Radiorunner's curriculum for the solo artist

A curriculum built for the self-taught artist looking for
structure and direction.

Based on a design and concept by RadioRunner. Handcoded by Brendan Meachen. Released because I wanted an easy resource for myself and I thought the community might benefit.

Term 1

  • Figure drawing
  • Perspective I
  • Composition & storytelling I

Term 2

  • Figure drawing
  • Anatomy I - head
  • Anatomy II - torso

Term 3

  • Perspective III
  • Anatomy III - arms
  • Clothed figure drawing

Term 4

  • Colour & light I
  • Perspective IV
  • Anatomy IV - legs

Term 5

  • Intro to animals
  • Perspective V
  • Color & light II

Term 6

  • Character design
  • Composition & storytelling II
  • Perspective VI

Term 7

  • Anatomy V - imagination
  • Perspective VII
  • Environment design I

Term 8

  • Environment design II
  • Paiting I
  • Anatomy VI - caricature / animal

Term 9

  • Painting II
  • Painting III - matte painting
  • Personal project

Certified advice by moderndayjames

"Make sure that you're learning is balanced, and takes you where you want to go.

Your art journey is similar to learning music: if you only learn the scales and theory, then you understand the rules. But that doesn't mean you can make enjoyable music from what you know. At the same time, if you don't know any rules of music, you may just be making trash.

There's middle ground in there, where you know just enough to get you to where you want to go, while still breaking boundaries and exploring cool things spontaneously (like accidentally playing a modal scale in a different key).

So - if you only learn the rules of your art, you won't know how to explor it creatively. If you only focus on creative exploration, you won't learn how to create effectively within the rules of your artform."

Play with child-like wonder

Do what pleases you from time to time, and draw what you like. Practice composition, new techniques, and new mediums. Explore what you learn with personal projects.

Observe like a painter

Sculpt your images. Practice shape design (painting, expressive pencil drawing). Watch and listen to Marco Bucci and Sinix to elarn more.

Think like a draftsman

Balance the rest by studying hard principles to elevate your creative exploration. Watch and listen to Scott Robertson, Feng Zhu, and Kim Jung Gi to elarn more.

Navigating the curriculum

The curriculum is based on the struture of Marc Brunet's "ARTSchool", so if you like it you may want to check out his own course.
Overall however, the Solo Artist curriculum has a much higher emphasis on

Perspective and Draftsmanship

You may find the subject material front unit to unit seemingly random. This is by design - so that you don't go mad driling perspective for 2 months at a time.

If you want to swap a unit or term around feel free to do so. This is merely a guide for a structural approach to self-teaching.

The intended purpose is to balance a foundation of technical perspective and creative learning, so that you may learn to draw anything from imagination.

2 years and 3 months

is how long you should expect to stick with the Solo Artis curriculum

9 terms in total

3 units per term

4 weeks per unit

Feel free to divide this curriculum to take however long you'd wish. I've planned it this way to
provide a tangible structure for how long to stay on each unit before moving on.

The curriculum

Composition & Storytelling I

Creative Composition, SVSLearn

Youtube

  • "Framed Ink", Marcos Mateu-Mestre

Challenge

Thumbnail 50 favourite movie scenes

Watch Sycra's video "Iterative Drawing" and iterate on 5 compositions, 10x each

Note:

SVSLearn is available through a monthly subscription. Sycra's video on "iterative Drawing" is a great one to learn how to challenge yourself to create variations - whether they're good or bad.

Anatomy I - The Head

Understanding & painting the head, Marco Bucci

YouTube

New Masters Academy

Challenge

Ahmed Aldoori's 100 head challenge

Note:

If you have access to physical / traditional painting you could consider it here in the second half of Marco Bucci's course. Otherwise continue to focus on pencil. Andrew Loomis, Frank Reily, and Steve Huston are highkly recommended to learn once you become a little more comfortable with head construction.

Perspective II

Drawabox.com Lessons 4-7

Youtube

Challenge

Drawabox.com 100 Treasure Chest challenge

Rotate 50 boxes and 50 cylinders

Note:

For Drawabox assignments do not focus on finished drawings. The main priority is to exercise your understanding of form and construction. Challenge yourself to begin rotating forms.

Anatomy II - The Torso

Anatomy of the Human Body for Artists (Torso), Proko Premium

YouTube

  • "Figure Drawing for All it's Worth", Andrew Loomis
  • "FORCE: Dynamic Life Drawing", Mike Mattesi

Challenge

100 exagerated gestures

  • Draw the gesture of a reference
  • Mannequenise it
  • Draw a new exagerrated pose based on mannequin

Note:

After going through anatomy, look up some FORCE gesture videos on TouTube (Proko has good interviews). Learn how to exagerate gesture beyond your reference pose. This is helpful to stretch drawing from your imagination, and avoid stiff drawings.

