HOW CAN I BECOME A GREAT ARTIST?

The Importance of Drawing

Welcome to the Art Academy of San Diego. Our goal as an art institution is to provide you with the instruction and support to help you achieve your goals as an artist. This goal is what guided us in our design of curriculum and class offerings at the Academy.

It is my belief after more than three decades as an artist that what is most critical to your success as an artist is a strong foundation. The history of art has shown the importance of drawing as the foundation to train the eye to see and to form the connection between the eye, the brain and the hand. It is through drawing that you develop your own style or way of interpreting what you see.

Drawing is where the concept begins to take shape. Next to the Idea itself, the drawing is the most important part of the puzzle; the key to the future of the idea. It is where the artist resolves the composition, the positive and negative shapes and their relationship and values.
Once you understand and accept this, you are ready to move on to your chosen medium: Painting, sculpture, printmaking, stained glass, mosaic.

The only thing between you and your goals as an artist is your willingness to practice, practice, practice.

Just like everything else you have done in life, you get out of it what you put into it.

There are no shortcuts to good art. Just hard work, and out of that the satisfaction and enjoyment of a job well done.

We look forward to helping you in your journey with art.

Stuart Burton
Director, Art Academy of San Diego