Dale Dyer is a Brooklyn based artist and illustrator. In addition to a long focus on figure, portrait and landscape, for the last thirty years he has been making illustrations for books about birds of the American tropics. He has taught drawing and painting at the Woodstock School of Art, and privately in his studio. He studied at the Art Students League, where his instructors included Ted Seth Jacobs, Robert Beverly Hale, Frank Mason and Daniel Greene, and as a youth he studied with Harold Ransom Stevenson.His books include Birds of Central America, Birds of Costa Rica and Birds of Belize, all published by Princeton University Press.
Course Schedule:Â
Monday and Tuesday
- 7 pm – 10 pm
*register to a specific day of the week or both
Pricing Per Month:Â
- $185 – 1 class per week
- $370 – 2 classes per week
This Program is designed for:Â All Levels
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Course Description:Â
Learn drawing and painting through a traditional, observation-based approach. In this class students will build a strong technical foundation by working from life (both still-life and wilth a live model)
New students begin with still life, focusing on the disciplined study of fundamental forms: the sphere, cube, and cylinder. Through careful observation, measurement, and rendering of light and shadow, students develop the visual language needed to understand structure, proportion, and value. This stage is considered the groundwork of all representational drawing and painting, and all students are expected to engage deeply with it before progressing.
Once a foundation is established, students move into the figure room to apply these principles to the human form. Working from a live model, they learn to translate their understanding of form, proportion, and gesture into increasingly complex compositions. Instruction is individual and tailored to support both beginners and more advanced students, with an emphasis on developing a clear, personal way of seeing.
The class is structured to operate across both rooms simultaneously, with the instructor guiding a group of still-life students alongside those working from the figure. This allows for a range of entry points and preferences, while maintaining a cohesive, atelier-style learning environment. Students who prefer to remain focused on still life are fully supported in doing so.
Over time, students will have developed a deeper understanding of form, gained confidence working from observation, and established a strong technical base for further study in drawing and painting.
Material List:Â Students are expected to bring their own materials for this course. Easels and storage space will be provided. Material listÂ