Perspective III

"How to Draw", Scott Robertson

YouTube

Challenge

Drawabox.com 25 wheel challenge

Rotate 50 boxes & 50 cylinders

Note:

"How to Draw" is the artists perspective Bible. It's especially good if you want to draw inorganic objects, but still important regardless! moderndayjames covers some great topics here - start rotating forms from imagination!

Clothed Figure Drawing

Clothing & Drapery w/ Glenn Vilpu, New Masters Academy

YouTube

Cubebrush Artschool (w/ Brushboost Sub)

Challenge

30 Day Clothed Figure Gesture Challenge

20 - 30 minutes

  • 5x 1 minute
  • 5x 2 minutes
  • 3x 5 minutes or 1x 10 minutes sketches

Note:

Try all different kinds of fabrics. Different weights all fold differently. Satin is relective and light, it creases everywhere. Denim is matte and heavy, the folds are deeper and less frequent. you can get access to Cubebrush ARTSchool through it's monthly subscription, Brushboost.

Colour & Light I

"How to Render", Scott Robertson

YouTube

Schoolism

Challenge

50 Still-Life Lighting Studies

  • Examin lighting in drastically different setups
  • Use a lamp and change the position over the subject

Note:

Learning the science behind light is most impotant here. When studying light focus primarily on the three main average values of the scene, and go more granular form there. Try thumbnailing instead of detailed drawings. you learn more through repeated attempts!

Perspective IV

moderndayjames Visual Library

  • "Framed Perspective I: Technical Perspective and Visual Storytelling", Marcos Mateu-Mestre

For Mech Drawing

Cubebrush Artschool (w/ Brushboost Sub)

  • Term 6, Mech Design

Challenge

100 Rotated Objects (based on mdj's Visual Library videos)
or
100 Unique Studies (machinery, vehicles, Plants, Animals)

Note:

This is a key unit. Familiarise yourself with the techniques James teaches in these vidoes. Framed Pespective is good for learning how to apply perspective for setting a scene.

Anatomy IV - The Legs

Anatomy of the Human Body for Artists (Legs), Proko Premium

Youtube

Challenge

100 Feet

100 Studies of interacting characters - figure drawings of at least 2 figures interacting in a scene

Note:

The challenges here are both important. Feet are weird and require repeted study. Also there's not enough material out there that encourages drawing characters together. Focus on them making physical contact and doing actions together - kissing, hugging, picking things up, fighting, etc.

Intro to Animals

FORCE: Animal Drawing, Mike Matessi

Aaron Blaise (pick one)

Challenge

30 day Gesture Sessions of Anmals, change the type of animal each week.

  • 4 legged animals
  • aquatic animals
  • flying animals
  • big, small reqtilian, etc

Note:

You'll have had some animal drawing from Drawabox already. Try moderndayjames' GumRoad bundle to pursue more of a perspective route. Otherwise focus on the gesture of animals. Aaron Blaise is an absolute pro on gesture, and hs great character design tips. Pick your favourite animal and follow one of his courses.

Perspective V

"Framed Perspective II", Marcos Mateu-Mestre

YouTube

Challenge

  • 100 Extreme Perspectives
  • 50 Vehicle Rotation Studies
  • 50 Unique Vehicle Designs

Note:

You have two options here: focus on characters in perspective, or inorganic subjects (vehicles). Pick the one you prefer as the units primary focus.

Colour & Light II

"Colour and Light", James Gurney

YouTube

Schoolism

Challenge

150 Color Replication Studies

  • Environments
  • Character Designs
  • Movie Frames

or 50 Color Variation Studies

  • 50 subjects, drawn with 3X different colout palettes

Note:

James Gurney's book is the artist's Bible on colourt and light. The YouTube recommendations here are good too. For the challenges do mostly tuhmbnails - exercise picking colours accurately. For example different kinds of colour schemes and unique colours.

Character Design

Character Design w/ Aaron Blaise

YouTube

Schoolism

Challenge

moderndayjames' 100 Expressions Challenge

50 Character Design variation Studies

  • 50 subjects, 3 variations each

Note:

Both challenges are great here. If you haven't seen the practice before, look up silhouetting for character design (featured in Marco Bucci's series) - it's a good way to stretch your creative muscles.

Composition & Storytelling II

Pictorial Composition w/ Nathan Fowkes, Schoolism

YouTube

Schoolism

Challenge

50 Compositions including figures

  • 2 total variations
  • Change colour, perspective, and composition

100 environment Colour / Composition Studies

  • Pick movie shots that tell a story in a single frame

Note:

Focus on thumbnailing during the challenge. If you have time towards the end, pick some of your favourites and make more complete works based on them.

