do. Coming as I do from a poor family, doing art course was a taboo, and I entered government service after a formal education up to secondary level, as earning a livelihood was of paramount importance. After retirement from government service about 16 years ago, spending 35 years of my core life in service, I have been struggling hard all by myself without any external guidance to get some foot-hold in art. I am now 75 years of age…

August 15, 2014September 25, 2018
5 Comments

Thank you!

Every day we read new comments on the Drawing Academy course submitted here:
https://drawingacademy.com/win-free-membership

Thank you very much for your feedback and suggestions.

As promised, we awarded today one contributor with the full access to the Drawing Academy video lessons and bonuses.

And the winner is:

Dean Pridmore

Here is what Dean says about himself…

Women’s Beauty

August 15, 2014September 30, 2018
5 Comments

Artwork by Giedre Sunklodaite

I am an artist Giedre Sunklodaite, 35 years old, was born in Lithuania. Painting is one of my greatest delights – it always has been, since I was a very young girl. In 2002 in Vilnius I gained Bachelor of Arts degree, I did more that 20 exhibitions. Usually I am painting impressionistic landscapes, flowers, I adore it, but it is so interesting to paint a human…