If you’ve ever frozen at the beginning of a figure drawing, unsure where to start - this course is for you!
Figure Drawing Quickstart teaches you the 7 essential first steps of every strong figure drawing — and how to reorder and adapt these steps into the most effective starting strategy for any pose.
Instead of guessing what to draw first, you’ll learn to build a gestural block-in that anchors the entire drawing — whether you’re quick-sketching or settling into a long pose.
By the end of this course, you'll know how to:
- Follow a flexible framework to start any figure drawing
- Know exactly what to draw first (and why)
- Problem-solve the first few marks, even when they’re not obvious
- Build a strong gestural block-in that captures movement and proportion
- Measure the figure accurately to establish correct proportions early
Everything you learn after — construction, anatomy, rendering — depends on this foundation.
Figure Drawing Quickstart teaches you how to build it.
The Curriculum:
Module 1: Essential First Steps of a Figure Drawing *Live now!*
Learn the 7 key elements that form the beginning of every strong figure drawing.
Using a guided worksheet, you’ll practice identifying and drawing these initial lines so you can recognize them clearly in any pose.
Module 2 - The Figure Drawing Framework (Jan. 15)
Learn an efficient “default sequence” for starting most figure drawings.
You’ll practice this order across a variety of poses so it becomes natural, confident, and versatile.
Module 3 - Measuring the Figure for Accurate Proportions (Feb. 15)
Here we'll slow down and focus on proportion:
- How to measure the figure accurately
- Which measurement method to use — and when
- How to correct proportions without losing gesture
You’ll practice a range of measurement techniques and learn to choose the most effective ones for different scenarios.
Module 4 - Starting Strategies & Gesture Practice (Mar. 15)
Build a full toolkit of starting methods by learning to adapt the Figure Drawing Framework.
You’ll practice choosing the best strategy for each pose, and finish with ultra-quick gesture exercises to add life, movement and flow to your drawings.
Who This Course Is For
Figure Drawing Quickstart is for you if:
✔️ You’re new to figure drawing (but have some general drawing experience)
✔️ You've tried figure drawing, but freeze at the beginning, and don't know what to draw first
✔️ You want a faster, clearer, more confident way to start
✔️ You want a repeatable approach you can adapt to any pose
✔️ You want to add more accurate proportions and more flowing, gestural movement to your drawings
✔️ You learn best with structure, clarity, and guided practice
✔️ You’d benefit from support — I’ll be answering questions until April 15
If you want to draw the figure with confidence, clarity, and flow — start here!
How to Access Figure Drawing Quickstart
FDQ will be released in the Drawing Decoded Membership from Dec 15 – Mar 15.
Course Schedule:
- Dec 15, 2025 — Module 1 released *Live now in Drawing Decoded!*
- Jan 15, 2026 — Module 2 released
- Feb 15, 2026 — Module 3 released
- Mar 15, 2026 — Module 4 released
From Dec 15 – Apr 15, you can:
✔️ Ask questions under any lesson
✔️ Follow the course as it’s released
✔️ Build consistency with a structured schedule
This is the only round of FDQ offered with instructor Q&A.
Who You'll Learn From:
Hi! I'm Marina.
I'm a professional visual artist, arts educator, former Tenure-Track college professor of visual arts, and Founder (or 'Drawing Source'ress') of TheDrawingSource.com
In my creative practice I make 'drawing installations': large-scale drawings that transform an entire space, such as the one below. (Yes, entirely hand-drawn using charcoal on white paper!)
Join the Drawing Decoded Membership
When you join, you’ll get:
- Instant access to all Drawing Decoded foundational courses (below)
- Access to Figure Drawing Quickstart as each module is released
- The ability to ask questions under FDQ lessons until April 15
- A clear, supported starting point for your figure drawing journey
Learn more about Drawing Decoded here
Instantly access these 12 foundational drawing courses:
A one-module course providing foundational, technical skills needed for realistic drawing.
Learn block-in strategies for drawing different subjects from photography and life.
*Course being developed
Develop the technical skills and modes of seeing needed for smooth, realistic shading.
All complex forms are a combination of basic ones. Learn to shade the basic ones here!
Learn 10 accuracy and measurement techniques, train your eye & start learning portrait anatomy!
Learn the stages of the drawing process, and how to link them together smoothly.
Draw the flower above with me, step by step, in charcoal.
Learn to use white pencils on black paper to create dramatic drawings.
*Course being developed
Improve your dexterity, control and drawing technique with short daily exercises!
Learn how to choose and edit excellent reference photos for drawing.
Learn to edit your drawings so they look as accurate and professional onscreen as they do in person.
Develop a productive mindset while learning how to draw. (Our mindset is often the biggest challenge when learning a new skill!)
Twelve courses plus Figure Drawing Quickstart starting on Dec. 15!
$29 USD/month
No time commitment. Cancel anytime.
Or $199/year (5 months free!)