Expressive Drawing, Painting & Mixed Media Techniques Course

Welcome to the expressive drawing and painting course! In this video, I introduce you to this course, including what you will learn as you follow along and draw, paint, and produce beautiful and expressive portraits, still life drawings and paintings, landscapes, and more. You will use a variety of tools, including pencils, charcoal, graphite, water, watercolor paint, acrylic paint, ink, pens, markers, and more.

This is a helpful list of drawing and painting materials needed to follow along in this course. Please note that not all of the materials are needed; some are optional. You will need some drawing and painting tools such as pencils and brushes, as well as watercolor and acrylic paint. But materials such as acetone or denatured alcohol and masking fluid are optional. We go over materials at the beginning of each section as we begin a new project, but this is a "master list" that lists all of the materials by section. We have also added it as a printable PDF handout, attached as a support file. I also explain how this course differs from my other drawing course in this lesson, so as to emphasize what I mention on the course landing page.

In this video, I explain how to be successful in this course as you improve your expressive drawings and paintings. For example, it can be helpful to adjust the narration speed to speed it up or slow it down, and students also benefit from postings their drawings in our feedback forum.

We link to our Facebook group where students post photos or scans of their drawings and paintings for feedback from Jonathan and peers.

In this short video, I explain the "LEGO" concepts in drawing and painting. In this course, I show how to use various methods and materials together. In this video I explain that we can expand beyond that and experiment with the materials in new and exciting ways. For example, we can not only use watercolor with ink but add acrylic and charcoal to the same artwork. We can use the color wash method with watercolor and then add graphite after it dries instead of before. We will get started painting and drawing in the next section.

In this short video, I provide a summary of the project, including what methods and materials will be used (which is covered in more detail in the next text lecture). After adding an expressive design with watercolor paint, we will draw an eye with ink pen. This should be a fun project to start with in this expressive drawing and painting course.

In this text lecture, we list the materials needed for this section's project. We have also included this as a printable PDF as a support file attachment. Please note that you don't need all of the materials listed, such as gesso, which I use to add highlighted areas, and salt to add some texture. But you do need at least watercolor paint and an ink pen and paper to follow along in this project.

Now that we have listed the materials in text format in the previous lecture, in this video, I explain the materials further.

We get started drawing an outline of the eye that we will draw later with ink pens. Then, we will paint an expressive design with watercolor paint for the background of the eye. Finally, we will add salt to add some texture. Follow along and have fun adding color for this project.

We remove the salt that we added for texture but without damaging the painted area or paper, by using specific methods described in this lesson.

I explain various mark making methods with ink pens, then we draw the eye. Finally, we add more color to the project with watercolor paint.

We add highlights to the artwork by adding gesso with a brush. You don't need gesso for this project, but if you do have access to it, feel free to follow along as I demonstrate the application of it. Otherwise, you can use another white paint to add highlights or another material.

In this short video, I provide an overview of the project for this section--a flowing fish drawing produced using graphite and pencils. You don't have to have access to graphite powder for this project, although I demonstrate this option for part of it. You do need a pencil and paper. I draw on vellum, to demonstrate a partially transparent effect for a color wash later, but you can just use paper to learn how to draw in this manner, if you don't have vellum. Let's get started drawing a flowing, aesthetically pleasing drawing of a fish!

In this text lecture, I list and explain the materials needed for this flowing fish drawing with color wash project, including both required and optional materials.

I explain what materials are needed, in order to draw, blend, and erase in this project, including required materials (at least pencil and paper) and optional materials (graphite powder).

I demonstrate drawing, blending, and erasing methods as I explain the uses of these materials, in order to build a foundation as we start our project next. Follow along as you learn these methods.

You will learn a few ways to transfer an image to paper. This helps getting started with the angle, proportion, and form of a drawing, especially if you have trouble sketching by hand without tracing it. We don't want to fill in all of the details at this point. We simply are setting points and lines for reference, so as we draw later, our drawing is more accurate.

We begin to draw the fish in this lesson, using pencils. Highlights are added by using relevant eraser tools.

We continue to draw the fish in this lesson, using pencils. We also add a background of the water using graphite powder, although this step is optional if you don't have graphite powder.

We continue to draw, blend, and erase areas of the drawing in this lesson, using pencils, blending tools, and erasers. Adding more variation in the value or level of light in the drawing helps add depth and form. We also add a stylized border to the drawing in this lesson.

Now that we've drawn the fish, it's time to add a color wash background. We first review examples of adding a ready-made background (color and designs) and then you learn effective methods for producing an original color wash, using water and watercolor.

We continue to review various ways to produce an artistic and colorful color wash, including gradients and a marble-like design. Using more or less water has various effects, and letting the paint dry in between painting allows for layering of the color.

Now that we have reviewed various considerations and methods of working with water and watercolor, we will produce an original color wash for the background of this project.

Now that we have produced an original color wash for a paper background behind the vellum, we add color another way--by painting on the back of the vellum itself.

In this short video, I provide a summary of what you will learn in this section as you produce an expressive portrait using ink and watercolor.

