Strengthen your drawing ability and build your college portfolio. Learn to draw what you see with confidence! Work from still life arrangements, PAFA’s renowned collection, interior spaces, and the human figure, to master foundational elements: shape, contour line, composition, light and shadow, texture, and perspective. Students practice sight-drawing and measuring techniques and learn ways of defining form and space. This course teaches important skills for all artmaking, including for painting and other disciplines. Live model fee is included in the tuition.

Students are responsible for providing all their own materials.

A materials list will be emailed to registered students two weeks before class and made available on PAFA's website.

If you are applying for the scholarship: WAIT TO REGISTER UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DECISION! Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively! For Scholarship information visit https://www.pafa.org/school/academics/pre-college/summer-intensives

Explore the vibrant possibilities of oil painting through PAFA’s time-honored methods. While focusing on still life and portraits, this class will introduce the method of direct painting of live models. Fledgling artists examine the proportions, placement, structure, and characteristics of both live models and still-life objects. They will develop color using a limited palette to understand how to use chroma, temperature, value, tint, and tone. This class will address materials, composition, paint handling, and color mixing, blending, and theory. Live model fee is included in the tuition.

Students are responsible for providing their own supplies.

A materials list will be emailed to registered students two weeks before class and made available on PAFA's website.

If you are applying for the scholarship: WAIT TO REGISTER UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DECISION! Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively! For Scholarship information visit https://www.pafa.org/school/academics/pre-college/summer-intensives

Painting the human form from observation is one of the cornerstones of PAFA's long tradition of rigorous instruction.  Begin by learning about proportions, anatomical landmarks, and figure structure working with paintings and sculptures in PAFA’s historical collection and from a live model. Investigate color mixing, proportion, and composition using oil paint as a medium. Live model fee is included in the tuition. 

NOTE: To reach the fullest potential of art education provided by this program, we will have sessions with live nude models. If you or your parent/guardian are uncomfortable with this arrangement, please do not register for Figure Painting II.

Students are responsible for bringing all art supplies. A materials list will be emailed to registered students two weeks before class and made available on PAFA's website.

If you are applying for the scholarship:  WAIT TO REGISTER UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DECISION! Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively! For Scholarship information visit https://www.pafa.org/school/academics/pre-college/summer-intensives

Learn to draw or paint portraits with confidence. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the head structure, perspectives, and features, toward achieving both a likeness and aesthetic effect. Extended poses by live models will allow thorough observational study of both drawing and painting processes. Live model fee is included in the tuition.

Students are responsible for bringing all art supplies.

A materials list will be emailed to registered students two weeks before class and made available on PAFA's website.

If you are applying for the scholarship: WAIT TO REGISTER UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DECISION! Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively! For Scholarship information visit https://www.pafa.org/school/academics/pre-college/summer-intensives

In this course, we emphasize cartooning basics, studying drawing and inking techniques with a variety of professional tools. You will be taught to integrate narration with the language of sequential art (comics). Students will first write a story (choose either fiction or non-fiction) then design characters and environments to be used as they transform that story into a short-form comic.

Students are responsible for bringing all art supplies.

A materials list will be emailed to registered students two weeks before class and made available on PAFA's website.

If you are applying for the scholarship: WAIT TO REGISTER UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DECISION! Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively! For Scholarship information visit https://www.pafa.org/school/academics/pre-college/summer-intensives

Expand your art making abilities and dive into the world of experimental art! Sparked by imagination, students will construct artful garments, masks, props, and more. Class attendees will gain familiarity with a variety of fabrics, sewing notions, glue, cardboard, and found objects, with a strong emphasis on using repurposed/sustainable or discarded materials as artmaking media. Each class meeting will be dedicated to building a different wearable piece of art; a mask, a glove/gauntlet, a hat, a prop for a character of the student’s creation to use (such as a tool, a talisman, etc.), and a tunic/cape/gown.

Unique to this course, most of the supplies will be provided, though there are some items that each student must also bring to class.

Additional materials list will be emailed to registered students two weeks before class and made available on PAFA's website.

If you are applying for the scholarship: WAIT TO REGISTER UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DECISION! Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively! For Scholarship information visit https://www.pafa.org/school/academics/pre-college/summer-intensives

Pictured: Artwork by course instructor Caitlin McCormack. Photo by Alex Yudzon.

Further develop your observational skills, strengthen your drawing ability, and build yourself a robust college portfolio. The focus of this course will be on drawing from intensive observation. You will hone your visual tools as we work from still life, landscape, and portraits as subjects. Art students will explore both historic and contemporary drawing materials and become familiar with a variety of techniques, understanding their characteristics and limitations. This class will also examine the work of both historic and contemporary artists. In this way, we will not only be making art but also working to form a greater understanding of the two-dimensional visual language. Live model fee is included in the tuition.

Students are responsible for bringing all art supplies. A materials list will be emailed to registered students two weeks before class and made available on PAFA's website.

If you are applying for the scholarship: WAIT TO REGISTER UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DECISION! Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively! For Scholarship information visit https://www.pafa.org/school/academics/pre-college/summer-intensives.