Online Drawing Course

Half Figure. Composition

October 15 - December 3, 2026
Next Offering: 2028

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What Is This Course About

Composition is one of the most important, yet rarely discussed topics in the study of iconography. This course is designed to fill that gap. It will give you a solid foundation in composition, which will become essential for creating any half-figure icon. You will gain a deeper understanding of how an icon is built — how figure, gesture, gaze, and format come together into one image. You will learn to see what visual decisions create unity and make the image convincing and alive.

Work with composition lies at the heart of every icon. Without understanding how to place a figure within the format, what types of arrangements exist, and what principles govern them, it is impossible to work meaningfully and consciously on an icon. In this course, we will: study how to construct a half-figure composition using the icon of Christ Pantocrator as an example; explore the main rules and methods of arranging the figure within the format; learn to recognize the inner logic of the icon image and apply it in our own work.

This course is the final step in the series devoted to the half-figure. It brings together all the skills learned earlier — drawing clothing, hands, and the face — and raises them to a new level by showing how to unite them into a single, harmonious image.

Details

FOR WHOM

Only available to those, who has done both Half Figure Garments and Half Figure Hand Gestures. For those, who wants to have a more professional experience at this course, we highly recommend taking the Drawing the Frontal Face course prior to this one.

PRICE

$280 USD or €245 EUR for 6 assignments with personal feedback. Payments are non-refundable. Students are accepted on a first come - first served basis.

DURATION

7 weeks, 6 assignments
Drawings are accepted for corrections no later than December 03, 2026

RESOURCES PROVIDED

Each of the assignments includes: a video with explanations a PDF file with homework, historical information, lecture summary, a folder with drawings, a folder(or folders) with medieval models.
All videos and images remain available to the students after the end of the Course.

LEARNING SUPPORT

Learners are expected to share photographs of their drawings in Google Classroom Stream. Personal feedback from the instructors with their corrections / comments / recommendations is given within 48 hour (weekends excluded). Feedback is guaranteed for the whole period of the course either written in words or/and drawn directly on the emailed image.

NECESSARY SUPPLIES

  • Paper: A4 or Letter format
  • Pencils: 2H and 2B (or 4B)
  • Eraser
  • Compass with two needles (caliper)
  • Ruler
  • Thick paper for templates
  • Graph paper A4

    • WILL I HAVE ENOUGH TIME

    We made this program as extensive as possible. Complex tasks are split into manageable parts, making the assignments squeezable between routine work and family duties. We hope it will allow everybody to study at their own pace. Please put about 1 hour for watching the video tutorials & at least 2 hours for drawing practice per assignment.

    Practical Matters

    This course starts on October 15, 2026. It consists of 6 assignments, they cover all the most essential aspects of iconography composition. After the last assignment is published, students will have two more weeks to submit their homework for checking. Drawings are accepted for comments and corrections no later than on December 03, 2026.

    Access to the Google Classroom and all course videos is for online course participants only and must not be shared with anyone else in any form.

    Online Iconography Drawing Course

    Assignments

    ASSIGNMENT 1. Image Perception: Half-figure and Background
    ASSIGNMENT 2. Image Perception: Personal Traits and Objects
    ASSIGNMENT 3. Image Perception: Statics and Dynamics, Inner Connections
    ASSIGNMENT 4. Formatting: Narrow
    ASSIGNMENT 5. Formatting: Wide
    ASSIGNMENT 6. Unframed icons: Format Recalculating

    Learning Process

    Each of the 6 assignments includes:
  • a tutorial video
  • a PDF file with homework, historical information, lecture summary
  • a folder with drawings
  • a folder (or folders) with medieval models
    • Start each assignment by watching a video, taking notes and making sketches. They will help you to memorize all the new information. In order to master new skills and make them become your hands on experience you need a lot of drawing practice.

    The homework for each assignment is given at the end of the last video and also in description of each assignment. In the folders for each assignment you will find all the drawings and medieval models. We expect you to do your homework on paper of A4/Letter format and post it in the Google Classroom Stream.

    If you are not satisfied with your drawings and have not finished them, share your drawings at least once a week. Constructive feedback will help you to move on. If you are stuck and don’t understand how to proceed, post your drawing(s) with question(s) in the Stream. We are always ready to give a hand.

    The advantage of using the Stream is that you see other students' homework and teachers' feedback as well. You can spot a lot of interesting comments and suggestions that help in your work.

    We kindly ask you, take a photo of your drawings without distortion. When taking a photo, hold your cell phone or tablet parallel to the drawing. It will help a lot with your homework correction.

    We hope that at least for these one or two hours of drawing you will switch off or put your cell phone on “silent mode”. We also recommend asking people around not to disturb you and provide some peace for concentrated work. We insist on this because the learning process is more intense and effective if performed with a complete immersion in the process, thoughtfully and carefully.

    If you experience any technical difficulties with Google Classroom, please let us know via email. We will answer you as quickly as we can.


    Ready to Enroll?

    Iconography Drawing Course Half Figure Composition consists of 6 assignments and costs $280 USD or €245 EUR.
    It starts on October 15 and ends on December 3, 2026.
    This course is only available to those, who has done both Half Figure. Garments and Half Figure. Hand Gestures.

    Making your registration payment, please provide a valid email address, - it will also be used to send you a personal invitation to Google Classroom and all the further communications.

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    If within 80 days from the purchase date you experience health issues forbidding you to participate in the chosen course, we will fully refund the cost of your order.

    Making your reigistration payment, please provide a valid email address. It will be used to send you a personal invitation to Google Classroom and for all the further communications. The Assignments are emailed on Thursdays at 00:00 AM Tbilisi time (GMT+4). Please, let us know if you have any further questions. If you wish to be informed about our future courses and other events, get in touch with us (top-right of this page) or subscribe to our regular Newsletter at the bottom of this page.