Pathfinders Academy

CVH | Artistic Exploration | Wednesdays | 2024

Days: Wednesdays

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Location: TBD

Course Description: 

Welcome to Artistic Exploration, a comprehensive course designed for young artists (ages 11 and older) who are eager to explore their creative potential and develop their artistic skills. We will delve into a diverse range of artistic mediums and techniques through drawing, acrylic painting, pastels, watercolor, and printmaking, thus fostering a passion for visual expression. Through a hands-on approach, supportive guidance and encouragement, artists will discover their unique style, and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of various art forms. Join us on this artistic journey and unlock your creative potential!

Drawing (Weeks 1-3)

Artists will explore the fundamentals of drawing and sketching while observing a variety of subjects and styles using graphite pencils, charcoal, pen and ink, markers, and colored pencils. Students will practice sketching from still life using simple geometric shapes to begin drawing subjects the students are interested in. It is through these exercises that they will learn how to apply the techniques of line, value, shading, proportion, perspective, design, and balance.

Acrylics (Weeks 4-6)

Acrylic paints have great versatility. Used strategically it can be applied to look like oil, or watercolor. These traits coupled with the inherent properties of acrylic paint, like consistency, finish, and drying time, makes them a favorite medium. Together we will work with acrylics to learn about color theory and mixing. We will learn about primary and secondary colors on our color wheel, as well as warm and cool colors. Finally, we will create compositions using acrylic on canvas with brush and pouring techniques.

Pastels (Weeks 7-9)

Pastels are a great medium to work with; they are very pigmented, blendable, and can be used to create paint-like effects without the use of water. We will learn specific techniques that will help us to explore the use of pastels with intention and confidence. We will work with oil and chalk pastels utilizing different techniques such as layering, stippling, and smudging. We will also create compositions using glue to create a stained glass look as well as experiment with wet chalk drawings.

Watercolor (Weeks 10-12)

Watercolor is an excellent medium for capturing and depicting the nuances of the world around us. Masters like Cezanne, Hopper, Klee, and O’Keefe were geniuses of the watercolor medium and we still marvel at their techniques today. Together we will explore some of these same techniques. We will learn watercolor methods such as washes, blending and salt texture. We will explore fun treating effects including wet on wet, tie-dye and marbling. We will also create a unified composition with crayon resist while learning how to draw with simple shapes and contour lines. 

Printmaking (Weeks 13-14)

Printmaking is an artistic process that involves transferring an image from one surface to another. Scholars will learn various printmaking techniques. Printmaking is great to explore with kids because it can take so many forms. In this class we will explore a few different varieties of the printmaking process, such as using found objects for printing, making stamps, and mono printing with foil.

*With the exception of an 11x17 tray (cardboard works well!) to transport your works of art, all materials will be provided. 15 students or less in each class. Schedule subject to change.