Thank you, Biddy. I, too, just started 25 days after finishing secrets. I did ellipses yesterday.
Hi Biddy it is nice to hear you and you are going ok…I have a good mate and he is 92 still bowling (which we love)… i hope you keep it up as it is also
relaxing…i am a very social person and i miss seeing mates and having a few drinks…but this art site sure keeps the morale up and i nearly love the art as i love the bowls…cheers
batch
I used to play bowls, but had to give it up …… would bend down and could not get up. Ha! Ha! Great to hear you and your mate of 92 can still get some great days out there in the sunshine and fresh air together, or is it the indoor variety?. Be good when this virus is completely over and you can meet up for a couple of drinks again. I miss my community group also, with different activities and bus trips. Meanwhile, keep busy with the art and you will find time will fly by much quicker. The main thing is to take care and keep safe.
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Hello Everybody/! I hope that you are all well and using Matt’s lessons to the utmost during your shutdowns. I live in the Australian Capital Territory; I began drawing through a colleague Art teacher who took on the challenge “I bet you can’t teach me to draw”. So for the next 20 weeks she conducted “drawing on the right side of the brain” with me and 8 or 9 others. That was 30 years ago! I have been a member since December 2018. I love Matt’s concentration on the basics of drawing techniques - constant exposure through his lessons embeds them in one’s brain. I love watching the Member’s Minute and look forward to members perhaps critiquing my work.
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Hello! I joined about 5 weeks ago as a total beginner and I’m loving it. I started on graphite, took a brief wander into water colour, but I’m now absolutely obsessed with coloured pencils - I got myself a set of Polychromos, and suddenly my drawings have life!
I think I’ve found a new way of life by stumbling upon The Virtual Instructor!
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How about showing us some of your drawings you have recently completed at the end of the “25 day to better drawing” course? I have just started that course and up to day 6; so I’d love to see how you got along.
Hi Marrhys! I live in Adelaide and have been a happy artist for 20 years. How did I start? I lived in Whyalla for 30 years and moved to Adelaide to be nearer my two sons and the specialists I require as I am getting older. Missed all my Whyalla friends so went along to the local Community Club. They had an art group and seeing as I had always wanted to study art I soon became a member. Later I went and studied in the Art Department of TAFE for five years, Now five years down the track I felt I needed to polish up my abilities and learn, learn, learn. There is so much more to learn about art, I simply love it because it is a never ending well of information and enjoyment. Matt is a great teacher and I am doing the “25 Days to Better Drawing” to brush up and be taught by a professional, as I really taught myself to draw so have never known any technical terms. I know my drawing will improve as really I have never gone any further than line drawing and shading. I also Paint with Watercolour, Acrylic, and very recently with coloured pencils.
Really, how did you get on? I did those; now I am up to number 6 Cross Contour Lines. I am finding this course very interesting as I have been winging it with the pencil since the age of 14. I am now 80. I have been an artist for 20 years but mainly on the painting side with Watercolours and Acrylics. Never studied in drawing and I really want to get deeper into it as I find it so relaxing. So I will be doing all the drawing courses here, and the Pen and Watercolour. Let me know how you are getting along!
I just finished lesson 18 in 25 days. That was hard work. In cross hatching, I loved doing the pepper. I’ve been thinking about giving it some color. How did you like it?
In recent years, I have illustrated two children’s books and a fiction novel. This past February, I started a beginner’s drawing class at a local art and craft store. It was the first time I had taught a drawing class in over 20 years. Planning my curriculum, I surfed online for ideas and stumbled across Matt’s site. I enrolled in thevirtualinstructor in order to make sure I didn’t leave any basics out. I was just going to join for a month to help me outline a course, but when I saw the wealth of information Matt offered, I knew I wanted to invest in a year or more to take full advantage of the wealth of resources here, not only for my classes, but for my own improvement. COVID19 has forced me to cancel my drawing classes and I am sad about that because they were going really well. But I am going to utilize this downtime to perfect my own art skills. I love this site! Probably going to be a lifelong member!!
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Good on you Kari! I raised four children and during all those years never picked up a pencil and paintbrush once. When they had all flown the nest, at the age of 50 plus, I thought this is it! Here’s my chance! Went back to college for 5 years and joined an art group. It’s my life really and I love it. So you keep at it! All the best!
Congratulations Skeezix on finishing your 18th! I have just finished No. 11 the skull in 8 days Next one the Woodgrain …. which does not look that simple.
Great drawing Eva. I love drawing plants too, and painting them. I have been an artist for 20 years bit never thought of illustrating in books. How did you start doing that? I have joined up with Mat for a year also; when initially I was only going to do the free course “25 Days to better drawing” as a brush up really. Having had a good look around I can see I will also become a lifelong member!
Thanks, Biddy. He made the wood grain easier than I thought. I am now doing the grid drawing. A heck of a challenge.
