How to Draw 101 (Free Online Course With Certificate)

Unearth a new skill and learn how to draw realistically in this free online course with portrait artist Ethan Moran.

This free online art course trains you to create lifelike drawings. Ethan Moran, a professional portrait artist from Ireland, shares his tips on everything from the best raw materials to use to the ability of ancient artistic principles like proportion, perspective and depth to bring your pictures to life. We use speed drawings to illustrate the lessons taught in this easy-to-follow video course that can help you find your own talent.

What You Will Learn In This Free Course

• Distinguish between pencils and other drawing media when choosing what will best suit your aims
• Describe different types of grip
• Evaluate different ways to keep a pencil sharp
• Discuss a range of erasers and their uses
• Compare types of paper and other drawing surfaces to select the best option
• Arrange shapes within a drawing to create the correct proportions
• Outline the main methods of shading
• Discuss various blending techniques
• Identify parts of the eye area
• Recall effective techniques for drawing pupils and irises
• Relate techniques for drawing eyebrows and eyelashes
• Discuss tips for shading, highlighting and adding detail to the eyes
• List the key steps to drawing lips and mouths
• Explain how to draw teeth
• Summarize the steps for drawing noses
• Recognize and practice the main techniques for drawing hair

We are Alison, one of the world’s largest free learning platforms for education and skills training. Founded in 2007, we are a for-profit social enterprise dedicated to making it possible for anyone to study anything, anywhere, at any time - for free and online. Through our mission we are a catalyst for positive social change, creating opportunity, prosperity, and equality for everyone.

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