In this text lecture, I list and explain the materials needed for this ink and watercolor expressive portrait project, including both required and optional materials.

We review the materials needed for this project, including ink pens, brushes, and watercolor. I demonstrate mark making techniques using the ink pens and explain how to catalog how materials look on paper and and how they are affected by other materials.

We begin to draw the face with ink pens and add depth and shadows with markers. Then, we adjust the texture with rubbing alcohol.

We review materials needed for the next step in this project, which is adding color with watercolor paint. We use a variety of brushes to apply and adjust the texture of the paint, to produce an artistic, colorful look as part of this artwork.

After re-establishing some of the lines in the drawing using ink pens and markers, we will use white conte and white charcoal pencil to add interesting highlights.

In this short video, I provide a summary of this section, including what materials will be used and methods will be learned as we produce an interesting landscape artwork.

In this text lecture, I list and explain the materials needed for this ink landscape with acrylic wash project, including both required and optional materials.

I explain what materials are needed for this project, including ink, acrylic paint, brushes, and calligraphy pens. We then practice some dynamic mark making techniques relevant to the project.

We practice dynamic mark making techniques with ink and brushing techniques with acrylic. Then, I explain how ink and acrylic can be used together for this project.

We begin drawing the landscape using an interesting composition and various mark making methods.

We continue to draw the landscape, using calligraphy pens and brushes for various effects.

Before we add a color wash with acrylic, I explain in this short video some considerations of using ink and acrylic, specifically applying ink over acrylic as well as acrylic over ink.

Now that we have drawn the landscape using ink, we add a color wash using acrylic paint.

In this short video, I introduce the ink and pastel artistic tulip landscape project and explain what you will learn by following along with this section.

In this text lecture, I list and explain the materials needed for this ink and pastel artistic tulip landscape project, including both required and optional materials.

We review the materials needed for this project, including paper, brushes, inks, and pastels. Considerations of using these tools are included, such as effectively working with pastel.

You will learn mark making techniques with brushes and ink before we start painting the colorful background.

You will paint the colorful background with water and ink, using various brushing techniques.

You will add texture to the background by using a fan brush and a feather.

You will add grass to the landscape by painting with ink.

Before we add the tulips to the composition, we review various mark making methods using pastel.

Using pastel, we add the tulips to the landscape.

We review what you will learn and what kind of product you will produce in this section.

In this text lecture, I list and explain the materials needed for this charcoal still life with masking methods project, including both required and optional materials.

In this video, I explain what materials are needed for this project, including required and optional materials. You do need at least charcoal and paper, unless you prefer to use graphite pencil, for example. However, to learn the specific mark making technique of charcoal, I suggest getting charcoal to follow along.

Before we start drawing the still life project, we review mark making methods with charcoal and how charcoal is affected by water and acetone.

We review three types of masking techniques--using rubber cement, masking fluid, and painter's tape, for various effects. These techniques can affect the texture and value in drawings. In this first part, we apply the methods before fixing the demonstration drawing.

In this second part of the masking techniques demonstration, I explain how to effectively use these materials to mask areas of the drawing.

We begin the project by applying some tone with charcoal and applying some masking techniques.

We use a pencil and a variety of tools to draw the apple and surrounding scene.

I demonstrate how to safely apply denatured alcohol, in order to adjust value and tone in a drawing. This can have interesting results, but using  this is not required. You can use water instead to adjust the charcoal.

We will use masking methods to adjust the drawing. Then, we can add some interest and adjust the drawing with charcoal and add some highlighted lines with white conté.

Finally, I demonstrate how to safely tear and burn the edges of the paper with matches, to add an artistic effect. This part is not required, and I include safety precautions in the video. Please follow them.

We review what you will learn and what kind of project you will produce by following along in this section.

This is a list of the materials needed for this project, although not all are required. It is also included at the beginning of the course as a text lecture and a printable PDF document. The image support files are included here as attachments.

In this video, I explain what materials you need for this project, although not all required. I include considerations of using these materials.

We begin to sketch the portrait with a pencil in this lesson, then we add some shading with charcoal.

We continue to use charcoal in this lesson, and we use blending methods before adding fixative to help fix the drawing so far, before we add some detail with ink in the next lesson.

We add detail to the drawing and add tone to the hair with ink.

After using a few eraser tools to adjust the drawing, we add the first color ink wash.

We add a second color ink wash and add some isopropyl alcohol for texture.

We add more detail with another layer of ink.

We add shadow and depth with charcoal and then use blending and erasing methods to adjust the drawing. Then we add fixative to help fix the drawing at this point.

We add some of the cityscape background with charcoal before fixing the drawing.

We earlier applied rubber cement, and now we use a masking method around the edges for a textured border. Then, we add some more detail with a pencil.

We use gesso to add highlights and interest in the drawing.

We add another layer of ink for more detail and fill in some of the hair area.

I show how to tint gesso with ink, and we add some color with pastels.

I think the students for enrolling in the course and congratulate them for completing the course.

This text lecture has links to our other courses and other learning resources.