Feeling frustrated in front of a blank canvas, unsure of how to start or what to paint? This workshop will focus on techniques to enable you to start painting with con?dence by tapping into your intuitive process and ?nding inspiration more easily. Demonstration and critique will enhance your knowledge of the painting process.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Kassem Amoudi
Cost: $195
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Experience the joy of working with watercolor and water-soluble pencils and pastels. Both traditional and innovative techniques will be demonstrated to create luminous color and descriptive effects. Try your hand at the various media, individually and in-combination, while working from your own photographs, still life arrangements, or imagination. A great introduction to watercolor and mixed media! (Tuition includes $10 materials fee.)
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Lesa Chittenden Lim
Cost: $185
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

PAFA offers a vibrant community of faculty-artists and students who can stimulate your art-making with advice and new perspectives. A group critique is an excellent means of both dispelling feelings of artistic isolation or uncertainty and finding inspiration in the ideas and artwork of others in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Patricia Traub was an Associate Professor at PAFA for many years, teaching drawing and painting. A PAFA alumna, her interest in animal painting and conservation led her to studies in zoology and taxonomy at the University of Pennsylvania, ornithology at Cornell University, and primatology with Dr. Birute Galdikas at Camp Leakey, Indonesia. Her monumental human figure and animal paintings were recently the subject of an extensive article in Artist’s Magazine.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Patricia Traub
Cost: $95
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Learn monotype printmaking methods that do not require a press or shop facilities. Seen in the work of Edgar Degas, Michael Mazure and others, these painterly techniques are easily transportable for use outside for plein air work, on a table at home, or in the classroom. An added appeal is that images can be made using any materials that you have on hand, such as oil/acrylic paint, watercolor, or ink. Oil-based block-printing inks and various papers will be supplied for this class; experiment with your own paints and inks as well.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Jennifer Baker
Cost: $215
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Learn everything you need to know about the technique of screen printing, the stencil method of printmaking, practiced by Shepard Fairey, Roy Lichtenstein and more. Step-by-step instruction will include choosing a subject, creating stencils, exposing the screen, color mixing, paper registration and printing. Come away with an edition of 10 two-color prints! No experience necessary. (Tuition includes $15 lab fee.)
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Lisa Hamilton
Cost: $210
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Interested in learning or improving your watercolor skills? All materials and techniques will be discussed, including the selection of papers, brushes, and pigments, as well as transparent and opaque painting methods. Students will work from still-life, and/or their own source material. A life/portrait model will also be available both days. All levels welcome.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: James Toogood
Cost: $195
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Compose clay sculptural studies of animal subjects on location at the Philadelphia Zoo. Begin with rapid three-dimensional sketches and progress to extended sculptural renderings in order to identify boney landmarks and convey the gesture of a variety of species. Comparative anatomy, materials, and techniques will be addressed, as well as methods for capturing expression. Zoo admission not included.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Diane Collins
Cost: $250
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Mixing too much paint, for too long, with poor results? Learn to use color effectively! Explore color mixing, value, temperature and pigment variations through exercises and observational painting. Instruction covers oil color palettes, painting methods, grounds, materials, and terminology. Apply this visual vocabulary of color to all painting media. All levels welcome. (Tuition includes $15 model fee.)
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Jill A. Rupinski
Cost: $410
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Don’t miss the opportunity to work with Dan Miller, a member of the PAFA faculty for five decades and a master of woodblock printing! Inspired by his surroundings in rural Pennsylvania and Maine and a love of his materials, Miller fuses the texture of the wood grain with his imagery of landscapes, birds, insects and portrait subjects. Beginning with a printing demonstration and a slide lecture illustrating woodcut’s history, Miller will lead students through the woodcut printmaking process: designing an image, cutting the woodblock, and printing in black-and-white and color. Topics will include equipment usage, paper selection and hand-printing techniques.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Dan Miller
Cost: $415
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Learn the techniques and tools of figure and portrait sculpture through demonstration and hands-on sculpting from the model. Explore anatomy, proportion, design and expression through the versatility of terra cotta clay (no armature required). Sculptures will be fired at the end of the workshop. Workshop includes all materials.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Colleen O’Donnell
Cost: $215
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Embody the spirit of spring with fresh and immediate painting! Learn to capture the essence of a living, botanical subject quickly and spontaneously in pencil and watercolor. This alla prima method can be used for preparatory studies for sustained paintings, compiling a field sketchbook, or as an end in itself. All levels welcome. (Tuition includes $10 materials fee.)
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Linda Gist
Cost: $205
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Setting up an art studio in your home or apartment can be challenging, but a lot can be accomplished in a small space. Topics include efficiency, lighting, ventilation, storage, safety and waste disposal. Includes demonstrations on brush care, paint storage, varnishing and framing. Useful information for artists of all levels.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Anthony Ciambella
Cost: $35
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

