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Figurative Open Studio: 2D (In-Person)
with John Horn
Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Instructor: John Horn
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only
This comprehensive figure-focused class offers an open atelier structure in which students of all levels may pursue personal work from models in their choice of drawing or painting media. Concepts of proportion, anatomy, gesture, and light and shade will be discussed and critiqued individually, depending on the student’s experience. Model set-ups will range from croquis (short poses) to extended poses. All media are welcome for students with prior experience; drawing recommended for beginners. Note: Tuition includes a $35 models fee.
Image: John Horn.
Register by: May 17
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
The Landscape Oil Sketch (Outdoor)
with Roger Chavez
Thursdays, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Instructor: Roger Chavez
Five-Week Short Course (20 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only
The oil sketch is a traditional way for painters to execute preparatory ideas and quickly capture initial impressions – perfect for plein air painting! Learn useful techniques for rapidly encapsulating color and form while working directly from observation. Locations with shade and restrooms include Bartram’s Garden along the Schuylkill River and the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, near Philadelphia International Airport. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to painting locations.
Image: Roger Chavez.
Register by: May 17
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Narrative Painting for Fine Art and Illustration (Water-Media) (Online)
with Kate Samworth
Thursdays, 3 - 5 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Kate Samworth
Six-Week Short Course (18 hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only
Develop your artistic voice through a series of drawing and painting projects with artist and award-winning illustrator, Kate Samworth. Work from observation, memory, and imagination to learn to clearly communicate your ideas through pictures. Content includes demonstrations in perspective drawing, working from reference materials, and developing the palette best suited to the intention of each work of art. Weekly feedback from instructor and group conversations/critiques will cultivate new ideas and promote understanding of course concepts. Students will work in drawing materials and the water-based color media of their choice. Learning Objectives:
- Use new approaches to conveying ideas and emotions
- Deepen your understanding of perspective to create a convincing sense of space and atmosphere
- Develop a personal sense of color harmony through color mixing exercises
- Learn the most effective ways to work from reference materials and avoid the pitfalls of using photographic references
- Examine historical and contemporary narrative works as a means of developing your voice
Image: Kate Samworth, Pollinators.
Register by: May 17
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Alternative Media for Illustrators (Online)
with James Heimer
Thursdays, 6 - 9 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: James Heimer
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only
Refine your visual communications skills and experiment with personal style through unconventional media. In other words, this is creative playtime for adults.
This course is designed for creative professionals who are eager to expand their personal mark-making language, strengthen their capacity for visual problem solving, and develop unique strategies for managing creative block. Students will be challenged with creating illustrative two- and three-dimensional work using found materials in addition to experimenting with DIY printmaking methods. Through various group exercises and individual assignments, this class will encourage artistic growth through critical thinking and process-related risk.
This course will utilize the online learning platform Canvas, and includes video demonstrations, lectures, and assignments. Weekly group exercises and individual critiques will be conducted via Zoom.
Image: James Heimer.
Register by: May 17
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses
Urban Landscape Drawing (Outdoor)
with Frederic Kaplan
Fridays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only
Capture Philadelphia’s picturesque historic and commercial architecture, using fundamental observational drawing techniques. Learn simple methods for applying the principles of linear and atmospheric perspective to your drawings, giving them dimension and depth. Students at all experience levels are welcome, with instruction designed to appeal both to those who enjoy portraying landscape subjects in the open air and to students seeking to hone their basic drawing skills. This course takes place in easy-to-access Central Philadelphia and University City locations. Restrooms are available near all sites. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to drawing locations.
Image: Student artwork.
Register by: May 17
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Comprehensive Portrait Sculpture (In-Person)
with Morgan Dummitt
Tuesdays, 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)
Modeling the portrait in clay is a foundational skill of traditional sculpture. Working from a model, learn to create a portrait from composition to completed sculpture. Instruction for this uniquely comprehensive course will encompass learning to build an armature, modeling the form in clay, and casting in plaster to preserve the finished artwork. Topics of study will include proportion, composition, structure, and simplified sculptural form.
This class consists of six meetings, which will be divided as follows:
Week 1- 4: Full day clay modeling
Weeks 5 - 6: Full day plaster casting
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: Morgan Dummitt.
Register by: May 22
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Watercolor Plunge (Online)
with Tony Rosati
Tuesdays, 1 – 4 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Tony Rosati
Six-Week Short Course (18 hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only
Join Tony Rosati, PAFA BFA faculty and accomplished watercolorist, in this live Zoom class designed for those with little or no experience in watercolor. Acquire a thorough grounding in basic watercolor materials and techniques, including papers, brushes and pigments, as well as transparent and opaque painting methods. Gain the confidence to progress in your skills and enjoyment in the medium, in future studies or personal expression.
Image: Tony Rosati.
Register by: May 17
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Masters' Guide to Abstract Painting (Online)
with Susan Sullivan
Tuesdays, 6 – 8:30 p.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas content)
Instructor: Susan Sullivan
Ten-Week Course (30-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)
Abstraction in art can look like a variety of different things, from the painterly glow of a Turner seascape to the flattened patterns of a Matisse interior to Pollock’s nonobjective drip technique. But how does one get from painting realistically what one can see in the real world to translating it into invented color and shape or to abandoning form altogether? Learn from master artists throughout modern art history by trying on their techniques to find your own personal style! Explore different paint application methods, color interactions, and compositional tactics as you take on different subjects, including still life, interiors, landscape, and the figure or self-portrait…using the examples of Helen Frankenthaler, David Hockney, Mickalene Thomas, and other master artists to guide you. Each session will include lecture and artist examples, in-class painting time, and one-on-one feedback from the instructor. Whether you are seeking to drive your current work to a new direction or simply experiment with different ways of generating imagery, this is a great steppingstone to making abstraction – in whatever form it may take – personal, expressive, and satisfying. Open to all media and levels but drawing experience recommended.
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.
Image: Susan Sullivan, Pool Puddle, Oil on canvas, 20 x 20 in.
Register by: May 17
Materials List
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses