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DRAWING NEW YORK CITY

AN INTRODUCTION TO DRAWING ARCHITECTURE IN PEN & INK

Welcome to my online course for anyone interested in Architectural Drawing in Pen & Ink. Learn to draw by looking at New York City architecture: brownstones, bridges, iconic buildings, and the small details that give the city its character.

I'll take you on a journey through the city and share my entire process, from the first pencil lines to a finished drawing, one line at a time.

ENROLL IN FINE LINES
 

DRAWING NEW YORK

AN INTRODUCTION
TO DRAWING ARCHITECTURE
IN PEN & INK

 

Welcome to my online course for anyone interested in Architectural Drawing in Pen & Ink. Learn to draw by looking at New York City architecture: brownstones, bridges, iconic buildings, and the small details that give the city its character.

I'll take you on a journey through the city and share my entire process, from the first pencil lines to a finished drawing, one line at a time.

ENROLL IN FINE LINES

Observing carefully, working slowly, and building drawings one line at a time.

THE COURSE

NYC: Subject & Classroom 

 

Fine Lines is built around New York City: its brownstones, bridges, street corners, and the objects you pass without noticing. Each one teaches something different about perspective, value, texture, and line.

Whether you’re just starting out or have some drawing experience, I’ll walk you through how I draw buildings and architectural details: how I begin a sketch, lay down line work, and finish with tone and detail.

Along the way, we’ll develop a process that’s focused and methodical, one that keeps you present in the drawing while your lines stay loose, expressive, and your own.

Build your skills in line and mark-making, train your eye to see light and form, and approach any subject with confidence. 


Hello! 
My name is Vi.

 

For twenty-five years, I’ve been living and drawing in New York. As an art director, as an illustrator, and mostly as someone who needed a reason to slow down in a very busy place.

Architecture and drawing have always been my two passions, and making art is where they come together. I studied architecture and then design at the University of Texas at Austin, and later trained in classical drawing at the Grand Central Atelier in New York. That training shapes how I see form and light in every line I put down.

I love drawing in pen & ink because it’s simple and permanent: just a pen and a sheet of paper. Every mark in a drawing is like a record of time spent truly present. Drawing architecture, for me, turns into a memory of a time and a place.

Over the years, I’ve heard the same questions. What pens do you use? How do you get that kind of detail out of a single line? Where do you even start?

Fine Lines is my answer. Not because I think you need to be good at drawing, but because I want you to learn to really look.

LETS GET STARTED

Pen & Ink.
That's it.


We work in a single medium so you can focus on what really matters: observation, line, and the discipline of finishing one drawing before starting the next.

Lock in your discount today before the Black Friday offer ends!

THE SKILLS

Learn How To:



I      See a building before you draw it

            Break any structure down into a few big shapes, so you always know where to start.


II    Control your line and your ink

           Clean, confident marks, plus the hatching and line weight that create depth with a single pen.


III   Make things look accurate 

            Use light, value, and perspective to give your drawings depth, so buildings feel like they’re sitting in space.


IV   Draw a finished piece from start to finish

            Take a subject from first pencil marks all the way to the last layer of detail, using the same process every time.

THE SKILLS –

Learn How To:


I 

See a building
before you draw it

Break any structure down into a few big shapes, so you always know where to start.


II

Control your line and your ink

Clean, confident marks, plus the hatching and line weight that create depth with a single pen.


III

Make things look real

Use light, value and practical perspective to give a flat drawing form and depth, so buildings feel like they're actually sitting in space.


IV

Draw a finished piece
start to finish

Take a subject from first pencil marks all the way to the last layer of detail, using the same process every time.

WHAT'S IN THE COURSE

Six Chapters.
40+ Lessons.
One Line at a Time.

 

We start with the fundamentals. The building blocks that make everything else possible. Hatching, line weight, simple shapes. Honestly, it's kind of satisfying from the start.

Then we take it outside. Into the city. Because that's where drawing actually happens. Not in a studio. But standing on a corner, looking up, finding the right angle. Learning to break what you see down into something you can actually put on paper.

I'm lucky to live in a city where everything is a drawing. I want to share some of those places with you.

The same method. Every time. Something to reach for when you don't know where to start. That's what I'm giving you. My process. Over 11 hours of video and lessons.

ENROLL IN FINE LINES

01

Intro & Materials

How the course works and what's on the desk

We start simple. I'll introduce myself and walk through every tool I use. Nothing fancy, everything intentional.

1.1    Welcome!

1.2   What to Expect from this course and how to use it.

1.3   Materials. Pens, pencils, paper, and a few extras.

01

Intro & Materials

How the course works
and what's on the desk

We start simple. I'll introduce myself and walk through every tool I use. Nothing fancy, everything intentional.

1.1    Welcome!

1.2   What to Expect from this course
and how to use it.

1.3   Materials. Pens, pencils, paper
and a few extras.

02

Foundations

Line, light, value, texture, shapes, and perspective

The core of everything that follows. Perspective here is a gentle guide rather than a strict rulebook: you’re drawing for clarity and charm, not engineering.

2.1     Intro to Line. Drawing with direction and making clean marks.

2.2    Light. Learning to observe it.

2.3    Value. The value scale in ink, hatching, applying value to shapes, and shadows.

2.4   Texture. Techniques, with examples.

2.5    Simple Shapes. Breaking down any facade or element.

2.6    Perspective. 1, 2, and 3-point basics, common mistakes, and how perspective behaves on NYC streets.

2.7    Drawing the Box. Anything can be built from a box.

02

Foundations

Line, light, value, texture,
shapes, and perspective

The core of everything that follows. Perspective here is a gentle guide rather than a strict rulebook: you’re drawing for clarity and charm, not engineering.

2.1     Intro to Line. Drawing with direction and making clean marks.

2.2    Light. Learning to observe it.

2.3    Value. The value scale in ink, hatching, applying value to shapes, and shadows.

2.4   Texture. Techniques, with examples.

2.5    Simple Shapes. Breaking down any facade or element.

2.6    Perspective. 1, 2, and 3-point basics, common mistakes, and how perspective behaves on NYC streets.

2.7    Drawing the Box. Anything can be built from a box.

03

NY Icons

Warm up before we dive into the full drawings

Short, low-pressure sketches where the foundations start to come together. We draw a few New York staples: a coffee cup, a rooftop water tank, the Washington Square Arch, and an Ionic capital from the Met. Pieces of the city hiding in plain sight.

Each one eases you into applying what you’ve learned, loosening your hand and training your eye before the bigger drawings.

03

NY Icons

Warm up before we dive
into bigger drawings

Short, low-pressure sketches where the foundations start to come together. We draw a few New York staples: a coffee cup, a rooftop water tank, the Washington Square Arch, and an Ionic capital from the Met. Pieces of the city hiding in plain sight.

Each one eases you into applying what you’ve learned, loosening your hand and training your eye before the bigger drawings.

04

Brownstones

One iconic subject, from beginner to advanced rendering

Three brownstones, three levels. Start where you’re comfortable and come back as you grow. Every lesson takes you through the full process, from planning to finishing touches.

4.1   Beginner. A stroll through Brooklyn Heights, then your first brownstone, start to finish.

4.2   Intermediate. On to Park Slope and its bay windows, with a bit of perspective and more to draw.

4.3   Advanced. A more detailed brownstone, where we build rich value with layers of hatching and add the final details.

04

Brownstones

One iconic subject, from Beginner
to Advanced rendering

Three brownstones, three levels. Start where you’re comfortable and come back as you grow. Every lesson takes you through the full process, from planning to finishing touches.

4.1   Beginner. A stroll through Brooklyn Heights, then your first brownstone, start to finish.

4.1   Intermediate. On to Park Slope and its bay windows, with a bit of perspective and more to draw.

4.1   Advanced. A more detailed brownstone, where we build rich value with layers of hatching and add the final details.

05

The Brooklyn Bridge

Taking value and texture further with 3-point perspective

Everything from the first four modules comes together here, just dialed up in complexity. You'll watch the full process unfold, from study and planning, with b-roll from the bridge itself, through pencil, ink, value layers, and final touches.

5.1    Study and planning, with a virtual field trip to the bridge.

5.2   Pencil and first ink.

5.3   Adding value layers and texture.

5.4   Refining and final touches.

05

The Brooklyn Bridge

Taking value and texture further
with 3-point perspective

Everything from the first four modules comes together here, just dialed up in complexity. You'll watch the full process unfold, from study and planning, with b-roll from the bridge itself, through pencil, ink, value layers, and final touches.

5.1    Study and planning,  with a virtual field trip to the bridge.

5.2   Pencil and first ink.

5.3   Adding value layers and texture.

5.4   Refining and final touches.

06

The Met Museum

Tackling the details on a section of the building

A second long drawing, this time we focus on the decorative details that make a classical building monumental. We study a section of columns and cornice from the Met and slow down on the ornament, from first study to final evaluation of the finished piece.

6.1    Study and intro, with a short history of the subject.

6.2   Pencil, details, and close-ups.

6.3   Inking.

6.4   Evaluation. Looking back at the finished drawing.

ENROLL IN FINE LINES

06

The Met Museum

Tackling the details on
a section of the building

A second long drawing, this time we focus on the decorative details that make a classical building monumental. We study a section of columns and cornice from the Met and slow down on the ornament, from first study to final evaluation of the finished piece.

6.1    Study and intro, with a short history of the subject.

6.2   Pencil, details, and close-ups.

6.3   Inking.

6.4   Evaluation. Looking back at
the finished drawing.

ENROLL IN FINE LINES

Get A Preview.

Watch a full lesson and see if my way of drawing feels right for you.

This lesson is a warm-up from early in the course: short, low-pressure, and meant to loosen up your hand before anything more challenging. From here, we build step by step, all the way up to full drawings of the city.

 
 
WHAT'S INCLUDED:

Everything You Need. 

Flexibility

Learn whenever it suits you. Pause, rewind, and draw at your own pace, no schedule, no pressure.

Lifetime Access

Buy once and it's yours for good. Come back to any lesson whenever you need it, as often as you like.

Community of Artists

You won't be drawing alone. Share your work, get feedback, and see how others tackle the same subjects.

My Support

I'm around. Ask questions, show me what you're working on, and get help when you're stuck.

GET ALL THIS CONTENT WITH THE BIGGEST DISCOUNT OF THE YEAR: 50% OFF
JOIN NOW
ALSO INCLUDED:

Course Bonuses

BONUS 01

Image Reference Library
Value: $47 FREE

A collection of my own reference photos around New York City, ready for you to draw from. No hunting for the right angle or good lighting, just open it up and start.

BONUS 02

Chapter 7: The Chrysler Building
Value: $87 FREE

The course’s first skyscraper. We focus on the upper floors and the spire, working from the first pencil marks to the last detail. Along the way, you’ll learn to handle repetition and draw vertically, and you’ll see every decision I make.

BONUS 03

Worksheets & Guides
Value: $37 FREE

Printable PDFs to work through alongside the lessons, from practice exercises and step-by-step progressions to a Drawing Breakdown that annotates a finished drawing with callouts and diagrams.

Registrations Are Closing Soon!

50% OFF with code BLACKFRIDAYEXTRA – already applied at checkout!

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BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL - 4 MONTHLY PAYMENTS

If you prefer to split the cost, you can join through four monthly payments. The course content is exactly the same, this simply allows you to spread the investment over time in a way that feels more comfortable for you.

The price displayed below is in US dollars, but you can pay with ANY currency.

50% OFF with code BLACKFRIDAYEXTRA – already applied at checkout!

Start learning today.

4 MONTHLY PAYMENTS

$114
$57 50% OFF

BIGGEST DISCOUNT OF THE YEAR

  • 11+ hours of content
  • Pre-recorded video lessons
  • Lifetime access
  • Private student community 
  • My support along the way
  • Any device, any time
  • 14-day money-back guarantee

+ Bonus I: Image library ($47 FREE)

+ Bonus II: The Chrysler Building ($87 FREE)


Total Value: $468
Special Price: $57/m

ENROLL NOW

My Guarantee
to Every Student.

Try it for 14 days. If it’s not for you, for any reason, I’ll give you a full refund, no questions asked, as long as you’ve watched less than 30% of the course. I’d rather you draw because you love it than because you feel stuck. So there’s nothing to lose.

Any Questions?

Pick up a Pen. 
The City is Waiting.


It's not about being good at drawing.
It's about learning to really look.

Start your drawing journey today!

ENROLL IN FINE LINES