Timber Creek High School’s Drawing 1 class offers a range of opportunities for students
By Zavia Salas
Drawing classes are a great way to improve your artistic skills and explore your creativity. They offer a wide range of benefits, both for beginners and experienced artists. Timber Creek High School offers a Drawing 1 class which has lots of academic and life value. One of the main benefits of taking a drawing class is that it allows you to learn the basics of drawing and gain a deeper understanding of the medium. Whether you are new to drawing or have been drawing for a while, a class can teach you the fundamental techniques and principles of drawing, such as composition, perspective, and shading.
Another benefit of drawing classes is that they provide a structured learning environment. A class setting allows you to receive feedback and guidance from an experienced instructor, who can help you improve your skills and identify areas that need improvement. Additionally, classes often include critiques, which can provide valuable insight into your work and help you grow as an artist.
Lee Sloan is the drawing 1 teacher at Timber Creek High School. He has been teaching for 14 years and started in 2009. “I started teaching because the economy crashed in 2008, the year I graduated from college, and I was looking for a job. I got my Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art and I heard that Timber Creek was hiring an art teacher. So I applied for the job at TC and got hired,” said Sloan. Sloan provides a joyful learning experience for his students. Not only does he teach you these skills, he makes it fun! Drawing One is a perfect class to take if you want to branch your creativity and enjoy it. Sloan said, “Drawing 1 is a great class to take because it allows you to express yourself in an artistic, creative way. Furthermore, the class gives you a mental break from all the rigorous core classes – more chill and freedom at times.” This class consists of many opportunities to improve your skill set. “Students learn the skills of paper composition (layout), implementing different graphite shading techniques, and thinking conceptually about various drawing prompts – essentially being creative,” Sloan said.
Drawing classes also offer the opportunity to learn from and interact with other artists. You can learn from the experiences and techniques of your classmates, as well as collaborate and share ideas. This can be a great way to expand your artistic community and find inspiration for your work. Kaiden Salas, an 11th-grade student in drawing said, “It is honestly such a great time being able to socialize with my peers about our artwork, it’s really something I never thought I would understand.”
Additionally, taking a drawing class can also have therapeutic benefits. Drawing and creating art can be a form of self-expression and help reduce stress and anxiety. It can also be a fun and enjoyable way to spend your time and can help to boost your confidence and self-esteem. “It really helps me relax and take my mind off all the bad things,” said Salas.
Taking a drawing class can be a great way to improve your artistic skills, gain a deeper understanding of the medium, receive feedback and guidance, interact with other artists, and potentially have therapeutic benefits. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist, a drawing class can help you to grow and develop as an artist.
Photo by Zavia Salas