The Drawing curriculum is a complete education in Drawing using online materials.
Note: When there are courses or books that don't fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings.
Process. Students can work through the curriculum alone or in groups, in order or out of order. For simplicity, we recommend working through courses in order from top to bottom. Some students choose to study multiple courses at a time in order to vary the material they are working on in a day/week.
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Forums:
- WetCanvas (active traditional art forums with drawing sections and critiques)
- Creative Spark (artist discussion forum, successor vibe to older sites)
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Subreddits:
- r/learnart (focused on learning and constructive critiques)
- r/learntodraw (beginner-friendly drawing help and feedback)
- r/drawing (sharing techniques, practice, and critiques)
- r/ArtCrit (dedicated to constructive criticism)
- r/ArtFundamentals (Drawabox community for structured feedback)
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Discord servers:
- Drawabox Official Discord (structured critiques tied to lessons)
- New Masters Academy Discord (open to all, focused on serious art study and feedback)
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You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
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Join our Discord server (for discussions around this and other curricula):
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Drawing & Form | Build confidence in lines, understand 3D forms, and develop constructive thinking essential for all drawing. | The Natural Way to Draw | DrawABox - Part One: The Basics OR Art fundamentals #1: Shapes and forms |
| Observational Drawing Fundamentals | Develops seeing and recording skills, training the eye to capture reality accurately as the basis for all drawing. | Need help with basic observational drawing and construction [Beginner] (self.ArtistLounge) | How to Draw What You See: A Guide to Observational Drawing |
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gesture Drawing | Capture movement, energy, and pose quickly; foundational for dynamic figures and animals. | Gesture Drawing tutorials - S. Michael Hampton + Gesture Drawing Practice |
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Human Anatomy | Understand structure and proportions for believable figures and characters (weak in original roadmap). | PROKO ANATOMY TUTORIALS OR How I Draw Anatomy by MissKerrieJ |
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perspective | Create convincing 3D space; critical for environments, figures in space, and vehicles. | Perspective Made Easy | moderndayjames Perspective series |
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value and Shading | Focuses on value (the range of lightness to darkness in grayscale) and the techniques for applying it to create the illusion of volume | Light, Shade and Shadow | Shading - Alphonso Dunn |
| Light and Shadow | Understand how directional light creates predictable patterns (highlight, halftone, core shadow, reflected light, cast shadow) for realistic 3D illusion. | A Beginners Guide to Light & Shadow | |
| Color Theory | Understands hue, saturation, and harmony, allowing for emotive and realistic color application in drawings. | Color: A Natural History of the Palette | Marco Bucci Color + Color Theory - The Futur Academy |
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Design | Develop expressive, varied characters with personality, silhouette, and narrative appeal. | How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way (focus on dynamic figures and design principles; adaptable for characters). | character design course - Kavya Rao OR Character Design - Christophe Young OR KNKL Character Design BootCamp (Full) |
| Animal Drawing | Learn gesture, anatomy variations, and locomotion for realistic or fantastical creatures as a foundation for design. | The Weatherly Guide to Drawing Animals | Drawing Animals for Beginners - Part 1 - Structure & Form + Drawing Animals for Beginners - Part 2 - Action, Foreshortening & Details |
| Creature Design | Combine anatomy, imagination, and variation for original designs, blending animal and character elements. | Creature Design with Aaron Blaise | Creature Design Lessons - Draw Sessions AND/OR Concept Art Creature Painting |
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composition & Storytelling | Arrange elements to guide the eye, tell stories, and create impactful images. | Art Lessons: Composition - ArtOfSoulburn AND Marvel's The Art of Storytelling - Proko |
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environment Design | Create believable worlds with depth, mood, and integration of elements. | Environment design tutorials AND/OR Worldbuilding 101 and Beyond |
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Style Development | Encourages personal voice through experimentation, blending techniques with individual expression. | Steal Like an Artist | |
| Art-Historical Context | Examines drawing's evolution and key movements, informing contemporary practice and critique. | The Story of Art | Art history - Khan Academy |
After completing the requirements of the curriculum above, you will have completed the equivalent of a full bachelor's degree in Drawing. Congratulations!