Drawing Foundation: Figure Study to Painting

Strong paintings are built on strong drawings—and this two-day immersive workshop is designed to address that foundation head-on.

Led by experienced teaching artists Gary Simmons and Richard Stephens, this highly informative, exercise-intensive workshop focuses on developing the drawing and compositional skills essential to successful painting.

Over the course of two full days, participants will engage in structured drawing and painting exercises that reinforce core principles such as value, proportion, simplification, and design. Exercises draw from classic resources—including Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards—along with methods developed through the instructors’ own years of teaching and studio practice.

A key component of the workshop is working from live nude models, allowing participants to strengthen observational skills, understand the figure as a compositional element, and build confidence translating drawing into painting. Students will also work from instructor-provided reference materials, with exercises designed to create continuity between demonstrations and hands-on practice.