Drop-in online drawing sessions offered bi-weekly at the Vancouver Island School of Art on Wednesday mornings, 10am-1pm. Draw by Drawing

Answers to frequently asked questions about the Vancouver Island School of Art. Frequently Asked Questions What makes VISA unique? What does being an independent and contemporary art school mean? The Vancouver Island School of Art is the only art school in downtown Victoria. The school is open to all members of the community aged 18 and upwards. People can take individual courses and workshops or participate in a one-year Certificate of Visual Arts program. VISA courses focus on development of technique, personal expression and making art in a contemporary context. All the faculty are practicing artists with a minimum of a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and teaching experience. VISA's Certificate of Visual Arts program has been approved by the B.C. Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. Do I need previous art experience to take a course at VISA? Most of the courses and workshops at VISA are open to people with no previous art experience. If a course does require “previous experience” this is indicated in the course description. What are VISA's hours of operation and when is the school closed? What if my class falls on a Public Holiday ·Office Hours Mon-Fri, 9:30am-5:00pm ·Holiday Hours The school is closed on Statutory Holidays. ·If your course is on a day that a Public Holiday falls, class will not be held on that day and a make-up class will be scheduled on the same day of the week during the mid-term break. When can I view an exhibition in the Slide Room Gallery? The Gallery is open for viewing during the week when classes are not in session, or by appointment. Check with the office to confirm. When there is an opening and artist talk on a Saturday the exhibition is open to the public between 1-4pm. For more information: https://slideroomgallery.com/ I would like to teach a course or workshop at VISA. How do I apply? You are encouraged to submit a proposal outlining what you want to teach and submit a CV. For more information review our employment opportunities. Are VISA's courses tax-deductable? Students enrolled in the Certificate of Visual Arts program are issued a T2202 (Tuition and Enrolment Certificate) in February for tuition paid for program courses. Courses taken outside of the Certificate program and workshops are not eligible. Is VISA a Registered Charity? How do I donate to VISA and what can I donate? Monetary donations can be made through our website, by phone, or in-person. You can also donate to VISA through the PayPal Giving Fund and CanadaHelps. As a charitable organization VISA issues a tax receipt for donations over $25. Tax receipts for automatic monthly donations are issued for the previous year in February. At this time VISA is not accepting donations of books or other supplies. What is VISA's Transmissable Disease Protocol? Vancouver Island School of Art’s protocol for planning and conducting safe school operations is informed by recommendations from the BC Centre for Disease Control, WorkSafeBC, and the Go-Forward Guidelines from BC’s Public Post-Secondary Sector. This COVID-19 Safety Plan applies to Vancouver Island School of Art faculty, staff and students. Due to health risks posed by exposure to COVID-19, it is mandatory that all faculty, staff and students take reasonable actions to eliminate or minimize their exposure to the virus to reduce the likelihood of transmission. As the pandemic is ongoing additional policies may be added or adjusted according to orders of the Provincial Health Officer. Announcements will be made to keep faculty, staff and students up-to-date. Vaccine passport and photo ID are no longer needed for courses, workshops and events at VISA. Masks are preferred. School Questions Can the Certificate of Visual Arts be transferred to a University degree program? VISA's Certificate of Visual Arts is transferable to the second year of the: ·Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Media Arts or Bachelor of Design degree at EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN ·Bachelor in Arts, Major in Fine Arts Degree at the VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY Students planning to transfer to one of these institutions upon completion of the Certificate program should check that university’s calendar, as the application process begins partway through the school year. VISA does not automatically send transcripts; students should contact the office to request official and interim transcripts. Can I take courses without enrolling in the Certificate program? Yes! VISA’s courses and workshops are open to all adults. I would like to study at VISA as an international student, how to I acquire a study permit? Students should start by following the admission requirements on the Certificate program page. Upon acceptance into the Certificate of Visual Arts program international students may apply for a study permit through the Government of Canada website. Processing times can vary, so students should apply early. Travelers visiting Victoria and those joining us online from around the world are welcome to take individual courses and workshops outside of the Certificate program without a study permit. Does VISA offer online courses? Yes. Up to 50% of the school’s courses and workshops are taught online (synchronous) via Zoom. Recordings are provided after each class. Do you offer drop-in sessions? VISA offers two online drop-in sessions and they are both offered on a bi-monthly basis: Watercolour Mondays and Draw by Drawing. VISA does not have life drawing drop-in sessions. Check our Special Activities page for pop-up drop-in sessions. How do I register for courses or workshops? VISA courses and workshops are open for registration on a rolling basis throughout our Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer terms. We are currently registering students for both In-person (as COVID-19 restrictions allow) and Online courses. Please review our website to learn about our course selections for each term. You can register online through our website using either PayPal, VISA or Mastercard. If you would prefer to have one of our staff assist you to register, please email or call our office. Do you offer classes for youth? VISA does not offer classes for youth, however we recommend the Cedar Hill Rec Centre or the Art Gallery of Victoria. Young adults that are 15+ are welcome to take our Saturday Workshops if they are ok with being in a class of adults. How do I apply for financial aid? The Vancouver Island School of Art is a designated institution with Student Aid BC. Students registered in the Certificate Program are eligible for loans from the British Columbia Student Assistance Program. The fee payment deadline is no later than one week prior to the start of classes. To meet this deadline, it is recommended that Student Loan application forms be completed and mailed to SABC by June 30. If fee payment or written confirmation of loan approval by SABC is not received by the deadline, students will then be responsible to pay 50% of their fees to secure their registration in courses. The remaining 50% is due by September 30. If these conditions are not met, the student may be de-registered from courses. Can I purchase a gift card? Gift Cards are available for purchase on our site. Select the Gift Card button under the School Info tab. Gift Cards purchased on the site may be used as a form of payment for courses and workshops. Gift certificates purchased through the office, prior to November 2022 can be redeemed by calling or emailing the school. Certificate & Courses Questions Have a question not listed here? CONTACT US

