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Continuing Education at PAFA



CE Six- and Ten-Week Condensed Courses

in CE Courses by Format/Length

In-Depth Watercolor, Section 1 (In-Person)

$675

with James Toogood

Calendar Current session started Sep 13, 2024 at 9 am, runs for 10 weeks

Fridays, 9 – 1:30 p.m.
Instructor: James Toogood 
Ten-Week Condensed Course (45 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.5 Undergraduate Credits (See Below)

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. The course is designed to equip each participant with the knowledge and skills necessary to make accomplished, personally rewarding watercolor paintings. 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, or from their own source material.  
  • 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.  

Optional: This course is available for 1.5 undergraduate credits for $995. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering. 

Image: James Toogood.

Register by: September 6 

Materials List 

Fall 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies 

In-Depth Watercolor, Section 2 (In-Person)

$675

with James Toogood

Calendar Current session started Sep 18, 2024 at 9 am, runs for 10 weeks

Wednesdays, 9 – 1:30 p.m.
Instructor: James Toogood 
Ten-Week Condensed Course (45 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.5 Undergraduate Credits (See Below)

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. The course is designed to equip each participant with the knowledge and skills necessary to make accomplished, personally rewarding watercolor paintings. 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, or from their own source material.  
  • 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.  

Optional: This course is available for 1.5 undergraduate credits for $995. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering. 

Image: James Toogood.

Register by: September 6 

Materials List 

Fall 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies

Full Course

Observational Painting Toward Expression and Abstraction (Online)

$295

with Al Gury

Calendar Current session started Sep 22, 2024 at 4:30 pm, runs for 6 weeks

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)

Explore the creative and expressive possibilities that can enhance your traditional and observational artwork. Each week the class on Zoom will begin with a traditional subject: still lifes, landscapes, portraits, interiors and figures and master works with a goal of exploring and bringing greater expression and creativity to the subject. Content will include Q&A about materials and processes that students might struggle with, the visual history of the creative diversity and variety of the subject in art history, color, style and compositional possibilities, richly informative materials posted in Canvas and video demos by the instructor. A weekly project will be assigned with a goal of incorporating creative possibilities in each subject with critiques on Canvas by the Instructor. Each class will be recorded for review and sent to students weekly. The class learning goal for students is an enriched toolbox of creative ideas, and possibilities for the artistic process. Open to all media.

Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option with price adjustment when registering.

Image: Al Gury.

Register by: September 13
Materials List
Fall 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
Information for PAFA CE Online Courses

Mastering Acrylics (Online)
Registration Unavailable

Mastering Acrylics (Online)

$295

with Frederic Kaplan

Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Interactive asynchronous Canvas content supported by weekly Zoom meetings) 
Instructor:  Frederic Kaplan 
Six-Week Condensed Course (30-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit or 1.0 Undergraduate Credit (See Below)

Master the fundamental materials and techniques of acrylic painting in just six weeks! Through a combination of online videos, illustrated lessons, and live Zoom sessions, learn to paint in the alla prima style, apply paint both opaquely and transparently, blend color and value, and employ various layering techniques. Color mixing and theory are also addressed, and a rich resource of information about the wide array of acrylic painting materials is provided. This course is appropriate for students at all levels, including beginners, but drawing experience is recommended. Weekly Zoom meetings will supplement asynchronous instruction.  

Optional: This condensed course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595.  Select credit option with price adjustment when registering. 

Image: Fred Kaplan.

Register by: September 20 

Materials List

Fall 2024 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies

Information for PAFA CE Online Courses 





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