Drawing for Beginners

Beginner

Adults

Drawing

Fall 2025

Schedule

Mondays, September 29 - November 17 (no class October 13) | 6:45 - 8:45pm ( 7 weeks )

Location

720 Bathurst St.

Course Fee

$365 +HST

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About this course

Perfect for absolute beginners or those reconnecting with art, this seven-week course with Rose Montgomery-Whicher builds your skills and confidence in a supportive, step-by-step environment. You’ll learn to see the world with an “artist’s eye,” understanding subjects in terms of line, shape, light, and shadow.

Through engaging exercises, you’ll explore a variety of drawing techniques and materials, interpreting everything from still life to portraits. We will also discover the joy of drawing from memory and imagination, unlocking the calming effects and renewed sense of wonder that this foundational art form can bring.

What you'll learn

Learn and apply fundamental principles of observational drawing.
Cultivate the ability to perceive and translate line, shape, and tonal values.
Explore and utilise a variety of drawing techniques and media.
Develop skills to represent still life, portraiture, and landscape elements.
Construct drawings from observation, memory, and imagination.

Pad of drawing paper or wire bound sketchbook (at least 9×12” with minimum of 40 sheets of paper). Look for white paper with a slightly rough texture or ’tooth’ that is not too thin – at least 60lbs, such as Canson Universal Sketch, Strathmore 300 series, Strathmore recycled sketch.
2B pencil (Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils are especially nice; Derwent and Faber-Castell are also good brands)
Pencil sharpener and something to catch the sharpenings
White eraser
Kneaded eraser
One flat rectangular stick of graphite, 2B. Look for General’s brand.
Very fine pen with permanent black ink, such as Sakura Pigma Micron or Staedtler Pigment Liner 0.3 or 0.5 or an Extra Fine Sharpie.
A few sticks of willow charcoal

Nice to have not not essential:

Smaller sketchbook for practice between classes and drawing-on-the-go
Variety of pencils, such as F or B and 4B, 6B
Pad of Strathmore 300 paper for charcoal
Blending stump

What students say

They didn't think they were artists either.

"I really didn't know the first thing about Contemporary art beforehand. He has a real talent for encouraging and inspiring students — everyone leaves his classes feeling great about themselves and their work."

Jamie Mudrick · Art of Colour

"A very engaging and fun class. It's a fantastic way to help loosen up and get the creative juices flowing. If I was able to, I would take this course every time it's offered."

Leslie Greenbaum · Drawing More Expressively

"I loved all of the exercises — it was very inspiring for me and a fabulous entry into drawing. It was way too short. The four weeks flew by."

Jamie Mudrick · Drawing More Expressively

"She was incredibly patient with me as a first time painter and gave detailed instruction on how to move my piece forward while preserving and helping me to find my own artistic style."

Adult student · Acrylic Art 101

"I am a beginner painter and learned a lot and now feel confident to paint on my own. I attended three courses — it was a lovely experience."

Shipra Pandey · Acrylic Art 101

"Rachel's demeanor is great. Her feedback and inclusiveness made it a comfortable environment. This class made me look forward to Monday evenings."

Itzel Rendon · Drawing for Beginners

"I really appreciate the focus on right-brain thinking and learning to be in a more receptive, curious state. The warm-up exercises were fun and novel — it helped me get out of my own way."

S. Siskind · Drawing for Beginners

ROSE MONTGOMERY-WHICHER

Ph.D. in Art Education · Routledge Published Author · University of London & Kettle’s Yard (UK) · Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Faculty

Rose Montgomery-Whicher is a distinguished artist, educator, and author whose practice is centered on the meditative art of observation drawing. With a PhD in Art Education from the University of Alberta and an MA from Concordia, her teaching is deeply informed by a philosophical and historical research background. She has shared her expertise across prestigious international institutions, including the University of London, Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Through her work, she helps students of all ages find confidence and innovation while discovering the joys of the creative process. Rose is also the author of a 2022 Routledge publication exploring the phenomenology of drawing as a way of preserving fleeting, specific experiences. Based in Toronto, she balances her academic pursuits with her family and a dog with the excellent name of Tapioca.

FAQs

Please find answers to commonly asked questions here. If you're still in doubt, don't hesitate to contact us: contactus@avenueroadartsschool.com