This class is a visually rich, hands-on, and informative presentation of the working methods, color, materials, and techniques of six great eras of painting (Spanish and Dutch painters such as Velasquez and Rembrandt, great Impressionist painters like Manet and Pissarro, painters of Montmartre such as Matisse and Picasso, early expressionist painters like Kandinsky and Soutine, and more). Each week will include video demonstrations, lessons in visual art history, and a Q&A Zoom review session. Students will create paintings using the approaches and aesthetics of each of the six great eras of painting, which will be critiqued and commented on by the instructor, with a learning goal of enriching each student’s confidence, knowledge, and skills. Open to all media and levels of experience.
 
Location: Web-delivered (Online)
Instructor: Al Gury
Cost: $295
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Learn or hone your skills to create artworks on the computer using Adobe Photoshop and digital pen tablets. Apply drawing and painting concepts such as line quality, color, value, and mark-making techniques as you use your stylus like a brush or pencil with the computer screen or tablet as your digital canvas. Expand your traditional studio practice with digital portrait painting/drawing and silhouette painting techniques. Students interested in game design may focus instead on character or creature creation, environment design, concept art, or other pre-visual development. This course is appropriate for anyone interested in translating their drawing/painting skills to another medium for their personal art-making practice or for students pursuing professional goals.
 
Location: Web-delivered (Online)
Instructor: Deon Robinson
Cost: $265
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Drawing is not only the starting point for artistic study in any medium, but also a unique and personal way of portraying people and places, expressing ideas, and recording experiences – accessible to anyone! Whether you are seeking to launch your artistic career or to capture the world with pencil on paper, this course is for you. Explore drawing’s fundamental materials, techniques, and principles through live Zoom demonstrations and posted instructional content. Learn to translate the three-dimensional world to the flat surface of your paper by working from still-life objects, interiors, and portraits in your choice of pencil, charcoal, or other media. This course is appropriate for all levels, from beginners to more experienced artists seeking to hone their core skills.
 
Location: Web-delivered (Online)
Instructor: David Wilson
Cost: $265
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632

Four Live Paint Along Classes in May. Sign Up for one or all four and save. If you missed a class, no worries! You’ll receive a recording to catch up, so you can still sign up for all four sessions. You will learn Vlad's step-by-step approach to a loose watercolor painting; see how Vlad uses composition and values as part of the creative process; discover timeless traditional watercolor methods of application; explore Vlad's use of brushes and color mixing; complete the painting. May 3 - Red Barn Radiance: Exploring Light. May 10 - Weathered Beauty of Old Town Walls. May 17 - Reflections in Watercolor: The Dance of Light and Water. May 24 - Café Conversations: Painting People and Moments.
 
Location: Web-delivered (Online)
Instructor: Vladislav Yeliseyev
Cost: $45 - $150
Sponsor: Renaissance School of Art
Website, email, 941-330-6865

People, cars, and trees are vital ingredients in urban watercolor scenes, adding life, context, and movement to the cityscape. Their thoughtful inclusion not only brings authenticity but also strengthens the overall composition, turning a simple city view into a compelling narrative. This workshop focuses on demystifying these essential elements and showing how they can be seamlessly integrated into your urban paintings. Day 1: Lesson, Demonstration and Q&A. Day 2: Feedback Session – submit your painting and get personalized feedback from Vlad even if you’re watching the replay! Vlad will provide tailored feedback on your work, offering valuable insights to help you refine your skills and improve your technique. It also includes demonstrations addressing common mistakes to enhance your understanding further.
 
Location: Web-delivered (Online)
Instructor: Vladislav Yeliseyev
Cost: $165-190
Sponsor: Renaissance School of Art
Website, email, 941-330-6865

Many artists can feel frustrated in front of a blank canvas, unsure of how to start and what to paint. Paint with confidence by learning techniques to tap into your intuitive process and find inspiration more easily! Experienced instruction and advice will push students to take chances and explore unexpected directions and accidental marks to achieve artistic discoveries. Students will use line, color and space, and editing possibilities to create busy/calm areas and focal points in their paintings as they work from personal imagery, expression, and imagination. Instruction will take the form of PowerPoint presentation/examples, formal direction from modern and contemporary artists, and one-on-on critiques in Zoom sessions that are geared toward open painting time in a classroom-like setting. Painting experience recommended.
 
Location: Web-delivered (Online)
Instructor: Kassem Amoudi
Cost: $150
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Website, email, 215-972-7632