(Re-) Connecting with analogue drawing.
Online course with Cristóbal Schmal
About the course
I understand drawing as a primary impulse that awakens in our first years of life. Unfortunately this impulse loses strength as we grow up. Social and acceptance factors that our education inculcates in us point towards the functional, the “proper” and productive and so we leave it aside.
But even if we leave it aside, this primary force remains latent, expectant and it is never too late to awaken it. In my experience it is very important to reconnect with that creative energy, as it not only relates us to the world, but allows us to create our own interpretation of it.
In these times of information oversaturation and constant worries, it is urgent to find moments to disconnect from the external noise and immerse ourselves in processes that invite us to play, to digress and to chance. It is in these processes that the energy arises and pushs us to discover the world with the eyes of a traveller in new territories. Drawing plays a very important role in this journey as a simple and easily accessible tool to give voice to this primary energy.
During the course we will experiment with drawing and train our skills and creativity in a free and playful way, with the emphasis on the process that connects us with the here and now. A turning point to give free reign to the abstract, the absurd, the wild and to explore the possibilities of drawing as a personal language. We will draw a lot but above all we will have fun with new ideas, techniques and experiments that can open up new paths of expression.
It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what
you see.
– Henry David Thoreau
Methodology
The whole DRAWING WORKOUT is planned as a year long course, that gives you the space and inspiration to constantly practice your drawing skills. The year is divided into 6 modules of each 2 months. It is possible to book 1 module, 3 modules and the whole year.
Each module starts and finishes with a live session (Zoom) on Wednesday evening, that serve as an introduction to the topic (modules), review of work, feedback and exchange with other participants. A third live session in between will be an inspirational talk with a guest artist.
The weekly exercises are homework.
Each exercise is oriented to make contact with a certain process and to encourage exploration and experimentation through playfulness, chance and intuition.
How it works?
Each module has 3 live sessions, one at the begining as an introduction to the new module, one in the middle with guest artist lectures and one at the end for revision / feedback (see schedule).
The live sessions last between 1,30 and 2 hours.
Once you register you will receive an email every Wednesday with the exercise and related content in a video and a PDF format.
Each week you should upload your results to a Slack group, that will be available once you access the course.
The exercises are planned to take around 30 - 60min.
What do I get as a participant?
︎ Weekly inspiration and drawing exercises related to the topic of the module.
︎ Access to a community Slack channel to share my work and view the work of others.
︎ Live Zoom meetings with the whole community at the beginning and end of each module.
︎ Talks with a guest artists from different disciplines in each module.
About me
My name is Cristóbal Schmal.
I am an illustrator, artist, designer and passionate about drawing.
I believe that drawing is a form of expression that is worth discovering both to improve your relationship with representation and narrative and also as a means of observation. But I also see drawing as an emotional state where we can express our concerns, visions, desires and fears. A personal space of our own, in which we feel free and confident.
I studied Graphic Design in Valparaiso (Chile) and then emigrated to Barcelona where I worked in Design and Advertising Agencies. In 2008 I moved to Berlin when I decided to take the leap to dedicate myself to Illustration. Since then I have worked for more than 15 years for different brands, institutions and media such as The New York Times, Washington Post, Lufthansa, Taschen, Greenpeace, Financial Times and National Geographic among others.
Contents 2025
Module I: Point of view
– awareness and abstraction
– symbols, signs and totemism
– light, shadows, positive, negative
– nonsense, boredom and randomness
Module II: Natural Places
– botany and landscapes
– stones and minerals
– imaginary cosmos
– sacred places
Module III: Human Body
– essence and gesture
– kinetic body
– faces, expression and non-expression
– body parts (hands, feets, hair, etc..)
Module IV: Animal World
– animal typology
– big animals
– small animals / insects
– hybrid creatures
Module V: Spaces
– interior / exterior
– emptiness
– dreams and visions
– sound patterns
Module VI: Storytelling
– 4 act structure
– illusion and memories
– boring stories
– abstract narrative
Live Zoom Sessions 2025
Wednesday at 8pm CET Timezone
︎Live sessions are recorded so they can be viewed later.
Module I
08.01 Point of View Presentation
05.02 Talk with Guest Artist
26.02 Feedback/Review
Module II
05.03 Natural Places Presentation
09.04 Talk with Guest Artist
30.04 Feedback/Review
Module III
07.05 Human Body Presentation
04.06 Talk with Guest Artist
25.06 Feedback/Review
Module IV
02.07 Animal World Presentation
16.07 Talk with Guest Artist
27.08 Feedback/Review
Module V
03.09 Spaces Presentation
15.10 Talk with Guest Artist
29.10 Feedback/Review
Module VI
05.11 Storytelling Presentation
26.11 Talk with Guest Artist
17.12 Feedback/Review
1 Module (2 months)
3 Modules (6 months)
6 Modules (12 months)
*modules can only be taken consecutively
** if you are a student please email me a copy of your student ID card
Materials:
Sketchbook, Graphite Pencils (HB, 2B, 4B), Brushes, Inks, Drawing pens, Watercolors, Wax Crayons, Color Pencils.
Language: English
The course is designed for all levels.
If you have questions just send me an email:
info@artnomono.com
You can also check the Drawing Workout Instagram account.
Some outcomes from participants in 2024.
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FAQ
What kind of people participate in this course?
In the last 2 years people from more than 30 nationalities have participated. Mostly from Europe but also from Asia, North America and Latin America. The level is varied, there are beginners as well as professionals.
I only know how to say “thank you” in English, can I participate?
A basic level beyond “thank you” is great, but the drawing is universal and if you don't want to speak it's OK.
How are the works evaluated?
The works are not evaluated but reviewed with the teacher and the rest of participants. Part of the concept of this course is to share the processes and learn from them.
I'm afraid to share my drawings because I always think they suck.
The bad drawings are sometimes the most interesting ones. I try to create a climate of trust without prejudices and judgements.
What kind of artists are the guest artists?
In the last years artists like John Broadley, Powerpaola, Katrin Stangl, Catalina Bu, Gosia Machon, Fanny Dreyer, Chris Harnan, Sophia Martineck, Amanda Baeza and many more have been invited.