Intro to Digital Drawing (Oct 29, 2026)

Instructor: Mike O’Brien

With iPad, Apple Pencil and Procreate, digital drawing has become more accessible than ever. This workshop will introduce students to the principles of digital art—creating a canvas, using brushes, selecting colors, and working with layers. Students will then learn to simulate traditional materials like charcoal and graphite to produce a drawing from a still-life reference.

Students are encouraged to attend with an iPad, Apple Pencil, and Procreate ready to follow along and produce a drawing during the demonstration and ask questions of the instructor as they run into issues.

Please check compatibility for your iPad and Apple Pencil:
Apple Pencil Compatibility – https://support.apple.com/en-us/108937
Procreate Compatibility – https://help.procreate.com/articles/dbgjal-procreate-faq

Mike O’Brien is an artist and educator inspired by folk, lowbrow, and outsider art. His practice began in the 2010’s illustrating and screenprinting posters for punk bands in Washington, DC.

His latest works are a series of watercolor, gouache, and acrylic paintings on contour-cut wood panels which explore symbols, compositions, and lines inspired equally by the cartoons of his childhood and the American traditional tattoos of his adulthood. His paintings have been featured in exhibitions by Touchstone, Transformer, Strathmore, Umbrella Art Fair, Rhizome DC, HOMME, and the Fridge.

Alongside his art, Mike curates exhibitions at Thundershark Gallery at 52 O Street Studios and teaches digital drawing and silkscreen printing through Smithsonian Associates and Washington Studio School.