PORTFOLIO Classes for High School students
OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS our student population has grown in size and more significantly, sophistication. We have students who have received years of continuous instruction and are now extraordinarily skilled for their ages. As a result we've created some classes that are specifically structured to continue providing them with opportunities to keep learning and also express their personal visions. The results have been remarkable in many cases.
This year we are adding a number of high level classes, called Portfolio classes, intended for teens who wish to continue working in the arts as they prepare to enter colleges and art schools. These classes offer a creative environment which is supportive and structured so busy teens can build time into their lives needed to work on longer term projects.
These classes include:
Fine Art Printmaking
Faces, figures and Features
Oil Painting - Introduction
Oil Painting - Intermediate
Advanced Studio Drawing & Painting
Portfolio Development
Each of these classes assumes that students have existing drawing skills. They provide the mentorship, materials, creative environment and support necessary for young students to extend themselves and push outside their comfort zones. At the same time we understand that every artist needs feedback that is honest and helps them move forward. It's our goal to help students become confident with their art and create it thoughtfully and independently.
Because we will encourage students to develop artwork which can be defined as "original", many artworks will be eligible to include in student portfolios that are submitted to colleges and art schools.
—Click the tabs for individual class descriptions—
Advanced
Wedding by T. Gupta
Advanced Studio Drawing & Painting
By Invitation Only — 2 Hour class
Thursdays, 6 to 8 p.m. $327 tuition (plus $15 materials fee, all materials are included) $342 Total
REGISTER ONLINE
This class is not open for general enrollment and is available only to students that have demonstrated an understanding and basic mastery of complex drawing skills, mediums and techniques, focus of mind and persistence on task.
Advanced Studio Drawing & Painting is a high-level, fine art class for students who have demonstrated understanding of the most complex visual perceptions and wish to further develop their skills and techniques. Emphasis will be on three dimensional subjects including tabletop sets, textural objects, lighting effects, figure-drawing models (clothed) and more. Projects in this class may take weeks to complete since students will be expected to fully develop the art. A variety of ActonArt instructors will lead this class giving students access to their individual strengths and experience with various mediums and techniques. Students will be the primary decision makers regarding the execution of their artwork. There may however be specific learning objectives presented to challenge them and direct them toward useful experiences.
Advanced Studio students will be offered the options of working with:
DRAWING MATERIALS
• Graphite (in all forms)
• Charcoal (block, powder, vine, etc.)
• Colored Pencil (professional quality, unlimited techniques)
• Soft Pastels (sticks, pencils, powder, etc.)
• Oil Pastels
• Pen or Brush & Ink
PAINT
• Oils (professional quality, water-soluble
• Acrylic
• Watercolor and gouache (Winsor Newton, Cotman)
• Airbrush
• Palette knife
MIXED MEDIA
• Dimensional paper sculpture
• Any media combinations that work!
Advanced Studio Drawing & Painting students are expected to be able to work independently. Students should expect to use a variety of resource materials, tools and techniques including some that they may develop on their own. Projects will frequently require multiple weeks to complete.
FF & F (Figures)
Jagger by C. Shelford
Faces, Figures & Features
For age 14 (minimum) to adults,
1.5 hrs. $306 total (all materials are included in tuition)
Faces, Figures & Features, Wednesdays, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Faces, Figures & Features, Saturdays, 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Instructor: Roxanne Vanslette
REGISTER ONLINE
What is the PORTFOLIO class?
Our PORTFOLIO class is intended for students who feel themselves to be invested with their artwork at a more serious level. Students who feel they are likely to pursue fine art as a career or serious avocation want a more complete and hands on learning experience. This 3-part class will offer guidance in developing skills needed for realistic/representational drawing of people. The 1st trimester will introduce the skills and techniques of drawing faces/heads. The 2nd trimester will present some of the most unique challenges including hands, feet, hair, fabric folds, body foreshortening and distortion, plus any specific features that students identify as personal challenges. The 3rd and final trimester will address complete bodies, some light anatomy and live model (clothed) figure drawing.
