Name: Introduction to Drawing for Beginners (3 sessions) with Simon Levenson
Start: 2025-11-13T23:30:00.000Z
Location: Drawing New York

[Famous Palettes with Peter Donahue - RSVP HERE - Begins Nov 1st](https://drawingamerica.com/ld-groups/famous-palettes-with-peter-donahue/)

In this six-week online course for painters, you’ll explore and experiment with the palettes of the past. You’ll learn how influential painters approached color, what pigments and techniques defined their vision, and how to emulate their color choices using modern materials. Each lesson offers a blend of art history, practical pigment analysis, and hands-on guidance for reformulating historical palettes with contemporary paints. Whether you’re building confidence with color or deepening your appreciation of art’s material legacy, this course connects the dots between the masters’ intentions and your own creative practice.

Session 1 - Earth and Shadow: Caravaggio's Palette
Session 2 - Alchemy and Atmosphere: J.M.W. Turner's Palette
Session 3 - Contrast and Cobalt: Mary Cassatt's Palette
Session 4 - Less is More: Anders Zorn's Palette
Session 5 - Trust the Process: Maxfield Parrish's Palette
Session 6 - Chroma and Control: The Munsell

Cover painting - detail - Anders Zorn

Drawing Brooklyn

Drawing New York

Famous Palettes with Peter Donahue

Online event

Join Alex Hillkurtz live via Zoom from his Paris studio as he guides you through painting iconic European destinations. From Parisian cafés to Amsterdam canals, learn expressive watercolor techniques as you paint Alex's favorite European locations.

[Register for Cinque Terre Week on Meetup or our website.](https://drawingamerica.com/ld-groups/alex-hillkurtzs-destination-watercolor/)

Alex Hillkurtz is an American watercolor artist living in Paris and a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour. After years as a renowned storyboard artist for films including "Argo" and "Almost Famous," Alex now draws upon cinematic language to inform his watercolor paintings.
Teaching from his Paris studio, Alex combines his cinematic eye for composition with timeless European watercolor techniques. His paintings capture not just architecture, but emotion - the way morning light transforms ancient stones, the romantic shadows of café awnings, the gentle flow of the Seine.
His online courses have reached over 200,000 students worldwide, and his book "Sketching Techniques for Artists" was published in 2021 by Quarto Publishing.

Cinque Terre: Destination Watercolor with Alex Hillkurtz

### Introduction to Color – Still Life Painting - Oil Paint Included

[Register here with a friend and get 10% off :)](https://drawingamerica.com/event/introduction-to-color/)

Do you ever look at your surroundings and think: "These colors are magical! I wish I could translate them into a painting!" Two of the biggest challenges when painting from life can be depicting colors and values naturalistically. Much of painting is not only mixing an accurate color on your palette, but training your eye to judge relationships between colors and values successfully. In this course, we'll sharpen your perceptual abilities. We'll dive into the world of hue, value, and chroma, as well as palette organization, leveling up your painting game. Experience with drawing is recommended for this class, though beginner painters are welcome. Each session will include a lecture and demo by the instructor along with individual critiques. We will complete two paintings in this course – two sessions for each painting. Our goal is accurate and naturalistic color studies, rather than highly resolved paintings.

* 4-session live oil painting course exploring color theory- Wednesdays- Nov 12, 19 and Dec 2 and 9
* Master hue, value, and chroma through still life painting
* Learn palette organization and color mixing techniques
* Train your eye to judge color relationships accurately
* Every class includes instructor demonstration
* 3 hours of painting time with individual critiques
* Open to all skill levels - beginners welcome

### Required Materials

**Canvas:** Two canvas panels, around 5”x7” and 2-5 colorful objects to paint. We will switch up our still life setup halfway through the four sessions

(Simple is best: fruit (banana/lemon/tangerine/plum/pear), vegetable (tomato, zucchini, gourd), trinket, toy, glass, knickknack, book, tennis ball, vase…)
**Provided Supplies:** Oil Paint • Brushes • Easels • Paper towels • Linseed oil • Small bottle of gamsol • Solvent cup (metal double cups that clip onto palette) • Palette • Brush cleaning soap (bar of clothing detergent works)

Introduction to Color – Oil Paint Included

Do not worry if you don’t know how to draw. This class is specifically designed for you. This class is for you even if you have drawn a bit but want an organized approach to drawing to speed up the learning process and prevent wasted and frustrating efforts.
CLASS SCHEDULE: Thursdays, November 13th, 20th, and December 4th. The ticket price includes all three dates.
Students will learn the fundamentals of drawing, including paper and pencil basics, how to use shape and form to create depth, measuring and proportion, and rendering form with shade.
What we will cover:
Session One: We will learn how to draw the 3-dimensional world on a 2-dimensional surface using and enhancing basic forms. Session Two: We will learn how to use proportion in our drawings while adding a more thoughtful approach to our pencil abilities. Session Three: We will learn shading concepts and create a well-formed, proportioned, shaded drawing.
Paper: We will examine the difference between Sketch and Drawing paper, smooth and rough surfaces, and those designed for pencils vs. charcoal.
Pencils: Students will learn about the different grades of pencils and how to use them to create more effective drawings. We will practice cross-hatching and shading with pencil “washes.”
Erasers: Using both kneaded and plastic erasers, students will create different drawing effects in their drawings.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Supply List: Graphite pencils 4h, 2b, 6b
11×14 inch Strathmore series 400 drawing pad
Kneaded eraser

Introduction to Drawing for Beginners (3 sessions) with Simon Levenson

Drawing America

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