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The Complete Portrait: Drawing and Anatomy (In-Person)
with Roberto Osti
Tuesdays, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Many artists consider the head and face to be the most challenging yet rewarding parts of the human form to draw or paint. Gain confidence in your ability to render the portrait by drawing from both PAFA’s historic casts and models with noted artist and author Roberto Osti. Learn the fundamental structural, anatomical, and proportional elements necessary to create structurally-correct, accurate, and life-like portraits. Practice a variety of time-honored drawing techniques, including graphite and charcoal on white paper, charcoal and chalk on toned paper, reduction techniques, and more. Topics will include the basic proportions and volumes of head and neck, the muscles, correct positioning of the facial features, the planes of the head, the skull structure, measuring techniques, line drawing, and tonal rendering.
This intensive morning and afternoon course will start each session with a one-hour demonstration, covering the structure anatomy and physiognomic aspects of the head and neck. Students will then apply this anatomy knowledge toward drawing the portrait – first from renowned portrait busts in PAFA’s beautiful, natural-light-filled Historic Cast Hall, then from life, from a diverse array of models. Instruction will include homework exercises for further practice, using photographic references and Master drawings to study the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject and a variety of techniques. This course is perfect for artists of all levels interested in mastering this fascinating subject. Note: Course tuition includes a $50 models fee.
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $745 (including model fee). Select credit option when registering.
Image: Roberto Osti, Portrait of Megan, colored pencil on toned paper.
Register by: May 9
In-Depth Watercolor, Summer 1 (In-Person)
with James Toogood
Fridays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Enrich your knowledge of painting with an in-depth look at watercolor. Thoroughly investigate a wide range of watercolor materials and techniques from your choice of landscape, still life, portrait, and figure subjects. Open to watercolorists of all levels and to acrylic/oil painters looking to broaden their skills.
Learning Objectives
- Students will learn about color theory as applied to watercolor.
- Students will receive a comprehensive explanation of watercolor materials and tools, with particular focus will be paid to the properties of paint and pigments as they interact with the paintbrushes and paper.
- Through both discussions and demonstrations, first time participants and beginners will learn a variety of techniques that are fundamental to watercolor, presented in a systematic step by step method. Participants can expect to have regular individual instruction, given at their current skill level.
- Focus also will be paid on acquiring the skills needed to achieve a richness of color and a feeling of light.
- Participants will work from direct observations from the still life and model, as well as from one’s own source materials.
- Those not taking the class for credit will have the option to work on landscape, still life, portrait and figure or abstraction, as they wish.
- Participants will be exposed to a variety of watercolor styles and encouraged to discover one’s own personal aesthetic.
- The course is ultimately designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to make accomplished, personally rewarding watercolor paintings.
Optional: This course is available for 1.5 undergraduate credits for $995. Select credit option when registering.
Image: James Toogood, Bermuda.
Register by: May 12
Figure Painting: Alla Prima and the Limited Palette (In-Person)
with David Wilson
Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.*
Painting the human form from observation is one of the cornerstones of PAFA's long tradition of rigorous instruction. Working from the nude model in poses of varying lengths, investigate color mixing, proportion, and composition using oil paint as a medium. Focusing on alla prima painting techniques and a limited flesh-tone palette, learn to model the human form through gesture, shape, volume, and temperature – excellent for painted sketches and preparatory studies, foundations for extended work, or an introduction/refresher to figure painting. Intended for all skill levels, this course also offers the valuable opportunity for more advanced students to continue to hone their skills to deepen their understanding of the language of painting. Instruction will be geared toward oil, but students may draw-only, or use other appropriate media, in this class, if they wish. Note: Tuition includes a $35 models fee.
* No class on May 27 for Memorial Day Weekend.
Image: David Wilson, 2016.
Register by: May 12
Alla Prima Portrait Painting and Drawing (Online)
with Al Gury
Sundays, 3 - 4 p.m.*
Al Gury, Professor of Painting and Drawing at PAFA and noted author of Alla Prima, Color for Painters, and Foundations of Drawing, presents this in-depth approach to the skills, materials, colors, history, and techniques of alla prima portrait painting and drawing. Working from photographs, masterworks, or available models, learn concepts that will not only improve your portrait painting and drawing, but also grow your confidence in your artistic practice. Video demonstrations, images, and written instructions on the online learning platform Canvas will be supplemented by critiques and weekly discussions. Oil painting will be the primary focus, but all media are welcome as well as all levels of experience. Class meetings will be held on Zoom, and Canvas will be used for assignments and class content.
