In these troubling times we are reaching out to our community with Free Art Lessons.
We hope this free resource will be a source of fun and stress relief for as many as possible. More details are in the paragraph below. Subscribe to our newsletter to be informed when the next will be available.
The lessons run LIVE on Instagram (times will be announced) and are available from the following day for repeat viewing (as well as for those who don’t have Instagram) on our YouTube Channel
We are delighted to collaborate with the very talented Will Nathans, Pierce Rhodes , Kellie Marks and other artists.
These lessons are designed for anyone, from complete beginner onwards.
Stay safe and well and Let’s make art!
All at KennedyArt
Lesson 12: Paint The Head from Imagination
Now on our YouTube Channel
In this lesson Will Nathans will demonstrate how to improve your skills in portraits by painting them from your imagination. You will gain greater insight using this technique in oils. Remember practice makes perfect. Watch and paint along in this step by step demonstration on how to help your portrait skills.
Lesson 11: Drawing with Concentric Lines
Now on our YouTube Channel
In this lesson Artist Will Nathans will demonstrate how to use lines to describe three dimensional form. Forshortened forms in drawing is a particular technique and this lesson will show you exactly how to master it. Learn about the four basic shapes in nature and how to put them to use.
Lesson 10: The Colour Wheel Explained
Now on our YouTube Channel
In this lesson Artist Will Nathans will demonstrate the all important Colour Wheel. Watch and paint along in this step by step demonstration on how to create a practical Colour Wheel to keep in your studio as a reference to your paintings.
Lesson 9: Setting up the Palette
Now on our YouTube Channel
In this lesson Artist Will Nathans will share how he sets up the palette and prepares to paint in oils. Good preparation and understanding of these simple tips will help you to control the medium of oil paint!
Lesson 8: Basic Perspective
Now on our YouTube Channel
In this lesson artist Will Nathans will demonstrate how 1 and 2 point perspective is illustrated in a drawing. Perspective is a tricky but necessary element to the craft of art. Paper, pencil, rubber and ruler is all you will need to create interesting and very useful studies in the realm of perspective. Your imagination will be let loose when reconstructing blocks and forms using these simple lessons in the power of perspective.
Lesson 7: Composing with Values
Now on our YouTube Channel
In this art lesson Artist Will Nathans will demonstrate how to use a limited number of values to help orchestrate and compose your paintings. Using only pencil, paper, eraser and Old Master Paintings as reference, Will Nathans will show just how to simplify and solve the problem of strengthening your compositions and design.
Lesson 6: Working with Pastels
Now on our YouTube Channel
In this video Pierce will explain to you the process of thinking like an artist while exploring a medium. How you talk to yourself and things to try so you can learn techniques and ideas that will translate into any medium you use.
While working very loose with the pastels he intentionally does things that he’s not sure of to show the effect and learn from the mark he made. After watching this video it should bring you some inspiration to try some experimenting of your own! Go and enjoy making a mess!
Lesson 5: Experimenting with Watercolour
Now on our YouTube Channel
This is a quick and easy watercolor exercise for people with all levels of experience to dive into and have fun with.
All you’ll need is a selection of watercolors, a black and white colour option, a single brush and some masking tape.
Follow along and find out how to make your own quick and simple Galaxy Effect or Starry Skyscape by building up colours, experimenting with washes and adding a bit of fun and flair to your warm up routine!
This little lesson should be a fun and uplifting 20 minutes or so.
Give it a go – Kellie can show you it’s not as difficult as you think!
Lesson 4: Drawing the face.
In this lesson we will use our own faces to draw. This is a great way to improve your drawing skills by using your own face as a subject. Many artist over the centuries have used their own faces as subjects for their work. Rembrandt, Velasquez and Raphael are just some of thousands of artists who have used themselves as subjects. You are your own best model to draw. We will cover some basic proportions and facial anatomy and will be lead through the process of drawing ones own likeness. Some simple techniques and practice will help you overcome the challenge of drawing a self portrait.
Our artist Will Nathans will be guiding you as follows:
Covering some basic proportions and facial anatomy you will be lead through the process of drawing ones own likeness. Some simple techniques and practice will help you overcome the challenge of drawing a self portrait.
All that’s required is a piece of paper and a pencil!
This little lesson should be a fun and uplifting 20 minutes or so.
Give it a go – Will can show you it’s not as difficult as you think!
