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


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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,