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Plein Air Painting in Valley Forge (Outdoor)
with Charles Muldowney
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 Arch.
Register by: June 24
Materials List
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Essential Drawing Techniques (In-Person)
with Roger Chavez
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)
with Roberto Osti
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)
with David Wilson
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
Taking the Leap: Summer Studio Session (Studio Rental and Instruction)
with Roger Chavez
Open studio access: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily, six weeks, July 8 - August 16, with weekly instruction on Thursdays.
Weekly Meetings/Studio-Visits: Thursdays, July 11 - August 15, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Guest instructor/critic, TBA, on August 8.)
Instructor/Lead Critic: Roger Chavez
Credit: Non-credit
Taking the leap to start or cultivate an art-making practice in a private studio space can be both exciting and daunting. Learn how to create work and stay motivated on your own terms in this new and unique combination studio-rental and classroom course! Tuition for this six-week program will confer an individual studio space in PAFA’s Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building, as well as weekly meetings for critique and instruction on a variety of artist’s concerns led by artist-instructor/critic Roger Chavez. Studios for this program are approximately 9 x 16 feet, white-walled, with easel and stool provided (students are responsible for additional furniture or equipment needs). Students have two studio options (select preference during registration):
- Studios within a group space are located side-by-side within a private, key-secured corridor for an engaging community atmosphere. Each space is curtained (no individually locked doors), opening out to the corridor’s large east-facing windows for the benefit of abundant natural light.
- Interior studios spaces (not located along PAFA’s windowed exterior walls) offer increased privacy with individual lockable doors, without natural light.
Weekly meetings will feature both one-on-one in-studio critiques/discussions as well as group instruction on art topics designed to motivate and assist you in your work, including drawing sessions, assignment prompts, materials and techniques demonstrations, gallery visits, and critiques from guest critics. This class is perfect for artists of varying levels of experience wanting to jumpstart or advance their personal practice, for students considering application to a studio-centered certificate or degree program, or for anyone lacking a home studio and seeking a space to pursue their work -- with the motivation and encouragement that come from being part of an artistic community! Participants will benefit from some prior art-making experience and the ability to work independently.
Note: Registration requires a $200 studio deposit that is refundable upon satisfactory return of the studio to its original condition at the end of the program. Students must agree to and sign PAFA’s studio agreement form. Membership and early registration discounts cannot be applied to course tuition, but students are eligible to receive 10% off additional Summer CE courses to supplement their studio pursuits.
Image: CE Summer Studio/Critique Program, 2022.
Registration Deadline: Rolling, on a space-available basis. Late registration (after first weekly meeting) available.
Materials List (Approved Materials)
Summer CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Paint the Evening City (Outdoor)
with Frederic Kaplan
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)
with Morgan Dummitt
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)
with Al Gury
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