Learn To Draw: 5 fun exercises to develop line drawing confidence

Skill Level:
all levels

Class Length:
1 hr 15 mins

Materials Required:
A Pen
A few sheets of paper

In this hands-on drawing class, I’m going to walk you through a series of fun and simple drawing exercises ive tried and tested to help you develop greater confidence in your line drawing

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

  • exploring confident drawing

    EXPLORING CONFIDENT DRAWING

    We will examine what confidence in line drawing is and determine the qualities and common themes by looking at examples of confident drawing.

    This knowledge will provide us with a set of rules to work with to help us achieve a more confident quality in our own drawing.

  • exploring materials for confident line quality

    EXPLORING MATERIALS

    We will explore the best materials to use to achieve a confident quality in our drawing, and we will play with and explore different ways of using our materials in order to achieve different effects, evaluating the best methods of achieving more confident line quality.

  • choosing subject matter for drawing

    SUBJECT MATTER

    We will discuss the most effective subject matter to draw to encourage confident drawing.

    Choosing what to draw can have a big impact on the success of our drawing and how confident we feel about it, so this is an important step in achieving stronger, more confident drawings.

  • botanical bird drawing doodles silhouette

    MINDSET

    We will discuss how mindset can impact our drawing confidence, and I will give you tips and actionable advice for how to set yourself up for success.

  • blind contour drawing exercise

    DRAWING EXCERCISES

    We will then work through a toolkit of drawing exercises designed to develop confidence and playfully explore drawing in different ways. These will include Blind Drawing, Non Dominant Hand, Hand, Body, Paper and Pen Positioning, Playing with Scale and Speed Drawing.

    I will be completing the drawing exercises along with you so that you can see the impact of these exercises on my own drawings.

  • evaluating a range of drawings

    EVALUATE

    We will evaluate our drawings (without judgement!), focussing on the strengths in the drawings we have made to cultivate more confidence in our drawing practice.

    This will give us a clear roadmap to explore drawing methods which suit us, and help us to develop our own unique drawing style.

I'M READY TO LEARN!

WHO THE COURSE IS FOR

This class is suitable for all levels - both complete beginners and seasoned artists well get something from this class!

This class is perfect if you:

  • Are just starting out learning to draw and would like a complete guide in how to develop more confident looking drawings.

  • Have some drawing experience but feel you need some fresh perspectives and ideas for how to take your drawing to the next level.

  • Are comfortable with drawing but feel stuck in a rut or creatively stagnant - these exercises can unlock creative breakthroughs and will offer ways to get you excited about drawing again :)

WHAT you will TAKE AWAY

By the end of the course, you will have:

  • A series of experimental drawings exploring a range of alternative drawing methods

  • An understanding of the hallmarks of confident drawing, and how to choose the best materials and subject matter (and how to use them!) to encourage a more confident approach to your own drawing

  • A roadmap for the drawing methods which work best for you, to incorporate into your drawing moving forward to help you develop your own signature style.

  • A toolkit of drawing exercises you can return to when you need to break out of a rut or mix things up in your drawing

supporting resources

Provided along with the class is the Class Resource PDF which contains:

  • A list of the tools and materials you’ll need to complete the course

  • A directory of the 5 drawing exercises covered in the course

  • Warm up prompts to help you explore your drawing tools during your drawing warm-ups

  • A list of positive adjectives to help you evaluate your drawings

testimonials

  • "ENERGISING"

    I draw for recreation and sometimes illustrating notes I write. The suggestions about warm up and preparation led me to explore tools and to just draw more than I usually do which was energising. The exercises were completely doable and met the instructors goal of losing some control so as to gain confidence for me. It felt as if the instructor was opening up her own drawing style with us which was very endearing and engaging. I will definitely look for more of her classes.

    - Mary B

  • "RECOMMENDED!"

    I simply love all Mel's classes! I really had much fun with this one. It made me go out of my comfort zone and challenge myself with new points of view. Mel is clear and engaging as usual. Recommended!

    - Elisa C

  • "OPENED MY MIND"

    Mel has opened my mind to line drawing. I've always drawn "hairy" lines very lightly with a pencil. She has given me a new concept of drawing with ink confidently. Thank you, Mel.

    - William C

  • "THIS REALLY, REALLY HELPED ME"

    Mel is a great teacher! This class is so much fun and really helped me loosen up my drawing. I am a person who is usually very uptight around drawing and making mistakes. And this really, really helped me. Well worth the time!

    - Boulder P

  • "GREAT EXAMPLES AND TIME SPENT ON THEM"

    As a total beginner it was fun to see it can be fun just to experiment, cause I can see myself being too detailed and perfectionist. Great examples and time spent on them. Thank you!

    - Shauna E

  • "THANKS FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS FANTASTIC CLASS"

    Thanks for putting together this fantastic class. I’ve practiced many of these skills over the years but you organized them into such a fun and exciting little bundle, which I’ll enjoy going back to again and again.

    Carolyn P

  • "YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED"

    This is a brilliant art class, I really enjoyed it. I would recommend this class to everyone who is interested in different ways of drawing and how to use pen tools or any tool to mark make an object. You won't be disappointed. there is so much to learn, and you have a wonderful teacher who has so much experience in art and illustration techniques. Go for it right now! I had so much fun watching and learning from this class. Thank you!

    - Yvonne R

  • "THIS CLASS HAS BEEN A GREAT HELP"

    I've been consistently drawing my whole life and studying/working in the creative industry for the past few years. This class has been great to help me loosen up my ideas and drawings. It's also helped me to understand the parts I focus on in a drawing which will definitely help me as I develop my work more! Thank you for the class!

    - Farran A

  • "100% RECOMMENDED!"

    This is a very enjoyable class full of exercises that will ignite your line confidence and even your creativity. And the teacher is so engaging that it seems shorter than it really is. 100% recommended!

    - Elvi R

  • "WELL ORGANISED, WELL EXPLAINED, WELL PRODUCED AND JUST SO MUCH FUN"

    This was such a great course - THANK YOU! Well organised, well explained, well produced and just so much fun. I really got a lot out of it and highly recommend it to anyone who's in a bit of a rut with their drawing.

    - Sarah J

  • "NO MATTER YOUR LEVEL YOU WILL GET SOMETHING OUT OF THIS"

    This is such a FUN class! Who knew that there are so many ways to draw one object? I tried most of what Mel suggests, and it was quite an experience. I loved getting out of my comfort zone. This class is suitable for beginners and more advanced students alike; no matter your level you will get something out of this. And you'll have a great time trying out all these different exercises. Give it a try!

    - Claude C

  • "THIS CLASS WAS SO ACCESSIBLE"

    I thoroughly enjoyed this class. This class was so accessible, it was difficult not to do it. I think it would be terrific for people who are a little intimidated about putting pen to paper for the purposes of drawing, and for people who just never thought about drawing or art as something that they could do. We often unwittingly compartmentalise ourselves, or worse yet, let others compartmentalise us. Great class! I enjoyed it a lot.

    - Vindra D

  • "I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE"

    Mel Rye is a wonderful teacher who makes learning fun. She is engaging and full of wonderful ideas and suggestions. I enjoyed every minute I spent with her, and look forward to other classes with her!

    - Linda K

  • "I AM GOING TO WATCH THIS CLASS AGAIN"

    I love the way this class is delivered. Mel gives clear instructions along with showing all sorts of alternative and fun ways to draw, who would have known, you could use your elbow as a drawing aid? I also love the engaging graphics she includes too. This class is excellent for the beginner and experienced wanting to freshen up their skills. Another bonus of the class is that you can use what you already have at home. I am going to watch this class again, it is a good go-to class when you want to get your creative juices going. Thanks, Mel

    - Meena J

SOUNDS GREAT!
METHOD 1.jpg
METHOD 2.jpg
NON DOMINANT HAND.jpg
PAPER - BEHIND BACK.jpg
PAPER - FACING AWAY.jpg
PAPER - STUCK UNDER CHAIR.jpg
PEN - CARD DIPPED IN INK.jpg
PEN - HELD AT LOW ANGLE.jpg
SCALE - MASSIVE.jpg
SCALE MINI AND MEDIUM.jpg
SPEED DRAWING 5S.jpg
SPEED DRAWING 15S.jpg
SPEED DRAWING 30S.jpg
SPEED DRAWING 60S.jpg
WARM UP.jpg

ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

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New members will unlock a one month free trial

ONE-TIME
PURCHASE

£15

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Watch it whenever you like

Lifetime access

MEET YOUR TEACHER

HI THERE! I’M MEL

I’m an artist and educator, and my mission is to support and empower others to explore their creativity.

Learning to draw can be scary. This is why I am passionate about creating beginer friendly courses which take simple but impactful concepts, and deliver them in fun, bite-sized lessons which will accelerate your progress.

Whether you draw for relaxation or are a professional artist or designer, being able to draw confidently can really transform your art, and how you feel about it. Developing confidence in your line drawing is a skill which can be learned in the same way as any other, and I’d love to show you how!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • No, you don't need any drawing experience at all - as long as you are able to hold a pen and make marks on paper, you will be absolutely fine :)

  • All my courses consist of pre recorded video lessons. There are also downloadable resources such as worksheets, reference photos, guides and other materials which will help support your learning.

    All my courses are structured around a class project, which is a practical way of applying the skills taught in the course, and also means that you will have created something by the end of the course, as well as learning lots of new skills - I think this is the best way of learning!

  • The course content is exactly the same, whichever enrolment option you choose.

  • This depends on your enrollment method. If you enroll via Skillshare, you will have access for as long as you have an active subscription. If you make a one-time purchase, you will have access for as long as the course exists on the internet.

  • Yes you can - when you select the one-time purchase, there is an option at checkout to buy the course as a gift. All you need to do is enter the recipient’s email address and there is an option to add a gift message if you’d like to. The course will be sent directly to them with a link to access it, along with your message if you added one.

  • Gumroad is an e-commerce platform which allows creators to sell digital products directly to their audience. It is a popular platform for finding all sorts of products, like digital brushes, e-books and courses.

    When you make a one-time purchase of one of my online courses, you will be doing this through Gumroad. You can either create a log-in there, which will allow you to view all your Gumroad purchases in your library, or you can access the course by using the link which will be emailed to you after you have completed your purchase. There is also a Gumroad app, if you like to watch courses on your smart phone or tablet device.

  • No problem! I’m always happy to answer questions - please reach out using the contact form here