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)
No class on May 25 (Memorial Day Weekend)

Improve your skills and understanding of drawing the human figure and portrait! This fascinating and informative class will address the materials for drawing; the structure of the human body; how to understand the shapes, volumes, and anatomy of the figure; descriptions of the bone and muscular structures; and traditional figure drawing materials and techniques. Topics of study will include the visual history of drawing people, master techniques, and styles and expression in drawing the figure. Instruction will address techniques for gesture drawing, achieving realistic proportions, defining form through line and shading, drawing the portrait, and tackling hands and feet. Each class will include Q&A, problem solving, presentations of drawing approaches to anatomy, and video demonstrations by the instructor. Students will be assigned weekly projects which the instructor will critique and comment on via the online learning platform Canvas. Excellent for both beginners and experienced artists.

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

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Fridays, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (Zoom with posted Canvas Content)
Instructor: David Wilson
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours Equivalent, Live + Asynchronous)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Drawing is not only the starting point for artistic study in any medium, but also a unique and personal way of portraying people and places, expressing ideas, and recording experiences – accessible to anyone! Whether you are seeking to launch your artistic career or to capture the world with pencil on paper, this course is for you. Explore drawing’s fundamental materials, techniques, and principles through live Zoom demonstrations and posted instructional content. Learn to translate the three-dimensional world to the flat surface of your paper by working from still-life objects, interiors, and portraits in your choice of pencil, charcoal, or other media. This course is appropriate for all levels, from beginners to more experienced artists seeking to hone their core skills.

Learning Objectives:

• Strong designs and compositions
• Accurate shapes and proportions
• Believable depiction of light and space
• Dynamic use of tones, marks, and textures

Image: David Wilson.

Registration still open!
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Summer 2025 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies
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Tuesdays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
Instructor: John Horn 
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours) 
Credit: Non-Credit Only

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. Tuition includes a $15 models fee.

Register by: July 1
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Wednesdays, 1 – 4 p.m. 
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan 
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours) 
Credit: Non-Credit Only

The simple pencil is an economical medium readily accessible to students at all levels, including beginners. It can produce drawings that range from poetic delicacy to energetic and bold expressiveness. Working from still life arrangements, interiors, window views, and PAFA’s cast collection, students will explore a variety of approaches for using pencil to shade and model form convincingly and with beauty. Instruction will review basic drawing principles and observational skills such as evaluating shape, gauging proportions, and employing perspective effects like foreshortening. Previous drawing experience is recommended but not required.

Register by: July 2
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Summer 2025 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies

Wednesdays, 6 – 8 p.m. (Zoom with Posted Canvas Content)
Instructor: Deon Robinson
Six-Week Short Course (18-Hour Equivalent)
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Charcoal is one of the most common yet versatile drawing mediums, used to create both delicate and dramatic effects – perfect for portraiture. Work from photo sources, family/friends, or yourself as self-portrait subject to learn fine art principles and methodology to gain a comprehensive understanding of the head structure, proportions, and features toward achieving both a likeness and aesthetic effect. Explore additive and subtractive techniques for different types of charcoal implements to promote its malleability and capacity for rich value and contrast. All levels welcome. 

Register by: July 2
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Summer 2025 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies 
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Thursdays, 6 – 9 p.m. 
Instructor: RA Friedman 
Six-Week Short Course (18 Hours) 
Credit: Non-Credit Only

For anyone seeking to advance their portrait drawing skills to the next level, this course takes a deep look at the functional and expressive anatomy of the human head including the face, neck, and shoulders. Explore head variations and how the face changes over time. Experiment with creative questions such as handling light and composition. Content includes drawing from life and working in larger formats with a wider range of media. Instruction will lay the groundwork for creative explorations that lead to professional quality work.  Tuition includes a $25 models fee.

Note: For foundational or alternative study, see Portrait Drawing: Structure and Features. Students need not enroll in both sections, and Structure and Features is not required for Expression and Likeness.

Register by: July 3
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Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Instructor: Roger Chavez
Weekend Workshop 
Credit: Non-Credit Only

Explore past techniques to inspire new ways of drawing​! Experiment with silverpoint, chalk, and conté on a variety of historical surfaces: a beautiful and easy-to-erase silverpoint surface (tafelleten); a receptive pastel surface made from volcanic ash; and a versatile ground of acrylic gesso with calcium carbonate treatment for a variety of media.  Take part in surface preparations to better understand and employ their properties, and then use them to draw from traditional subject matter such as still lifes, antique casts, and the nude figure.  Perfect for draftspeople interested in expanding their craft and anyone with a fascination for historical practices.  Tuition includes a $10 models fee.  Additionally, students should come prepared to purchase materials necessary to make the various surfaces directly from the instructor, approximately $10.

Image: Roger Chavez, Untitled Still Life #D1, 2010, traditional gesso on rag paper, 11 x 15 in.

Register by: July 13
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Summer 2025 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies