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Happy Artist is the ultimate online drawing course designed specifically for painters.

Learn the drawing fundamentals most painters never get – but absolutely need.

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Enroll for only $27 a month!

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Here's the truth no one tells you: If the drawing underneath isn't solid, the paint on top can't fix it.

Think about it:

  • You keep trying to fix your painting by layering more paint, but it doesn't solve the problem.
  • You're afraid you're going to lose your edges when you paint because you don't have the drawing confidence to put them back in.
  • You're afraid to create original pieces because you've only been taught how to copy other artists.

These issues look like painting problems—but they’re actually drawing problems in disguise.

 

Hundreds of painters are transforming their paintings by learning how to draw.

When I started painting, I thought I simply “wasn’t talented enough.” But talent wasn’t the problem. It was learning how to understand what I was looking at. Once I learned how to break things down the way real artists do — shape, proportion, form, perspective — everything changed.

I could draw anything. And suddenly, I could paint anything.

That’s the transformation I guide painters through every day. If you can learn to see, you can learn to draw. And if you can draw, you can transform every painting you create.

Experience a drawing method that simply works.

Refine your drawing skills and your paintings will transform overnight.

It's time to stop tracing other artists' artwork and start creating your own.

Remember that your painting is only as good as your drawing.

Enroll Now

Transform your painting by transforming your drawing.

Simplify

Learn how to break any subject into clear, simple shapes — the same way professional artists plan their work before they ever touch a brush.

Refine

Master proportion, structure, and accuracy so the drawings beneath your paintings are intentional and correct.

Understand

Recognize how to think and see like an artist to create amazing artwork with depth and dimension.

Focus

Quiet self-doubt and overwhelm. Learn to observe with clarity, slow down, and draw with confidence as you build a strong foundation.

Create

Apply everything you’re learning to create drawings that translate beautifully into stronger, more confident paintings.

Master

As your skills increase, you’ll start seeing yourself as an artist with real control — not someone guessing their way through each piece.

This is your chance to finally draw with confidence.

Imagine starting a new painting and knowing your drawing is solid before you ever pick up a brush. No guessing. No hoping. No frustration.

You sit down with a reference and know exactly how to begin — simplifying the subject into clear shapes.

You keep your lines light and exploratory, giving yourself space to adjust early instead of fighting mistakes later on canvas.

You start seeing proportions and angles with clarity. Your drawings become more accurate — and your paintings immediately benefit from that accuracy.

You understand exactly when to add light and dark values to create believable form, depth, and dimension.

As you add your final details, you’re amazed at what YOU just created.

A drawing method designed to make your paintings better.

Trusted by hundreds of artists who've seen their paintings transformed by mastering their drawing skills.

Happy Artist is a high quality, in-depth mastery of drawing wrapped in a convenient, affordable online course. 

Everything inside this online course is designed to help artists strengthen their drawing foundation so their paintings finally turn out the way they envision.

Organized Progress

The lessons include simple explanations that make complex ideas easy to grasp. 

120+ Video Lessons

Each bite-size video is laid out in a clear way with each lesson building on the previous lesson.

Apply What You Learn

Each lesson includes a hands-on drawing project so you can make sure it's concrete in your mind.

Dripped Lessons

Each lesson guides you through the process of thinking and seeing like an artist so your artwork starts with accuracy and confidence.

Proven by 600+ Students

Happy Artist curriculum is based directly off of the drawing curriculum I have successfully used with my students in my in-person Studio.

Self-Paced

This course is designed with a perfect balance of structure and freedom and with the goal of helping you find your own artistic style.

Experience the Happy Artist Community.

Inside our exclusive online community, you'll connect with other artists who are learning right along side you. This is your space to share wins, ask questions and get support from your fellow students.

 

You also get 200+ Downloads.

You’ll also get access to a full library of downloadable guides, worksheets, reference photos, and practice pages you can use anytime. These materials reinforce what you learn in the lessons and help you strengthen your drawing foundation one skill at a time.

Happy Artist is designed to take you on a structured journey to drawing mastery.

Content is dripped lesson by lesson in an organized "I'll guide you every step of the way" fashion. Go fast. Go slow. This course adapts to your own schedule.

