Course 1010, section 1: Summer Quarter 2008
Perspective for Beginners! (Drawing in depth)

Instructor: Nils Osmar   
Sponsored by: ASUW Experimental College
Location: University of Washington campus (Seattle branch)
Dates and times: Sundays 12 noon-1:45 pm, July 20-August 10
Course fee (for General Public): $ 99

Perspective can be fun! In this enjoyable one-day workshop, you'll learn the basics of perspective, including vanishing points and horizon lines and how to use them to make objects in your drawings look solid and real, or make things look closer or further away. Plus, you'll learn easy ways to add a sense of depth to your drawings and paintings without the use of formal perspective. Great for experienced and beginning artists. All materials are provided. On Campus.  (Scroll down for registration information)

Frequently Asked Questions:

I'M A TOTAL BEGINNER. SHOULD I TAKE A BASIC DRAWING CLASS FIRST, BEFORE TAKING THE PERSPECTIVE CLASS?
It depends on what you're looking for. Perspective for beginners is NOT a substitute for a beginning drawing class. It focuses specifically on how to get a sense of depth into your drawings. So if you need to learn the basics of drawing, we recommend also taking Drawing for absolute beginners. 

However, you do NOT need to take Drawing for absolute beginners. or any other course, before taking this one. Perspective For Beginners is a complete course in itself, that is meant to stand on its own. 

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WILL WE LEARN IN THE PERSPECTIVE CLASS?
The course starts out with some information about how to get a good sense of depth into your drawings or paintings, without the use of formal perspective. (Things such as,: adding more detail and contrast to objects that are closer to the viewer... placing them lower in the picture.... overlapping on object in front of another.... making the colors brighter and more saturated, if you're doing a painting... etc.). We then move on to a formal study of perspective, starting with horizon lines and vanishing points. We'll draw simple objects in perspective, then move on to drawing houses, buildings and citiscapes. You'll learn the basics of one, two and three-point perspective, and how and when to use each kind. As in all of the classes, you'll get lots of practice drawing.

IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE TO LEARN THE BASICS OF PERSPECTIVE IN ONLY TWO MEETINGS?
Perpective is a complex subject that people sometimes spend years studying. But you can learn enough in this class to get a good understanding of the basics, and move right into using it in your drawings and paintings. It's fun and easy, and most artists feel that it answers vital questions and makes their work as artists much easier. (scroll down for more info)

DOES NILS TEACH ANY OTHER ART CLASSES?
Yes. His Experimental College art courses include:
Drawing for absolute beginners
Learn to Draw Faces
Figure Drawing 
Cartooning 
Exploring Color
Drawing Flowers
(All of them are open to beginners)

Student Comments about this class

The material was presented clearly and in an interesting way. The teacher also provided all necessary supplies, and the class was a good length of time. He was interested in why people were taking the class and answered questions easily.  (comment submitted online)

Because the class was small, the instructor was able to give very specific feedback to the drawings we were making at that time. The attention he gave was very individualized.  (comment submitted online)

I have to say that Nils Osmar is the "BEST" instructor I have ever had. Not only was he extremely knowledgeable and able to interpret his points well but he gave each student one on one dialogue. Even though there were other students there, I often felt that I was the only student because of his excellent ability to focus on each of us. I have taken three of his classes and plan to take more.  (comment submitted online)

Nils was very easy to follow and the class had no pressure. It was great finding new ways to accomplish some tasks.  (comment submitted online)

I liked that it was informal and comfortable. The teacher engaged with the students and offered a comfortable enviornment to participate in the learning process.  (comment submitted online)

The material was totally new to me and yet the teacher could help me to make sense of it. (comment submitted online)

When the class was finished, I left w/a sense that I had really learned alot in that one day and the problems I had been having while drawing and painting perspective had been resolved. The instructor was able to stay focused on presenting us with specific tools and methods to solve problems of showing distance and scale in our work. The course taught me what I had been hoping to learn about this aspect of drawing. I look forward to learning mor from this instructor in future courses and would recommend him. I also enjoy taking classes on campus as it allows me to be back at a school I love. .  (comment submitted online)

We got practical ideas that we could put to use immediately. It really changed the way I look at everything!  (comment submitted online) 

Registration information: how to sign up

Perspective for Beginners is sponsored by the ASUW (Associated Students University of Washington) Experimental College, and is held on the U.W. campus in Seattle. It's a non-credit class open to everyone; you do not have to be a U.W. student to attend. The University of Washington is committed to providing equal access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accomodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accomodations, contact the Disability Office at least ten days in advance at: (206)543-6450/V, (206)543-6452/TTY, (206)685-7264 (fax) or email dso@u.washington.edu

To sign up by mail: You can sign up by mail at any time. To do so, click here to download the mail-in registration formThen fill it out and mail it to: ASUW Experimental College Box 352238 SAO 21 University of Washington Seattle WA 98195-2238 (Note: mail-in registrations won't be processed until June 23rd.)

To sign up online: Online registration for summer quarter Experimental College classes will begin on June 9th. (Please do not try signing up online before that time! Or you may end up in the spring quarter class instead.) We'll post a registration link here when summer online registrations begin.

To sign up by phone: Phone registrations for summer quarter Experimental College classeswill begin onJune 23rd We'll post more information here at that time.
Want an email reminder about registrations? To be added to the instructor's email list, email Nilsosmar@gmail.com You'll receive an email reminder when online and phone registrations begin.

Whatever method you use to register, you will only be charged a $10 registration fee for each class you are enrolling in, when you sign up (or $5 if you are a UW student.) The course fee is not due until the first day of class.

Questions? Problems registering? Call 206-420-1309 or emailNilsosmar@gmail.com

Other classes of interest

Sponsored by the ASUW Experimental College:
Drawing for absolute beginners
Learn to Draw Faces
Figure Drawing for beginners 
Cartooning
Perspective for Beginners: Drawing in Depth
Drawing Clothing and Drapery
Exploring Color
Beginning Acting
Acting in a Movie
Filmmaking 101
Writing Fiction and Short Stories
It's Time to Write Your Screenplay
Adobe Photoshop

Sponsored by other schools *
Drawing & painting Flowers
Drawing in Ink
Drawing comic books and graphic novels
Acrylic painting for beginners
Drawing with colored pencils
Documentary filmmaking
Editing tips & tricks for filmmakers
FX Makeup for filmmakers
Improv for beginners: acting without scripts
How to make commercials & infomercials
Free up your writing! (Beyond writer's block)
Writing science fiction & fantasy

* click on the course title for registration information