Noelle Africh

In this dynamic course, you'll explore drawing as a powerful way to express your thoughts, feelings, and unique ideas. Whether new to the medium or looking to sharpen your skills, you'll investigate contemporary themes and subjects while developing essential techniques like line, perspective, tone, proportion, composition, value, gesture, and contour. Get hands-on with various traditional and modern drawing materials, experimenting with everything from charcoal and graphite to ink and vibrant water-based paints. You'll also visit the Art Institute of Chicago, interact with professional artists, and take virtual tours of museums when available¿all designed to inspire your artistic journey. This course emphasizes personal expression and creative exploration, making it the perfect space for beginners and experienced artists to discover their artistic voice. Note: Figure Drawing and Figure Painting use nude models hired by the School. Other painting and drawing classes may use them to a lesser degree.

This advanced course targets students who have completed at least one Early College Program drawing or painting course or have substantial experience in these areas and want to enhance their skills. The course emphasizes the organization of ideas and the development of self-directed projects, with guidance from the instructor and peer support. Students will be encouraged to pursue their projects and goals using various media, including water-based paint, oil paint, ink, pencil, charcoal, collage, or a combination of these materials. The course includes trips to the Art Institute of Chicago, presentations by contemporary artists, group critiques, and experimental interdisciplinary exercises to enhance the studio experience. This course is meant for those comfortable working independently to expand their portfolios.

Painting Practice is an introductory painting course offering. The curriculum addresses basic skills as related to a painting studio practice. Topics and curricular goals include material, facility and technique, space and color, as well as concept. This course is a prerequisite for all Multi-level Painting, Figure Painting and Advanced Painting Studio classes.

This course explores the interpretation of the landscape using both drawing and painting mediums. The class works both inside and outside of the studio, taking advantage of the natural and architectural sites of Chicago adjacent to the School.

Students draw from the model as a means of understanding form, shape, and line using a variety of media. The course emphasizes shorter poses as training in immediate response to gesture and form. This course serves as a requirement and preparation for topic-based Figure Drawing B classes.

This drawing studio serves as a broad introduction to historical and contemporary drawing practices. This course presents drawing as an organizer of thought, experience, and image.

Students will investigate a full range of drawing materials and supports. Lectures and exercises introduce various concepts of drawing, possibly including illusionistic form and space, gesture and expressive mark-making, or collage and found imagery, depending on the instructor?s emphasis.

Designed to accommodate many skill levels, students can explore various creative strategies through technical drawing exercises, material explorations, and individual projects. Structured classroom critiques will bring drawing concepts into personal student work.

Simply put, this class is about exploring possibilities-- the use of various combinations of materials used, wet and/or dry, on any paper related products, from fine drawing sheets to left over cardboard, as long as the what and how of it is on/with a paper support...the individual pursuit for a personal visual voice is encouraged...during the first several weeks, various 'problems' will be given to start things moving?