Shonna Pryor

Unlock your creativity in our dynamic figure drawing course. Here, you'll have the opportunity to work from a live nude model, honing your skills by observing the human form. Expect an exciting mix of rapid sketches and longer poses paired with inspiration from photographs and your imagination. Explore the essential elements of life drawing¿like anatomy, proportion, composition, and expressive techniques¿focusing on using black and white media such as graphite, charcoal, and conte crayon to bring your visions to life. Challenge yourself with exercises like blind contour drawing and memory sketches that will push your artistic boundaries. Trips to the Art Institute of Chicago, presentations on inspiring historical and contemporary artists, and constructive critiques will help you grow. This course is perfect for newcomers eager to explore their creativity and those looking to enhance their artistic skills in a supportive and engaging environment. Note: Figure Drawing and Figure Painting use nude models hired by the School. Other painting and drawing classes may use them to a lesser degree.

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. Trips to the Art Institute of Chicago museum and discussions of practicing artists will supplement the studio experience and encourage inspiration and development of concepts in student artworks. By the end of the course, students will have a greater knowledge of material options and acquire the ability to transition from drawing to painting. Prerequisite(s): Introduction to Drawing or equivalent experience.

This course will provoke students to convey a compelling narrative through painting. We will experiment with various acrylic paints, mediums, surfaces, and techniques to develop a personal approach to image making. Through individual dialogue, class discussions, and critiques, students will receive feedback and direction on how to challenge their practice. We will investigate the works of artists like Mickalene Thomas, David Hockney, Christina Ramberg, Alex Katz and many others. Basic drawing and/or painting skills are useful, and non-representational artists welcome.

This course introduces the materials, methods, and tools of oil painting while students develop observational skills. Demonstrations on stretching canvas, laying out a palette, working with various paint application techniques, and color mixing provide students with the fundamentals of the medium and a strong foundation for future work.

This course introduces the materials, methods, and tools of oil painting while students develop observational skills. Demonstrations on stretching canvas, laying out a palette, working with various paint application techniques, and color mixing provide students with the fundamentals of the medium and a strong foundation for future work.

This course introduces the materials, methods, and tools of oil painting while students develop observational skills. Demonstrations on stretching canvas, laying out a palette, working with various paint application techniques, and color mixing provide students with the fundamentals of the medium and a strong foundation for future work.

This course introduces the materials, methods, and tools of oil painting while students develop observational skills. Demonstrations on stretching canvas, laying out a palette, working with various paint application techniques, and color mixing provide students with the fundamentals of the medium and a strong foundation for future work.

This course introduces the materials, methods, and tools of oil painting while students develop observational skills. Demonstrations on stretching canvas, laying out a palette, working with various paint application techniques, and color mixing provide students with the fundamentals of the medium and a strong foundation for future work.

This course will introduce students to acrylic painting through the exploration of traditional and contemporary approaches to the medium. Through demonstrations, individual dialogue, class discussions, and critiques, students will learn how to work with the acrylic paints. Artists including Mark Bradford, Helen Frankenthaler, and Mark Rothko will provide inspiration as participants complete a series of paintings on paper, canvas, and wood.

Focus on the intimate relationship between drawing and painting as you experiment with a wide range of multi-disciplinary approaches that will help build a bridge between the two. Experiment with traditional and non-traditional drawing and painting materials to deepen your connection to contemporary studio practices and develop technical and conceptual skills to expand your personal visual language. This immersive experience is intended for students that want to advance an existing painting and drawing practice. Independent studio time is supplemented by lectures and demonstrations, as well as opportunities to engage with your instructor and peers through discussions and critique.