Potomac High – Introduction to Drawing

Mar 2026 · 2nd Semester

This basic course provides a foundation in traditional and experimental drawing. Emphasis is placed on the development of perception through the use of the fundamentals of design. Analysis of historical examples, demonstrations, and critiques assists student development. The course culminates with matting, mounting, and exhibition techniques. Course topics include 1) an introduction to the historic development of drawing and its relationship to painting, sculpture and architecture; 2) drawing as a unique art form and as a planning phase for other art processes; 3) a survey of materials and techniques; 4) a working study of the relationship between the conceptual object and the visual elements (i.e., line, shape, value); 5) how the artist gives up the “known” object in order to “see and record” the elements that make it visible; 6) an introduction to the picture plane (the 2-D format); and 7) a working study of composition.