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Oil/Acrylic Painting: Abstracting the Real (In-Person)
with Frederic Kaplan
Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Register by 5 p.m. on August 22 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDFALL2022 at checkout. PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE adult Fall classes and workshops only. Pre-College Programs, Open Academy Courses, and Master Classes are ineligible.)
Using oil or acrylic paints, exploit a wide range of techniques and artistic languages to transform everyday reality into expressive, symbolic, or personal statements. Base your paintings on unique studio still-life arrangements or use your own photographs as a starting point. Topics discussed and demonstrated include using color as an emotive element, designing compositions to convey mood and movement, and employing energetic mark-making. For less experienced students, materials, color mixing, and basic techniques are also reviewed.
Course Objectives
The student will learn…
- How to select and use basic materials, including the characteristics of various commonly used colors, solvents, and mediums
- To execute a variety of direct and indirect painting methods.
- Approaches to interpreting and modifying observed reality to achieve emotive, symbolic, and compositional goals
- Descriptive, emotive, and symbolic use of color, shape, and mark
- Basic color theory and color mixing
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $575. Select credit option when registering.
Please note: All students enrolling in on-campus courses must submit proof of full COVID-19 vaccination and booster upon registration. Requests for medical or religious exemptions must be approved by PAFA’s head of security. PAFA reserves the right to refuse entry and withdraw enrollment for students who have not provided proof of vaccination and have not been approved for exemption. Withdrawals for noncompliance will result in fees. See CE Policy Guide for complete COVID safety requirements and policies.
Register by: September 2
Metal Sculpture 1 (In-Person)
with Steve Nocella
Saturdays, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Register by 5 p.m. on August 22 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDFALL2022 at checkout. PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE adult Fall classes and workshops only. Pre-College Programs, Open Academy Courses, and Master Classes are ineligible.)
Metal Sculpture 1 teaches the basic skills needed for making metal sculpture. Learn fundamental methods of cutting, bending and welding metal such as sawing, heating, and MIG welding. Students will be encouraged to explore the medium with directness and spontaneity to gain a knowledge and understanding of its complexion. Note: Tuition includes a $25 lab fee.
Please note: All students enrolling in on-campus courses must submit proof of full COVID-19 vaccination and booster upon registration. Requests for medical or religious exemptions must be approved by PAFA’s head of security. PAFA reserves the right to refuse entry and withdraw enrollment for students who have not provided proof of vaccination and have not been approved for exemption. Withdrawals for noncompliance will result in fees. See CE Policy Guide for complete COVID safety requirements and policies.
Image: Judith Hoyt, Untitled, n.d., Wood, metal and paint, 9 1/4 x 8 1/2 in. (23.495 x 21.59 cm.). Collection of PAFA, Accession #2011.1.251, Art by Women Collection, Gift of Linda Lee Alter, Copyright © Judith Hoyt, Linda Lee Alter Collection of Art by Women.
Register by: September 2
Plein Air in the Park (Lemon Hill - Outdoor)
with Keith Leitner
Sundays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Register by 5 p.m. on August 22 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDFALL2022 at checkout. PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE adult Fall classes and workshops only. Pre-College Programs, Open Academy Courses, and Master Classes are ineligible.)
Capture the colors of fall en plein air through vibrant watercolor and pastel. Become comfortable and confident with the practice of working outdoors, using either or both mediums, at picturesque Lemon Hill and other select locations around the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Fairmount Park. Instruction will cover means of accurately and expressively depicting outdoor sites, pastel drawing and layering methods, watercolor painting techniques, mixed media applications, color mixing, and the history and capabilities of each medium. All levels welcome.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn to observe and depict landscape and cityscape en plein air with attendant materials and set up
- Learn color mixing and application of each medium
- Study of pigment history and development
- Learn about watercolor/pastel history via short discussions of painters and their motifs.
Register by: September 2
Portrait Painting and Drawing (Online)
with Al Gury
Sundays, 3 – 4 p.m.
Register by 5 p.m. on August 22 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDFALL2022 at checkout. PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE adult Fall classes and workshops only. Pre-College Programs, Open Academy Courses, and Master Classes are ineligible.)
An in-depth approach to portrait painting from noted author of Color for Painters: A Guide to Traditions and Practice. Investigate the structure of the human head through drawings and painted studies. Progress to finished paintings and address issues of likeness, composition, space and texture. Learn to better see and understand color to mix it more successfully – a useful skill for painting any subject matter. Includes weekly step-by-step painting demonstrations, assignments that target each important issue of painting a portrait, critiques and weekly Zoom meetings. All levels welcome.
