Learn to Draw Online with Step by Step Tutorials & Courses

Realistic drawing can be a creative means of communication, self-exploration, and self-expression ...

Or a struggle just to determine why the left eye of your portrait drawing looks so awkward!

Of course you want to express yourself through believable, realistic drawings, with ease, enjoyment, confidence, and pride.

Through step by step drawing tutorials, articles, video courses, and coaching, I demystify realistic drawing so that you can do just that.

Marina Fridman The Drawing Source



Get Started with these Resources:

Free drawing guide



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Featured Courses

A computer screen showing The Atelier at The Drawing Source - a membership of foundational realistic drawing courses

The Atelier at The Drawing Source

(Formerly Drawing Decoded) Build your foundational realistic drawing skills.

A computer screen showing a hand adding finishing touches to a beautiful realistic eye drawing. Text overlays reads Eye Drawing Intensive

Eye Drawing Intensive

Learn to draw realistic, expressive eyes that add emotion to your portraits.

A computer screen showing an image of a drawing program. The image shows drawing supplies and drawing books in a cozy drawing studio space. Text overlays reads Creative Drawing Studio

Creative Drawing Studio

Creativity, drawing technique and support for aspiring and evolving artists


Explore all courses and programs here




About Marina


Hi there! I'm Marina. I'm a professional visual artist, arts educator, former Tenure-Track college prof of visual arts, Founder (or Drawing Source'ress!) of The Drawing Source, and lover of puns, obviously.

I love distilling complex drawing concepts into steps that are easy to understand and apply, and consider myself successful when you increase both your skills and your enjoyment of the drawing process.

In my own creative practice these days, I create drawing installations: large-scale drawings that transform a space, such as the one below.

Outer space drawing in charcoal with text overlay “Hand-drawn installation by Marina Fridman.” A hand creating a realistic drawing of earth with text “Earth drawing by Marina Fridman.”


This artwork, titled Omniscient Body, is entirely hand-drawn (yes, even the dark background) and invites viewers to be enveloped in outer space, to approach the celestial body of Mars at their own scale, to be towered over by one of the rings of Saturn, and to look up at planet Earth and the Moon as though from a great distance. You can read more about this artwork (and view a few timelapse videos) on this page.



My Work has been Featured In:


Marina Fridman's drawings featured in
Marina Fridman's drawings featured in
Marina Fridman's drawings featured in
Marina Fridman's drawings featured in


I wasn’t born with drawing abilities (most aren't), and you don’t have to have been either to draw successfully! Drawing is a skill that must be studied and practiced, just like reading and writing.

To become fluent in the visual language of drawing, we will focus on three areas: learning to see, obtaining essential drawing knowledge, and acquiring the drawing skills to translate what you see onto paper. Start developing all three by taking my free Mini-Course.



Whether you want ...


...  you're in the right place!



Happy Drawing,