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High School: Pre-College Summer Art Experience and Pre-College Saturday Art Experience Course Descriptions

PreCollegeCourses

Click here for a downloadable class schedule for the Pre-College Art Experience Program (PDF).

Abstract Painting:
This course stresses the importance of abstract painting as it relates to all forms of painting and abstract painting as its own art form. Abstraction is created from objective and non-objective sources. Composition, alignment, color, texture, shape relationships and paint application are emphasized. Projects in this course will be based on real-life set ups and situations as well as intuitive and aesthetic view points.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $130

Acting: Introduction to Acting:
Students develop their understanding by participating in acting techniques and beginning scene study. Scene rehearsal is an integral part of the course. Work is done with partners and as an ensemble.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $5

Acting II: Advanced Acting:
Students will work both individually and as an ensemble through major theater scenes such as Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller and more. Successful completion of Intro to Acting is recommended.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $5

Acting: Intro to Voice:
Students develop their voice by learning speech exercises, basic singing techniques and preparation for performing in musical productions.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $5

Advertising Design:
An introduction to the different creative skills central to advertising. They learn both through conceptual exercises and the basics of developing print ads and television commercials. Course ends with a final project and presentation.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $60

Animation:
Students explore storytelling through animation with sequence, timing, action and narration, leading to the completion of an animated flipbook. This traditional animation class does not include computer use.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Animation II: Advanced Animation
Students explore storytelling through animation with basic principles and 2D film production leading to the completion of several 2D pencil tests. This traditional class does not include 3D animation. Successful completion of Animation is required. Available Summer 2008.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Car & Motorcycle Design:
Students sketch primitive objects and progress to rectilinear and curvilinear shapes involving perspective with shading. Prismacolor pencils, ballpoint pens, markers, and chalk pastels are used. Students build perspective, sketching and rendering techniques, and research, development and presentation skills.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $80

Car & Motorcycle Design II: Advanced Car & Motorcycle Design*:
An advanced course reviews drawing skills, principles of good car design, and presentation skills. It includes an introduction to three-dimensional clay modeling techniques. Successful completion of Car & Motorcycle Design is required.
*SUMMER-ONLY COURSE
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $250

Ceramic Puppetry*:
An introduction to water-based clay as a sculptural medium. Students use various techniques to build a ceramic puppet. They also combine ceramic with other materials, such as fiber, fabric, hair and metal and finish their work using low fire stains and paints.
*SUMMER-ONLY COURSE
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $80

Comic Book Illustration:
An exploration of the styles and techniques of comic book illustration and storytelling through penciling, lettering and inking and use skills such as anatomy, perspective and composition. Students learn storytelling techniques using frames, panels, word balloons, and motion lines, as well as character and plot development.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $60

Comic Book Illustration II: Comic Book Portfolio:
Individual panels developed in Comic Book Illustration are refined graphically, the relationships between characters are developed and stories are edited. Students will use various nibs, inks and brushes to develop expressive lines and varying line weights over penciled drawings. Successful completion of Comic Book Illustration is required.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $75

Comic Book Illustration II: Digital Painting:
Students will learn to use digital media to develop characters and their environments from the sketch stage to digitally executed finishes. Instruction will include the use of digital painting programs and the Wacom tablet. Successful completion of Comic Book Illustration is recommended.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $40

Digital Design:
Course covers the basics of digital drawing and imaging and creating visual compositions utilized in advertising, publishing, interactive media and web design. Some prior computer experience is highly recommended. Software used: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and basic Mac system. One Mac computer per student.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $40

Classical Drawing & Composition:
Students learn principles of drawing through the use of still life while using contour painting, perspective, and shadowing techniques. Through lecture, demonstration, class and individual critique students develop an understanding of value and form, and learn to organize elements into designs with strong light and shadow.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $60

Fashion Construction:
Class teaches basic draping, drafting, pattern making and sewing. By working on a dress form, students learn how a basic block is created as well as how to construct a sample garment in prototype format. Finishing techniques are introduced through creating sample seams, pockets and zippers. Sewing machines are not used.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Fashion Construction II: Advanced Fashion Construction:
Building on skills learned in Level One, students use the single-needle industrial sewing machine. Students complete a skirt, evening dress, and shirt. Finishing techniques include waistbands, facings, sleeves, and a variety of closures, seam finishes and hems. Successful completion of Fashion Construction is required. Available Summer 2008.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $150-250

Fashion Design:
Introduction to the process of developing of a fashion collection. With an emphasis on visual research, students are familiarized with the seven design elements and their application to a balanced collection. Basic technical skills are also introduced.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $120

Fashion Design II: Advanced Design:
Completion of Fashion Design is required. Students research and develop design projects to complete industry standard presentations. Emphasis is on representing creative design ideas as specification drawings (flats) and as fully colored illustrations. Rendering of fabric is also covered.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $120

Fashion Illustration:
Students work from a live model to draw a bold, confident, and direct line while exploring a variety of media. Using their own style, students draw the fashion face and hair and the extremities of hands and feet.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $170