Now on our YouTube Channel
Lesson 3: Light & Form
This lesson will provide students an insight into sketchbook drawing while they are at home in isolation. Minimal materials are required, paper and pencil and maybe a rubber or board to rest the paper on; a hard bound book will do.
The idea being it’s an easy thing to do in it’s own right or an ideal intro to warm up before engaging in any serious painting or drawing, etc. This preparation will get the observational skills and muscles working along with engaging with the natural world and your imagination.
Our artist Will Nathans will be guiding you as follows:
Beginning with any object you might take an interest in, it could be anything: a flower in the back garden, a child’s toy, a piece of fruit, a cup, a spool of thread, etc. Take the object and set it under the light if it isn’t already there, a window is easy.
Have this up and ready to go. Then Will will guide you through the session:
For the next 10 to 15 minutes we will be drawing your chosen object under the light. Start first with studying the object in the light. Remember, drawing is thinking, not just putting marks down. The marks are your words, letters, your sentences. They tell the viewer exactly what you thought about your subject. By simply looking at how the light bathes the subject you will learn just how light operates.
Will will demonstrate the effect of light on form and how to get a three-dimensional effect in your drawings. Using a simple series of diagrams you will learn how light and shade helps to describe the form and conveys the 3D effect. Using a simple tomato plant as a source of artistic inspiration this lesson will help you to practice your drawing using shading and your own observation.
This little lesson should be a fun and uplifting 20 minutes or so.
This is the foundation of all great figurative art. With daily practice your observations will become stored in your memory and how light hits and bathes objects will be informing your more ambitious works.
This lesson is now available on our YouTube Channel
Lesson 2: Colour Mixing
Pierce is an exciting upcoming young artist, who we are privileged to have working for us, both in store (when open!) and for this lesson.
Colour is an extremely important tool for an artist, but it presents an interesting challenge when it comes to trying to mix different shades. In theory, if you have a few core colours it should be possible to make many others. However, that’s easier said than done. Trying to make a purple but it’s coming out brown? You’re not alone!
In this lesson, Pierce is going to give a brief introduction into colour theory. Pierce will teach you how to approach and overcome some of the challenges you face while mixing your colours and hopefully give you a bit more confidence when it comes to mixing your colours.
All you need for this lesson is some sort of paint, any type will do! The paints that will be used are White, Yellow, Red, Blue and Brown. Pierce will take you through the process of mixing the colours by mixing them on his palette and providing you with an explanation of how they’re reacting to each other and what to do if the mix just isn’t working for you.
Afterwards Pierce will bring you through a quick set up on blocking in colours of your painting when regarding the subject you’re working from. By the end of the quick lesson you should have have gained a bit more confidence in colour mixing, as well as a bit of speed in your painting process!
This lesson is now available on our YouTube Channel
Lesson 1: Sketchbook Drawing
This lesson provides students an insight into sketchbook drawing while they are at home in isolation. Minimal materials are required, paper and pencil and maybe a rubber or board to rest the paper on; a hard bound book will do.
This is a 10/15 min drawing. The idea being it’s an easy thing to do in it’s own right or an ideal intro to warm up before engaging in any serious painting or drawing, etc. This preparation will get the observational skills and muscles working along with engaging with the natural world and your imagination.
Our artist Will Nathans will be guiding you as follows:
Beginning with any object you might take an interest in, it could be anything: a flower in the back garden, a child’s toy, a piece of fruit, a cup, a spool of thread, etc. Take the object and set it under the light if it isn’t already there, a window is easy.
Have this up and ready to go. Then Will will guide you through the session:
For the next 10 to 15 minutes we will be drawing your chosen object under the light. Start first with studying the object in the light. Remember, drawing is thinking, not just putting marks down. The marks are your words, letters, your sentences. They tell the viewer exactly what you thought about your subject. By simply looking at how the light bathes the subject you will learn just how light operates. Then begin to describe it with a few lines gauging the height, width and depth as it relates in space. You are considering how this form exists and how its form is illuminated by the light. This is a glorious thing in and of itself. a thing of beauty is made more beautiful by the light which reveals its character. Consider then the shadows made by the subject and how they are related to the areas in light. Note the difference and how the area between the two; i.e. the area of light and of shadow; are pitted against each other. Begin then to shade using the side of the pencil all the areas of shadow on the subject and also the shadow being cast from the subject.
This lesson is now available on our YouTube Channel
Apologies for the quality of this first. We were setting this up as we went, using mobile phones in people’s homes.