Cecilia Beaven

In this course students will focus interests and refine their skills to create strong, portfolio-quality work. This advanced course is intended for students with previous drawing and/or painting experience who are ready to experiment, take risks, and push their skills to the next level. The organization of ideas and development of self-directed work is emphasized with instructor guidance and peer support. Students explore contemporary artistic practices through interdisciplinary approaches that cultivate material exploration, image making strategies, and traditional and non-traditional drawing and painting techniques. Lead by their individual projects and goals, students may choose to work in a variety of media, such as water-based paint, oil paint, ink, pencil, charcoal, collage, or a combination of media. Trips to the Art Institute of Chicago, contemporary artist presentations, group critiques, daily writing exercises, and class discussions supplement the studio experience.

*NOTE* Painting and/or drawing experience and ability to work independent of specific assignments required. Students are encouraged to bring their own digital camera, tablet, and/or laptop for homework/research and after-studio hours projects. 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.

Investigate visual storytelling strategies through the contemporary art forms of alternative comics and graphic novels. This course introduces a variety of illustrative approaches, such as writing, storyboarding, penciling, inking/coloring, and prepress preparations with a diverse exploration of materials including pencil, pen, ink, and collage. Building on this foundation, students learn research methods to develop ideas and produce conceptually-driven, portfolio-quality works through projects that examine narrative structures, material choices, and the integration of text and image. Students are introduced to contemporary artists, illustrators, and designers that transcend the traditional approaches of comics and graphic novels to generate their own audiences. Regular critiques and field trips to the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, and/or local galleries and comic shops supplement the studio experience.

*NOTE* Previous drawing experience required. SAIC provides basic equipment, but students are encouraged to bring their own digital camera, tablet, and/or laptop for homework and after-studio hours projects.

The Department of Painting and Drawing offers a wide variety of comics courses, ranging from traditional to experimental methods and techniques. Each course is designed to focus on a specific area of comics production. To learn more about the topic of a specific comics course in which you are interested, please review the course description for that particular class.

The Department of Painting and Drawing offers a wide variety of comics courses, ranging from traditional to experimental methods and techniques. Each course is designed to focus on a specific area of comics production. To learn more about the topic of a specific comics course in which you are interested, please review the course description for that particular class.