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Sketch-on-the-Go (Outdoor)
with Frederic Kaplan
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
RAIN DATE: May 4*
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Credit: Non-Credit Only
Capture the active life of the city and its rich architecture. This is an excellent workshop for anyone who wants to learn to sketch on the bus or train, in cafés and public parks, or while traveling abroad. Topics include perspective, gauging proportions by eye, gesture figure drawing, and methods for simplifying form. All levels welcome.
* Rain Date: May 4. Please plan on the rain date when registering – regular withdrawal policies apply, dated by the original workshop date, for students unable to attend the rescheduled date. See policy guide, below.
Learning Objectives
- Gesture figure drawing methods
- Basic perspective as applied to architecture
- Simplification of complex subjects
Image: Sybille Zeldin, Turkey Mart. Courtesy of the student.
Register by: April 19
Materials List
Winter/Spring 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Oil Painting: Core Techniques (In-Person)
with Frederic Kaplan
Wednesdays, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.*
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Six-Week Condensed Course (30 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)
Register by April 19 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2024 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Summer Studio/Critique Program, CA Certificate registration, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.)
Whether you are new or returning to oil painting, learn its materials and techniques and how to apply them effectively in this comprehensive foundational course. Instruction will discuss and demonstrate a range of colors, paint brands, and painting mediums and demystify painting conventions such as “fat over lean” and “thick over thin.” Working from still-life subject matter, begin with simple “direct” alla prima sketches, and then advance to “indirect” layering approaches of building upon a tonal underpainting – first with a limited selection of transparent and opaque colors, and later with a more extended palette. Develop methodologies for the process of making a painting, including managing color and value, and constructing an engaging composition. Previous drawing experience recommended.
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.
*Note: No class on June 19 for Juneteenth holiday.
Image: Fred Kaplan, Despina, 2019, Acrylic on panel, 12 x 12 in.
Register by: May 10
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
In-Depth Watercolor, Session 1 (In-Person)
with James Toogood
Fridays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Instructor: James Toogood
Six-Week Condensed Course (42 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.5 Undergraduate Credits (See Below)
Register by April 19 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2024 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Summer Studio/Critique Program, CA Certificate registration, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.)
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 Condensed Course is available for 1.5 undergraduate credits for $995. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.
Image: James Toogood, Bermuda.
Register by: May 10
Materials List
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide including withdrawal/refund policies
Figure Painting: Alla Prima and the Limited Palette (In-Person)
with David Wilson
Saturdays, 10 a.m - 1 p.m.*
Instructor: David Wilson
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only
Register by April 19 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2024 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Summer Studio/Critique Program, CA Certificate registration, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.)
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, if they wish. Note: Tuition includes a $35 models fee.
Note: No class on May 25 for Memorial Day Weekend.
Image: David Wilson.
Register by: May 10
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Traditions in Landscape Painting (Online)
with Al Gury
Sundays, 3 – 4 p.m.* (Interactive asynchronous Canvas content supported by weekly Zoom meetings)
Instructor: Al Gury
Six-Week Condensed Course (30-hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)
Register by April 19 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2024 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Summer Studio/Critique Program, certificate registration, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.)
In this visually rich and interactive class, students will be guided through the development of the color and styles of contemporary landscape painting from its beginnings in the 16th century to the modern era, with a focus on historical Dutch landscape painting, the English and French plein air painters, the Impressionist landscape, and early modern forms of personal expression in the genre. Each class will include a visual history of the topic, color palettes, the materials and techniques of each approach, and a video demonstration by the instructor. Working from master copies and photos, as well as observational painting, will be addressed. Weekly project assignments will be critiqued by the instructor. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the development of landscape painting while developing individualized painting approaches and personal style.
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.
* No class on May 26 (Memorial Day Weekend).
Register by: May 10
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Foundations of Art 101 (Online)
with Al Gury
Sundays, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.* (Interactive asynchronous Canvas content supported by weekly Zoom meetings)
Instructor: Al Gury
Six-Week Condensed Course (30-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)
Register by April 19 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2024 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Summer Studio/Critique Program, CA Certificate registration, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.)
Al Gury, Professor of Painting and Drawing at PAFA, and noted author of Alla Prima, Color for Painters, and Foundations of Drawing, presents the foundational basics of art making. This course is designed for individuals who are new to or just beginning to study art, or for those desiring a refresher in the basic elements, with a goal of imparting a solid and practical understanding of essential topics and practices. As a survey course, each week will focus on a specific topic and a project assignment. Topics will include the materials of drawing and painting, drawing shapes, measuring, forms, perspective, depth, use of line, understanding light and shade, and composition. Exercises will include the basics of charcoal and pencil drawing, use of pastel, color concepts, and how oil paints work. Subjects will include still lifes, interior spaces, portraits, and life drawing through the use of masterworks. Course content and assignments will be posted on Canvas, PAFA’s online learning platform. Weekly Zoom meetings will provide opportunities for Q&A, art history discussion and references, illustrations of key concepts, and explanations of the weekly project by the instructor.
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.
* No class on May 26 (Memorial Day Weekend).
Register by: May 10
Image: Al Gury.
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Observational Drawing Practices (In-Person)
with John Horn
Tuesdays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Instructor: John Horn
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit Only
Register by April 19 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2024 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Summer Studio/Critique Program, CA Certificate registration, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.)
Strengthen and hone your foundational drawing skills through a series of one- and two-day projects. Topics of concern will be design, structure of space, perspective, and light and shade. Subjects will include interior space, single objects and still life arrangements, and the life model. All levels from beginner to advanced are welcome. Note: Tuition includes a $15 models fee.
Image: Hobson Lafayette Pittman, [Still life: bottles and fruit], mid 20th century, Pastel on brown wove paper, 13 3/4 x 25 3/4 in. Collection of PAFA, Accession #1972.18.37, Bequest of the artist, © artist or artist’s estate.
Register by: May 17
Materials List
Summer 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
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
Register by April 19 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSUMMER2024 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE regular adult Summer Session 1 and 2 classes and workshops only. Summer Studio/Critique Program, CA Certificate registration, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.)
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