Christine actually picked a rather difficult subject. One of the objects in her still life was in fact a mother-of-pearl box.

“These were small objects that I like very much and I always dreamt of being able to paint them some day”.

Christine passed over each step and managed, according to one of the objectives of the course, to completely change her values on at least two aspects. She used her retina in a different way. Christine was actually able to improve her observation skills by a major step, not only with shapes but also with tints, colors and reflexions.

Whenever we look at an object, we actually only see that particular object. Then, we see the details of the object and only then, do we see the details of the details.

Christine noticed that each time she was moving her eyes or her head by half an inch, the spots reflecting the specter broken down into the mother-of-pearl box were different. She actually was the only person of the class who used turquoise and bright pink to render the reflection of the mother-of-pearl.

To summarize that exceptional training session, Christine, mentioned the incredible riches of both the human aspect and the artistic discoveries.

Piet Herzeel, founder of the Signus online drawing course, firmly believes in this. Actually, after many    months of putting the online course together, he had a true need for a live class…
It was also, for him as well as for the students, a great opportunity to enjoy the wonderful city of   Brussels.

He has had two sessions so far during the past two summers.
The first one was only devoted to oil painting, Flemish technique and last summer had a little more  variety with a session on dry pastel, live nude drawing and also Piet’s specialty again, the oil painting,  Flemish technique.

The sessions usually take place at the end of july when people often have a little more time. They take place at the 1st and 3rd floor of a private house located in a peaceful street of Ixelles. The second floor is actually used to lodge a few students. Meals are taken on the spot during the lunch break or at one of the small restaurants of the area depending on your preference.

PASTEL TECHNIQUE

In just a few days, you will know all that you need to know so you can find out how you can appreciate this  particuliar technique.
All Signus training sessions require a minimum of knowledge in drawing but you don’t need to be already a pro.

The material.
For the last sessions it was asked to bring dry chalk pastel as well as pastel crayons. As for the paper, the half tint sheets are fine.
You can find several kinds of paper at the school in order to become familiarized with the different sorts.
If you cannot bring any pastel, you will be able to find some there at a very affordable price.

OIL PAINTING

Piet does not wish the students to bring any material. All you can bring would be an apron, rags of coton (not fluffy. Bed sheets per example), 3 small empty jelly jars. The paintbrushes you are supposed to bring will be described early next year.
You can also bring two or three nice looking objects of your choice that you will be able to paint after you organize your still life. A choice of appropriate objects are available there and you can also paint a fruit or some food that you can buy in the neighborhood.

LIFE MODEL DRAWING

For the life model drawing, you will find all the necessary material in the room but if you prefer, you can bring charcoal crayons or chinese brushes if you are used to them. Some students feel more at ease with their own material.

And after a whole day of learning and practicing, the city of Brussels is to be visited with its history and museums…  Piet always makes sure everybody has the best possible time.

Using a third approach, Piet Herzeel makes the link between Visual Ray and Perspective showing us that all this is, first of all, a matter of vision. He explains how our eye aims at a main point around which Perspective gets buit up. It is a fact that, when we fully use our eyes, we focus on a precise point and, around that point, we feel the presence of a certain area with a very uncertain shape.

In the « discover » workshop we’ll understand why and how construction of Perspective depends, before all, on the observer’s position. What we call « the point of view » will allow you, once you fully understand the importance of it, to judge and feel your drawings more fully.

Knowing how to build in Perspective is important, but the observer’s point of view, which is the drawer’s point of view in most cases, will have a certain weight in the perception of the subject.
Piet Herzeel demonstrates, always with precise exemples, how different points of view can produce different emotions.

The workshop will help you to put in practice simple rules that will help you to find the principal point and the horizon line of any subject according to the angle. But the question is : can you do this freehand without any outline ?

Your turn now… Try out Piet Herzeel’s « drawings to do » and enjoy a few constructions of his own, made to challenge you !

7 years of development to elaborate an outstanding online drawing class.

