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Continuing Education at PAFA



Our Classes

Oil Painting: Comprehending Color (In-Person)

$295

with Roger Chavez

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 3, 2024 at 9 am, runs for 6 weeks

Wednesdays, 9 a.m - 12 p.m*
Instructor: Roger Chavez 
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Without question, every oil painter benefits from color mixing instruction:  Understanding how to accurately see, mix, and adjust color not only allows you to achieve the results you want in your work but also enables you to avoid the pitfalls of wasting paint though inaccurate and poorly understood pigment mixing.  Explore key methods and principles for effective color mixing, using a limited palette to create prismatic hues and earth tone colors. Instruction will address the role of light in the visual perception of color, as well as subtractive and additive color systems. Work from varied still life arrangements to put your color comprehension into practice, and advance your painting skills for all subject matter.  

*Note: No class on August 7. 

Image: Roger Chavez

Register by: June 24 
Materials List
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies 

Plein Air Painting in Valley Forge (Outdoor)

$325

with Charles Muldowney

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 3, 2024 at 10 am, runs for 5 weeks

Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Instructor: Charles Muldowney
Five-Week Short Course (20 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Enjoy open-air painting in beautiful Valley Forge National Historical Park, the encampment site of George Washington’s Continental Army in 1777-1778 and now home to a painter’s delight of lush scenery and historic architecture!  Located in Montgomery County, 35 minutes northwest of Center City Philadelphia, the park features great views of the Schuylkill River, Valley Creek, the Valley Forge Farm, Mt. Joy, Mt. Misery, and many valleys, cabins, and colonial houses, with ample parking and access to restrooms.  Working from diverse landscape subject matter, students will learn the essential materials, tools, techniques, and strategies for painting on site.  Instruction will cover a variety of plein air approaches, including painting with a knife and brush, painting from an imprimatura,  Macchiaioli painting, and working from sketches to block in local color.  Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation.

Image: Charles Muldowney, Valley Forge Sunset, Watercolor. 

Register by: June 24
Materials List 
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies

Essential Drawing Techniques (In-Person)

$305

with Roger Chavez

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 3, 2024 at 1 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Wednesdays, 1 – 4 p.m.* 
Instructor: Roger Chavez 
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Draw what you see competently and with confidence. Drawing is not only the basis for other creative endeavors like painting and sculpting, but also a powerful means of describing the world around you and expressing yourself. Instruction will address fundamental concepts including line, shape, perspective, value, and composition. Draw from still life objects, the life model, and more while learning the proper use of drawing materials, sight-measuring methods to accurately gauge proportions and space, shading techniques to develop three-dimensional form and contrast, and means of developing personal expression. Ideal for beginners and those in need of a refresher. Tuition includes a $10 models fee. 

*Note: No class on August 7. 

Image: Roger Chavez. 

Register by: June 24
Materials List  
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies

Watercolor: Depicting the Natural World (Online)

$250

with Roberto Osti

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 3, 2024 at 2 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Wednesdays, 2 – 4:30 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Roberto Osti 
Six-Week Short Course (18-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

The natural world is an infinite and fantastic source of inspiration for the artist, and the versatility and luminosity of watercolor make it the perfect technique for recording nature in a fresh and fun way.  In this course, learn fundamental drawing techniques and essential watercolor techniques to create both quick field sketches and detailed, finished artworks. Subject matter will include flowers, plants, and animals. Reference images will be gathered through observational sketches and photography.  An ideal course for those interested in both the fine arts and the Illustration field. 

Image: Roberto Osti.

Register by: June 24
Materials List 
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses 

Drawing with Ink (Online)

$250

with David Wilson

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 3, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Wednesdays, 6 – 8 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: David Wilson 
Six-Week Short Course (18-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Drawing with ink offers a wealth of descriptive and expressive possibilities for fine art and illustration purposes. Learn pen, brush, and quill techniques to create rich values, crisp lines, textural or decorative effects, and atmospheric washes.  Hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, and wash methods will be covered, as well as preparatory drawing and corrective strategies.  Students will work from still-life, interiors, and photos with demonstrations, critiques, and posted content from the instructor toward helping each individual realize their goals in the medium.

Image: David Wilson.

Register by: June 24
Materials List 
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses 

Paint the Evening City (Outdoor)

$175

with Frederic Kaplan

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 9, 2024 at 6 pm, runs for 4 weeks

Tuesdays, 6 – 8:30 p.m. 
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan 
Four-Week Short Course (10 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Learn to paint the unique effects of evening light and activity of Center City and University City, Philadelphia. Discover techniques for managing the shifting light and shadows of the setting sun as it plays across the city’s historic architecture. This plein air option is perfect for summer painting, allowing artists to take advantage of cooling evening temperatures and the subtle or dramatic palette of sunset and dusk.  Previous painting experience required. Restrooms near all locations. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to painting locations. 

Image: Sybille Zeldin, Street Scene, Courtesy of student. 

Register by: July 1
Materials List  
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies 

Foundry: An Introduction (In-Person)

$605

with Morgan Dummitt

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 11, 2024 at 9 am, runs for 6 weeks

Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
Instructor: Morgan Dummitt 
Six-Week Condensed Course (36 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)

This course will cover all aspects of the foundry process. Demonstrations and hands-on instruction will be given in wax modeling and casting, ceramic shell techniques, bronze pouring, metal chasing, TIG welding and patination. All levels welcome.  Note: Tuition includes a $65 lab fee.  

Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $760 (including lab fee). Select credit option with price adjustment when registering. 

Image: Morgan Dummitt, Hygieia (detail), 2023, Bronze, 27 x 11 x 8 in.

Register by: July 5
Materials List  
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies 

The Portrait in Oil (In-Person)

$590

with Al Gury

Calendar Next available session starts Jul 11, 2024 at 9 am, runs for 6 weeks

Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
Instructor: Al Gury 
Six-Week Condensed Course (36 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)

Paint portraits from a variety of models using the direct painting method. Examine the proportions and volumes of the head, as well as the placement, structure, and characteristics of the facial features, through preliminary drawings and demonstrations. Develop color using a limited palette to understand how to use chroma, temperature, value, tint, and tone. Instruction will address materials, composition, paint handling, and color mixing, blending, and theory. Homework assignments working from photos, Masterworks, or oneself/others will encourage students to learn to make personal aesthetic and technical choices and to practice concepts addressed in class. Open to all levels, this course is excellent for beginners as well as experienced students who want to review fundamental techniques or who simply enjoy painting portraits from life. Note: Course tuition includes a $50 model fee. 

Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $745 (including models fee). Select credit option with price adjustment when registering. 

Image: Al Gury

Register by: July 3
Materials List
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies 





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