Fundamentals of Figure Drawing I (In-Person Class)

Fundamentals of Figure Drawing I: In-Person

Melanie Vote | Spring I | Tuesdays: Sep 9 - Oct 14

Class Description:

Embark on an exploration of conceptual and perceptual methods in figure drawing.

Designed to integrate classic ideals of the human form with observations from life, this course emphasizes a comprehensive approach to drawing the figure. Participants will learn to identify rhythmic relationships through the line of action, as well as grasp the basic principles of geometry inherent in the human figure. The class will cover essential anatomical landmarks, providing students with the tools to rationalize the figure on a 2D plane. Emphasis will be placed on linear drawing techniques to hone skills in proportion and general accuracy. More advanced students will be encouraged to focus on modeling the form through tonal methods during longer poses and via illuminated cast, set up within the classroom for those who choose to focus on tonal drawing. By the end of this course, participants should possess the ability to create believable standing figures based on the 7 1/2 head proportional system, derived from life drawing. This integration of conceptual understanding and practical application will equip students with a solid foundation in figure drawing.

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Spring I Session Dates:

Scheduled occurrences for the next semester of this class are as follows:

Week	Date	Time
Week 1:	1/13/2026	6:30 - 9:30 pm ET
Week 2:	1/20/2026	6:30 - 9:30 pm ET
Week 3:	1/27/2026	6:30 - 9:30 pm ET
Week 4:	2/03/2026	6:30 - 9:30 pm ET
Week 5:	2/10/2026	6:30 - 9:30 pm ET
Week 6:	2/17/2026	6:30 - 9:30 pm ET

Before Class - Welcome & How to Prepare for Class
Week 1 - Class Overview
Week 2 - Landmarks continued and Gesture
Week 3 - Geometries of the three Main Masses
Week 4 - Rib Cage and Pelvis
Week 5 - Pelvis and Thigh
Week 6 - Knee & Lower Leg

$360.00
In-Person
6 Weeks
Beginner to Intermediate

Meet Your Instructor

Melanie Vote

Instructor

Melanie Vote grew up in the rural mid-west but has lived in NYC for over 20 years. Her work straddles these two worlds, investigating the complexities of the human-land relationship, the cyclical nature of all life, and the impossibility of permanence. She received her BFA from Iowa State University and her MFA in Painting from New York Academy of Art. Vote was a recipient of a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2007 and has been awarded many residencies including The Vermont Studio Center, Jentel in Banner, WY, AHAD in Abu Dhabi, UAE, The Grand Canyon, The Weir Farm program in CT. Her last solo exhibition, The Washhouse, Nothing Ever Happened Here was at Equity Gallery in 2020 and most recently her work was on view in a two-person exhibition Concurrence at DFN Projects in October 2023. Vote teaches at NYAA and has taught at The New School, NJCU, and Pratt Institute. Additionally, Vote has been a visiting artist at numerous schools including the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art.