Lindsey Kircher

This camp, for students age 12-13, offers students the opportunity to focus on their drawing and painting skills in a highly creative and challenging environment. Through individual and collaborative projects, students are introduced to both traditional and experimental materials and methods and explore a variety of drawing techniques and approaches to build their technical, spatial, and creative abilities, including essential elements of 2D design and art. Working with a wide range of materials, students investigate contemporary subjects and themes using pencil, charcoal, pastel, ink, gouache, water-based paint, and mixed-media through skills such as line, perspective, tone, proportion, composition, value, gesture, and contour. Trips to the Art Institute of Chicago Museum to observe and sketch from a wide variety of paintings, sculptures, and objects are used as inspiration for studio work (virtual tours are featured if your course is online). This camp is designed for beginning students as well as those who want to continue developing their skills and confidence in drawing and painting, and can be repeated for continued skill and idea building.

This course is for students that have a background in drawing, but little to no painting experience. Drawings serve as the foundation for acquiring new painting skills and students are encouraged to develop their own ideas and goals with instructor guidance. Skills such as line, volume, space, materiality, form and function, and palette are explored through both drawing and painting. A variety of traditional and contemporary materials are used, and may include graphite, charcoal, pastels, water-based paints, mixed media, and/or collage. Visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and discussions of practicing artists will supplement the studio experience and encourage development of concepts in student artworks. By the end of the course, students have an expanded knowledge of materials and acquire the ability to transition from drawing to painting. This course is recommended for both beginners and those wanting to improve and develop their current abilities. Note: Figure Drawing, Figure Painting, Painting, and Drawing courses may use nude models hired by the School. Other classes may use them to a lesser degree.

Students draw from the model as a means of understanding form, shape, and line using a variety of media. The course emphasizes shorter poses as training in immediate response to gesture and form. This course serves as a requirement and preparation for topic-based Figure Drawing B classes.