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8-12 yrs Sketching for Kids

ONILINE / IN-STUDIO

DIGITAL / TRADITIONAL SKETCHING FOR KIDS (8-12 yrs)

2 hours weekly,

online: $180 monthly

in-studio:  $200 monthly


High-quality art materials are included into the in-studio price. Sibling 15% off

Dive into the comic world with our (Traditional or Digital) Sketching class!

Designed for kids who want to draw characters from their favourite games, movies and books. This class will focus on teaching drawing fundamentals to students 8-12 years old.!

Students will learn to draw realistic and comic figures from scratch, create vehicles and locations, and tell stories through comic panelling.

Students can bring either sketchbooks or Digital Tablets, the instruction will be provided for both digital and traditional media. 

iPad requirements for students interested in drawing in ProCreate:

  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2015, 2017 and 2018 models)

  • 11-inch iPad Pro

  • 10.5-inch iPad Pro

  • 9.7-inch iPad Pro

  • iPad (6th generation/2018 model)

  • iPad (5th generation/2017 model)

  • iPad Air 3

  • iPad Air 2

  • iPad Air

  • iPad mini 5

  • iPad mini 4

  • iPad mini 3

  • iPad mini 2

Topics covered:

Perspective
1 point perspective
2 point perspective +
3 point perspective

Thumbnails
Creating smaller sketches to prioritize areas of interest

Lights and values
Gradients vs sudden value changes and how these changes are interpreted
Proper shading techniques
Separation of positive and negative space

Simple Still Life with fruits and vegetables

Stylized anatomy

Stylized facial features
Stylized self portrait

Anime
How to draw anime eyes

Realistic Anatomy
Torso
Arms
Legs
neck
Hands and Feet

Realistic facial proportions

How to draw different parts of the face
Eyes, nose, ears

Sketching Renaissance era statues

Creating from imagination
How to use simple shapes to create more complicated forms
How to make shapes, straight lines and curves

Drawing cars

Drawing planes

Sketching mammals

Sketching reptiles
Identifying characteristics such as eyes, scales and facial proportions

Drawing birds

Hybrid animals

Imaginary animals

Spotlights
Marvel
DC
Disney
Manga

TESTIMONIALS

"My daughter loves these art classes! She's been doing sketching and absolutely loves it. Each week they try out a new technique or interesting project. I actually feel like she's learning something and stretching her creativity."

L. D., San Rafael

Our eldest has blown us away with how he has grown in his drawing abilities - we even commissioned him to draw a few pieces to frame as holiday gifts. And none of it would have been possible without your art school."

M S., San Francisco

My daughter, 8 years old, loves to go to her class. I could see the growth of the drawing skills improved over almost every month."

Y. M., Mountain View

Payments and make ups:

The payments for ongoing classes are either per semester (available only before the semester starts) or monthly, with automatic monthly charge. Monthly payment is collected on the same day each month and the billing starts either on the day of the first class of semester (if you signed up before the start of the semester) or on the day of the registration. Payment for the last month of the semester is prorated, if less than 4 classes fall into last billing cycle. Our registration is for the whole semester, even if you choose the monthly payments. In case you decide to discontinue the classes before the end of the semester, please let us know 30 days ahead of time, and we will stop the auto-payment. Payments are made through our secure online registration system which accepts all major credit cards. We do not have access to your credit card information. You can make up a missed class on another day when we offer the same age/skill group class. The make-up class should be arranged in advance, no drop-ins. Limit 2 make-up classes per month. Make-up classes are subject to the availability of space in a similar class. We reserve the right not to provide make-up classes or terminate the class enrollment for repeating truancy. We do not provide refunds for ongoing classes tuition, courses or camps payments. However, full credit towards future booking or transfer to another camp/course will be offered for any cancellations made up to 24hrs before the camp or course starts. Ongoing classes can be canceled with a 30 days prior notice. If you paid for the full semester, the remaining amount can be used towards future bookings. Monthly payments will be stopped 30 days after we received your cancellation note.