How you frame your artwork is vitally important to its impact. A bad frame or mat not only detracts from your artwork, but also can reject it from juried exhibitions, eliminate it from prize awards, or turn-off potential buyers. In this seminar, learn the fundamentals of choosing an appropriate frame for paintings, prints, drawings and photographs: material, style, size, color, matting, glazing, hanging hardware and more. Discussion will also address choosing among professional frame shops, online frame companies, art supply and craft retailers, or making your own frame. Valuable information for artists, collectors, and anyone wanting to frame work.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Anthony Ciambella
Cost: $35
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Learn the essentials of landscape painting in the New Hope/Lambertville countryside, the area made famous by Daniel Garber, Edward Redfield, Fern Coppedge, and other masters of Pennsylvania Impressionism. Topics include color mixing to achieve a sense of light and air, capturing time of day, compositional fundamentals, and sound painting practices. Locations will include Daniel Garber’s historic farmstead, Cuttalossa Farm! Painting outdoors can be a daunting experience for the newcomer. When learning the intricacies of this art it pays to learn from someone who has 20 years experience in the field. In this class Joseph Sweeney will be your guide.
 
Location: New Hope, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Joseph Sweeney
Cost: $350
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Abstract and representational artists of all levels are invited to explore techniques and concepts in painting with an emphasis on individual development of style, theme and expression. Working from the life model in an interior arrangement, discover how an objective image can be transformed into a personal statement through the process of painting and engaging your imagination. Investigate the metaphorical meaning in figure painting through representational and abstract approaches. Individual and group critique, discussion and a PowerPoint presentation of works from old masters and contemporary artists will complement studio activity. Ying Li’s uncompromising sense of personal vision combined with complete abandon in the possibilities of paint make her work style the epitome of painterliness.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Ying Li, www.yinglistudio.com
Cost: $395
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

This comprehensive workshop covers all aspects of painting a traditional portrait. Topics include achieving a likeness, modeling light and shade, mixing flesh tones and applying paint through various techniques. All participants will produce at least one finished portrait. Includes demonstrations and portrait history. Valuable information for all levels.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Theodore Xaras
Cost: $195
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Explore the art of the collagraph, in which a textured collage is transformed into a printed image. This creative and accessible process promotes a tactile experience both in the making of the plate – in which fabric, yarn, natural forms and other found materials are glued down to a rigid surface – and in the implied texture of the printed form. No prior collage or printmaking experience is necessary. All levels welcome.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Christine Stoughton
Cost: $170
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Capture the picturesque beauty of the Philadelphia landscape. Learn to create a convincing sense of space, light and time of day while depicting streetscapes, trees, water and sky. Color mixing and painting techniques for oil and gouache will be demonstrated, but all drawing/painting media are welcome. A mixture of urban and park locations will offer engaging subjects with parking, shade, provisions and facilities available.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Larry Francis
Cost: $395
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Learn the fundamentals of painting with gouache, an opaque watercolor paint. Painters of all levels will fall in love with it as a portable, fast-drying, and easy-to-clean-up alternative to oils – great for travel or limited working time and space. Explore color and painting techniques through still life and outdoor views. (Tuition includes $20 materials fee.)
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Allison Syvertsen
Cost: $215
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

The natural world is an infinite and fantastic source of inspiration for the artist, and the versatility and luminosity of watercolor make it the perfect means of expression. Learn essential drawing and watercolor techniques to create both quick field sketches and detailed, finished artworks. Subject matter will include flowers, plants, animals and landscapes. Reference images will be gathered through observational sketches and photography. An ideal workshop for those interested in both the fine arts and the illustration field.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Roberto Osti
Cost: $195
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Capture the active life of the city and its rich architecture. This is an excellent workshop for anyone who wants to learn to sketch on the bus or train, in cafés and public parks, or while traveling abroad. Topics include perspective, gauging proportions by eye, gesture figure drawing, and methods for simplifying form. All levels welcome. (rain or shine)
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Cost: $95
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Celebrate the floral wonder of spring! Working from fresh flowers from the instructor’s garden, paint colorful still life arrangements of irises, lilacs, tulips and more. Oil painting demonstrations will address light, color, gesture of the bloom, and composition. Examples from master flower painters throughout history will provide inspiration.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Dori Spector
Cost: $175
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Portray the spring landscape en plein air in the medium of your choice along the banks of the picturesque Brandywine River. Bring a packed lunch or eat at Hank’s, a longtime haunt of Andrew Wyeth’s. The day concludes with a visit to the Brandywine River Museum (free admission on the first Sunday of the month). Free parking, restrooms and sheltered locations available. (rain or shine)
 
