Select from the session options above. All materials provided, but guests may bring their own sketchbook. Open to all abilities and interests. Draw from the Collection is best for ages 12 and up. Advanced registration encouraged; drop-ins welcome.

Draw from the Collection 2024

Time: Every 3rd Saturday, 1:00-3:30 (Beginning March 2024)
Location: Collection Galleries and Studio A
Ages: 16 and up
Cost: $25 members, $30 non-members
Supplies: Provided
Max Capacity: 12

Dates and Project Themes:

March: Line and Value: Charcoal Drawing
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Techno-Cubism by James Pate: The Art of Line Painting
Learn the fundamentals of drawing with line, shape, and value through the medium of charcoal. Come prepared to get messy! Explore and experiment with the art of line making as featured in Focus Exhibition Techno-Cubism by James Pate: The Art of Line Painting.

April: Landscapes
Featured Gallery / Exhibition / Location: Gallery 212, Late 19th Century French Art AND / OR Museum front lawn
outside (weather permitting)
Explore the outdoors from the inside out! Learn fundamental composition techniques that artists have used for centuries to create dynamic landscape depictions. Examine the Impressionists’ drawing style that beautifully captures nature in motion.

May: Flowers, Plants, and Trees
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Gallery 206, Early 20th Century American Art AND/OR Hale Cloister (weather permitting)
Branch out your drawing skills and learn how to capture the intricate compositions of plant structures such as trees, flowers, leaves, grass, and more! A variety of mediums will be explored including graphite, colored pencil, and ink. Come prepared to get messy! All levels of drawing skills are welcome.

June: Architecture and Perspective
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Gallery 213, 18th Century European Art OR Focus Exhibition: The Quiet World of Edward Hopper
Open doors to new realms of possibilities with perspective line drawing techniques. One-point, two-point, and three-point perspective drawing applications will be explored in this study of architecture and architectural elements. Working rulers, string, and architectural drawing tools is strongly encouraged and experimentation with techniques is always welcome.

July: Figure Drawing
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Gallery 204 and Gallery 206
Learn the basics of figure drawing techniques while working from a clothed live model and examples of human anatomy and anatomical structures from museum collection paintings and sculptures. A variety of mediums and medium techniques will be explored, including charcoal, chalk pastel, marker, and graphite. Come prepared to get messy!

August: Animals and Abstraction
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Gallery 112 and 113
In this class, we will horse around with a variety of animal species and artistic drawing styles! From farm animals to fantastic mythological beasts, you will learn how to capture the essence of all creatures great and small, using a variety of stylistic choices covering the span of art history. Covering Cubism, Pop Art, Minimalism, and much more this is your opportunity to let your imagination run wild and find your own sketching style! Come prepared to get messy!

September: Abstract Expressionism and Colorful Non-Objective Musical Mark-Making
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Gallery 202
Put your feelings into focus with this unique approach to mark-making! In this class, you will be encouraged to think less about depicting an object and more about letting lines, shapes, colors, and emotions coalesce into a stream of consciousness and a sublime state of being. Using music as a guide along with a variety of mark-making tools and drawing mediums, you will make an experimental series of drawings and colorful effects that can be viewed as either a finished artwork or as a drawing prompt for future artistic adventures. Explore and experiment with topics such as Op Art, Abstract Expressionism, and more! Come prepared to get messy!

October: Food and Still Life Drawing
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Gallery 216
Feast your eyes on drawing the subject of food and still life! Using observation from a variety of still-life objects both in the studio and in the museum’s collection, learn how to mix and layer colors with colored pencils while experimenting with dramatic lighting effects. Explore a variety of compositional approaches to the subject matter while learning how to increase the contrasts and value depths of your drawing. All drawing experience levels are welcome!

November: Portrait Drawing
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Gallery 217
Learn how to draw anatomically accurate portraits using the centuries-old mathematical processes used by Leonardo Da Vinci! In this class, you will be taught how to draw eyes, noses, mouths, ears, and a variety of head poses using charcoal and graphite. Come prepared to get messy! All drawing experience levels are welcome!

December: Cartooning and Expressive Caricatures
Featured Gallery / Exhibition: Focus Exhibition Making Faces: 18 Essential Kabuki Plays OR Special Exhibition (B)ART! America’s Funniest Animated Family
Take portrait drawing to new levels with a fun and comical approach to composition! Learn how to create abstracted and expressive, cartoonish caricatures using the museum collection artworks, yourself, or your friends as your source of inspiration! With emphasis on experimentation, you will learn several portrait techniques, including blind contour drawing, geometric abstraction, and much more! It is guaranteed to be a Surreal and silly experience that will leave you laughing and looking at the world in new and humorous ways.

Once you have completed your registration, you will receive an email with additional information. If you have questions, please email [email protected] or call 937-223-4278 during regular museum hours.

To preview the program on our website, follow this link. https://www.daytonartinstitute.org/create-learn/draw-from-the-collection/

Please Note: The DAI implemented a new ticketing and membership system in 2021. If you have not previously used this system, you will need to create a user account in order to reserve your space. If you are a museum member, the system will connect that user account to your membership profile, in order to receive your member discount.

Download instructions to create a new user account