DRAWING & DESIGN BASICS
Learn the skills that let you draw what you see by exploring the basics of line, shape, texture, and tone.  This class will help you develop your ideas for projects from a working drawing, no matter what your medium is – clay, metals, glass, or paints.  For the beginning to intermediate student, this is your opportunity to learn the basics and go from drawing stick figures to working through complex, three-dimensional design challenges with perspective and clarity.

 THE HUMAN FORM
In this life drawing class, the human form can be analyzed in many ways, and you will learn how to capture a pose in gestures.  Explore how the muscles determine the shape of the legs and arms.  There will be no anatomy facts – only how to see what is before you.  You will be able to use the drawing tools of negative space and simple shapes. 

 DESIGN COMPOSITION & COLOR THEORY
A fun way to learn how to better compose art works as well as manage color.  This is the same type of course work offered in college classes, without the tests and grades!  Learn to use balance, contrast, value arrangement, and variety with consistency.  Also work with the color wheel and learn how colors relate to each other.  You will improve your design abilities using principles and elements of design and color theory, beginning with division of space, progressing to value patterns and color distribution, followed by texture and details.

A FOCUS ON WATERCOLOR PAINTING
Learn to handle the most delicate of mediums, the easiest to travel with, the freshest and most spontaneous – that of watercolor.  Develop a sense of light in your paintings as the paper shines through these luminous colors.  Learn techniques that bring out the fluidity and luminosity of watercolor while gaining familiarity with a variety of approaches, techniques, compositions, and materials as you complete 4 to 5 paintings.

BEGINNING PAINTING (ACRYLICS AND OILS)
You will be able to paint what you see as we move slowly and thoroughly through some simple techniques designed to give you the tools and confidence you need to create your first paintings.  Composition, color, line, light, shadow, form and texture will be covered, and you will learn how to work from life, still life, and photographs.  No models.  Your finished paintings will include a still life painting and a personal choice picture.

PAINTING FROM PHOTOGRAPHS
Move your painting skills to the next level as you work toward fine-tuning your skills and techniques relating to composition and style.  Work from your photographs as you learn how to make your paintings more interesting to the viewer, and more detailed by working on larger canvases.

PAINTING IN THE ABSTRACT
Work through a variety of highly effective exercises and activities that spur the imagination and capture new ideas as you paint from your dreams and imagination.  In this class, we will explore contemporary painting methods such as abstract, field of color, cubism, expressionism, and conceptual art.  Many proven techniques are available to help you get past self-doubts, fears, and other factors that inhibit the creative process.  You will produce several completed paintings as you work in a variety of media.

ASSEMBLAGE ART 1
Using collected papers, fabric, fibers, beads, small wooden pieces, and anything that can be glued, wired, or otherwise fastened to a surface, students will create both realistic subject matter as well as non-objective decorative pieces in three dimensional or box forms.  Sizes will vary from match box to 8” x 10” pieces.  Acrylics, pencil, and crayons may be used for mixed media effects.  A gentle way to learn about design and color, this class helps you create unique assemblages using diverse materials.

Beginning Pastels 
Come join us in learning a variety techniques using soft pastels and nu-pastels.  Enjoy experimenting with various papers to achieve a limitless variety of effects from soft and romantic to bold and dynamic.  We will also learn how to combine pastels with other medium such as watercolor or colored pencil.  Contact instructor for supply list.  A variety of papers will be available for purchase during class.  For those of beginning and intermediate level experience.

Painting Portraits from Photographs
In this class, you will gain a new perspective of the human face.  You will learn to see and paint the subtle differences that make each face unique.  Learn to capture the essence of your family and friends and improve your painting skills.  Bring photos to work from as you learn tricks of the trade, from old masters to contemporary painters, and become a portrait artist.

WORKSHOPS
PLEIN AIR WORKSHOPS
Plein air painting, simply put, is painting outdoors.  The idea is to define a scene on a small canvas (usually 12” x 16” or smaller), capture the mood of the atmosphere, and boldly paint what you see without a lot of detail.  The painting style is your impression of the scene; which is how the impressionist movement started.  Each workshop will focus on a particular subject of the landscape.  All painting locations will be in Dallas.   Please contact instructor for detailed list of supplies.
Jan. 28^th,  “Winter Trees”:  The easiest time to learn tree construction is when they are bare. 

March 4^th, “Sky and Clouds”:  How to paint dynamic skies at Tee Pee Hill, White Rock Lake.

March 18^th, “The White Rock Spillway”:  The best of everything—rocks, trees, sky, and rushing water!

April 1^st, “Architecture”:  We’ll set up across from the old red courthouse and paint the west end of downtown Dallas.

April 29^th, “Marine Painting”:  The Corinthian Club at White Rock Lake, with its piers and sail boats.

May 6^th, “The Dallas Arboretum”:  Painting all day in the beautiful gardens of the Arboretum.

June 3^rd, “Water Lilies of Turtle Creek”:  We will set up near Highland Park Village and The Dallas Country Club along Lakeside Drive. 

Painting Interior Scenes in Oil or Pastel 
Learn how to paint enchanting scenes that will have your viewers longing to step into the painting.  Learn how to enhance the feeling of intimacy by getting close up on a corner of the room or suggest the world outside by adding a view through a doorway or window.  We will learn how to use photos of rooms to create a painting and complete two small or one larger painting of a room scene.  Please bring painting supplies.  We will have extra images in class, but you are invited to bring your own photos of room scenes from your home or magazines.  For those with intermediate experience or who have completed the beginning painting class.

 All-occasion watercolor notecards 
Learn how to create unique and beautiful hand-painted cards that can be sent to family and friends or matted and framed for hanging.  Join us in exploring fun watercolor and collage techniques and creating beautiful cards.  Students will complete six cards.  Contact instructor for supply list.  All levels of experience are welcome.

Dive into Pastels 
Come discover the vast possibilities of this versatile medium!  Learn about different techniques and papers that can be used to achieve a limitless variety of effects from soft and romantic to bold and dynamic.  Contact instructor for supply list.  A variety of papers will be available for purchase during class.  For those of beginning and intermediate level experience.