core atelier programs (open shed, manila)

 Students begin with the sight-size method to train accuracy, proportion, and clarity of angles. Using Bargue plates, they learn objective measurement, correct visual alignment, and the disciplined mindset required in classical drawing. This stage builds the foundational eye–hand coordination and judgment that will support all later work. 

 This phase develops a deeper analytical sensitivity to shape, form, and value. Students study drawing through the subtractive–additive method, focusing on how positive and negative shapes interlock and form the underlying abstraction of any subject.

Here, they learn to:

• See the drawing as an arrangement of abstract shapes
   
• Use negative space to thoroughly check accuracy
   
• Apply the additive–subtractive process to refine edges and proportions
   
• Observe nuanced tonal values to establish clarity and structure
   

This stage sharpens perception and reinforces drawing as a continuous cycle of observing, evaluating, and correcting.

In the final stage, students enlarge Bargue plates using comparative measurement, comparing part-to-part and part-to-whole to achieve proportional accuracy.

They learn to:

• Scale drawings strategically
   
• Use construction logic to maintain structure
   
• Strengthen workflow discipline
   
• Develop independent decision-making in correcting proportions
   

This phase cultivates confidence and autonomy—training students to manage complex drawings through analytical control and refined judgment.

 Before advancing to live subjects, students refine the enlargement skills learned in Drawing 1.0. This phase strengthens proportional accuracy through part-to-part and part-to-whole comparative measurement. By revisiting scaling logic and structural alignment, students reinforce the analytical habits necessary for more complex forms. This review ensures clarity, precision, and confidence before moving into three-dimensional interpretation. 

 Plaster casts introduce students to structured live drawing where planes, space, and perspective become central subjects. Here, students learn to interpret three-dimensional form through analytical plane-breaking, understanding how shapes turn in space, and how light reveals structure. This stage also trains them to study shadow shapes, core shadows, half-tones, cast shadows, and reflected light, establishing tonal hierarchy and spatial depth. Plaster casts act as the classical bridge between theory and live observation. 

 The final phase applies structural, tonal, and spatial logic to live portrait drawing (or portrait-mode setups). Students deepen their understanding of how form behaves in atmospheric space, how light interacts with complex organic structures, and how placement, proportion, and environment influence the overall composition. This stage cultivates the sensitivity and decision-making required in advanced classical drawing, preparing students for figure drawing and painting programs. 

This introductory phase trains students to simplify color relationships through a restricted palette, focusing on essential value control, temperature shifts, and the clarity of light and shadow. By limiting chroma variables, students learn to make purposeful decisions and develop sensitivity to structural relationships before progressing into more complex color systems. Direct painting in this stage builds confidence, decisiveness, and a strong foundational understanding of form. 

 In this second phase, students transition into a broader range of pigments, learning how an expanded palette enhances chromatic nuance, atmospheric depth, and subtle shifts in hue. This stage emphasizes color harmony, the behavior of pigments, and the interplay of warm and cool relationships in modeling form. Students begin to navigate more complex subjects with richer transitions, improving both technical fluency and aesthetic judgment. 

 The final phase introduces the classical discipline of grisaille and the indirect painting method, where form is established through monochromatic underpainting before layers of color are applied. Students explore glazing, scumbling, and controlled opacity to create optical depth and refined tonal structure. This stage reinforces the classical principle of building paintings through sequential logic—structure first, color second—enabling students to execute works with clarity, restraint, and layered sophistication.