Location: Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Cost: $95
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Learn the basics of drawing with pastel and watercolor, ideal for plein air, as you work along the picturesque Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The instructor will demonstrate techniques, reference art historical examples, and encourage personal expression. Amenities will be available along the way. All levels welcome.(rain date: June 7)
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Keith Leitner
Cost: $95
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

A combination instructed-class and open studio for students interested in advancing their representational drawing and painting. Design and work on your own personal projects utilizing the cast collection, figure/portrait models, and still life or interior spaces, assisted by individual critiques and group instruction on topics of broad concern or interest.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Peter Van Dyck
Cost: $850
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

We will use photos as a springboard for creating the paintings we want. In this 5-day workshop, participants will work in the studio from photographic reference of the landscape, using it to create paintings of different value keys, color keys, times of day, and seasons of the year. We’ll break down the information in photos, analyze it, and use it to create tonal sketches, change color palettes, and create paintings based on multiple images, memory, and imagination. Each day will include a lecture and demonstration followed by painting with one-on-one instruction.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: John MacDonald
Cost: $850
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Explore traditional and contemporary monotype techniques while working from direct observation of the posed model in a studio setting. Instruction will present a historical overview of the medium, demonstrating the range of artistic possibilities through the work of Edgar Degas, Paul Gaugin, and other historical and contemporary artists. Students will employ a combination of subtractive and additive techniques on Plexiglas or metal plates, using a procedural method that can be adjusted to suit individual needs. Images printed on the first day will be further developed with dry and wet media on the second day. Instruction will emphasize issues of drawing, mark making, composition, and design.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Mark Green
Cost: $415
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Brooklyn-based painter and PAFA alum Christine Lafuente considers her paintings “poetic responses to visual experience.” Responding to the still life motif, learn how to build an oil painting directly, with the emphasis on color. The workshop will begin with a painting demonstration, followed by painting sessions in which students will be guided through a series of focused procedures: composing a painting and establishing tonal design, mixing color, achieving harmony and palette organization, applying large color masses, and using principles of oil viscosity to build form into wet-into-wet painting.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Christine Lafuente
Cost: $850
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Paint your way through the mystery and uncertainty of the art-making process in this intuitive, practical and empowering workshop with acclaimed artist and PAFA graduate faculty member, Neysa Grassi. Dispel the voices of criticism in your head, and learn to perceive doubt as a valid means of investigation rather than a destructive force. Work in gouache and mixed media on paper to discover the freedom that comes from generating imagery without preconceived outcomes. Discussion of painting practices and feedback on students’ previous work will supplement studio activity. Instruction will be presented on an artist-to-artist basis, whether participants are beginners or seasoned artists.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Neysa Grassi
Cost: $395
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Explore Philadelphia’s rich tradition of natural history illustration through fascinating museum visits and hands-on art-making with award-winning artist, illustrator and PAFA alumna Kate Samworth. Follow the path of Charles Wilson Peale, the painter, scientist, inventor, and naturalist who established the nation’s first natural history museum in 1786, in an effort to collect and catalogue all living things. Visit the American Philosophical Society and the Library Company of Philadelphia and others to view prints, paintings and ephemera related to the exploration of the natural world at the end of the Enlightenment era. Return to PAFA to create your own nature illustration of flora and fauna with a new understanding of the role of those who collected, preserved, identified and depicted living things through history.
 
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Instructor: Kate Samworth
Cost: $395
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Most people can name a specific moment in their lives when something changed it forever. For artists and writers, we agree that learning and creating in community has enriched our lives in so many different ways. We have experienced fun, personal, mental and emotional life-changing growth. Around the world, we explore adding Zentangle to our mixed media art and use it as an opening exercise in our writing practice. It is intentional, abstract art and a safe place to create, even when you aren’t an artist. Conscious Creations Art Studio, in Exton, is the home of Philly Area Zentangle® (2012) This retreat weekend promises to enlighten, broaden skills, and enhance your creative spirit.
 
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Cost: $500.00
Sponsor: Conscious Creations Art Studio
Website, email, 484-889-8668