Cedar Park Classical Cast Drawing Class

Why Cast Drawing?

Artists’ studying from
sculpture is a Western art
tradition dating back to
antiquity. It began with the
Romans who studied and made
copies of the Greek sculptures.
Centuries later, the artists of
the renaissance turned to Greek and Roman sculpture for guidance. Artists like
Michelangelo and later, Rubens, used sculpture to improve their draftsmanship.
This practice continued and reached its zenith in the academies and ateliers of the mid to late 19th Century. Drawing
from the antique (often plaster replicas or “casts”), as they called it, became the foundation for artists looking to
make a career of painting the figure. Drawing casts of sculptures from the renaissance and antiquity allowed students
to develop a sense of rhythm and proportion, while refining their line quality and facility in seeing shapes before
tackling the more complex task of drawing live models. Cast study was also viewed as a way to transmit a sense of
good aesthetic taste and beauty. This is the training that links academic masters like Bouguereau, Sargent, and
Gerome, to modern masters Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rivera. Through most of the 20th Century cast study went
dormant. However, in the last 15 years or so there has been a great resurgence of cast drawing as today’s most
talented young artists seek to rediscover the skills required to make technically masterful, aesthetically beautiful
works of art. Students all over the world are striving to match and surpass the achievements of the renaissance and
the giants of 19th century art. Once again, cast study is proving to be an indispensible foundational training tool.

Bargue Picasso Sargent Then

Class Information Now

Tuesday evenings beginning June 7, 2011, 6 - 10 pm;
$150 for Six Weeks. Payment due upon registration.
Classes will be held at the facilities of the Gemini School of
Visual Arts, 501 Prize Oaks Dr, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Register now to reserve an easel!
Call (214-454-2172) or
Email (dannygrant79@yahoo.com) instructor Danny Grant.

About the Instructor

Danny Grant enjoyed a rigorous curriculum in classical drawing and painting at the Water Street Atelier and
Grand Central Academy under the direction of master artist Jacob Collins. His studies included cast drawing
and painting, figure drawing and painting, still life painting, and figure sculpture. Danny’s work can be viewed
at www.dannygrantfineart.blogspot.com and www.flickr.com/photos/dannygrantpaintings.