Noelle Africh

This course focuses on drawing as an exciting tool for organizing thoughts, feelings, and images. Students develop and strengthen fundamental skills, as well as investigate a range of traditional and contemporary drawing materials and concepts, exploring essential elements of 2D design and contemporary art. Through the study of line, perspective, tone, proportion, composition, value, gesture, and contour, students experiment with a number of wet and dry media such as charcoal, graphite, ink, and water-based paints. Visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and discussion of practicing artists supplement the studio experience (virtual tours of the museum are featured if online). This course is recommended for both beginners and those wanting to improve and develop their current skills and ideas. Note: In-person 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.

This course focuses on drawing as an exciting tool for organizing thoughts, feelings, and images. Students develop and strengthen fundamental skills, as well as investigate a range of traditional and contemporary drawing materials and concepts, exploring essential elements of 2D design and contemporary art. Through the study of line, perspective, tone, proportion, composition, value, gesture, and contour, students experiment with a number of wet and dry media such as charcoal, graphite, ink, and water-based paints. Visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and discussion of practicing artists supplement the studio experience (virtual tours of the museum are featured if online). This course is recommended for both beginners and those wanting to improve and develop their current skills and ideas. Note: In-person 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.

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.

Focus on drawing and illustration as exciting tools for organizing thoughts, experiences, and images. Develop and strengthen fundamental skills as you work with line, volume, space, form, and palette and investigate a range of traditional and contemporary materials such as charcoal, graphite, pen and ink, and digital illustration. Virtual visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and discussion of practicing artists and illustrators supplement the studio experience. This course is recommended for both beginners and those wanting to improve and develop their current skills and ideas.

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.

This drawing studio serves as a broad introduction to historical and contemporary drawing practices. This course presents drawing as an organizer of thought, experience, and image. Students will investigate a full range of drawing materials and supports. Lectures and exercises introduce various concepts of drawing, possibly including illusionistic form and space, gesture and expressive mark-making, or collage and found imagery, depending on the instructor?s emphasis. Designed to accommodate many skill levels, students can explore various creative strategies through technical drawing exercises, material explorations, and individual projects. Structured classroom critiques will bring drawing concepts into personal student work.

Simply put, this class is about exploring possibilities-- the use of various combinations of materials used, wet and/or dry, on any paper related products, from fine drawing sheets to left over cardboard, as long as the what and how of it is on/with a paper support...the individual pursuit for a personal visual voice is encouraged...during the first several weeks, various 'problems' will be given to start things moving?