Workshop, Pumpkins & Gourds

Explore the incredible range of textures, colors, and forms seen in gourds and pumpkins! We will talk about how to articulate the volume and surface of these wonderful forms.

workshop: pumpkins and gourds
John Singer Sargent

Take this subject where you want: anything from a fantasy illustration, a color study, a still life!

Enrollment is closed

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Watch a Sample Workshop

Watch a sample workshop: Gestural Portraits

How it Works

Before the workshop

  • Students receive access to the workshop channels in our Discord.
  • Hang out in the workshop channels so we can see your artwork and site, and chat about your goals can make the workshop more efficient.
Discord
  • Please know that if you have no experience with Discord, it does take some time to get set up and learn how Discord works.
  • Watch this 53 second tour of our Discord for a preview.
  • We highly recommend joining several days before the workshop date so you can learn the ropes, troubleshoot any problems, and get help from us to make the workshop run as smoothly as possible for you.
workshop: pumpkins and gourds
Antonio López García

First 2 hours

  • Students work and take occasional breaks to post their artwork into the Discord text channel.
  • On voice, Prof Lieu continually critiques drawings as they are posted in the Discord text channel.
workshop: pumpkins and gourds
Juan Sánchez Cotán

Last hour

  • Each student will speak on voice with Prof Lieu about their drawings.

After the Workshop

  • A recording of the workshop will be available to workshop participants. The recording will not be available to the public.
Animal Skeleton Reference 05
Flickr collection: Bones

Workshop Channels Access

  • Students will continue to have access to the workshop channels.
  • The week following the workshop, Prof Lieu will provide feedback and follow up resources.
  • After that week, Prof Lieu will answer quick questions, but will not be providing feedback.
Discord

Written Feedback

  • Prof Lieu will write a paragraph for each student which reviews the student’s artwork made during the workshop + suggestions for how to move forward, see sample below.
Clara cartoon

You have so much going for you and your figure drawings, I love how fluid your marks are, and also how organic and fleshy the figures are in your drawings. I think you’ve got a really good balance between line and tone, and that the volume of the figures come across beautifully.

I think it would be worth thinking more deliberately about proportions. Proportions can be a really tricky thing, and it’s definitely not a skill that you can learn overnight. A lot of getting experience with the fortunes is really training your eye to make comparisons between the various parts of the figure.

Prof Lieu
workshop: pumpkins and gourds
Nathaniel Bacon

“What was valuable was the feedback, constructive criticism, and having extra pair of eyes to point out some of the needed improvements, meeting fellow artists that have the same mindset. It’s a very welcoming supportive group.”

Student info

  • Limit 12 students
  • Enrollment is first come, first serve
  • All students are required to join our Discord to participate.

Confirmation

  • We will confirm whether the workshop is running by the Wednesday after the Friday registration deadline.
  • If the workshop does not run, you will receive a full refund no later than a week from the Friday registration deadline.
animal skull reference 23
Flickr collection: Bones

Refunds

  • All payments are non-refundable if the workshop runs.
  • Students must join our Discord at least 24 hours before the workshop starts. There are no refunds if you do not join within this time frame.
  • There are no refunds if a student is late or does not attend the workshop for any reason.
  • We only issue refunds if the workshop does not run due to lack of enrollment.

Contact

About our Staff

Prof Lieu has 15 years of teaching studio art at the college level, and was an Adjunct Professor at the Rhode Island School of Design from 2007-2020.

Draw a Skull Inside a Portrait