Primrose Art Lab is a year-long experiment to see whether free YouTube art tutorials actually help you learn to draw.
Each week, I follow a beginner tutorial properly, complete the exercises, and reflect on what worked and what didn’t.
The first playlist I am following is MarkowskyArt’s playlist. This is Week 3.
This week’s warm up exercises (his versions):
He gave quick overview of the best way to draw lines by using your shoulder, not your hand.
My versions:
I honestly thought my lines were so GOOD while I was doing them 😀
I used to love those Dot-toDot books as a young’un, so I think this is why this bit of the warm ups felt so familiar.
mmmmm, hoping to have time to redo this..but also to practice more.
oh those shadows, never mind. I can only get better!
A quick synopsis of my analysis of Week 3
A. Clarity (1–5)
Could I understand what to do *without guessing*?
1– Confusing, assumes prior knowledge
3– Mostly clear, some leaps
5– Extremely clear, well-paced
Notes: 5
Still clear, not so concise anymore as we’re progressing (you’ll see the video is nearly 8 min edited).
B. Skill Transfer (1–5)
Did this actually teach a usable skill?
1 – Just copying
3 – Partial understanding
5 – I can apply this elsewhere
Notes: 5
I can definitely apply this anywhere / everywhere. Drawing is essentially all lines right?
C. Beginner Accessibility (1–5)
Could a true beginner follow this?
1 – No context or explanations
3 – Some help, some gaps
5 – Fully accessible
Notes: 3.5
I would not start watching at week 3 if you’re a total beginner
D. Constraint Awareness (1–5)
Did the tutorial explain why choices were made?
1 – “Just do this”
3 – Occasional reasoning
5 – Clear logic behind decisions
Notes: 4.5
I wish he explained a bit more about the light source and shadows toward the end of the lesson, might be Week 4’s lesson.
E. Time vs Value (1–5)
Was the learning worth the time spent?
1 – Not worth it
3 – Fine, but long
5 – Efficient and focused
Notes: 5
The time flew by on this lesson and a lot of it was spent putting pen/cil to paper.
F. Emotional Experience (1–5)
How did this feel to follow?
1 – Frustrating / discouraging
3 – Neutral
5 – Encouraging / energising
Notes: 5
While I am far away from “liking what I see” I know we’re getting there, so definitely energised!
G. Repeatability (Yes / Maybe / No)
Would I do this again without the video?
YES
Why?
I need to work on the value scale and the graduation from light to dark.
Final Verdict
Who is this tutorial actually for?
We’re still beginners, its only week3 so I will be carrying on with this playlist.
I followed it in full, took notes, and completed the exercises, a few of them I had to stop the lesson as I was a lot slower than him.
He also recommended 2 books this week.
*Art & Fear, by David Bayles and Ted Orland
*The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp
*not affiliate links
The accompanying video documents the process rather than teaching it. This project is about learning in public and testing resources honestly, not presenting expertise.
Watch Week 3 on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRXO9OcIbvA
I’ll continue with the same playlist next week to see whether repetition improves understanding and confidence.
Please feel free to follow along on this blog or the Youtube channel of the same name 🙂
Primrose Art Lab 
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