Basque PAU Artistic Drawing II study plan
Basque PAU Artistic Drawing II · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Form analysis, structure and spatial representation & Perspective systems and geometric construction
Break down five everyday objects (chair, bottle, teapot, hand tool, shoe) into simple volumes and sketch each from two viewpoints, labelling primary and secondary forms
Draw the same cube and cylinder in one-, two- and three-point perspective, verifying vanishing points and horizon line with a ruler on each construction
Construct a still-life setup of three boxes and a sphere from observation, building the underlying wireframe before adding any surface
Measure and correct errors in your own constructions by overlaying a tracing-paper grid to check convergence
Your checkpoint
A 10-page sketchbook section containing five volume breakdowns plus three ruled perspective constructions of the same still life, each with visible construction lines and horizon.
Form analysis, structure and spatial representation & Figure and natural-form drawing from observation
Establish a sighting routine (plumb line, horizontal reference, angle-checking with a pencil) and apply it to six observational drawings of your own hand in different poses
Draw a draped cloth over a box, mapping fold direction to the underlying form rather than copying outlines
Render an interior corner of a room from a fixed seated position, keeping all receding edges consistent with one horizon
Compare two of your observational drawings against the object and annotate three specific proportional errors
Your checkpoint
Six hand studies plus one draped-cloth and one interior-corner drawing, with a written self-critique listing at least three measured corrections.
Proportion, canon and compositional organization & Perspective systems and geometric construction
Build a proportional measuring system using head units and apply it to a standing figure drawn from life or a mirror, marking unit divisions on the page
Draw the same figure at three scales (small, medium, large) and verify internal ratios stay constant
Construct a two-point perspective of a simple architectural facade with at least two window rows and a door, using a measured grid
Compose three thumbnail arrangements of a still life, varying viewpoint and negative space, and select one for a larger study
Your checkpoint
One measured standing-figure study with head-unit grid, one ruled facade construction, and three annotated composition thumbnails with a written justification of the chosen one.
Line, value, chiaroscuro and tonal modelling & Drawing techniques, materials and supports
Produce a nine-step value scale in graphite and a second in charcoal, then match five grey swatches by eye without checking until finished
Render a sphere and a cylinder with a single light source, identifying highlight, half-tone, core shadow, reflected light and cast shadow on each
Test three graphite grades and two charcoal types on one paper to record their tonal range and blending behaviour
Draw a simple still life using only value, with no outlines, and check the result against a squint test
Your checkpoint
Two value scales, a labelled sphere-and-cylinder chiaroscuro sheet, and one outline-free tonal still life, all in one folder with a short note on which material gave the widest range.
Line, value, chiaroscuro and tonal modelling & Colour theory and chromatic expression
Render a folded cloth or crumpled paper in three values only (light, mid, dark), then repeat the same subject in six values to compare control
Mix a 12-step colour wheel in gouache or acrylic, then produce tint, shade and desaturation ladders for three primaries
Paint two small studies of the same still life, one in warm-dominant and one in cool-dominant harmony, and note how local colour shifts under each light
Convert one of your tonal drawings into a limited three-colour palette study and compare the readability of form
Your checkpoint
A colour workbook page with a 12-step wheel, three mixing ladders, and two small warm/cool harmony studies of one still life, plus one tonal-to-colour conversion.
Colour theory and chromatic expression & Drawing techniques, materials and supports
Experiment with at least four drawing media (ink wash, coloured pencil, soft pastel, marker or gouache) on the same subject to compare opacity, layering and edge quality
Reproduce a simple colour-matching exercise from observation, mixing five observed local colours to within a close visual match
Draw a natural form (leaf, fruit or plant) in two media, using colour temperature to describe light direction rather than value alone
Test two paper surfaces (smooth and toothed) with the same media and record which suits which effect
Your checkpoint
A four-media comparison sheet on one subject, one observed colour-matching study, and a short written table of material-versus-surface findings.
Figure and natural-form drawing from observation & Creative process, sketchbook and graphic experimentation
Complete five timed observational studies (10, 15, 20, 30 and 45 minutes) of the same or related subjects, prioritising structure first and detail last
Keep a daily sketchbook page for the full week, mixing thumbnails, notes and quick studies rather than finished pieces
Develop one thumbnail into a resolved composition through three successive sketchbook iterations, documenting each change and its reason
Draw a natural form from an unusual viewpoint and record the decisions that made it readable
Your checkpoint
A dated seven-day sketchbook sequence including the five timed studies and a three-iteration development trail for one composition.
Artistic drawing in historical and contemporary contexts & Form analysis, structure and spatial representation
Analyse three drawings from different periods or contexts, writing for each a short structural and technical commentary covering construction, value, colour and medium
Produce one full exam-condition drawing (still life or figure) in a single timed session, applying the construction, proportion and tonal routines practised earlier
Review your week 1 and week 4 work against the final piece and list the specific technical gains and remaining weaknesses
Assemble a portfolio of eight selected works with a one-page statement explaining the choices
Your checkpoint
One timed exam-condition drawing, three short contextual analyses, and an eight-work portfolio with a one-page self-assessment statement.
Milestones
Week 2: You can construct any simple object from observation using a wireframe and sighting lines, and you can name the specific proportional error in your own drawing without help.
Week 4: You can match five grey swatches by eye and render a sphere with correctly placed highlight, core shadow, reflected light and cast shadow under one light source.
Week 6: You can mix a close observed colour match, build a 12-step wheel, and explain in writing how warm and cool light changes the local colour of a form.
Week 8: You complete a timed drawing that holds construction, proportion and tonal structure together, and you can justify your material and compositional choices in writing.