  1. Introduction

    1. Welcome
    2. Supplies & Materials
    3. Basic Drawing Skill Set
    4. Pencil #'s & What They Mean
    5. Pencil Grips & Pressure
    6. Pencil Strokes
    7. Shading Techniques
    8. Basics of Drawing Follow Up

  2. Skill Set 1: Simplify the Process of Drawing

    1. Lesson 1: Intro to Sketch 1-2-3

      1. Step 1: Sketch 1-2-3
      2. Step 2: Sketch 1-2-3
      3. Step 3: Sketch 1-2-3
      4. Sketch 123 Follow Up
      5. Sketch 1-2-3 Quick Practice
      6. Using Sketch 1-2-3 With Your Own References

    2. Lesson 2: Break It Down With Grids

      1. Instructions for Mystery Grid
      2. Mystery Grid Follow Up
      3. Intro to Basic Grid
      4. Draw With Me: Basic Grid
      5. Basic Grid Follow Up

    3. Lesson 3: It All Starts With Shapes

      1. Finding Shapes in Things
      2. Step 1: See & Draw Basic Shapes
      3. Step 2: Change the Shapes to a Rough Draft of the Object
      4. Step 3: Detail & Final Touches
      5. It All Starts With Shapes Follow Up

    4. Lesson 4: Comparative Measurement

      1. What is Comparative Measurement?
      2. Draw With Comparative Measurement
      3. Comparative Measurement Follow Up

    5. Skill Set 1 Recap

      1. Simplify the Process of Drawing Recap

  3. Skill Set 2: Observe Like an Artist

    1. Lesson 5: Drawing What You See

      1. How We Learned to Draw
      2. Intro to the Metronome Method
      3. Using the Metronome Method
      4. Symbolism Drawing
      5. Realism Drawing
      6. Drawing What You See Follow Up

    2. Lesson 6: Shapes to Objects

      1. Step 1: Shapes to Object
      2. Step 2: Shapes to Object
      3. Shape Overlay With Photo Reference
      4. Shapes to Object Follow Up

    3. Lesson 7: Observing Through Contour Drawing

      1. Intro to Contour Drawing
      2. Blind Contour Drawing
      3. Simple Contour
      4. Cross Contour
      5. Contour Drawing Follow Up

    4. Skill Set 2 Recap

      1. Observe Like an Artist Recap

  4. Skill Set 3: Improve Your Accuracy

    1. Lesson 8: The Magic of Negative Space

      1. Object vs. Negative Space
      2. Drawing a Silhouette
      3. Changing a Silhouette to an Object
      4. Perimeter Drawing Quick Study
      5. Let Negative Space Help You!
      6. The Magic of Negative Space Follow Up

    2. Lesson 9: Enclosing Negative Space

      1. What is Interior Negative Space?
      2. Intro to Envelope Method
      3. Creating Your Own Envelope
      4. Enclosing Negative Space Follow Up

    3. Lesson 10: Modified Grid Method

      1. Getting Your Proportions Correct
      2. Create a Modified Grid
      3. Draw Using a Modified Grid
      4. Modified Grid Method Follow Up

    4. Lesson 11: Using Plumblines

      1. Basic Plumblines
      2. Start with Customized Plumblines
      3. Use Plumblines Strategically
      4. Using Plumblines Follow Up

    5. Skill Set 3 Recap

      1. Improve Your Accuracy Recap

  5. Skill Set 4: Create Depth & Dimension

    1. Lesson 12: Create Form With Shading

      1. Intro to Shading & Value
      2. Practice Shading Strokes
      3. Understanding Light & Shadow
      4. Turn the Form with Value
      5. Shading on Toned Paper
      6. Create Form with Shading Follow Up

    2. Lesson 13: Three Dimensional Objects

      1. From Flat to Form
      2. Eye Level
      3. Let's Draw a Bottle!
      4. Changing Your Point of View
      5. Three Dimensional Objects Follow Up

    3. Lesson 14: Perspective Drawing

      1. Intro to Horizon Lines
      2. Intro to One Point Perspective
      3. Intro to Two Point Perspective
      4. Choosing a Horizon Line Location
      5. Atmospheric Perspective
      6. Perspective Drawing Follow Up

    4. Skill Set 4 Recap

      1. Create Depth & Dimension Recap

  6. Skill Set 5: Rules, Tools and Jewels of Drawing

    1. Lesson 15: Learning the RULES of Drawing

      1. Intro to the RULES of Drawing
      2. RULE #1: Light to Dark
      3. RULE #2: Big to Little
      4. RULE #3: Messy to Detailed
      5. Learning the Rules of Drawing Follow Up

