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Beginner Drawing Course

Learn to draw: A beginner’s guide to drawing techniques

Overview

Start your artistic journey with our online beginner's drawing course

This beginner-friendly course is your first step toward bringing your artistic ideas to life in both traditional and digital mediums. Learn how to navigate Photoshop, use perspective to create more realistic drawings, and dive into anatomy, exploring how to determine key forms, proportions, and landmarks of the human head and body. 

Why study beginner drawing with us:

  • Lessons are crafted by an award-winning artist
  • No experience required 
  • Learn drawing methods used in the industry
  • Gain access to our online community where you can network, troubleshoot, and grow as an artist with help from our TAs!

Carefully designed by industry pros, this short course will build your fundamental drawing skills and provide the foundations needed for pursuing CG Spectrum's more comprehensive concept art courses.

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Qualification

Industry Certificate

Duration

12 weeks

Commitment

10 hrs weekly

Skill level

Novice to Beginner

Start date

January 6th, 2025

February 3rd, 2025

Delivery Mode

New content weekly
Access to TAs for feedback & support
Mentor-led session every 6 weeks

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Curriculum

Industry-focused curriculum to get you started as a concept artist or illustrator

Term 1: 12 weeks

BEGINNER DRAWING COURSE

In this course for beginners, you will learn essential drawing techniques, from basic shapes to foreshortened volumes, gain a strong understanding of perspective and depth, and delve into human anatomy, including the head, torso, limbs, hands, and feet. You'll also develop life-drawing skills, capturing the essence of movement and character, with an introduction to creating and refining digital art using Photoshop. 

*This course can be used as a bridging course if you want to study Concept Art & Digital Illustration Foundations or the Bachelor of Digital Art (Concept Art) but possess no previous drawing training or skills.

  • Learn Photoshop basics to create and refine digital art
  • Explore essential drawing techniques, from basic shapes to dynamic compositions
  • Dive into perspective drawing, exploring depth and dimension in your work
  • Study human anatomy, including the head, torso, limbs, hands, and feet, to create lifelike figures
  1. Photoshop Basics
  2. Drawing Basics 01
  3. Drawing Basics 02
  4. Perspective 01
  5. Perspective 02
  6. Anatomy: Human Head 01
  7. Anatomy: Human Head 02
  8. Anatomy: Hands & Feet
  9. Anatomy: Torso
  10. Anatomy: Arms & Legs
  11. Life Drawing 01
  12. Life Drawing 02
Career Track

Your pathway to the industry

This beginner's course is for aspiring artists who have no prior drawing experience. It will teach you the skills and knowledge needed to meet the entry requirements for the Concept Art Career Track. Consider it like a bridging course that equips you with what you need to be ready for further study.

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Mentors

Build foundational skills from professional concept artists

This short beginner's course includes two mentor-led sessions where you'll receive guidance from industry experts with years of experience.

Frequently asked questions

Beginner Drawing Course FAQs

Learn more about the prerequisites for this course and the concept art careers you could explore in the future. For general questions about studying at CG Spectrum, visit the main FAQ page or contact us.

Age Minimum
T
he general minimum age to be able to enroll in our industry certificate courses is 16. We require parent or guardian consent during the enrollment process for applicants under 18.

Students under 16 will require a further assessment before they can officially enrol. This may include an interview with a course advisor and the creation of a study plan to ensure they have considered how they will manage a college-level workload.

English Proficiency
We expect our students to have a good understanding of written and spoken English. There’s no specific ’level'; however, you must be able to understand video tutorials in English (no subtitles) and speak with your mentor in English during your live Q&A session.

Computer Literacy
To be successful in this program, you will need basic computer skills and a computer that meets the minimum specifications (see next question).

A solid foundation in drawing is necessary for courses like Concept Art Essentials, Concept Art Foundations, and the Bachelor of Digital Art (Concept Art). This beginner's course is thoughtfully crafted to equip you with the necessary drawing skills to meet the entry requirements for our more advanced programs.

This course is designed to provide a structured group learning experience with a focus on building introductory drawing skills for students with no prior experience.

Participants gain access to:

  • Weekly TA-led sessions to guide their progress.
  • Our vibrant online community
  • Mentor-led sessions every six weeks, designed to help prepare them for our Career Tracks.

The course emphasizes collaborative learning and resource-driven guidance within a dedicated Slack channel, fostering a supportive environment for skill development. It serves as a stepping stone, equipping students with the confidence and skills to advance into more in-depth studies.

Software:

You will purchase Photoshop (photography plan only) for the length of your studies.

Hardware:

You will need a computer that meets the minimum system requirements for Photoshop, and a graphics tablet (see digital painting software and equipment).

Please note: As the software we use is regularly updated, please check the specs against the latest available version at the time of enrollment.

This short course will teach you the basics of drawing and will help you to qualify for and succeed in our more advanced programs.

If you wish to take your learning further and build industry-level skills, we advise continuing your studies with the full career track.

The concept art career track includes the Concept Art Foundations and either the Concept Art Specialization or Digital Illustrator Specialization. It is designed to better prepare you for a job in the industry and help increase your employment opportunities.

The career track ensures you build strong foundational skills before moving on to more complex techniques and workflows. You will also dedicate time to career development and preparing a polished portfolio while you gain invaluable industry insights.

Some of the junior digital painting jobs you could pursue after completing the full study pathway include:

Discover more about these digital painting jobs, tips, and salary expectations on our careers page: