We’re currently working on many new additions to our 2016 workshop program. Scroll down to view our current lineup, including our iPad Drawing, Prismacolor Pencil Basics, Pastel Drawing, Sketchbook Basics, and Youth Concept Sketching workshops.
VIP Pass! Save money and get unlimited access to all our Workshops and Drawing Lab sessions for 3 months:
Save up to 25% during a 90-day period when you attend:
1. All SketchTribe, iPad Drawing, Special Technique workshops
2. All weekly Drawing Lab sessions (except Draw With Your Kids)
Get started now! Total cost is $475. Enjoy the benefits of the Scribbles Institute Season Pass for the next 3 months. We look forward to drawing with you.
Season Pass Sign UpSketchTribe Workshops
Saturdays Improve your observational drawing skills with our SketchTribe sketch booking adventures. Learn to sketch from life or use your sketchbook for developing ideas and organizing your thoughts.
SketchTribe Workshop & Sign Up Info:
This basic workshop is a great way to prepare for our other SketchTribe workshops. What You’ll Learn: Introduction to sketching techniques and strategies for drawing from life and imagination. Explore composition and capturing subject matter quickly. We’ll spend time in the studio for introductory lessons; then go outside to sketch architecture and trees. Open to adult beginners. Where: The Scribbles Institute When: Saturday, 2016, 1-4pm Cost: $45 Materials needed: Sketchbook and 2B-9B drawing pencils (We’ve got lots of different pencils and pens for you to try.) Refreshments served.

iPad Drawing Workshops & Meetups
Saturdays Curious about drawing on the iPad? Have fun learning how to sketch and organize ideas with the coolest, easiest iPad drawing app, Paper 53.
iPad Workshop & Meetup Info:


Because of the massive update to the Paper 53 drawing app, just a couple of days ago, our September 19 iPad Drawing Workshop has been postponed. I’ve got to restructure the workshop to integrate the app’s new features—lots of interesting changes! We’ll keep you advised of the new date.
Workshop Details: Our iPad Beginners Drawing Workshop introduces adult beginners to basic digital drawing skills. What You’ll Learn: Get familiar with the tools and features in the Paper 53 app as you sketch from life and imagination. Learn how to create, organize, and share your work. If you’ve taken this workshop before, Rob will have more advanced lessons for you to work on, too. Where: The Scribbles Institute. When: Saturday, 2016, 1-4pm! Cost: $45 Materials needed: iPad with latest version of Paper 53 loaded and stylus (we have various styli on hand that you can try). Refreshments served. Workshop is limited to 10 participants.
Special Drawing Technique Workshops
Saturdays Explore! Experiment! Express! And have fun! Our special technique workshops help adult and youth attendees to discover new ways to apply drawing skills. Shown above are participants displaying a day’s worth of enjoyment in our Prismacolor pencil workshop.
Drawing Technique Workshops Sign Up & Info:
In our popular Pastel Drawing workshop, Cathy Patton, a local artist and teacher, will be showing us basic skills in composition & blending colors. If you’ve taken this workshop before, Cathy will have more advanced lessons for you to work on, too. Limited seating. Where: The Scribbles Institute 303 Potrero #59 Santa Cruz When: Saturday, 2016, 1-4pm Cost: $45 (materials included) Refreshments served
What you’ll learn: Begin with foundational skills by learning to express yourself with lines, shapes, patterns, and rhythm. You’ll learn to draw out your inner artist and learn basic composition skills while listening to different genres of music. If you’ve taken this workshop before, Rob will have more advanced lessons for you to work on, too Where: The Scribbles Institute 303 Potrero #59 Santa Cruz, California When: Saturday, 2016, 1-4pm Cost: $45 (materials included) Limited seating. Deadline to register: October 14, 2015
Adult beginners explore using Prismacolor pencils to achieve realism while drawing simple objects. What You’ll Learn: Blending colors, 3D modeling, measuring proportions. Recommended prerequisite: Level 1 Drawing Lab skills. Limited seating. Where: The Scribbles Institute 303 Potrero #59 Santa Cruz When: Saturday, 2016, 1-4pm Cost: $45 (materials included)
This special workshop is for youth students, ages 10-17 years, interested in learning how to sketch concepts and characters for animation, game design, and comics.
What you’ll learn: Santa Cruz book illustrator and comic artist, Brian Bowes will introduce young artists to basic character concept sketching skills. You’ll explore drawing 3D form, how to sketch characters in scene situations with pencil, pens, and charcoal. The emphasis of this workshop is to have fun learning new techniques in sketching a lot of ideas rather than spending a lot of time on highly detailed drawings. Supplies needed: Sketchbook (We have pencils, pens, and other materials to use.)
Who this workshop is for: Youth sketchers, 10-17 years
Where: The Scribbles Institute 303 Potrero #59 Santa Cruz, California
When: Saturday, 2016, 1-4pm
Cost: $45 Limited seating. Refreshments served
Guest Workshop Instructor: Brian Bowes works professionally as an illustrator, and art instructor. Brian has illustrated numerous books and his work has been collected by University Libraries from around the world as well as the Rare Book and Special Collections Division at the United States Library of Congress. He graduated with Distinction from the California College of Arts and Crafts in 2006 with a BFA in Illustration, and is currently on target to receive an MFA in Illustration through Hartford University in 2016. He volunteered as the Illustrator Coordinator for the San Francisco North & East Bay region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) from 2012 to 2014. Brain’s unique and thoughtful illustrations have satisfied a wide variety of professional and private clients.
Visit Brian Bowes’ Website
DrawFest 2016
Our lively Sketchup gatherings have become a popular First Friday Art Tour event for anyone interested in drawing—beginners & pros alike! Share your ideas or phobias about drawing. Experiment with materials. Get some free coaching. Enjoy a conversation over some pencil doodles or dive into some charcoal sketches from life. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow sketchers. Got a sketchbook? Bring it along. A fun, creative evening for the whole family—and it’s FREE! Where: The Scribbles Institute. When: Friday, June 5, 6-9:30pm Cost: Free!
Join the fun! Our Santa Cruz Drawing Meetups and iPad Drawing Meetups are great for test-driving the Scribbles Institute studio. Meet like minded sketchy folks. Free activities, demos, lessons, refreshments, and more!
On-Location Workshops & Events
Where: On Church Street, in front of the Civic Auditorium, downtown Santa Cruz Cost: Free
Workshops For Your School, Company, Gallery, Organization, Event
Bring Rob Court and the Scribbles Institute to your school or business. See photos of workshop participants at Santa Cruz and Monterey schools and MAH.