Perspective VI

Krenz Cushart's Gumroad Bundle

  • Draw a human Body in Perspective
  • Rotate things in Perspective 1 & 2
  • Control Angle & Proportion in Perspective

YouTube

Challenge

Draw 100 figures in perspective

Rotate 50 figures a full 360 degrees

Draw 50 compositions of figures in extreme perspectives

Note:

The moderndayjames vidoes are based on Krenz Cusharts's bundle. Make sure to do your rotations right - create the perfect perspective map first, and then try again from imagination

Anatomy V - Imagination

"Figure Drawing: Design & Invention", Michael Hampton

YouTube

  • "Constructive Anatomy", George B. Bridgeman

Challenge

50 Character Designs

  • 3 Variations each w/ varied anatomical proportions

or invent 100 Figure Poses

  • 50 Calm Poses
  • 50 Action Poses

Next level: Rotate these poses 3x each

Note:

Look up Proko's "Draftsmen" podcast, S1E10, "How to Learn Anatomy" and listen to thier thoughts on Bridgman before evaluating for yourself whether you want to learn from his book. Try the YouTube videos instead. Both Hampton and Bridgeman are experts however.

Perspective VII

moderndayjames "Becoming a Gi" Series

Challenge

As many studies as possible from imagination

  • Rotate subjects full 360 degrees
  • Practice curvilinear perspective ("Becoming a Gi 3")
  • Draw subjects in every angle ("Becoming a Gi 3")

Note:

One can only become a Gi through deliberate practice. Draw as many things from imagination as you can. If you're having trouble start with a construction, and then draw it again from memory.

Environment Design I

Art Camp 3, Noah Bradley

YouTube

Schoolism

Challenge

100 Landscape Thumbnails

  • Create 1 deviation for each thumbnail: colour, shape design, biome, time of day, composition

Optional: Create 10 full works based on your thumbnails

Note:

Read Noah Bradley's "How I became an Artist" blogpost, and then his "Don't Go to Art School" post. Art Camp 3 will whip you into shape, don't skip it.

Environment Design II

Environment Design Course, James Paick (Gumroad)/a>

Challenge

100 Environment Thumbnail Studies

  • Make at least half feature figures, animals, or some additional subject

Note:

The general intended difference of this unit from the last is to focus more on architectural scenes - buildings, structures, sprawling cityscapes and intimate streets.

Painting I

Digital Painting 1 + Brushwork Techniques, Marco Bucci

YouTube

Schoolism

Challenge

50 value studies

50 colour studies

  • Limit time to 60 minutes each

Optional: Develop traditional painting habits. Paint on only one layer, with no undo

Note:

Now we're getting into true-blue painting! If learning digitally, learn from traditonal paiting sources - creativity is bred through limitation. Limit yourself to a defined colour paletter, no layering, and disabling undo. if you want to learn traditional painting instead then go ahead!

Anatomy VI - Caricature / Animal

The Art of Caricature w/ Court Jones, Proko Premium

YouTube

Schoolism

Challenge

100 Caricatures

100 Animal Studies

50 Creature Designs (after completing at least 50 animal studies)

Note:

Choose your priority for this unit, caricature or animal drawing. Caricature will really help you learn exageration and character design, which will transfer into your normal day to day work. I've seen many recommend to learn the practice. Terryl Whitlatches "Creature Anatomy" Schoolism course looks top notch.

Painting III - Matte Painting

Art Camp: Enviroment Concept Design, Titus Lunter

Cubebrush ARTSchool

Schoolism

Challenge

10 Matte Painting Studies (include Photobashing)

If you're unable to photobash, 10 Full Works of Normal Painting

Note:

Matte painting is a practice used in concept art to achieve photorealistic paintings quickly. While not for everyone, you may learn some good concepts for efficiency. If you don't want to learn phtobrashing, continue to paint full scene studies (from your favourite artist of movies).

Personal Project

"The Skillful Huntsman", Felix Yoon, Khang Le, Mike Yamada, & Scott Robertson

YouTube

Schoolism

Challenge

3 Personal Projects

  • Concept
  • Visual design
  • Multiple perspectives
  • Colour variations
  • Character variations
  • Environment variations

Note:

For your personal project, challenge yourself to conceptualise and visualise every aspect of your creative project. "The Skillful Huntsman" walks you through the entire process. It that's too grand in scope, apply the practices you learn to something like a cast of characters, species of animal, or locale.

Resources

YouTube

Books

  • "Colour and light" by James Gurney
  • "Imaginative Realism" by James Gurney
  • "Constructive Anatomy" by George Bridgeman
  • "How to Draw" by Scott Robertson
  • "How to Render" by Scott Robertson
  • "Figure Drawing: Design and Invention" by Michael Hampton
  • "FORCE: Animal Drawing" by Mike Mattesi
  • "FORCE: Character Design" by Mike Mattesi
  • "FORCE: Dynamic Life Drawing" by Mike Mattesi
  • "Framed Ink" by Marcos Mateu-Mestra
  • "Framed Perspective" by Marcos Mateu-Mestra
  • "Fun with a Pencil" by Andrew Loomis
  • "Perspective Made Easy" by Ernest R.N.
  • "The Skilful Huntsman" by Khang Le
  • Vilppu Drawing Manual, by Glen Vilppu

Online Courses