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Digital Drawing and Painting (In-Person)
with Deon Robinson
Thursdays, 1 - 4 p.m.
Explore drawing and painting beyond paper and canvas! Learn to create artworks on the computer using Adobe Photoshop and digital pen tablets. Apply drawing and painting concepts such as line quality, color, value, and mark-making techniques as you use your stylus like a brush or pencil withthe computer screen or tablet as your digital canvas. Generate portfolios that focus on extending fine art principles into the virtual realm in the development of character designs, concept art, game art, or other pre-visual development. This course is also appropriate to anyone interested in translating their drawing/painting skills to another medium for their personal art-making practice. Students will utilize programs and equipment through PAFA’s illustration department – an excellent way to learn to work with digital art-making products without, or prior to, purchasing.
Image: Deon Robinson.
Register by: May 12
Figure Drawing in Charcoal and Pastel (In-Person)
with Deon Robinson
Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
A cornerstone of PAFA’s studio instruction, figure drawing is a challenging, engaging practice that benefits artists for portfolio building or in developing skills for figure-based work in any media. Working in charcoal and colored soft pastel, students will work from a variety of models in short and extended poses to explore human anatomy and proportions, value drawing with chiaroscuro, and the application of elementary color theory to produce achromatic and color drawings from observation. Open to all levels. Tuition includes a $35 models fee.
Image: Deon Robinson.
Register by: May 12
Watercolor Landscape (Online)
with Roberto Osti
Thursdays, 2 - 5 p.m.
Learn to paint watercolor landscapes while working indoors from photographic references – excellent for painters wishing to learn painting techniques to apply to their own photographed places or outdoor work, those with limited access or mobility for traditional plein air practice, and anyone interested in learning essential watercolor techniques. Provided subject matter will represent a variety of terrain and light effects, and instruction will address the rendering of trees, grass, sky, and water. Students will practice fundamental watercolor techniques such as washes, gradations, textural effects, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, dry brush, and more as they paint in real-time with the instructor. The online structure allows for a helpful overhead view of the instructor’s work in progress and a focused but conversational community environment as students engage with the instructor and complete in-class work together.
Image: Roberto Osti, Maine Coast, watercolor.
Register by: Registration Still Open! Recordings are available for online courses.
Editorial Illustration (Online)
with James Heimer
Thursdays, 6 – 9 p.m.
Explore image making as a means of communication. This is an intermediate class geared toward artists who wish to express narrative themes in their work as well as graphic designers interested in a pictorial approach to visual communication. Students will learn to analyze current news and opinion writing to create imagery with a message. Concept development methods including written brainstorming, thumbnails, and preliminary sketches will be introduced. Techniques combining traditional and digital media will be explored. This is an ideal opportunity for newcomers to digital media and will bridge the gap between the page and screen.
This course will utilize the online learning platform Canvas, and includes video demonstrations, lectures, and assignments. Weekly group discussions and individual critiques will be conducted via Zoom. Access to a scanner and Adobe Photoshop or other raster graphics software is required for the completion of assignments.
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $595. Select credit option when registering.
Image: James Heimer.
Register by: May 26
Comprehending Color for Oil Painters (In-Person)
with Roger Chavez
Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Without question, every oil painter benefits from color mixing instruction: Understanding how to accurately see, mix, and adjust color not only allows you to achieve the results you want in your work but also enables you to avoid the pitfalls of wasting paint though inaccurate and poorly understood pigment mixing. Explore key methods and principles for effective color mixing, using a limited palette to create prismatic hues and earth tone colors. Instruction will address the role of light in the visual perception of color, as well as subtractive and additive color systems. Work from varied still life arrangements to put your color comprehension into practice, and advance your painting skills for all subject matter.
Image: Roger Chavez.
Register by: June 23
Woodcut and Relief Printmaking (In-Person)
with Ron Wyffels
Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Printing from a drawing carved into wood or a linoleum block is the oldest and most straightforward form of printmaking. The direct nature of this process makes it an ideal introduction to printmaking for beginners, while artists of all levels enjoy its potential for intricate detail and graphic impact. This six-week course is the perfect condensed exploration into this striking technique. All aspects of the process will be covered, including drawing on the block, carving your design and printing black-and white and color prints. All levels welcome. Tuition includes a $20 lab fee.
Learning Objectives
- Students will gain a basic understanding of the relief printing process.
- Students will acquire technical experience in preparing woodblocks & linoleum blocks to receive their drawn images.
- Students will learn safe and smart cutting techniques for making their printing blocks.
- Students will acquire technical expertise by proofing and printing their black & white and color relief prints, including skills in ink brayer use & press operation.
- Students will learn printmaking professionalism including printing editions on clean registered printmaking paper and signing and numbering editions appropriately.
- Students will learn the importance of image development by exploring various possibilities with the process.
- Students will develop critical visual and verbal skills through individual discussions with the instructor and with their peers.
Image: Ron Wyffels, woodcut.
Register by: June 23
Drawing the Urban Environment (Outdoor)
with Frederic Kaplan
Thursdays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Draw Philadelphia’s picturesque historic and commercial architecture, using fundamental observational drawing techniques to capture the world around you. Learn simple methods for applying the principles of linear and atmospheric perspective to your drawings, giving them dimension and depth. Students at all experience levels are welcome, with instruction designed to appeal both to those who enjoy portraying landscape subjects in the open air and to students seeking to hone their basic drawing skills. This course takes place in easy-to-access Central Philadelphia and University City locations. Restrooms are available near all sites. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to drawing locations.
Image: Maureen Mastroieni, Federal Court.
Register by: June 23
Essential Drawing Techniques (In-Person)
with Roger Chavez
Thursdays, 1 - 4 p.m.
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.
Image: Roger Chavez.
Register by: June 23