Fashion Merchandising:
Students are introduced to the various retail venues including department stores, specialty stores, discounters, catalogs and e-commerce. They learn about career opportunities including buying, product development, merchandise planning, retail management, and marketing.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $0

Fashion Merchandising II: Advanced Merchandising:
Students learn the origins of the fashion industry. They will be able to differentiate and describe the structure and functions of the retail and wholesale sides of the business, their roles in the global economy, and the methods employed in promotion. Successful completion of Fashion Merchandising is required.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $0

Figure Drawing:
Students develop an understanding of the human form through contour, gesture, values and art composition drawings. Through lectures, demonstrations, class and individual critique students develop a sense of gesture, balance, rhythm, grace and proportion. Please note that nude models will be present during each class.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $60

Graphic Design:
Students think conceptually and develop visual communication skills through understanding the combination of image and message. They learn the design principles of typography, layout, photography and illustration and the part they play in graphic design.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Graphic Design II:
Advanced Graphic Design: Students produce portfolio quality pieces with a higher level of concept and execution while gaining a greater understanding of visual communication principles. Successful completion of Graphic Design is required. Software used is Adobe CS3 Suite (Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign).
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Interactive Animation for the Web:
Course covers the fundamentals of designing, authoring, and producing many types of interactive media including interface design, usability, navigation, flowcharting, interaction, and animation. Interactive multimedia authoring requires combining text, images, animation, video, and audio elements to create compelling user experiences.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $50

Interior Architecture & Design:
Students gain an understanding of the profession, industry skills and relationship of interior architecture and design to other disciplines. Class incorporates a project to explore the design process.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $150

Intro to 3D Modeling - StudioMax:
Basic concepts of 3D Modeling and Animation for the entertainment industry are taught through production techniques and tool sets in Discreet’s software, 3D StudioMax. Students learn to model, animate, and render a student proposed project. Software used: 3D StudioMax.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $10

Intro to 3D Modeling - Maya:
Basic concepts of 3D Modeling and Animation for the entertainment industry are taught through a leading modeling and animation programs, Maya. Students learn to model, animate, and render a student proposed project. Software used: Maya.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $10

Intro to Illustration:
An introduction to the steps illustrators take to get a finished illustration from an idea. Course covers the many uses of illustration, from children’s books to magazines to conceptual art. Students work in a variety of media, from black and white to color. Available Summer 2008.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $75

Intro to Costumed Figure:
A figure drawing class using clothed models to learn about proportions, heads and hands, basics of folds and ellipses, as well as pushing the model to create the characters that you want them to be. Available Summer 2008.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $75

Knitwear Design*:
Students create samples of a variety of hand-knitting techniques as well as a small design project. Additionally, they gain an awareness of the wide range of possibilities in knitwear design through research and class discussion of images.
*summer-only course
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $80

Maquette for Animation:
Students draw and then execute in 3-D a fantasy character such as those used in animated films. The development of a believable and interesting character is stressed. An armature from aluminum wire will be made and finished in Sculpey.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $80

Motion Pictures & Television:
Students learn how moving images and sound work together to tell a story. Students shoot and edit a short narrative or documentary on videotape. Cameras and editing equipment are provided.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $25

Motion Pictures & Television II: Advanced MPT:
Course emphasizes the language of film and how shots are combined to create a complete picture. Cameras are provided and projects include editing on Final Cut software. Successful completion of Motion Pictures & Television is recommended.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $25

Mural Painting:
Students learn the community art process involved with professional mural painting. They discover how ideas are encompassed into a design while empowering a group of people with a process and task. Students develop a collaborative design and transfer it to a larger area such as a wall or mounted canvas.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $80

Painting:
An introduction to still life and head painting. Students learn to indicate simple form with a single light source using form shadows, cast shadows, and warm and cool colors while refining composition with cropping and placement in the picture plane. Brushes, painting surfaces, mediums and palette preparation are discussed.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $80-$130

Painting II: Clothed Figure Painting:
Light and shadow are introduced to develop the student’s ability to handle value and simple warm/warm and cool color relationships as related to structure. Emphasis is on brush handling and usage as well as understanding the various properties of clothing and drapery in figure painting. Successful completion of Painting: Still Life is recommended.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $85-$160

Photography:
Basic 35mm camera operation and creative expression are taught. Students shoot color slides with a manual camera and are introduced to the digital environment. There is no darkroom or printing work. Students must bring a traditional or digital camera that has a manual control for shutter speed and aperture as well as an instruction manual to the first class meeting.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $150-$250

Photography II: Portfolio:
Students choose a subject or theme and create a portfolio of 6-10 final images. They may use either traditional or digital equipment, in color or black and white. There is no darkroom or printing work. Students must bring a traditional or digital camera that has a manual control for shutter speed and aperture as well as an instruction manual to the first class meeting. Successful completion of Photography is recommended.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $150-$250

Printmaking:
This course introduces relief, monotype, and silkscreen printmaking processes that use images created by hand or alternative sources such as the computer and camera. Students will develop a basic knowledge of these mediums and develop a portfolio at the end of the course.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $85