    2. Lesson 16: Using the TOOLS of Drawing

      1. Intro to the TOOLS of Drawing
      2. TOOL #1: Negative Space
      3. TOOL #2: Plumblines and Angles
      4. TOOL #3: Interior Mapping
      5. Using the TOOLS of Drawing Follow Up

    3. Lesson 17: Applying the JEWELS of Drawing

      1. Intro to the JEWELS of Drawing
      2. JEWEL #1: Imagine You're Sculpting
      3. JEWEL #2: Trust the Abstract Shape
      4. JEWEL #3: Let Go of Perfection

    4. Lesson 18: Embracing Imperfection

      1. Intro to Embracing Imperfectionism
      2. Quick Draw with a Ball Point Pen
      3. Drawing with a Thin Marker
      4. Lasso Sketching
      5. Drawing Upside Down
      6. Embracing Imperfection Follow Up

    5. Skill Set 5 Recap

      1. Rules, Tools & Jewels of Drawing Recap

  7. Skill Set 6: Drawing People

    1. Lesson 19: Figure Drawing

      1. Intro to Figure Drawing
      2. Figure 8 Drawing Method
      3. Drawing Figures in Loose Clothing
      4. Drawing Multiple Figures

    2. Lesson 20: Portrait Drawing

      1. Portrait Possibilities
      2. Profile Portraits & Observational Skills
      3. Learning the Facial Features
      4. Intro to Proportional Divider & Portrait Drawing
      5. Draw With Me Step by Step
      6. Portrait Drawing Follow Up

    3. Skill Set 6 Recap

      1. Figure & Portrait Drawing Recap

  8. Skill Set 7: Reference Preference & Composition

    1. Lesson 21: Reference Preference

      1. Intro to References
      2. Drawing From Memory
      3. Drawing From Your Imagination
      4. Drawing From a Photo Reference
      5. Drawing From Life
      6. Reference Preference Follow Up

    2. Lesson 22: Composition

      1. Intro to Planning & Composition
      2. Do's & Don'ts of Composition
      3. Composition Methods
      4. Designing & Planning a Composition
      5. Four Corner Positioning & Creating Your Own Composition

    3. Skill Set 7 Recap

      1. Reference Preference & Composition Recap

  9. Skill Set 8: Find Your Expertise & Style

    1. Lesson 23: Emulating an Artist

      1. What is an Emulation and Why Do It?
      2. Learning From Emulation
      3. Emulating a Style You Admire
      4. Creating Original Work Inspired by Another Artist

    2. Lesson 24: I Am an Artist

      1. Intro to I Am an Artist
      2. Finding Your Style
      3. Your Final Project

    3. Skill Set 8 Recap

      1. Find Your Expertise & Style Recap
      2. Congrats You're Finished!

It's amazing what you can get for only $27 a month.

Enroll for as long as you want. Your monthly subscription is fully in your hands.

Enroll Now

See what my students say.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Learning to see shapes and negative space allows me to be more accurate at drawing and then my painting is a good representation of my subject.

Denise

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Being able to trust my eye in drawing allows me to loosen up my paintings without worrying about loosening my composition or shapes.  So much faster!

Steve

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Drawing has helped me learn relationships and scale so that when I'm painting I don’t lose the shape of what I am trying to create.

Nicole

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Getting better at drawing helps me to lay a better foundation for the painting. It has helped me pay attention to shapes and not focus so much on details.

Jutta

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Drawing has helped me recognize shapes and proportions that are essential to capturing the objects I’m painting. That's element in the foundation; then comes the color. You don’t know where to put color if you haven’t understood the drawing yet.

Lindsey

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Prioritizing drawing has really helped me become a better painter because it helps me to see relationships between shapes and objects. This helps me describe an object through value. Drawing also helps me to practice perspective, which is important in painting.

Kara

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The drawing lessons have helped me a ton! I love all the different ticks and techniques you share. They open my mind and help me see different ways of approaching things. I also love the variety of different styles and subjects that we draw!

Amy

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Prioritizing my drawing has helped me see what is really there and recognize shapes and patterns in my references. Because of the drawing lessons the foundation for my painting has improved too much and the painting aspect has actually gotten easier.

Skylar

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perspective and proper ratios are such an important part of a painting. If I am not competent at drawing than I won’t be capable of painting something of high quality. Drawing is imperative to a good painting!

Trace

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have had art classes before but have never learned to draw first. Drawing first has helped me build confidence and has made my paintings easier to approach. I love to draw now.

Alice

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Being able to map out the painting by drawing gives me the confidence to tackle large scale paintings. I’m able to create rough drafts before committing paint to the canvas which save me time and money.

Josean

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Seeing how quickly I improved with instruction, guidance and practice gives me more confidence and perseverance when I feel stuck in painting and the faith that I’ll keep improving.

Audrey

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The drawing assignments have been SO helpful to improve my drawing skills without pressure. Learning and working on my drawing skills has improved my painting skills and my confidence.

Andrea

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It makes drawing and painting not only more productive, I am enjoying it so much! I feel a greater desire to paint and draw because I am feeling more confident.

Kathy

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Drawing helps me to push myself to see details differently. It also helps me to fine tune my piece before I paint it. It is fun to see how much I have improved with each drawing!

Megan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’m a new painter but drawing seems to be the foundation of painting. It is hard to build something great on a shaky foundation so getting the foundational drawing will affect the finished painting.

Melly

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The drawing lessons have helped me to learn how to break down a picture into more manageable steps. In doing so, I have increased my confidence and abilities.

Liz

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Drawing is helpful in painting because you'll never be happy with the painting if the shapes, perspective and proportions aren’t correct.  Also, you’re really just “drawing” with color to add depth and volume and realism.

Holly

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I focus on shapes instead of what I think I see. The shadows and angles are correct with colors and shadows on the drawing are correct. It saves time on the painting when the drawing is good.

Brian

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Drawing is much better for getting shapes and stuff right. My paintings always turn out more accurate if I spend extra time on the drawing.

Grahm

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Learning to see objects as shapes has helped me see and understand what I was drawing better.

Karin

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

These drawing lessons have definitely helped me to get all the proportions right and get everything set up correctly, then it’s just filling it in with paint!

Marshall

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

For me learning to draw has helped me to see things in the right perspective and how it fits on the canvas.

Christie

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

These drawing lessons have forced me to slow down and set a good foundation for my paintings. Not always fun but essential.

Heidi

Over 25 years of teaching experience has shown me that 90% of painting issues are actually drawing issues.

If you've decided it's time to truly level up your painting skills, then it's time you tackled your drawing foundation. I can take you every step of the way.

Enroll Now

Hey! I'm Susie.

I have always loved art, but I haven't always been confident in my ability. For a long time, I would hide my art any time anyone walked into the room. I couldn't handle the possibility of someone making fun of what I'd created.

I went out on a limb in high school and took an art class only to have my teacher tell me that I had no talent and would likely fail. That hurt. A LOT. But I just couldn't stop the desire to create, so I returned to drawing in secret and hiding my work.

As time went on I took every opportunity I could to teach myself to draw better. I turned to books, videos and online tutorials. Eventually I worked up the courage to start attending workshops where I knew my work (along with every other student's work) would be on display. And in this setting, with some amazing mentors, I finally discovered that I DID have talent – talent created through sheer grit and perseverance. 

With this newfound knowledge and a small group of creative supporters and mentors, I started branching out with my creative talents. I created window displays, started a small book business, opened a scrap booking company, was commissioned to create portraits, and began teaching on the side. This is where I found myself. I discovered that I LOVED teaching and coaching others through this complex web of yearning to create, mastering an artistic skill set, and growing in confidence. 

I dreamed of helping even more creative individuals, so I chose to go to school to receive a fine art degree. I opened a full-blown studio in Sandy, Utah and started teaching and running the business full time.

So many of my studio students have said that my program has been life-changing for them. I too have been amazed at the sheer effectiveness of what I have created and feel immense joy in coaching other creative individuals. 

So after much thought, I decided to launch Happy Artist Coaching which is an online, hybrid approach to what I do in my studio. In Happy Artist, we focus only on drawing. Why? Because drawing is literally the foundation of every other artistic pursuit. If you struggle to draw, you'll struggle to create art.

The good news is that I have 600+ happy students that prove my method works! In Happy Artist, I bring these proven methods along with over 25 years of teaching and coaching expertise to an online setting. Be prepared to be blown away by what YOU are able to accomplish. 

I'm ready. Are you?

💗 Susie

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