Part 1: Faces — 12 classes, Early Sept. to Early Dec.
Front view, 3/4 view, profile, foreshortened, highlighted, shadowed, with expressions, male, female, you name it...
Part 2: Features — 12 classes, Early Dec. to mid-March
Hands, feet, hair, fabric folds, body foreshortening and distortion, overall integration of faces, figures and features.
Part 3: Figures — 12 classes, Mid-March to late Jun.
Stick-figure, point to point, gestural, anatomy (light), bodies in motion, perspective, proportion, and more...
Why would you want this?
This class is called PORTFOLIO because some (but not all) of the work produced could potentially be used in a student's portfolio if they wished. The live model figure drawing and portraits always have the potential to be valuable assets to any portfolio whether produced in a public or private school setting. Since the class is designed to teach students as well as provide opportunities for independent drawing it could not be a more ideal situation for portfolio work.
What materials can you work with?
Most portfolio art is drawing-based since it allows reviewers to identify core-skill strengths and weaknesses quickly. As such your portfolio should demonstrate strong drawing skills. Virtually all drawing mediums are available in our studio and PORTFOLIO: students may use any and all of them. These include: Graphite, colored and pastel pencils, soft and oil pastels, charcoal stick and vine, pen/brush and ink, and more. Surfaces available include a variety of drawing papers, bristol board, vellum, tracing paper, heavy and lightweight watercolor papers. Various materials do require preparation before use. The above listed materials are basics and do not represent the complete range of materials that are available at ActonArt. In addition students who wish to work with unusual materials (such as fabrics, leather, hand made surfaces, metal foil sheets, print making materials or others) can be accommodated if advance notice is provided. An additional materials charge might be required if those costs are above the expected range.
Who is eligible?
Students in PORTFOLIO: must be a minimum age of 14.
Interested but not sure?
Students and families who are considering the PORTFOLIO: class may find a visit to the studio is helpful to decide if this will be a good fit. Please call 978-266-1600 or email jgoodno@actonart.com for more information.
Portfolio
Portrait by H. Yarmus 40"x40"
Portfolio Development
For high school age teens.
Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m.
$327 tuition (plus $15 materials fee, all materials are included) $342 Total
REGISTER ONLINE
What is Portfolio Development?
Portfolio Development is a production-oriented class intended for high school age students who wish to expand their fine art portfolio prior to applying to higher education fine arts programs. Most public and private schools offer good and practical instruction toward producing standard portfolio materials that colleges and art schools want to see. Nonetheless most students should produce artwork that also accurately defines their personal style and interest. As colleges have modified their acceptance criteria in recent years students who can more precisely define their goals and the schools they believe will support their aspirations, have a better chance of making a favorable impression.
Why would you want this?
Portfolio Development is a class that offers students a structured time to focus on this important element of their path, to create portfolio specific artwork, with guidance and feedback, using any of the high quality professional materials in our studios. Students do not need to have attended any classes previously at ActonArt. Students will be encouraged to define their own projects and express their own style and not that of the instructor. Students will also be encouraged to be productive with their time as drawing, painting and most other art forms can be very time consuming.
What materials can you work with?
Most portfolio art is drawing-based since it allows reviewers to identify core-skill strengths and weaknesses quickly. As such your portfolio should demonstrate strong drawing skills. Virtually all drawing mediums are available in our studio and Portfolio Development students may use any and all of them. These include: Graphite, colored and pastel pencils, soft and oil pastels, charcoal stick and vine, pen/brush and ink, and more. Painting is typically a part of most portfolios, and we provide professional quality paints such as watercolor, gouache, acrylic and water soluble oils. Surfaces available include a variety of drawing papers, bristol board, heavy and lightweight watercolor papers, canvas and hardboard panels. Various materials do require preparation before use. The above listed materials are basics and do not represent the complete range of materials that are available at ActonArt. In addition students who wish to work with unusual materials (such as fabrics, leather, hand made surfaces, metal foil sheets, print making materials or others) can be accommodated if advance notice is provided. An additional materials charge might be required if those costs are above the expected range.
