Open Studies Course Registration

Grades K-2: For the young artist who loves to draw, this course teaches students to create drawings from represetation, memory, observation, and imagination. Artists will discover different approaches to drawing, use various tools, and drawing materials. From pen and pencil to color explorations in pastel and paint, students will create studies and sketches as preparation for several larger, refined pieces that explore smudging, scratching, blending and mark making.

Grades K-2: For the young artist who loves to draw, this course teaches students to create drawings from represetation, memory, observation, and imagination. Artists will discover different approaches to drawing, use various tools, and drawing materials. From pen and pencil to color explorations in pastel and paint, students will create studies and sketches as preparation for several larger, refined pieces that explore smudging, scratching, blending and mark making.

Grades 3-5: Using children's literature and picture books as rich sources of imagery and storylines, students weave their own stories individually and in collaboration with peers. Students draw upon their natural tendency to tell colorful and elaborate stories and examine the work of artists/author-illustrators such as Ezra Jack Keats, Mitsumasa Anno, Vashti Harrison, Maurice Sendak, Andrea Beaty, and Eric Carle. Large-scale drawings, booklets, varied paper surfaces/techniques, and story performances are just a few of the creative ways stories will be recorded and passed on.

Grades: 3-5: Nowhere is there a medium more malleable and versatile than clay. Intended for our youngest artists and framed within an energetic context of play, tactile experiences, exploration and discovery, this course is intended to get students immersed in working creatively to create forms, apply textures, and consider the varieties of surface effects with glaze. Students extrude, roll, press, mold, shape, squeeze, pinch, and drape clay in unusual ways to create beautiful, artful clay objects. Once familiar with the basic characteristics, possibilities and limitations of clay, students will find that the options are virtually endless!

Grades K-2: In this course students will discover the beauty and significance of objects and places in their world. Using clay, oil pastels, and paint students will develop their artistic skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the connections between art, culture, and their surroundings. Through techniques such as draping, rolling, folding, and cutting, they will learn how 2D materials can be transformed into 3D forms. Each class will draw inspiration from a different theme, encouraging students to see the world through the eyes of an artist! They will open their minds to new possibilities and perspectives as they examine the rich tapestry of objects and places that make up their world in order to create meaningful artifacts and design places of their own.

Grades 6-8: In this course, students practice the art of telling stories through pictures. Formal aspects of the narrative are applied by combining the written word with visual sequences. Students learn how storylines are developed, formats are considered and characters created. Observation skill-building helps students develop a basis for their fantasy figures, heroes, and heroines. Each student explores animation techniques and produces a comic strip consisting of several frames as well as a multi-page comic book.

Grade 6-8: In this course students will use acrylic paint to explore expressive uses of color, color mixing, and color theory. Using a variety of painting surfaces, students will paint in both traditional and unconventional ways, with brushes of various sizes and unconventional tools such as spatulas, squeegees and combs. Through critique and peer feedback, this course offers opportunities for students to think deeply about their work and the meaning behind their paintings.

Grades 9-12 Beginning with an understanding of compositional principles and the basic camera functions, features, and possibilities, students learn to create digital photographs. From a variety of prompts intended to tap into students' interpretation and experience of the visual world around them, students collect imagery in their daily lives, at home, and outdoors. As the course progresses, the class explores the Adobe Photoshop program as a tool to refine images and explore options for manipulating imagery for expressive purposes. Note: Students must have their own digital camera (cell phone or DSLR). Access to the Adobe Creative Suite is included for the duration of this course.

Grades 9-12: This intense studio class begins with a review of students’ current art portfolios, with discussion about what a college ready portfolio might look like. Students keep a reflective journal and sketchbook as they identify areas to strengthen in their artwork. Working independently with the instructor, students then develop a plan for tailored art problems intended to highlight skills and flesh out their portfolios for presentation. This course is especially designed for students who are looking to ease their transition into art school.

Grades 9-12: This course emphasizes illustration as a tool for creating rich and immersive worlds. Students will develop detailed illustrations of illustrative environments, that suggest story through a single image. Working from reference and imagination, students will explore composition, mood, lighting, and visual style to strengthen their illustrative voice. Projects may include illustrated scenes, character concept illustrations, and environment artwork, helping students learn how illustrators communicate narrative, atmosphere, and world-building through finished images rather than sequential panels.