Let customers speak for us
Just took this course, and it really brings together all of the elements of the other courses I've taken to form the basis of an addictive drawing practice.
Gesture, composition, anatomy, drapery, all of these are tools that you can practice anywhere with a sketchbook. This class finally got me to use many of the materials I've acquired but not had the gumption to try, like fountain pen and ink wash, and watercolors. Also, as the son of a carpenter, it gave me a new appreciation for the carpenter's pencil.
Though it follows the Sketching book pretty closely, the class is fairly open-ended in terms of what sorts of drawing you might want to do, as Glenn goes over techniques for drawing people and landscapes alike, and his coverage of composition and design applies to all types of drawings and all mediums.
The course really touches on the things that drawings can do that you can't do with a photograph. He emphasizes how to change what you need to get the feeling you want to evoke, using tools he's taught all along. And he shows how you can use your photographs as a starting point to create something unique and memorable.
This is a great class for seeing what you can do and make with what you've learned from Glenn in the past, and how easy it is to draw every day regardless of location.
Animal Drawing Part 1 is structured to have two weeks for each lecture which means you can submit two assignments (one per week) for each lecture. The benefit is after having gotten Glenn's feedback for the first assignment, you get the opportunity to make changes and deepen your approach to drawing animals for the second assignment. Glenn's feedback is very insightful: he will point out what worked in the drawing, as well as clearly identify what can be worked on next for you to improve. His guidance really helps to fast-track improvements.
Overall, the course is well structured: it starts with observing and drawing animal skeletons to understand the general structure of animals (the main focus of this course is on four-legged mammals). Then, the following lecture allows you to apply this structure by drawing mice/rats which have an overall simpler form. After that, you progress to cats and dogs which can be observed at home if you have pets. The next lecture focuses on farm animals, e.g. cows/sheep/goats/pigs. Lastly, all the previous skills can be applied to wild animals. It's really helpful for the course if you have access to actual animals (and skeletons for the first week) that you can observe, as drawing from life really helps with capturing the gesture and form.
The approach taught in this course is solid and can be applied to many different animals: by understanding the skeleton of the animal, it becomes easier to understand and analyze the complex forms of different animals and to capture them in your drawings. In addition to the lessons, there are weekly demos by Glenn in which he discusses various aspects of art, plus weekly chats where you can ask questions. The weekly demos and chats are well worth listening to as Glenn is very knowledgeable and has a lot of experience in the field. Overall, I learned a lot from this course and recommend it if you're interested in animal drawing.
Studying with Vilppu Academy has enriched my learning process. Glenn Vilppu, with his vast knowledge and success in art and animation, generously shares his process. From mastery of materials, observations, analysis and execution, he takes the student through his process. The recorded lectures, so many of them, are at my access whenever I want to study or review. I just recently viewed his lecture on Titian, to understand how to use light to define the form (screen capture below). I study at my own pace, no anxiety nor do I get overwhelmed by the subject matter. I particularly like the recorded "draw along" figure drawing sessions and to listen to Glenn's critiques.
Glenn and Eleanor are so welcoming and makes me feel like I am studying in the Master's studio.
Over the last several years, I have studied in Glenn’s Academy and have now taken and retaken many of the courses he offers. Each and every lesson has been a fabulous learning experience with my skill level improving considerably. In fact, because of the skills Glenn has taught me, I have now been asked to teach a drawing class locally.
With Glenn, a diligent student will learn to observe closely, to draw and paint in a classical manner without copying and to make your subjects come alive. One of the most challenging skills for many artists is to create from imagination and not just copy photos or other works of art. Glenn specializes in building the full skill set of his students. If you really want to learn, please take his courses.
I took in person classes with master Villpu in mid 90’s and he taught me how to draw, period. He shows how to deliberately develop form and anatomy as well as shadow and light. I still buy and watch his work. He is a unique master of contemporary and renaissance art. No one like him.
This was an amazing course to follow! I learned so much about oil and portrait painting, and it was truly inspiring.
Another great class! If you're looking to share your imagination with the world via charcoal, pencil, ink and more then these classes are the keystone. They're analogous to setting off to make a movie and having Martin Scorsese instruct and critique your progress. Head drawing provides you with the opportunity to improve upon your skills in the areas of proportion, structural (anatomy) knowledge, expressions and drawing on the fly in real life. Can't wait to take the new Head Drawing II. Ou and just a heads up ;) make sure to purchase a mini-reference skull beforehand, Very helpful!
Best teacher ever! I’ve taken _many_ courses from Glenn; and I always learn something new from him in every lesson. The personal critiques really deepen my understanding of his words and demos
This course was the best thing that could happen to me and my art skills. Over the weeks I have improved a lot and learned so much things. I now look at artworks in a different way!
Glenn’s passion about art and teaching shows in every lesson, livestream and in his critique videos.
Before this course I watched a lot of videos on YouTube about composition and non of them could teach me what composition is really about. Now, after Glenn’s course I finally beginn to understand composition. There is much more to learn and so much old masters to study, I will definitely take another of Glenn’s courses.
This class was extremely fun to follow and I learned a lot about drawing nature and drawing itself. I can highly recommend it!
This course is the best investment you can make in your life if you truly have a passion for drawing. You will not only learn the fundamentals of drawing the human figure, but if you listen and observe carefully, you will discover many hidden treasures.
I'm not going to thank Glenn for my career because I no longer care about it, and I'm glad I don't. Instead, I'm going to thank him forever for giving me back the joy of drawing, for letting me see what I wasn't seeing before, and for inspiring me to one day be good enough to teach others the joy of drawing and keep alive this passion that makes us human.
I'm forever grateful for your soul, your teachings, and your choice to dedicate your life to being a teacher. You are a Master.
A big hug from your student,
Gabriela.
I learned so much in this class. It didn’t just teach me how to draw nature, but made me look at it in a new and different way. Glenn teaches you how to see things that were always there, that I was missing before I gained that knowledge. Incredible course.
This course will really set you up for success. The approach is to start with a simple sculpture that consists of general facial planes. It moves onward and transitions to monochromatic head paintings. Towards the end you will paint in color. I hope to take this again and reinforce these fundamentals.
This course is for all levels. Glenn will provide feedback based on where you are at.
This is a topic that is covered well in books using illustrations of the basic folds. What I have come to realize is that books only facilitate part of the learning process. You need to draw to develop. That's what is so great about the way Glenn teaches. He's direct and encouraging. He demonstrates practical approaches and sustainable lifestyle-like routines to developing your skill. Whether it is drapery or painting, his teaching style is gentle and consumable by most all people. I recommend it. I really didn't think I would get as much out of this class as I did.
In this class, you will learn how to analyze folds. You'll understand that folds are dependent on other variables, i.e, material and underlying forms.
