Program Progression
A student’s program will not always follow this exact progression. How far a student progresses through the curriculum before exploring a new medium is dependent on their skill level and age. No two student programs are exactly the same since our teachers customize each program based on the individual student. However, all students revisit and undertake more advanced levels of various mediums and curriculum as their skills develop and the teachers feel that they are ready for greater challenge. Students who have longevity in the program will spiral between the various mediums throughout their time at ArtWorks.
Drawing is the core foundation of each and every project.
Through our traditional realistic drawing method students learn that all forms can be broken down into simple shapes. Our students draw from custom ArtWorks reference curriculum, photographs, masters reproductions, and still life objects. Our step-by-step instruction enables students to use shapes to create basic line drawings of the reference image or subject. With this technique, students learn classical principles of drawing, and gradually train both their eye and their hand. Through exposure and practice, the techniques we offer become each student’s tools. They learn to apply this approach to increasingly sophisticated subject matter, developing their ability to draw realistically.
Dry Mediums
All students begin with our dry mediums learning the basics of shading and representing form at a level that is appropriate to them. The duration of this introduction varies from student to student as it is determined by teachers’ observation of individual student age, capability, and progress. Younger students focus on developing control in their drawings and work with chalk and oil pastel, colored pencil, and marker. Older students also work with pastels and colored pencil, but in addition may explore graphite, ink, and charcoal and focus on rendering forms realistically. As students progress and their understanding grows and matures, they explore these concepts in greater depth. Students will continue to revisit dry mediums throughout their enrollment, so they can explore concepts in greater depth as their understanding improves, and learn new rendering techniques as image choice becomes more sophisticated and advanced.
Dry mediums that may be explored in our program are chalk pastel, oil pastel, colored pencil, marker, graphite, ink, and charcoal.
Dry Mediums
Oil Pastel
Chalk Pastel
Color Pencil
Marker
Graphite
Ink
Charcoal
Paint Mediums
When our students enter into the paint mediums our teachers will initially orient them to each one through preliminary exercises. These simple exercises offer students a chance to explore mixing and color matching, and an opportunity to gain experience and comfort working with the medium. Students will learn about the use and care of materials, as well as terminology specific to each medium and painting process along the way. As they progress, we use demonstrations to introduce new techniques, and we teach students how to achieve particular effects. As in the dry mediums, students progress from simpler linear subject matter to more complex three-dimensional subject matter, and will return to painting media throughout their course of study at increasingly sophisticated levels, as teachers feel they are ready. With practice, and through exposure to a wide variety of subject matter, students gain proficiency and learn to paint with confidence.
Courses in Watercolor, Acrylic and Oil paint make up our painting curriculum.
Watercolor is the student’s first exposure to paint in our program, as well as their first opportunity to work with a brush. Some of our younger students may begin by using watercolor crayon to serve as a bridge between the drawing mediums and watercolor painting. Our students explore a wide variety of technique exercises throughout their time in watercolor and our teachers adapt these exercises based on each student’s project choice and level of proficiency.
Acrylic offers students an introduction to a painting medium that is incredibly versatile. Through working with acrylic and revisiting the medium throughout their program, students learn to achieve an incredible range of effects. At first, they paint on illustration board, a smooth surface, progressing through more elementary and intermediate curriculum. As students proficiency and control improve, and they move into realistic subject matter, they will work on canvas. It is through exploration of the acrylic medium that students prepare for their introduction to oil paint.
Oil is what many artists feel is the perfect medium. Students’ previous experience in color mixing and various painting techniques in watercolor and acrylic well prepares them for a smooth and confident transition into working with oil paint. It offers incredible flexibility and it is very slow drying, and so it allows students time to work areas of the painting with ease. Project choice, and textural effects (thin glazes, opaque color, or thick palette knife) are unlimited in this medium. Students familiarity with a broad range of subjects gives them the confidence to attempt anything they aspire to. As always, increasingly advanced techniques are introduced as the student progresses and each time the student revisits the medium throughout their journey in the ArtWorks program.
Advanced Study
ArtWorks students who have had longevity in the program will reach a point that they have completed the foundational coursework in each medium. These students have acquired general technical proficiency, competence in color mixing, and the ability to draw and paint realistically. At this point the program is further customized. Given the significant development of their abilities by this time, most students will benefit from more advanced coursework in the media they’ve previously explored. Some may be interested in subjects such as portraiture or figure drawing. Others may find the study of the work of a particular artist appealing or choose to work from their own original reference. Students with high technical proficiency may choose to explore new or mixed media. Projects at this level are highly varied. Each is designed to offer new challenges and to further the individual student’s artistic development.
Advanced Study
Portraiture
Mixed Media Projects
Advanced Dry Medium Projects
Advanced Paint Medium Projects
Projects of Personal Interest and students working from their own references