Fall 2026 semester: 
First Day of Classes: August 31st, 2026 (Monday)
No Classes September 5th (Saturday) - 7th (Monday) - Labor Day weekend
No Class October 31st, 2026 (Saturday) - Halloween
No Classes November 23rd (Monday) - 29th (Sunday) - Thanksgiving break
Last Day of Classes: December 18th, 2026 (Friday)
Location
Day & Time
Class Teacher
Register

Materials we provide for in-studio classes,

and recommend for the online lessons:

​

Paint:
- set of acrylic paint (at least these colors - black, white. red. blue. yellow, green. brown, orange, purple). Recommended brand - Basics by Liquitex 
- watercolor paint, preferably in dry pans form. Recommended brand - Artist’s Loft by Michaels
Set of soft pastels. Recommended brand - Artist’s Loft by Michaels 

Drawing Medium:
- regular HB pencil
- eraser
- optional: set of graphite pencils of different softness (2H, H, B, 2B, 4B etc)
- colored pencils. Recommended brand - Prismacolor 
- optional: markers. Recommended brand - Copics 
- liners or sharpie pens. 

Tools:
- brushes - flat and round (pointy). Use separate brushes for acrylic and watercolor paint.
- wooden clay sculpting tools
- paper plates for mixing paint
- water bucket or cup
- scissors 
- glue stick

Clay:
- Air-dry clay - white. Recommended brand - Crayola 
- Oven baked clay - white. Recommended brand - Sculpey 
- Modeling clay - multiple colors. Recommended brand - Claytoon 

Surfaces:
- painting boards or mixed media paper, 8’’x10'’ or bigger - good for acrylic paint, coloring pencils, markers and graphite pencils.
- canvases, 8’’x10’’ or bigger - for acrylic paint only
- watercolor paper, 8’’x10’’ or bigger - for watercolor paint
- sketchbook or loose sketch paper (printing paper is ok) - any size
- construction paper (multiple colors), 11’’x14’’ or bigger

Testimonials:

My kids have been taking online classes for over a year now with John DePianto, and he is marvelous — very talented, patient, and kind. His classes are creative and zen, and the mediums vary: painting, drawing, and clay, and the kids get to learn about different cultural approaches to art. My kids love it.


Ashley Proctor

____________________


My child really enjoys this class as it allows her to use her creativity to develop story telling in her drawing.  The format is great, and it allows for her to be able to feel comfortable in the class.  If there is feedback for her to improve her art and what to work on for "homework" for the next class then there is a good continuation for her to work on something consistently.  Just little reminders for the younger kids like mine.


Sonya Jones

____________________



All locations
Art School of SF Bay San Francisco art studio at 1603 Irving Street – classes for kids, teens and adults

1603 and 1601 Irving Street, San Francisco CA 94122

Art School of SF Bay Mountain View art studio at 1954 Old Middlefield Way – drawing and painting classes

1954 Old Middlefield Way #K, Mountain View CA 94043

Art School of SF Bay San Jose art studio at 700 S Winchester Blvd – art classes for all ages

700 S Winchester Blvd #15, San Jose CA 95128

Art School of SF Bay San Rafael art studio at 1510 4th Street – art classes for kids, teens and adults

1510 4th Street,

San Rafael, CA 94901

Art School of SF Bay live online art classes via Zoom – Pacific Standard Time

Live Zoom classes, Pacific Standard Time

Art School of SF Bay Walnut Creek art studio at 1530 Bonanza Street – art classes for all ages

1530 Bonanza Street, Walnut Creek CA 94596

Summer 2026 semester: 
First Day of classes - June 1 (Mon)

No classes:
  • July 3 (Fri) - July 5 (Sun) - Independence Day Break
Last Day of classes - Aug 31 (Mon)
Fall 2026 semester: 
First Day of classes - August 31 (Mon)

No classes:
  • No Classes September 5th (Saturday) - 7th (Monday) - Labor Day weekend
  • No Class October 31st, 2026 (Saturday)
  • No Classes November 23rd (Monday) - 29th (Sunday)
Last Day of Classes - December 18th, 2026 (Friday)
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Website design by Art School of SF Bay graduate Iris Chang

Jobs: Art School of SF Bay is looking for an afterschool art teacher. Please email us your portflio to artschoolsfbay@gmail.com!

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