Who is eligible?
Students in Portfolio Development must be a minimum age of 15.
Interested but not sure?
Most students and families who are considering Portfolio Development find a visit to the studio is helpful to decide if this will be a good fit and learn more about the class details. Please call 978-266-1600 or email jgoodno@actonart.com for more information.
Oil Painting
Oil Painting
Oil Painting - Introduction
For Teens (14 & Up) & Adults
2 Hour class, Friday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. — 12 classes
Tuition $327 plus $35 materials fee, ALL supplies provided, total $362
Oil Painting - Intermediate
For Teens (14 & Up) & Adults
2 Hour class, Date Pending — 12 classes
Tuition $327 plus $35 materials fee, ALL supplies provided, total $362
REGISTER ONLINE
LEARNING TO PAINT WITH OILS is far easier than you might think and incredibly satisfying. This Spring we'll be offering a full trimester introductory class to oil painting for adults and teens. This class will be presented by Julie McAskill, who is currently an ActonArt drawing instructor and is also a superb professional oil painter. Julie has an MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and is currently featured in gallery shows throughout Massachusetts.
WE'LL PROVIDE ALL NEEDED MATERIALS for this class so you won't have to make a large supply purchase on top of the class tuition. Students who wish to use their own supplies will be able to do so but we must require that everyone work with water-soluble paints. We cannot provide a discount for students who wish to provide their own materials since all supplies are pre-purchased well in advance of the class. The class is limited in size to eight students.
THE CLASS WILL PRESENT A SERIES OF PROJECTS, most of them multi-week, designed to teach and guide students through basic processes that are common to many oil paintings. The subject of the last project will be the student's choice. The demonstration portion of each class will be recorded on video in the event that any student misses a class however we cannot guarantee easy access to the studio for make up time. Hours will be limited due to our full schedule and heavy studio use.
It’s easy to see why so many people equate oil painting with
“fine art.” So many of the master artists we commonly think of worked primarily in oil paint and the iconic masterworks of centuries past tend to be paintings done in oils. It doesn’t take an art conservator to understand why oils have claimed the mantle of popularity among artists. They are remarkably versatile to work with providing artists a broad range of creative options on the canvas. The pigments mix cleanly providing rich colors with clarity and depth. Once cured the medium is stable and capable of enduring many hundreds of years without severe aging effects. The surface can even be cleaned to remove airborne grime and contaminants.
On top of all these benefits, today we even have AP certified, non-toxic, water soluble oil paints that allow for easy soap and water clean-up at the end of a day of painting. No more toxic solvents and noxious fumes. Life is good, and oil painting is great!
If you have ever found yourself attracted to the idea of learning to paint with oils this is a perfect opportunity. The price is right, the instructor is top notch and the curriculum is serious but completely approachable for beginners. I hope you'll join us!
Printmaking
Tiger by A. Yamartino
Fine Art Printmaking
For ages 13 (minimum) & Up
2 Hour class, Date Pending — 12 classes
$367. All materials are provided with tuition.
Instructor: Julie McAskill
REGISTER ONLINE
This is a Portfolio level class which requires that students have either experience in Intermediate B level classes and are capable of working independently, OR can provide samples of their artwork demonstrating core drawing skills and also have a desire to work independently. This is not an instructed drawing class, instead it is a methods and techniques class intended to teach students printmaking so they may follow their own creative impulses to produce one or multiple printed art works. We may teach the methods and techniques associated with Monotypes, Monoprints, Drypoint, Woodcut, and Screen Prints.
In each project students will learn/use and explore a new printmaking technique and create their own images. Monotypes and Monoprints may be one week projects while Drypoint, Woodcuts and Screen Prints can run for multiple weeks.
Since students may produce original artwork in this class, any such finished pieces would be eligible for inclusion in student portfolios when seeking admission to colleges and art schools.