Optional: This is a Condensed Course, available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option when registering.
* No class on May 28 for Memorial Day Weekend.
Image: Al Gury, PJ, oil on panel, 14 x 11 in.
Register by: Registration Still Open! Recordings are available for online courses.
Color for Painters (Online)
with Al Gury
Sundays, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.*
An in-depth approach to understanding and using color in art from Al Gury, Professor of Painting and Drawing at PAFA and noted author of Alla Prima, Color for Painters, and Foundations of Drawing. Explore color’s history, palettes, mixing processes, and techniques for still life, portrait, interior spaces,and landscape through weekly lectures, video demos, discussions and assignments with a goal of improving the student’s use of color in their work. Regular feedback and critiques from the instructor will be provided each week. Class meetings will be held on Zoom, and the online learning platform Canvas will be used for assignments and class content. Oil paint will be a primary topic, but all media are welcome and will be discussed. Open to all levels of experience.
Optional: This is a Condensed Course, available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option when registering.
* No class on May 28 for Memorial Day Weekend.
Image: Al Gury, Still Life with Crazy Quilt, 2022, 20 x 16 in.
Register by: Registration Still Open! Recordings are available for online courses.
Confident Acrylics (Online)
with Charles Muldowney
Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Discover and explore the characteristics of acrylics so that you can paint with confidence! Acrylic paint can imitate oil paint and watercolor paint, yet it has its own exceptional assets and characteristics not available with these other media. Its vibrant color, versatility, and layering capabilities make it the preferred medium of artists like David Hockney, Robert Motherwell, Mark Rothko, Bridget Riley, Helen Frankenthaler and Murray Dessner. Work from still life, self-portrait, window-view, and photographic subjects to practice a variety of application techniques, use of materials, and color mixing principles. Presentations, demonstrations, exercises, and projects will promote familiarity and experimentation with this accessible medium. Learn:
- Acrylic painting with traditional application methods, such as direct and indirect painting, wet-on-wet, grisaille, camaieu, glazing, velatura, dry brush, and stipple approaches
- Impasto techniques of working with thick paint using a pallet knife and other tools
- How to use oil over acrylic paint
- Use of the historic Zorn and Apelles palettes
- Essential color and design principles
- Experimental practices, including alcohol resist, wax resist, rollers, spreaders, scrapers, mixed media, and spattering
Image: Charles Muldowney.
Register by: Registration Still Open! Recordings are available for online courses.
Painting Over the Line, Summer 1 (Online)
with Kassem Amoudi
Wednesdays, 1 – 4 p.m.
Take your work to the next level under the guidance of artist/critic/mentor Kassem Amoudi in this live Zoom class. Expert instruction and advice will push you to explore new possibilities and work more intuitively, allowing unplanned marks and passages to become artistic breakthroughs. Paint from personal subject matter to find your own visual language, informed by examples from contemporary and modern art. Painting experience recommended. Kassem will begin each class with a slide presentation/lecture focusing on how master artists through history have addressed color, harmony, focal points, space, mark making, paint application, and more, and how to apply these concepts to your own work.
Image: Kassem Amoudi.
Register by: Registration Still Open!
The Art of Natural History (Online)
with Kate Samworth
Wednesdays, 3 - 5 p.m.
Examine the social, scientific, religious, political, and economic factors that influenced centuries of cataloging the natural world, from ancient Greece to the Enlightenment. In this course, which combines art history with hands-on studio practice, students will learn to identify and imitate the traditional printmaking techniques that are integral to natural history illustration through a series of demonstrations in mixed media. Two-hour hands-on sessions will meet weekly, accompanying one-hour recorded presentations on art history that will be available for viewing at the student’s convenience. Each week will highlight a different topic in science including botany, ornithology, zoology, anatomy, entomology, cabinets of curiosity, marine life, and geometry in nature. Note: For intermediate-level students; prior still life drawing experience required.
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option when registering.
Image: Kate Samworth, Pollinators.
Register by: Registration Still Open! Recordings are available for online courses.