Draw on the Dark Side with France Van Stone
This lesson is for anyone who loves the texture of graphite on paper, the meditative rhythm of sketching, and the thrill of capturing a likeness without overthinking it.
France Van Stone doesn’t warm up by playing it safe.
In this expressive graphite lesson (47 mins), she opens with a blind contour—no peeking, no corrections—just raw observation to loosen the hand and sharpen the eye.
What follows is a richly contrasted, boldly drawn portrait created with a soft 6B pencil on smooth Moleskine paper, where detail meets instinct and spontaneity.
As France draws, she narrates the subtle tug-of-war between the eye and the brain, showing students how to trust what they see rather than what they think they see.
You’ll learn how to start with energy, embrace irregularities, and preserve the vitality of a sketch without overworking it. It’s a portrait that prioritizes process over polish, structure over symmetry, and honesty over perfection.
Ready to draw with France? Let's get started!