Hello everyone! My name is Brenda and I’m new to this site. I am a hobbyist and have drawn on and off for a few years. I really like Matt’s approach to teaching. It’s like he’s right there coaching you along. I am focusing on the beginning courses to get the basics down. I use graphite and charcoal at the moment, but my stash includes other mediums!
Hi Biddy - I grew up in Goolwa and went to Victor Harbor High School. I transplanted to the ACT to go to University and went on to become a teacher (still am). I am hoping to develop a more expressive/creative approach to my art, but thus far have not been successful in selecting a group of artistically expressing friends. I began working on that 2 years ago in a night class at an art studio, another effort this year terminated by CoViD scare. So here I am. My Mother is in care in Victor Harbor and my sister lives in Virginia. Perhaps we can plan a meet up once we are permitted to travel the country again.
Cheers
Hi! Is your name Marise or Marrhys, or is it one and the same depending on which language you use? Anyway, if you will excuse me asking, how old are you? The reason I ask is I am 80 years old in August; so I would not like you thinking I was much younger and maybe nearer your age. I would not like to waste your time. You have family in my part of South Australia. Do you visit very often, or are you thinking of moving back? I am afraid this is the only way we will meet up as my age and health does not permit me to travel very far. There is no shortage of artistic outlet in Adelaide that’s for sure. I live in Elizabeth, a suburb of Adelaide. Here I go to the Grenville Centre (age of members 50+) where there are (to my last count) four volunteer art teachers - they get paid $20 per lesson. There is also a similar Centre in Salisbury and Gawler. Gawler’s Art Centre is semi professional as they have many exhibitions and competitions. Actually Victor Harbour is a very good place for an artist; especially if you like boating etc. Then there is Handorf the home of the late Sir Hans Heysen a very famous artist of German origin. What kind of art do you prefer? About the only thing I have not tried is portraits. I belong to three online art groups. This one you are writing from. Then there is “Domestika”, whos fees are very reasonable, and they specialize in Designing and Illustrating. Just joined that one and now watching videos on “Botanical’s with Watercolours”. Not English Speaking, Italian I think, but there is an English translation which can be clicked on. I find illustrating an interesting subject and these artists cover a great range of subjects, There are some free introductory courses, so have a look if you are interested:
https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/l/creative-online-courses?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImtv_hu6W6QIVQxOPCh1eEQUQEAAYASAAEgLhE_D_BwE
Also I have been a member for six year of a group in England called PMP - Paint My Photograph. Members add photographs regularly which are copyright free. This group is entirely free and has within it many groups with leaders specializing in different mediums. No direct teaching, but a lot of very friendly advice if you need it. They are always looking for volunteer group leaders, if you have the spare time and can think of another subject other than those already running. Or just join up for the company and experience:
Well that’s about for now. Nice to hear from you!
Cheers! And Take Care!
Hello Biddy. The official spelling is /Marise/ - (rhymes with /Deniise/). My user name is Marryhs. Many years ago I toyed with a total revamp of my given name and my username is one of a number of experiments.
I mostly work in graphite, and thus far mostly portraiture. I have enjoyed a series of baby’s faces with white charcoal on grey paper. Surely the easiest way to create a good drawing of these young faces. I am easily frustrated with pastels and at present am not experimenting with gouache as I do not have either a work room or a convenient wet room where I can keep materials and works in progress. Not that it matters much as I live alone.
I am 67 years old and do have some friends who are in their late 70s; even one or two who are 80+. I find age is not a barrier to friendship, though I cringe at the thought of being socially confined to those in the retirement bracket. I suspect that is the prejudice of one who works with school children.
My sister lives in Virginia - she is the primary connection to my Mum because of her relative closeness - and I have nieces in Elizabeth as well as places south of Adelaide City. But you are correct regarding the possibility of meeting at some stage, not least because my visits to SA are often circumscribed by the cost of accommodation and the sense that my companion needs to be overseeing his home affairs. I currently subscribe only to Matt Fussell’s sjte, but I love Jay Lee’s work, and watch Kara Bullock. Kara’s site would be good to subscribe to if I wanted to work more on portraiture. She works with quite a number of artists whose instruction is available through her web site.
I shall check out Domestika as Illustrating is a skill I am interested in.
Thanks again for your notes
Be well and painterly
Marise
Hello everyone. After an extended time away I just wanted to hope all are doing well. The Coronavirus has definitely altered space and time. I am attempting to throw myself back into drawing… I was doing portraits for awhile though personal issues deterred my progress.
I am focusing on the secrets of drawing… I found I know very little about shapes, perspectives etc. I hope this course builds my insight and foundation.
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Hi my name is Monica I am from Romania butt I live and work in UK,I always wanted to do art until now I was trying my best on my own without a teacher.I am please to find this affordable online course for aspirants like me.
Thank you Matt!
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Hi this Asim Here. I am from Pakistan and love doing any kind of Art. I will be sharing my work here. see ya
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