Drawing Fundamentals for Beginners

Develop your drawing skills and unleash your creativity in structured, live online classes led by Rachel Fairfax. Designed to mimic a studio-style experience, each lesson focuses on a specific theme with practical drawing exercises, demonstrations, and interactive engagement.

You’ll begin by exploring the fundamentals of drawing proportion and perspective with still life objects, moving from quick studies to more detailed, sustained drawings. The curriculum starts with line work before gradually incorporating tone, composition, and mark-making. As your confidence grows, you'll refine your technique using graphite pencil and charcoal. To expand your technical understanding, Rachel will also introduce basic colour theory, incorporating coloured pencils, and drawing from a life model in the final class.

This course provides a comprehensive and supportive environment for strengthening your drawing foundations and nurturing your artistic growth, all from the comfort of your own space.

* NAS Short Courses are open to students of ages 16 years and over. The NAS Art Club is open to students from ages 15 years and over. 

* What to bring? Please refer to the list of required materials in the Art Materials field below. 

Rachel's online studio course is taught utilising an online video conferencing platform.

She is present in the online studio for the whole session, and she responds directly to students’ questions. This is a critique-based class, with students making work either during the class or during the week, with discussions held regarding works made. We are also using Padlet in this course, Padlet is a web application that allows users to post information and images on a digital wall.

Students will be provided with a link to directly access the video conferencing platform and NAS Padlet. The links will be provided close to the date of course commencement. Please ensure you use the links provided to directly access the online platforms.
The course lecturer and NAS team will be able to provide some assistance to students in the initial session, in the event students experience any issues.

Class sizes are limited to a maximum of twelve students and the sessions are not recorded.

Please note, the sessions are not recorded.

Student Home-Studio requirements

A computer, laptop or iPad with a good internet connection.

For those doing the practical exercises, a digital camera to submit photos for feedback.

Rachel Fairfax is an artist working in the mediums of drawing, painting and ceramics. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and an Honours Degree in Drawing from the National Art School. She is represented by Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney, and Harvison Gallery, Perth. Her exhibitions, residencies and community-based projects have taken her across Australia and overseas. Rachel has been awarded two Reg Richardson Scholarships and been a finalist in many Australian art awards. Named as one of Australia’s leading artists by theSydney Morning Herald, Rachel exhibits widely and is represented in many public and private collections. Since 2003 she has taught drawing at the National Art School and other colleges of art.

Students must supply their own art materials, please refer to the list below.

• A4 sketchbook
• Set of graphite pencils from 2B to 8B
• Charcoal pencil
• Pencil sharpener or Stanley knife
• Pencil eraser
• 2 bulldog clips
• Willow charcoal
• Compressed charcoal
• Fixative spray
• 1 pad of A2 cartridge paper

Other materials (not required for first class)

• 1 sheet of grey Canson paper
• 2 sheets of brown Craft paper (around 280gsm)
• 1 white pastel pencil or white charcoal pencil