Drawing Classes San Francisco

Unleash your inner artist with a variety of drawing classes in San Francisco. Learn everything from basic techniques to advanced skills in figure drawing, watercolor, and more, gaining confidence and honing your creativity along the way.

7 classes in-person in San Francisco have spots left, and 8 classes live online are available.

Manga for Adults

Art School of SF Bay @ 1603 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122

This course is designed for adult manga lovers, who are eager to master their favorite art style. A professional manga artist Austin Bath will guide you through this journey. The class will be held IN-PERSON in our San Francisco Studio.  High-quality art materials are provided and included in the course price. Detailed Schedule: Day 1: Introduction: what is manga? Defining the characteristics of the manga style and how to begin...

Saturday Oct 28th, 6–8pm Pacific Time

 (18 sessions)

$450

18 sessions

Flash Zines & Prints

Richmond Art Center @ 2540 Barrett Ave, Richmond, CA 94804

This workshop series invites participants to engage in a 4 week creative process where artists/zinesters will create writings and a combination of three flash zines or prints. Participants will create personal remedies and spiritual recipes of balance, wellness, and survival for navigating our current modern world. Students will engage with chapters of "Ritual: Power, Healing, and Community" by Malidoma SomĂ©.  Week #1: Topic: Machine Culture...

Saturday Oct 14th, 10am–12pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$120

4 sessions

Oil Painting, Old Masters Technique

Art School of SF Bay @ 1603 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122

Master the effects of glowing skin, soft shadows, silky hair and unforgettable eyes! Learn to use traditional oil painting technique of XVII century, leading your work from the grisaille underpainting to glazes. This amazing technique can be applied to any genre of realistic painting. I am currently working on paintings of people riding subway. Detailed Schedule: ​Day 1: Human head and neck proportions and anatomy overview. Priming. Finalizing...

Tuesday Nov 7th, 6:20–8:20pm Pacific Time

 (7 sessions)

$350

7 sessions

Oil & Acrylic Painting

Art School of SF Bay @ 1603 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122

This course will help art lovers master various methods of oil and acrylic painting, and develop a personal unique style! We will work on painting nature: landscape composition, clouds, waves, waterfalls, trees, sun spots; learn to represent texture of various objects; we will practice expressing character and emotions in portraits, set up the mood of the painting, and deliver the right artistic message through it.  High-quality art materials...

Thursday Oct 26th, 6:30–8:30pm Pacific Time

 (16 sessions)

$560

16 sessions

Mixed Media Lab

Richmond Art Center @ 2540 Barrett Ave, Richmond, CA 94804

This will be a class where the students will learn how to use a variety of media and techniques to include in their own work such as how and why to use different art "mediums" and how they are applied/used on a variety of substrates. It is a sort of "skills lab" for the mixed media artist. Each week we will experiment using different media and mediums to see what effects we can achieve when combining techniques and art materials. Experience Level:...

Tuesday Oct 31st, 10am–12pm Pacific Time

 (3 sessions)

$120

3 sessions

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Wild Paint: Abstract Art Day Long Workshop

Living Your Wild Creativity @ 1695 Piner Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

These workshops will push your limits and help you make dynamic paintings. Through fun, guided exercises you will explore the topic of the workshop, then you will have time to develop your own paintings.  Open to all Levels. Limited to 8 people. SEPTEMBER — Building intuition and confidence OCTOBER — Color to make your paintings punch and sing. NOVEMBER — Strengthening composition DECEMBER — Giving a solid structure Students will...

Saturday Oct 14th, 10:30am–4pm Pacific Time

Journey Into Expression - Abstract Art Workshop

Living Your Wild Creativity @ 4404 Ross Rd, Sebastopol, CA 95407

This exciting daylong abstract art workshop is a journey into your own unique expression. The emphasis will be on being present while creating. We will play, develop a structure, and learn how to bring your image into balance. There will be lots of exploration, fun, and support. All levels are welcome. Limited to 8 students. Bring your lunch. Students will be responsible for bringing the following supplies.   Mixed media (Canson) workbook...

Saturday Nov 11th, 10am–4pm Pacific Time

Drawing for Beginners

92nd Street Y

This class focuses on the basics of drawing with pencil, eraser, and paper. Expert teachers guide students through the elements of art, including line, shape, shadow, value, tone, form and perspective, demonstrating and offering critiques of work. This course is ideal for beginner and intermediate-level students who seek a foundation in the fundamentals of drawing. Supply List

Tuesday Nov 7th, 7–9pm Eastern Time

 (6 sessions)

$265

6 sessions

Drawing (Intermediate)

92nd Street Y

This online drawing class will deepen understandings of line, shape, shadow, value, tone, form and perspective. Students will be challenged with a series of drawing exercises and assignments to develop their technical and compositional skills. Class meetings will include group discussions, demonstrations, and real time individual feedback. For the Supply List, please CLICK HERE

Thursday Nov 2nd, 10am–12:30pm Eastern Time

 (7 sessions)

$325

7 sessions

Online Drawing with Graphite 101

Pastimes for a Lifetime @ Live Online via Zoom

This fun and informative class is ideal for beginners as well as students returning to art classes after a long absence. Basic skills are learned or rekindled with this historic medium. Students will focus on developing measuring and drawing skills, as well as honing sensitivity in the hand. Unique projects in Linda’s curriculum improve hand-to-eye coordination while teaching how to measure for proportion. Best practices for sketching and shading...

Wednesday Oct 4th, 1–2pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$160

4 sessions

Online Drawing with Charcoal 101

Pastimes for a Lifetime @ Live Online via Zoom

This class is available online and safe in-studio - Click here for the in-studio class Knowledge of this traditional classical medium is required in most art academies. Why not learn the fundamentals here first? Unique projects in Linda’s curriculum present the basics of sketching and creating illustrations that contain incredible depth and tone. Linda shares valuable tips and tricks that will get you up and running on this medium. Ideal...

Wednesday Oct 4th, 1–2pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$160

4 sessions

Fear-Free Drawing: Beginners Portrait Drawing

The Art Studio NY @ Online Classroom

Learn how to draw the human portrait in this inspiring, stress-relieving and online, live Beginners Portrait Drawing Class! The human face has been an inspiring muse for artists throughout art history, and this supportive, non-judgmental online drawing class will teach you the fundamental drawing techniques, tricks, and tools that you need to know to draw your own portraits. If you hear yourself saying, “but I can’t even draw a straight line,”...

Tuesday Nov 7th, 8–9:30pm Eastern Time

 (8 sessions)

$299

8 sessions

Botanical Drawing (Online)

92nd Street Y

Learn the basics of rendering a botanical subject in pencil. Working with a plant, flower or vegetable for a subject, we will go from beginning sketch to finished drawing. Capture lush petals, stunning patterns, intricate natural designs, and organic colors. Supply List

Friday Nov 3rd, 1:30–3:30pm Eastern Time

 (6 sessions)

$290

6 sessions

Online Drawing with Graphite 102

Pastimes for a Lifetime @ Live Online via Zoom

This class is available online and safe in-studio - Click here for the in-studio class This intermediate level drawing class continues where Drawing 101 leaves off. Students develop their measuring, sketching and shading skills with more challenging subject matter. Includes studying from still life set-ups, using tinted paper and larger formats. Ideal for the artist who wants to take their drawing skills to the next level. Prerequisites:...

Wednesday Oct 4th, 1–2pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$160

4 sessions

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Discover the Best Drawing Classes in San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the largest cities in California and is well known for a thriving and exciting art scene. If you’re interested in joining this market or simply want to create art for yourself, learning to draw is a great first step. You can learn how to use many drawing materials, pencil-, pen-, crayon-, marker-, and charcoal-based design. Thankfully, many in-person and virtual courses in San Francisco can teach you how to be a better and more skilled artist.

Why You Should Learn Drawing in San Francisco

Learning to draw in San Francisco could provide you with a great full- or part-time career, particularly a fun side hustle. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), full-time artists make around $49,960 per year or $24.02 hourly. As that’s well below San Francisco’s $109K average salary, it’s best to learn drawing as a side hustle while focusing on your full-time job. After all: every extra dollar will help you pay the heavy expenses associated with San Francisco living. 

Even if you don’t make money with your art, learning to draw is still beneficial in many ways. For example, according to multiple studies, creating art can manage anxiety, decrease depression symptoms, and improve your confidence. That makes drawing a great way to relieve the stress of living in a big city like San Fran and can help you meet fellow artists in your community.

In-Person Drawing Classes in San Francisco

While you can learn to draw using video-based platforms like YouTube, in-person drawing courses provide San Francisco residents with many benefits. First, you’ll get hands-on experience with a live professor who can help you better understand drawing techniques. Furthermore, most courses provide your drawing materials, minimizing your expenses.

Thankfully, there are multiple in-person drawing classes in San Francisco that may interest you. They focus on beginner, intermediate, and advanced learning, as well as specialized art styles. For example, there are classes on drawing cartoons, manga, and even photo-realistic designs. This diversity of courses makes San Francisco a great place to learn how to draw. 

