The 5-minute Pose: Setting yourself up for success in figure drawing
Brenno Kenji
$730
When drawing from life, most key decisions happen in the first five minutes. How do we begin in a way that captures the freshness and energy of the pose—and sustain that momentum as we build?
In this 5-week class, we focus on those crucial first minutes. Working from the live model, you’ll learn a clear, intuitive approach to quickly and effectively lay in the figure, capturing action before it stiffens into a pose. We’ll develop strategies to sharpen decision-making and distinguish the essential from the inessential. The 5-minute drawing becomes both a complete work and a strong foundation for longer poses.
Classes include demonstrations, lectures, live model drawing, and individual feedback. All levels welcome.
Topics include:
lay-in and proportional systems
key landmarks
gesture and line of action
figure construction and rhythm
dynamic anatomy
line quality
light logic and 2-value structure
Required Supplies
Figure Drawing - CLASS SUPPLY LIST Instructor: Brenno Kenji
Items marked with * are strongly recommended for all figure drawing classes. Items marked with ++ lend themselves to a more painterly/tonal approach to drawing.
MISC:
18 x 24” Drawing Board *
Kneaded Eraser *
Hard Eraser
Utility Knife or X-Acto knife (for sharpening pencils) *
PAPER AND PENCILS
There is no “best” paper or pencil: what matters is the paper + pencil combination. Some pencils go great with certain kinds of paper, but not so much with others. Below are some recommendations :
Paper (choose one - if unsure, the Sketch Paper is a good and relatively inexpensive all-around workhorse paper):
Newsprint 18” x 24” pad (cheap, non-archival, great for building up mileage and for studies in general), OR
Sketch Paper 18” x 24” pad (archival, relatively inexpensive, good all-around paper), OR
Drawing Paper 18” x 24” pad (archival, more expensive and more durable - good for longer poses, and for a more intensive tonal approach)
Pencil (bring a selection):
Charcoal Pencils ++ (2B or 4B) – works with any paper choice above (General’s and Ritmos are good brands) Charcoal Pencils (2B or 4B) – works with either paper choice above (General’s and Ritmos are good brands). Conte Pierre Noire pencils (2B) are also a good option.
Conté Crayon sticks ++ (earth tones, black, and white) - works with any paper above
Pastel Pencils ++ – also works with any paper choice above (Stabillo Carbothello, Conte, or Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel are good brands – pick a neutral or earth-color hue; avoid overly saturated, bright, or light colors)
Wax-based color pencils – works best with Sketch or Drawing Paper Paper (Progresso Woodless Colored Pencils, Faber-Castell Polychromos, and Primacolor Premier are good brands – pick a neutral or earth-color hue; avoid overly saturated, bright, or light colors)