Signus is an e-learning  platform dedicated to the art of drawing. Result of 7 years of development, Signus is built on the most innovating technique in order to recreate online the real life of a drawing workshop with communication between students and regular advices of the master, with commented corrections, exercises, animations…
But there is a lot more: The Signus workshop is open 24/7 and students from each part of the world can meet at all times.

Characteristics of the Signus platform

Innovating : This interface owns an e-learning platform dedicated to the teaching of visual arts. Signus was sponsored by the French ANVAR (Research and Value National Agency).

Rich Media Interface : Signus uses all the Web Multimedia tools: remote corrections with a graphics tablet, virtual classes, audio commentaries, videos and 3D in order to create a warm and lively atmosphere. Signus vividly plays the card of the online community and of interactivity.

Full and academic : 104 modules (class) as of today or in other words 2 years of daily class at the rythm recommended by Piet Herzeel, creator of Signus. It represents the equivalent of a 2400 page book. The teaching structure is available by branches (anatomy, shadow and light, perspective, composition, …etc) and has an impressive documentation and library of models.

Accessible to all : The access through Internet and a very affordable fee make it accessible to anybody in the world.

Who is SIGNUS for ?

• Amateurs, from the beginner to the advanced, anybody who wishes to learn how to draw or how to improve.

• Future professionals who can train on SIGNUS.

• Computer graphics designers who want to improve their  skills.

• Numerous professionals in various areas such as design, artwork and art-therapy.

What do you need to draw on Signus ?

What machine and what softwares: An Internet connection, preferably fast, a PC, Mac or Linux, a recent browser (SIGNUS is regularly optimized for the free and multi-platform browser, Firefox), a scanner or a digital camera.

Supplies for drawing:  a ream of white paper, a pencil and an eraser are sufficient to start with. The material needed is always affordable.

What makes the difference ?

With the other courses on the market.

A very progressive learning process with structured modules. Once registered, each member can reach his modules at the pace of one per week. However, each member is free to devote the time he chooses to.

A free trial period with no engagement. Each new member can try Signus for free, before subscribing. A certain number of modules are actually given and he can enjoy them for as long as he wants.

A 100% money-back guarantee. Signus refunds the current month to anybody unsatisfied.

A personalized and active follow-up. Different animations in order to motivate students and help them develop their creative potential, forums on every module, chat between the students…

A multi-leverage giveaway program designed to encourage members to improve and to thank them for their loyalty. Bonuses, presents, a turnkey gallery, contests, surprises…

A few numbers about SIGNUS:

2002-2007 : Development of the Signus innovation program.
January 2008 : Launching of the beta testing period with real users in France. Rising of the community with a progression of a 1000 members average per month.
September 2009 : Birth of the French SIGNUS. About 25,000 French speaking members.
December 2009: Launching of the English SIGNUS.

Piet Herzeel, founder of SIGNUS. An artist who spreads the word.

« Signus is the fruit of 20 years of personal experience and research in three different areas: arts, distance teaching and NICT. First of all, however, Signus is a human adventure.
It appeared to me essential to never let the new technologies used on Signus hide the real stake of such a platform. After puting together all the teaching skills acquired in actual workshops and analysing the real motivations of Internet users eager to learn, Signus is generously using a vast palette of new technologies.
Founded on a very audacious concept, Signus always went ahead of the users daily requests. This proactive stage allowed them to make the most of the many developments and adjustments of the tool.
A whole community of artists make it their daily social, cultural and artistic meeting. Signus is now spontaneously animated by people of all ages, places and social backgrounds. Used to be in constant motion and thanks to the success that we know today, Signus will continue to enrich continuously in order to remain the reference in its own field and allow its members to give birth to talents until now hidden. »

What can you do? Start drawing, of course! But how? Do you start drawing lines or would you rather go with the masses? Do you outline right away or do you apply shades and fill up blanks? Maybe both at the same time?

So there are two approaches about drawing, LINES and MASSES. Unless you feel at ease with both ways, it is better to be good at one of them at least. Don’t get me wrong, my purpose is not only to allow you to figure out what is your favourite style but also to favour one style or the other according to what you are looking for. That’s the first question you have to ask yourself if you want to make an accomplished drawing.