Learning Objectives
- Students will learn the traditions and history of portraiture
- Students will learn portrait structure and anatomy
- Students will learn how to achieve a good likeness
- Students will learn alla prima (direct) painting techniques
- Students will learn to use the materials and color palettes for effective portrait painting
- Students will learn to use the materials for effective portrait drawing including pastel
- Students will learn to paint portraits from both life and from photo reference
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $575. Select credit option when registering.
Image: Al Gury.
Register by: September 2
Plein Air Painting in Cape May, NJ (Outdoor)
with Joseph Sweeney
Thursday – Sunday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Register by 5 p.m. on August 22 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDFALL2022 at checkout. PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE adult Fall classes and workshops only. Pre-College Programs, Open Academy Courses, and Master Classes are ineligible.)
Join Joe Sweeney for an outdoor, in-person, plein air painting retreat in beautiful Cape May, New Jersey! Experience small town hospitality while painting Cape May Point, the Cove with sweeping vistas, Cape May Lighthouse, and Sunset Beach. Instruction includes tips on choosing a prime location, reading the weather and light at a particular time of day, and setting up a landscape palette. Instruction is geared towards oil, acrylic and pastel, but experienced watercolorists are welcome. Health-safety measures, including social-distancing and masking where required, will be practiced. Note: Students are responsible for their own travel arrangements.
Image: Joseph Sweeney, Lifeguard, Grant Street, Cape May, NJ, acrylic.
Register by: September 16
Figure Drawing into Painting (Online)
with David Wilson
Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Register by 5 p.m. on August 22 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDFALL2022 at checkout. PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE adult Fall classes and workshops only. Pre-College Programs, Open Academy Courses, and Master Classes are ineligible.)
Join PAFA’s celebrated figurative tradition through this progression from drawn studies to color oil renderings of the human form. Study principles of proportion, anatomy, color mixing, light and shade, and the relationship between the figure and the environment, progressing from drawing studies to monochromatic, limited-color, and full-color paintings. Topics and projects include gesture studies, painting from photographs, and portrait painting from a mirror. Students will learn through a combination of live Zoom sessions and posted instructional content. Appropriate for all levels, with options to draw-only based on experience.
Learning Objectives:
- Strong design and composition
- Accurate anatomy and proportions
- Believable depictions of light and space
- Dynamic use of colors, marks, and textures
Optional: This course is available for 1.0 undergraduate credit for $575. Select credit option when registering.
Image: Christian Schussele, [Figure study: female nude reclining, back view], n.d., Charcoal on green-gray wove paper, 13 13/16 x 21 in. irr. (35.09645 x 53.34 cm.). Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Accession #1876.9.572, John S. Phillips Collection.
Register by: September 2
Autumn in Acrylic Workshop (Outdoor)
with Michelle Oosterbaan
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Register by 5 p.m. on August 22 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDFALL2022 at checkout. PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. (Discount applies to CE adult Fall classes and workshops only. Pre-College Programs, Open Academy Courses, and Master Classes are ineligible.)
Acrylic paint is the perfect medium for landscape painting in the open air! Explore acrylic’s vibrant color and versatile application and layering methods as you portray the beauty of autumn in Philadelphia’s Bartram Gardens. Learn techniques for choosing a composition, mixing color, and working efficiently outdoors as you complete works that capture the immediacy of the season’s color and light. Fast-drying and easy to clean-up, acrylics will allow you to easily transport your finished work home after each day’s painting. Open to all levels. Shade, restrooms, and other amenities available on site. Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to painting locations.
Image: Helen Lloyd Horter, Autumn in Rockport, ca. 1934, Oil on canvas, 20 1/16 x 22 1/8 in. (51.0 x 56.2 cm.), Accession #1935.7, John Lambert Fund.
Rain dates: October 8 & 9
Register by: September 23
Perspective Drawing Crash Course (Online)
with Kate Samworth
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Perspective drawing is an essential tool for creating the illusion of space. Learn to apply the principles of one- and two-point perspective to create complex interiors, landscapes, and cityscapes that include repeated patterns, arches, stairways, and more. Limited class size allows time for one-on-one assistance. Great for illustrators and artists of any drawing media.
Photo Credit: John Notman, Sketch of the Interior of the North Gallery, Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Ink and wash on paper, Ink and wash on paper, Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Gift of Charles Coleman Sellers, 1973.26.2
Register by: September 30