An atelier, online
Learn to draw the way the masters did. And enjoy it.
We went back to how artists really trained in 19th-century Paris (the history, not the myths) and kept the parts that work. The result is one structured course that takes you from copying-and-hoping to actually understanding how drawing works.
Taught by Jake Taplin (@JakeDontDraw · 535K on YouTube) and Ramon Hurtado (taught at DreamWorks, Riot Games, Émile Cohl Atelier).
$289 · one-time · lifetime access · 14-day money-back guarantee
Where this comes from
Built by Jake Taplin (@JakeDontDraw) and Ramon Hurtado, who has taught at DreamWorks, Riot Games, the Society of Illustrators LA, and the Émile Cohl Atelier, with research published by the Getty.
The Course
Everything You Need to Know About Drawing
Whether you've never held a pencil or you're coming back to the basics, we'll walk you through it step by step, from your first lines to a finished portrait you're proud of. Lifetime access, learn at your own pace.
See the CourseFree vs. the course
Free YouTube got you here. The course gets you there.
The free videos and references are real teaching. They're how most people meet us, and we're proud of them. What they can't give you is the one thing a foundation needs: order. The course is the whole method in sequence, one voice start to finish, with the demos and the reasoning behind every step.
See what's inside →Free · No sign-up · Anytime
References
Classical sculpture cast references, master drawings and paintings, the same source material the academies trained on. Hundreds of high-quality references, free to browse and download. No account needed.
From the Blog
Latest Articles
The First Year of Charcoal Figures
A guest post by Jacob L: how a year of twelve-hour charcoal figure drawings — done the 19th-century academic way — rebuilt a self-taught artist’s draftsmanship.
Essential Books & Guides for Training Like a 19th Century Master Artist
A curated list of essential books on 19th-century French academic art, from École des Beaux-Arts history to practical guides on classical drawing and painting.
A Fieldtrip to the Ecole Des Beaux-Arts in Paris!
I recently went to Paris and had a chance to see some amazing academic drawings in the collection of the École des Beaux-Arts
Bargue Drawings: Facts, Fiction and How to Do Them!
The real history behind Bargue drawings and how to learn from them without wasting hundreds of hours. Includes free plates and a drawing guide.
About Halftone Studio
Our mission
Halftone Studio is a collaboration between artists Jake Taplin and Ramon Hurtado. Like many others, we were frustrated by how overwhelming and scattered art education can be. It led us to wonder: how did so many artists in the 19th century achieve such a high level of skill with far fewer resources?
What we found is that their training didn't rely on rigid academic rules. It was structured, hands-on, and full of creativity. Learning to draw was treated as a practical craft, not a mystery. That mindset helped generations of artists develop both technical skill and personal expression, and we believe it still works today.
At Halftone Studio, our mission is to bring that clarity and structure back. We provide free drawing references, curated image sets for studying great artists, and writing that takes you inside the student experience of the past. We believe no artist is born great. They're forged by a great system of education. Returning to that starts here.
Jake Taplin
Co-founder · @JakeDontDraw
Most people know me from my channel @JakeDontDraw, but not everyone knows I didn't start drawing until I was 19, studying engineering with zero art experience. When I finally decided to learn, I was overwhelmed by how confusing and scattered everything was. There were no clear, simple resources for the fundamentals.
So I decided to make them myself. I spent years studying the methods used in the great ateliers and academies of the 19th century, and found the system wasn't mystical at all: it was logical, structured, and deeply approachable once you understood it from the inside. Now I teach drawing the way I wish it had been taught to me: step by step, grounded in history, and built to make you feel confident every time you pick up a pencil.
Ramon Hurtado
Co-founder · @RamonHurtadoArt
I'm a painter, art instructor, and cat dad living in Los Angeles. I've been passionate about 19th-century French academic training for a long time, and particularly what it can teach us about not letting perfectionism steal all the fun from our creative work.
The guiding principle of my teaching is that everyone can learn how to draw, just like everyone can learn how to write. If you've already learned one visual system of expression, why not two? These are the same ideas I've taught at Beaux-Arts & Entertainment in Paris, DreamWorks Feature Animation, the Society of Illustrators in Los Angeles, Emile Cohl Atelier, and Riot Games.
The Studio Letter
Get the free Portrait Drawing Guide.
A short, practical PDF on turning a reference into a drawing that actually looks alive, plus the occasional letter from the studio: art history, working notes, and new free resources. A few times a month, no noise.
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