*Formerly called Bargue Drawing Level 1
Accuracy in proportions and shapes is the first pillar of a realistic drawing, creating likeness and believability.
This course teaches you how to notice proportions, angles, shapes, and distances in your subject — and how to measure and draw them with precision.
We’ll use the Bargue drawing method as a tool to build your accuracy and train your eye, focusing on facial features and partial portrait studies — the building blocks of more complex, finished portrait drawings. As you go, you’ll start learning basic facial anatomy, giving you a deeper understanding of what you’re drawing — and preparing you for future portrait work.
You’ll learn the sight-size system of measurement — a method where your drawing and reference are set up side by side, so you can easily compare and match what you see, at the same size. You’ll begin with crosshair lines (light guidelines that help you place key points accurately), and gradually let go of them as your visual accuracy improves.
The skills you build here form a foundational piece of realistic drawing — the core measurement and accuracy techniques that will carry you into all more advanced drawings.
You'll Learn:
✔️ Essential measuring techniques - and when to use them effectively
✔️ 10 ways to check and improve the accuracy of your drawing
✔️ How to use the Bargue method effectively for improving accuracy and sensitive observation
✔️ How to use the sight-size method to draw your reference at the same scale
✔️ How to use crosshair lines to place key points
✔️ How to gradually let go of crosshair lines and measure accurately without them
✔️ How to draw complex curves precisely
✔️ How to create depth and dimension using overlapping lines
✔️ What gesture really means - and how to use it as a method of measurement
✔️ How to see and draw complex shapes accurately for greatest resemblance
✔️ How to refine your drawings in thoughtful passes, each focused on a specific layer of accuracy
✔️ An introduction to anatomy of the facial features - to deepen your understanding of what you're drawing
✨ This Course Is Perfect For:
- Beginners looking for a structured, step-by-step introduction to accuracy and measurement
- Nervous beginners, especially if you’ve ever felt like you “can’t learn to draw” — we'll fix this!
- Intermediate students ready to sharpen their perceptual skills, precision, and eye for proportion
You’ll be working with the Bargue method — a classical approach that uses carefully designed prints of plaster casts. It’s a rigorous yet approachable, confidence-building way to begin.
What's Included:
✔️ 5 structured modules with step-by-step video lessons (+ bonus module)
✔️ Downloadable Bargue plates for practice
✔️ Guided drawing demos + anatomy lectures
Curriculum
Module 1: Intro to Bargue Drawing & Methods of Measurement
Learn the step-by-step process for beginning a Bargue drawing — a classic exercise for developing accuracy and observational skills.
This module introduces essential measurement methods, and multiple ways to check your work for precision. You'll also learn how to set up for success, refine your drawing, and get the most out of this foundational practice.
Module 2: Complex Curves & Overlapping Lines
Learn two key skills that separate beginner drawings from more advanced work: accurately translating complex curves (instead of generic ones), and using overlapping lines to create depth and dimension.
You’ll also be introduced to the second phase of the block-in process, and start exploring subtle but essential nose and lip anatomy visible in this Bargue plate.
Module 3: Gesture as a Method of Measurement
Gesture is often taught as a way to add energy to a drawing — but in this module, you’ll learn not only how gesture brings life and movement to your work, but also how to use it as a powerful method of measurement to create more cohesive, flowing, and accurate drawings.
Module 4: Letting Go of Crosshair Lines
In this module you'll gradually let go of crosshair lines as you strengthen your eye and learn an alternate block-in process.
By the end of the module, you'll be drawing freehand - without crosshair lines - at the same size as your subject.
Module 5: Seeing and Drawing Complex Shapes Accurately
Likeness — or resemblance — in drawing comes down to shape: how accurately and specifically you can see and draw the shapes of your subject.
In this module, you’ll train your eye to recognize complex shapes more clearly, and learn practical strategies for drawing them with accuracy.
These skills are key for creating believable, recognizable drawings.
Take Intro Accuracy and Measurement in The Atelier at The Drawing Source.
This course is part of a larger realistic drawing learning path. It’s the second course in a curriculum designed to help you build strong foundational skills for realistic drawing — preparing you for more advanced subjects like the figure and portrait:
