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Visual Storytelling through Drawing: Online Course
Every Thursday January 15-March 5, 2026
live session from 9am-11:30am (Pacific time) or on your own time
or watch the recorded session when your schedule allows and schedule optional one-on-one meetings with the instructor
This brand new eight week course is designed for sketchers who want to explore how drawing can be a powerful tool for communication, storytelling, and visual journalism. You’ll learn to document and interpret real-world events—from everyday human activity to cultural festivals, political protests, and broader social phenomena. The course will foster confidence in reporting visual stories and in identifying the unique characteristics that define a place. Students will develop the ability to make strong editorial choices—focusing on essential elements and bringing clarity to a visual story. A wide range of classic and contemporary examples of reportage illustration will provide inspiration and help students develop their own visual voice.
Every week students will have a chance to work on a field projects that gives them a chance to apply the tools they are learning in the course to the concrete situation in their community. Students will also have a chance to work on their independent projects and receive plenty of support and feedback from the instructor and other students in the course.
The course is fully recorded and can be taken asynchronously, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Recordings of live classes will be available for 30 days after each session. One-on-one meetings with the instructor are available for personalized feedback.
Some prior drawing experience is recommended.
The last 30 minutes of each live session are optional and are reserved for feedback, either as a group or one-on-one. All students can also sign up for one-on-one session with the instructor as many as times as they need through the course to get individual feedback.
Level: Some prior drawing experience is recommended.
Course Outline
WEEK 1: Introduction to Documentary Illustrated Storytelling
Storytelling through Drawing
Visual reportage and Urban sketching
Brief History of documentary drawing
Guidelines for drawing on location Portable Sketching Tools
WEEK 2: Making Choices: Subject, Composition, Details
Tricks for “designing” your page and achieving interesting composition
Choosing what’s important for your story
Planning with Thumbnails
WEEK 3: Creating a Sense of Place
Perspective crash course
Urban furniture and the stories it can tell
WEEK 4: Creating Sense of Time and Storytelling with Color
Classic and Innovative Watercolor Techniques
Using color to communicate emotion
The power of limiting your Palette
Generating a looser relationship between line and color
WEEK 5: Hero of your Story
Guidelines for working with live subjects
Tips for drawing and interviewing people
Getting over “Mistakes”
Lessons from infographics and comics artists
WEEK 6: Focus on Action
Techniques for drawing people in motion
Zeroing in on a key moment
Keeping your cool in crowded places
Overcoming our Fears
WEEK 7: Creating Narrative
Creating a Story
Combining Drawings with Writing
One on one conferences
Presenting and Sharing Your Work
WEEK 8: Independent Project Presentations and Critiques
Review of the course and concepts presented in the course
Last day to register is Jan. 22, 2026
Every Thursday January 15-March 5, 2026
live session from 9am-11:30am (Pacific time) or on your own time
or watch the recorded session when your schedule allows and schedule optional one-on-one meetings with the instructor
This brand new eight week course is designed for sketchers who want to explore how drawing can be a powerful tool for communication, storytelling, and visual journalism. You’ll learn to document and interpret real-world events—from everyday human activity to cultural festivals, political protests, and broader social phenomena. The course will foster confidence in reporting visual stories and in identifying the unique characteristics that define a place. Students will develop the ability to make strong editorial choices—focusing on essential elements and bringing clarity to a visual story. A wide range of classic and contemporary examples of reportage illustration will provide inspiration and help students develop their own visual voice.
Every week students will have a chance to work on a field projects that gives them a chance to apply the tools they are learning in the course to the concrete situation in their community. Students will also have a chance to work on their independent projects and receive plenty of support and feedback from the instructor and other students in the course.
The course is fully recorded and can be taken asynchronously, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Recordings of live classes will be available for 30 days after each session. One-on-one meetings with the instructor are available for personalized feedback.
Some prior drawing experience is recommended.
The last 30 minutes of each live session are optional and are reserved for feedback, either as a group or one-on-one. All students can also sign up for one-on-one session with the instructor as many as times as they need through the course to get individual feedback.
Level: Some prior drawing experience is recommended.
Course Outline
WEEK 1: Introduction to Documentary Illustrated Storytelling
Storytelling through Drawing
Visual reportage and Urban sketching
Brief History of documentary drawing
Guidelines for drawing on location Portable Sketching Tools
WEEK 2: Making Choices: Subject, Composition, Details
Tricks for “designing” your page and achieving interesting composition
Choosing what’s important for your story
Planning with Thumbnails
WEEK 3: Creating a Sense of Place
Perspective crash course
Urban furniture and the stories it can tell
WEEK 4: Creating Sense of Time and Storytelling with Color
Classic and Innovative Watercolor Techniques
Using color to communicate emotion
The power of limiting your Palette
Generating a looser relationship between line and color
WEEK 5: Hero of your Story
Guidelines for working with live subjects
Tips for drawing and interviewing people
Getting over “Mistakes”
Lessons from infographics and comics artists
WEEK 6: Focus on Action
Techniques for drawing people in motion
Zeroing in on a key moment
Keeping your cool in crowded places
Overcoming our Fears
WEEK 7: Creating Narrative
Creating a Story
Combining Drawings with Writing
One on one conferences
Presenting and Sharing Your Work
WEEK 8: Independent Project Presentations and Critiques
Review of the course and concepts presented in the course