Portrait Workshop 

Portrait Workshop is an Art School of SF Bay program that teaches up to eight people how to draw beautiful portraits. This five-week program covers capturing a person’s head and shoulders properly, how to use shapes, lines, and textures, and producing an individualistic art style. When you’re done, you’ll have a great portrait and can use these skills to make more.

Manga for Adults 

Manga for Adults is an Art School of SF Bay class on Irving Street in the Sunset District. This eight-person program accepts people of all skill levels and teaches in-depth manga design techniques. You’ll learn basic manga styles, focus on creating unique designs, draw personalized character portraits, and finish with a portfolio of attractive manga-style artwork.

Digital Art 101

Digital Art 101 is a Richmond Art Center program on Barret Avenue in Richmond, California. Rather than pencil-and-paper styles, Digital Art 101 focuses on computer-based designs. You’ll learn how to use drawing programs to sketch attractive artwork, color your designs effectively, and produce unique characters and backgrounds that make your digital artwork stand out.

Omi Callings: Painting the Orishas

Omi Callings: Painting the Orishas is a Richmond Art Center class on Barret Avenue in Richmond, California. This four-week course accepts up to 12 students of all skill levels. You’ll learn about the Yoruba spiritual tradition and create three paintings that celebrate it. This course is a great option for artistic people with a spiritual side.

Oil Painting, Old Masters Technique 

Oil Painting, Old Masters Technique is an Art School of SF Bay program on Irving Street that focuses on old-school, oil-based painting techniques. This four-day class covers human head and neck proportions, overall human anatomy, priming, drawing, underpainting, applying color, producing shadows, and more to create a gorgeous oil-based painting.

Advanced Manga Art Camp (Ages 10-16)

Advanced Manga Art Camp (Ages 10-16) is a kid-friendly Art School of SF Bay course taught on Irving Street. It teaches younger artists how to craft beautiful manga-style designs during five days of lessons in a day-camp environment. As the class progresses, your designs will improve and you’ll use more advanced techniques to produce better artwork.

Oil & Acrylic Painting 

Oil & Acrylic Painting is an in-depth Art School of SF Bay class that covers subjects like color theory, color mixing, expressing moods through color, painting beautiful objects, assessing appropriate tone types, and various painting styles. These painting techniques include impressionism, classical painting, still life, landscape artwork, and much more.

Virtual Drawing Classes 

Do you prefer working from home or are interested in a class in New York City but obviously can’t make the commute from San Francisco? Online drawing courses may work well for you! You can attend them wherever you want, which opens you up to programs around the nation. However, you typically have to buy all learning materials and have less socialization time.

That said, online drawing classes in San Francisco work well for people who hate commuting or those who simply enjoy working at home. If you’re interested in these virtual courses, take a look at the options below. They’re just a few of the classes available to you, so read through each description carefully to learn what each requires from you. 

Botanical Drawing (Online)

Botanical Drawing (Online) is a 92nd Street Y course that teaches the basic drawing skills needed to produce attractive botanical artwork. For example, you’ll learn how to sketch things like plants, flowers, vegetables, petals, and even vines using pencils. Then, you’ll practice basic coloring and texturing methods to produce even more attractive designs. 

Drawing With Colored Pencils 

Drawing With Colored Pencils is a Chicago Botanic Garden program that covers colored pencil drawing techniques. You’ll learn about working on toned paper and how to maintain your colored pencils. Other covered subjects include the “heightened” drawing method that helps you produce more vivid colors and designs with your pencils. 

Figure and Nature Drawing/Painting

Figure and Nature Drawing/Painting is an online Evanston Art Center class that teaches up to 10 people basic drawing techniques through lectures, warm-up drawings, and longer finished poses. You’ll learn gesture design, lines, shapes, contours, planes, volumes, and anatomical shapes. Thankfully, this course lets you either draw or paint, depending on your preference.

Private Group Drawing Classes in San Francisco

Are you interested in private drawing classes for groups in San Francisco? CourseHorse can help you find a program that works for your needs. These classes cover multiple subjects, including basic drawing techniques, cartooning, and more advanced skills like manga production. Choosing a course should vary based on your employees’ interests.

For example, Virtual Group Drawing & Sketching is a 255-person class that teaches your employees how to create still life drawings and landscapes, as well as faces and botanical styles. Similarly, Virtual Sun Printing Workshop teaches up to 100 people how to use the sun and special paper to produce intricate and gorgeous designs.

If these classes don’t appeal to you, contact CourseHorse right away to learn more about other available options. They may have courses that aren’t listed publicly and can help you sign up for them. Other benefits of working with CourseHorse include large class sizes, no booking fees, adjustable groups after booking, and multiple supported learning platforms.