06fc7b86-6da0-4d4b-814e-379d0de7df77 Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St, Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Drawing Nature - mixed-media paper pad (any size) or at least 5 sheets white paper - graphite pencils (HB, 4B) - 1 stick black conte - 1 stick white conte - 1 sheet mid-tone paper - 1 sheet black paper - white plastic eraser - blending stump Suggested places to buy art supplies: Opus Art Supplies, 512 Herald St, Victoria BC or order online: https://opusartsupplies.com/ Michaels, 3501 Blanshard St, 111 Uptown Blvd Unit, Victoria BC or order online: https://canada.michaels.com/ You can consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .

98b59487-55e7-47e6-b067-ce762422cc93 Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St, Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Painting: Composition and Process Items required for the first class: Paint: For this class I am assuming that you have some experience painting so use whatever paints you generally use-oil, acrylic, gouache or watercolour. Recommended colours: Quinacridone Red or Permanent Rose, Ultramarine Blue, Lemon Yellow, Titanium White, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Medium, Phthalo Blue, Cadmium Yellow Medium. You will need a palette, brushes, rags, and whatever you need to clean your brushes. Surfaces: Three small or medium-sized surfaces. Stretched primed canvas, canvas paper, or gessoed wood panel is acceptable. Additional items to be discussed during first class: This course will include collage exercises, so have some colour magazine sources available, glue, scissors and matboard or stiff cardboard to glue images onto. Also have available: tracing paper, glassine, or parchment paper (from grocery store is fine) or any thin translucent paper that you can trace images on and/or paint on. For the digital collage part of the course you will need some photo processing software. I will be providing information during the first class as to a few free Open Source options. We will generally need two small or medium-sized surfaces (11" x 14" to 16" x 20") to paint on each week for class and homework assignments. Along with gessoed surfaces, stretched primed canvas and canvas paper are acceptable. The Vancouver Island School of Art is delighted to have a partnership with Opus Art Supplies so please consider using this link and clicking on your course to purchase supplies from Opus Art Supplies: Partnership Page . You can also consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .

e21eca78-7e62-4eac-a115-14e5166597d2 Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St, Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Gouache: Inspiration & Expression Gouache Paints: If you are new to gouache I recommend starting off with a set such as Winsor Newton Intro to Art Set or any set that includes the recommended colours below. If you are buying individual tubes recommended brands are Winsor and Newton, M. Graham, Holbein or Schmincke Recommended colours: 2 yellows, 2 reds, 2 blues, green, violet, orange, titanium white, ivory black (I am not recommending specific colours because gouache paint pigment availability varies greatly by art supply store so flexibility is necessary). Brushes: - watercolour brushes: synthetic, round no. 12 and no. 4 and 3/4" flat - palette for mixing paint: white plastic palette for watercolour, white ceramic plates or white lids from yogurt containers or a combination Be prepared to have quite a few areas to mix paint. I like to use something called a butcher tray to mix gouache paints on. These are usually available in art supply stores. Paper: Since this is an online course we will be working on a smaller scale for class projects. - the following 9 x 12" pads are recommended: Arches, cold press, 140lb watercolour pad and a Legion Stonehenge black coldpress watercolour paper pad. If you are unable to find these particular pads you can also buy 2 full sheets of 140lb watercolour paper and divide into four sheets each (for a total of eight pieces) and sheet of Stonehenge black watercolour paper or Stonehenge black drawing paper (can also be divided into four sheets). You can choose to work larger for homework projects should you desire. -all-purpose sketchbook (9 x 12”) Other: - HB pencil, eraser - white watercolour pencil - spray bottle - metal ruler 12” - glue-stick (look for one that says "permanent" or "extra strong") - scissors - masking tape A note on gouache paint: please note we are using regular gouache for this course and not “acrylic gouache”. Email if you have any questions: wwelch@vancouverislandschoolart.com Suggested places to buy art supplies: Opus Art Supplies, 512 Herald St, Victoria BC or order online: https://opusartsupplies.com/ Michaels, 3501 Blanshard St, 111 Uptown Blvd Unit, Victoria BC or order online: https://canada.michaels.com/ You can consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .

bc776ba6-d20e-4696-8916-74cca8f1f820 Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St, Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Coloured Pencils Items required for first class: - Sketchbook - Coloured pencils (consider buying a set, min. 12 colours) - Pencil sharpener - White vinyl eraser - Kneaded eraser - 1 sheet bristol paper (smooth or vellum, 18”x24” or similar) - 3 found objects (ex: rocks, twigs, household items, etc.) Other materials to be discussed: - X-acto blade - Blending stump - Black drawing paper (18”x24” or similar, min. 2 sheets) - Assorted sheets of drawing paper (22”x30” or similar size, min. 3 sheets) - Wood panel (cradled or uncradled, minimum size 4x6") - 2 sticks chalk pastel (your choice of colour) - Small paint brush - Solvent - your choice (odorless mineral spirits, Eco-House Xtra Mild Citrus Thinner, rubbing alcohol, etc,) Suggested place to buy art supplies: Opus Art Supplies, 512 Herald St, Victoria BC or order online: https://opusartsupplies.com/ You can consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .

a07025b1-ef8d-489e-b0cc-97e572496f74 Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Painting: Introduction to Colour - Mixed-media paper pad (any size, at least 9"x 12") - Acrylic Paint: Primary Magenta (or quinacridone magenta), Primary Cyan (or cerulean or cobalt blue), Ultramarine Blue, Primary yellow, Titanium white, Raw Umber (or burnt umber, or van dyke brown). - Brushes: round brush (#1), filbert brushes (#2, #4 , #6 , #8 - or roughly 1/8", 1/4", 1/2"). Get synthetic interlocking fibre brushes (Opus makes a decent brush). Please avoid cheap paint brush sets. - 1 large 2.5" hardware store brush. - Acrylic slow-dry glazing medium. - Masking tape - Cotton rags or shop towel - Aluminium foil over a plate as a palette - Containers for water and medium - Pencil and eraser - 3 painting surfaces (either canvas boards, stretched canvases or gessoed wood panels), sizes of your choice - to be discussed during the 1st class Suggested place to buy art supplies: Opus Art Supplies, 512 Herald St, Victoria BC or order online: https://opusartsupplies.com/ You can consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .

01daacef-2c2e-495e-9f28-ce6e1121f6d6 Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St, Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Painting: Understanding Abstraction I Students can choose any painting medium to work with such as oil, acrylic, watercolour or gouache. While the instructor has experience and knowledge of all these media, the student is expected to have some knowledge of the medium they choose to work in for this course. If you are looking for a how-to-paint course, please consider our Painting: Introduction I course. For every class to do in-class exercises: - 9 x 12” or larger sketchbook (preferably the kind with rings so pages can lie flat) or loose sheets of paper - 9 x 12” watercolour sketchbook (Arches, 100% cotton) - HB pencil, eraser and sharpener- set of watercolours, watercolour brush #10 (approx) - palette to mix paint on - coloured pencils - glue stick - scissors - jar of water Materials will be discussed during the first class but here is a general overview of what you should expect to have on hand: -paints: a good selection of colours, at least two of each of the primary and secondary colours (a warm and cool of each), two browns, black and white -brushes: a range of brushes from small to large, round and flat -medium: (for acrylic or oil)-odourless mineral spirits (for oil) -palette to mix paint on-palette knives (metal for oil, plastic for water based medium) -rags -surfaces: canvas, cradled panels, paper, found wood -drawing materials: pencil, charcoal, etc. Recommended Textbook: Moszynska, Anna, Abstract Art , Thames & Hudson, 2020 Edition. The Vancouver Island School of Art is delighted to have a partnership with Opus Art Supplies so please consider using this link and clicking on your course to purchase supplies from Opus Art Supplies: Partnership Page . You can also consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .

71107c22-7d51-482f-8e17-eca85cc7449b Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St, Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Art History: The 20th Century Note-taking materials: - notebook (specifically devoted to this course) - pen Suggested place to buy art supplies: Opus Art Supplies, 512 Herald St, Victoria BC or order online: https://opusartsupplies.com/ You can consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .

Give the gift of art - purchase a gift card for a course or workshop. Give the Gift of Art $75 Workshop Price $75 $105 $150 $195 $595 Other amount Quantity Buy Now

f7694c69-4cc5-4d03-b6cb-748a56a007b3 Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St, Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Watercolour Flowers: Blue - watercolour pan set or watercolour in tubes (recommended Winsor and Newton: blue, red, yellow, orange, violet, green) (if you already own watercolours bring what you have) - #10 round synthetic sable watercolour brush - #4 round synthetic sable watercolour brush (optional helpful for small details). - plastic tray for mixing colours (white plastic lids could suffice). - two containers of water - H pencil, eraser and sharpener - 9 x 12 watercolour sketchbook with 100% cotton paper, cold press, 140 lb is recommended (such as the Arches Watercolour pad). This pad is more expensive than the lesser quality pads but you will get better results and you can use both sides of paper. - paper towels Suggested place to buy art supplies: Opus Art Supplies, 512 Herald St, Victoria BC or order online: https://opusartsupplies.com/ You can consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .

140a0756-7d00-4aaf-abd0-b37a88963c23 Vancouver Island School of Art 302-733 Johnson St Victoria, BC V8W 3C7 250-380-3500 info@vancouverislandschoolart.com Supply List - Drawing from Photographs Items required for the first class: - a set of pencils ranging from ~4H-8B - kneadable eraser - rubber eraser - pencil sharpener - sketchbook of drawing paper in the 14x17" size range - 1 sheet of white Stonehenge drawing paper 250gsm Additional Items to be discussed during the first class: - clean cotton rag - a few blending stumps - exacto knife - 2 sheets of double sided Graffix Drafting Mylar - small sheet of sandpaper - water soluble graphite (optional) - powered graphite (optional) - masking tape Suggested place to buy art supplies: Opus Art Supplies, 512 Herald St, Victoria BC or order online: https://opusartsupplies.com/ You can consider an Opus A+ Membership, where students can sign up to save 10% on all orders during their studies: Sign Up For Opus A+ Membership .