This course focuses on creating dramatic or subtle effects of light in painting. Students will explore various kinds of tonal ranges in painting by making works that focus only on dark values, others that contain only light values, as well as works that have a wide range of contrasting values of both light and dark. Students will learn how glazing can complicate effects of light and how colour can be used to affect our perception of light and shadows. An understanding of value, which includes light and shadow, leads to strong and dynamic paintings. Some painting experience recommended. TUESDAYS, JAN 6 - MAR 31, 6PM - 9PM ONLINE

This course introduces students to the elements of design (line, value, shape/volume, texture, space and motion), and the principles of design (process, unity, emphasis and focal point, scale and proportion, and balance and rhythm. Weekly assignments are given in conjunction with a visual presentation of the subject matter discussed. Students assemble a reference book with emphasis on small-scale collage exercises to develop an understanding of how design can be applied across mediums such as drawing, painting, textiles, photography or graphic design. Suitable for all levels. FRIDAYS, JAN 9 - APR 3, 2PM - 5PM IN-PERSON

Do you see people sitting on a park bench or in a café sketching and wish you could do that too? Would you like to draw what you see around you while wandering through a city? Students will learn the basic techniques necessary to draw architecture, interiors of buildings, people, gardens and parks, and be introduced to the best materials to carry for sketching on-site, as well as how to use photography to document ideas for at-home drawing. The course will include walking around downtown as well as going to local parks and public spaces. During inclement weather, class outings will include going inside buildings such as the Atrium, the Empress Hotel and the Royal British Columbia Museum. This is a great course to take for those who will be travelling to an urban location and would like to do some drawing while there. (There will be an additional fee for museum entrance). Suitable for all levels. TUESDAYS, JAN 6 - MAR 31, 10AM - 1PM IN-PERSON

This course will focus primarily on contemporary painting because the twentieth century brought radical changes in art which were accompanied by fierce debates regarding the place of painting in contemporary culture. This course will examine how and why the medium of painting has not only persisted in the twenty-first century, but expanded and evolved alongside changes in art, technology, politics, and other factors, developing a unique energy and diversity. Course will include group discussions, image presentations, hands-on activities and gallery visits. This is a required course for Certificate of Visual Arts students, however anyone interested in what is going in the art world today is welcome to register. Contemporary Art I is not a prerequisite for this second part of this course. THURSDAYS, JAN 8 - APR 2, 2PM - 5PM IN-PERSON

This hands-on painting course uses examples from art history to focus on how artists use colour. Students will make studies from reference paintings and then allow the artists’ approaches to colour to inform their own work. The course begins with the use of colour in the early Renaissance, and then moves through work by artists in the Baroque and Rococo eras, Impressionism, early Modernism, and Pop Art, concluding with exploring the diverse approaches to colour in Contemporary Art. This course will provide a great way to discover how art from the past can inform paintings that are being made today. Students can work in acrylic or oil. Some painting experience recommended. WEDNESDAYS, JAN 7 - APR 1, 10AM - 1PM IN-PERSON

Drawing Introduction II continues the focus on basic materials and techniques of drawing. In this second part of the course, the emphasis is on learning to use materials and methods to develop a personal expression in drawing. Students will explore a range of materials and approaches including using colour in drawing. As with Drawing Introduction I, subject matter includes still life, the figure, landscape, architectural space, narrative, and student supplied source material. Prerequisite: Drawing: Introduction I or some drawing experience. FRIDAYS, JAN 9 - APR 3, 10AM - 1PM IN-PERSON

This workshop will focus on different ways of drawing natural subjects including plants, animals, and landscape forms such as water, rocks, grasses, and foliage. You will learn use a variety of drawing materials including graphite pencils, water-soluble graphite, conte crayons, and willow charcoal. Exercises will include ways to increase the illusion of visual depth in drawing and how to create visual drama through light and shadow. This work will make you discover how drawing is an exciting way to connect with the natural world. Suitable for all levels. See supply list SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 10AM - 4:30PM IN-PERSON

This workshop will provide hands-on examples on how to use geometric abstraction to create exciting designs and compositions. You will be led through a series of cut paper and watercolour painting exercises to discover the possibilities of this dynamic approach to design. The workshop will include a short presentation on 20th century and contemporary artists working within the realm of geometric abstraction. Shape, colour and composition will be the focus throughout the workshop, and you will be encouraged to work at your own pace. You will leave workshop with two completed works on paper, and a series of sketches or small compositions to fuel future work. Suitable for all levels. All supplies included SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1:30 - 4:30PM IN-PERSON

Building on a basic knowledge of paint handling and colour, this course presents students with a range of projects that explore possible approaches to painting in terms of subject matter, style and technique. Students work from a range of historical models, including representation and abstraction to gain a better sense of the ideas, methods, and formal issues that can support their own vision. Course will include painting from a model as well as a range of other choices for subject matter. Class projects are accompanied by slide presentations. Prerequisite: Painting: Introduction I or some painting experience. WEDNESDAYS, JAN 7 - APR 1, 2PM - 5PM IN-PERSON

This afternoon workshop is an introduction to chalk pastels with plants as the subject matter. Using inspiration from the work of Jim Dine, you will discover how to use pastels through a process-based method of working. Drawing projects will include layering pastels and conté crayon through wiping, rubbing, erasing and dusting powdered pigment on surface. You will create lively drawings of plants that will be both expressive and personal using a process-based method of working. Suitable for all levels. See supply list SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1:30 - 4:30PM ONLINE

Join Thomas Guerrero for this Saturday afternoon photo walk. Thomas is the writer of Sidewalking Victoria, an informative photography blog written from a pedestrian's perspective. In this afternoon workshop, Thomas will highlight specific areas of the downtown area and focus on specific photographic themes at each stop. Examples are photographing the intersection of lines, both real and shadows, at the foot of the Johnson St Bridge; taking advantage of taking photos at different levels in Bastion Square, and capturing the reflections in windows along Fisgard St in Chinatown. You will learn ways to create a thematic approach to photography as well as discover some fascinating locations in the downtown area. Meet at the school. Suitable for all levels. See supply list SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 1:30 - 4:30PM IN-PERSON

This course uses the complexity of the natural world and the theme of landscape as a compelling source of inspiration for painting. Students will develop skills and an excitement for painting through their connection to nature. The course will cover ways to select and simplify subject matter, as well as how to create a strong sense of colour, light and atmosphere in paintings. Class presentations focus on examples of historical and contemporary artists who use the genre of landscape as a way of exploring a personal vision in paint. Group critiques and one-on-one feedback and guidance will be provided for all painting styles. Students are welcome to use oil or acrylic paint. Previous painting experience recommended. TUESDAYS, JAN 6 - MAR 31, 10AM - 1PM ONLINE