In his class, Piet Herzeel gives us thinking paths all necessary to the construction of a deep and inspired drawing:

• What do you want to show or outline in particular?
• What tool to use? Which pencil to use and how hard?
• What would be the proper base? In what way can this influence your work?
• How to choose the best angle?

In the “workshop” tab you can practice with a concrete example and understand why, according to the subject you picked, you should choose lines or masses and how you can define and reproduce the right intensity of your masses.

Piet Herzeel shows us, step by step, how to build a scale with different shades of grey and how to sort them out in order to avoid having too many tones.

You can try out both styles in the exercises that Piet Herzeel suggests at the end of this module. You can, for example, make out a drawing according to the chart that you just created.

Pencils ready! Squint your eyes! Start drawing!

• The method:

Piet Herzeel’s program is very progressive. It allows you to fully and deeply improve what needs to be improved.

• The material:

We learn how to use the different tools for drawing and how to choose the one most adapted to your projects and to your sensitivity.

• Ideas and inspiration:

That’s where any creation starts but there is no inspiration without a source. It’s
one of Piet’s Herzeel’s goals to show us how to find that source.

• Time:

Don’t be afraid to let time be your ally in the learning process.

• Desire and pleasure:

That’s where the motor of the whole process lies and as such, it needs to be regularly trained.

• Develop your skills:

Your brain, your eyes and your hand must learn how to work together toward the same goal: drawing.

Finally, with the exercises to be done at the end of each module, Piet Herzeel gives us a practical demonstration of the many differences between the images we engrave in our memory and the reality.

When the weather is unsuitable for sketching, when there is no person available as a model, time may well be spent on a little practice in drawing drapery. Take any piece of material, a handkerchief for lack of anything better. Pin it up on the wall or to a curtain—anywhere so long as it falls in natural folds—and make a sketch of it. Notice the tendency to trian­gular forms, the way in which the folds radiate from the pin, and the foreshortening of the curves which form the bottom edge of the handkerchief. Having satisfied yourself with that sketch, take the handkerchief down and throw it over some object such as a book standing on edge or an inverted flower vase, and make another sketch. Notice the arrangement of the folds; they will end abruptly at the top if falling from a sharp edge, and will fade away gradually from a rounded shape. Something of the underlying object should be obvious from your drawing of the handkerchief in the same way that clothes should suggest the limbs and body they cover. Then make a sketch of it, knotted, or tied around something. As you tie the knot (which makes the best study if not tied too tightly), notice which fold passes behind and where it reappears, and be on the lookout for this continuity when you come to draw it.

Fig. 117 to 123 show outline studies of drapery. Fig. 117 shows it loosely looped around the figure in natural folds. Long, sweeping lines predominate. In Fig.118 it is more bunched, and the long lines are disturbed and irregular. In Fig. 119 the fluted line of the edge of the material is noticeable. Fig. 120 shows the abrupt change of line where the drapery trails on the floor. In Fig. 123 the triangular form of the folds is again plain, and also the fluted edge. Fig. 122 emphasizes the under­lying human form even though the drapery is voluminous.Fig. 121 shows the flowing lines and repetition of form in material blown by the wind. The usual tendency in drawing drapery is to shun straight lines and make the folds too rounded. The angularity in Figs. 120 and 123 should be noted.

Figs. 124 and 129 show how the lines of material, in one case loosely and in the other more closely draped, follow and suggest the form they cover. Fig. 126, a sketch of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, shows the charm of simply interpreted drapery; Fig. 125, the elaborate arrange­ment of a bygone fashion. Fig. 127 is given to show that the ragged, careless effect of old clothes may be accentuated by ragged and somewhat carefree lines. Fig. 128 gives folds of a thick, rich material. The broad folds show the thick, com­parative stiffness of the drapery and the reflected light in the shadows suggests the sheen of brocade. Thick material will not fall into narrow folds unless artificially arranged, and will tend to straight lines and angles. Thin material falls in narrower, less clearly defined folds with more flowing lines and rounder corners.