Complete Russian Academic Drawing Approach

This first lesson covers materials you will need for the duration of the course including pencils, erasers, papers, and other utensils and tools. Iliya will also go over your home set-up trying to provide a range of possibilities wherever possible.

In this second lesson, Iliya shows you the necessary marks that you will need to master for drawing. You will learn how to create straight and curved lines, point-to-point lines, flat tones, hatch marks, and a combination. Special attention is given to assignments that reinforce hand and eye as well as pressure control.

In this lesson, Iliya will break down one of the most vital skills in this method: measuring. Using a pair of knitting needles, you will learn how to take accurate angles from life and then apply it to your work. You will also learn how to use proportional measurement and how to work from flat photos.

In this lesson, Iliya will train you on one of the most important elements in the Russian drawing approach: form. Using simple geometric forms, you will learn how to correctly describe three-dimensional volume in your work. You will learn how to draw the cube, cylinder, and cone from observation as well as how to construct these forms from imagination. Then you will combine both approaches and construct the forms from observation.

In this lesson, you will learn the essential elements of light and shadow. You will learn the components of light theory including light, shadow, halftone, the terminator line, cast shadow, and highlight. You will learn how to group your values correctly and how to turn your forms with tone. You will also learn how to describe curved and planed surfaced, and you will also practice rendering techniques to describe structure clearly and efficiently.

In this lesson, you will be putting together all of the skills you have learned thus far. Your project will be to draw a still life, consisting of geometric forms arranged in an interesting group. Your skills at construction, measuring, and building up value in order to create the illusion of three-dimensional form will all be put to the test. Iliya will demonstrate the project first and you will then work on your version from home.

In the final lesson in the Fundamentals course, you will be combining all of the concepts and training you have learned thus far. Using the stretched canvas that you made at the beginning of this course you will draw John Asaro's planes of the head sculpture from the photos provided. You will focus on turning form, establishing clear planes, clearly showing your light source and developing proper values and value relationships.

As an introduction to the plaster cast series, you will start with the eye.  You will observe and learn the structure and form of the eye and further develop your process for blocking and refining your drawings.

You will learn how to draw and render one of the most expressive features of the face; the Lips. You will learn techniques to better describe the forms of the mouth on a 2-dimensional surface using clear shadows and modeling the subtle forms of the lips with halftones.

You will analyze and render the forms of the nose, starting with the simple pyramid shape and working towards the smaller forms that define the structure of the nose.

You will learn how to draw and render the ear, breaking down the complex forms and understanding the process of identifying and rendering the cast shadows of the ear and the subtle variations in halftones.

You will be introduced to the forms and anatomy of the head as it occurs in life. You will break down and analyze the complex forms of the features, using your knowledge from the previous lessons.

You will learn an alternative method of blocking in the features to emphasize the round forms of the face. You will build upon what you’ve learned from the previous lessons and explore rendering the subtle features of the Early Renaissance Bust.

As an introduction to Drapery: The Russian Approach, You will start with the Pipe Fold. You will take your knowledge of rendering cylinders and apply that to rendering fabric. You will learn how to render fabrics of different materials and local values.

You will learn how to analyze and draw the Diaper Fold taking what you know from the previous lesson and applying it to rendering fabric that is changing direction. You will learn how to identify the “eyes” of the fold and use that knowledge to  construct the Diaper Fold

Similar to the Diaper fold, you will learn how to compare what you’ve learned from the previous lesson and apply new information to construct and render the Half-Lock Fold.

In this lesson, you will draw and analyze two different types of Zig-Zag folds; the hanging Zig-Zag Fold and the Zig-Zag Fold placed around a form. You will learn the similarities of the Zig-Zag Fold to the Half-Lock Fold and how to describe form underneath fabric.

Similar to the Zig-Zag Fold placed over a form, you will continue to develop your ability to describe the form of an object underneath fabric, paying special attention to occlusion shadows created by the spiral fold.

You will learn how to analyze, draw, and simplify inert cloth or cloth without a distinct fold or movement. You will take your knowledge of rendering forms, cast shadows, and occlusion shadows from previous lessons and use it to describe this kind of fold.

In this final lesson, you will take everything you’ve learned in the course and apply it to drawing a draped figure. You will take your knowledge of drawing fabric and use it to edit and design the draped figure for simplicity and composition.

The skull was a critical part of the learning process at the Repin academy. In this lesson, Iliya will break down the construction and anatomical features of the skull.

In this lesson we will be using reference from one-of-a-kind castings of a real human cadaver by famed art anatomist Eliot Goldfinger to do a study of the form creating muscles of the face.

In this lesson, you will learn the skeletal structure of the neck, clavicles and scapulae, and how they articulate to create the shoulder girdle.

In this lesson you will do a study of the form creating muscles of the neck using reference from one-of-a-kind castings of a real human cadaver by famed art anatomist Eliot Goldfinger.

In this video demonstration, Iliya Mirochnik draws a portrait in sanguine from a live model and answers live questions from an online audience about his education, his art, and technique.

In this lesson, we are going to bring together all of the structure and anatomy of the head and neck we’ve been studying in order to create a fully rendered portrait drawing from a live model.

In this famous assignment from the Repin Academy you will be drawing a portrait from life (or from provided reference) at a large scale over stretched paper. You will be introducing the hands and the upper body into your work, requiring more planning and development of the composition in this challenging project.

In this lesson, we’re going to begin with two components of the torso: The pelvis and ribcage.

Now that we've studied the skeletal pelvis and ribcage, it's time to see how they come together with the musculature of the torso. In this lesson, we will identify and draw the superficial and deep muscles of the front and rear torso.

In this lesson, we will identify and draw the skeleton and muscles of the leg.

In this lesson, we will identify and draw the skeleton and muscles of the arm.

It's time to address a vital element of preparation for the final project: quick-pose drawings. Iliya works with his model to draw 13 short poses from various angles. First, he works with simplified construction, then contour, line, and direct tone. Drawing shorter poses from your live model or from reference will train your mind and hand, giving you the strongest possible understanding of your subject.

The next step in preparation for the long-pose figure drawing project is to draw a medium long-pose. Iliya considers this to be any pose that's worked on for 2-4 hours-- enough time to introduce some anatomical elements and to bring the drawing to relative completion. This slow build toward your long pose figure project is vital to the success of your drawing.

This project is the culmination of everything you’ve learned in Parts 1-3, as well as the shorter pose projects you completed in Part 4. Approach it with a confident and newfound understanding of anatomy, a keen eye for form, and mark-making proficiency.

You’ve arrived at a pivotal moment in your curriculum. This project is the culmination of everything you’ve learned in the previous portions of this course. Approach it with a confident and newfound understanding of anatomy, a keen eye for form, and mark-making proficiency. Join Iliya in this execution of a long multi-figure composition from life. With the addition of another figure, elements of composition, and narrative come into play.