Product & Toy Design:
Students are introduced to the product design process from brainstorming through development of a 3D mock-up. Students will also learn presentation skills including pen, markers, and chalk.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $90

Screenwriting Basics:
Want to get some hands-on work writing for stage or screen? Thinking about a screenwriting job? Write short scenes while learning about story, scene structure, synopsis and treatments. Students will write at least two scenes and synopses and must have access to Microsoft Word and the Internet outside of class.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $20

Sculpture:
This course introduces students to a variety of three-dimensional techniques and materials including: demonstrations on patinas and finishes, casting with plaster, working with water based clay, tools used for clay modeling, and clay modeling from life figures.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Sculpture II: Advanced Sculpture:
Students will explore bone points of the human skull including the ears, nose, eyes, and mouth using 3-dimensional techniques in water-based clay. They will complete a life-like portrait or have the option to transform it into something fun and creative. Successful completion of Sculpture is recommended.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Textile Design:
Students design textiles prints on paper using various techniques demonstrated in this class. They will create samples as well as complete a textile design collection. Class discussion will include magazine and Internet research.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Video Gaming:
Students learn what goes into video game design by exploring the range of skills necessary for development including: scripting, programming, storyboarding, drawing, modeling and animating. Software varies by instructor.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $10

•   Cost of supplies should NOT be included with your application.
•   Prices for supplies are subject to change.
•   Classes are continually being added.
•   Check our website for the most up-to-date course offerings.
•   Enroll Online! It’s easy! It’s fast!

For more information or to enroll online visit:
www.academyart.edu
Or call:
1.800.544.2787 ext. 6558 (1.415.274.2200 for International).

Online Classes
Please visit http://online.academyart.edu/ for complete course descriptions, supply lists, and class specific system requirements.

Comic Book Illustration:
An exploration of the styles and techniques of comic book illustration and storytelling through penciling, lettering and inking and use skills such as anatomy, perspective and composition. Students learn storytelling conventions such as frames, panels, word balloons, and motion lines, as well as character and plot development. Available Summer 2008.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $60

Fashion Design:
Introduction to the process and development of a design collection. With an emphasis on visual research, students are familiarized with the seven design elements and their application to a balanced collection. Basic technical skills are also introduced.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $120

Fashion Illustration:
Students work from a live model to learn to draw a bold, confident, and direct line while exploring a variety of media. Using their own style, students learn to draw the fashion face and hair and the extremities of hands and feet. Available Summer 2008.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $170

Figure Drawing:
This introductory drawing class focuses on fundamental principles of drawing the nude human figure. An understanding of proportion, gesture, balance, value and musculature will be developed in charcoal drawings from live models. Accuracy in representation is emphasized.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $60

Graphic Design:
Students think conceptually and develop visual communication skills through understanding the combination of image and message. They learn design principles of typography, layout, photography and illustration and the part they play in graphic design. Available Summer 2008.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Interactive Animation for the Web:
Students explore the fundamentals of designing, authoring, and producing many types of interactive multimedia including interface design, usability, navigation, flowcharting, interaction, and animation. Interactive multimedia authoring requires combining text, images, animation, video, and audio elements to create compelling user experiences.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES & SOFTWARE: $300

Intro to 3D Modeling - Studiomax:
Basic concepts of 3D Modeling and Animation for the entertainment industry are taught through production techniques and tool sets in Discreet’s award-winning animation software, 3D StudioMax. Students learn to model, animate, and render a student proposed project. Students must have access to a PC computer at home and purchase Studio Max software to participate in this course.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES & SOFTWARE: $300

Painting: Still Life:
Students learn to indicate simple form with a single light source using form shadows, and warm and cool colors. Emphasis is placed on refining compositions with cropping, overlapping and placement in the picture plane. Brushes, painting surfaces, mediums and palette preparation are discussed.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $100

Photography:
This course will introduce basic SLR camera operation and creative expression through an understanding of mechanics, optical principles, and compositional techniques, as well as a portfolio of images. An analog (non-digital) camera is required and you may NOT use a digital camera. (Please note that there is no darkroom or printing work.)
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $150-$250

Photography II:
An Introduction to Concepts and Portfolio: Students choose a subject or theme and create a portfolio of 10 final images. They may use either traditional or digital equipment, in color or black and white. There is no darkroom or printing work. Students must have a traditional or digital camera with a manual control for shutter speed and aperture as well as an instruction manual. Successful completion of Photography is recommended. Available Summer 2008.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $150-$250

Screenwriting:
Want to get hands-on work writing for television or screen? Thinking about a screenwriting job? Write scenes while learning the basics including story, scene structure, synopsis, treatments and more. Students will write at least two short scenes and synopses and given writing & research projects to prepare for the class. Class participation is required.
ESTIMATED COST OF SUPPLIES: $15

* Cost of supplies should NOT be included with your application.
Prices for supplies are subject to change.
Classes are continually being added.
Check our website for the most up-to-date course offerings!

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