This course is designed to develop the work of the student with a range of activities from drawing, painting, basic printmaking techniques, producing 3D structures, sculpture, installation and basic animation and video art. Students will produce a wide-ranging portfolio to prepare them for potentially applying for entry into an art or design program in the future.

Topics may include: 

Drawing - A combination of accurate measured drawing using fundamental forms to build up the student's knowledge of  the world around them, and a range of experimental drawing exercises. A variety of materials and methods will be used to explore creative ways of image production. The accurate drawings will build the student’s skill with representational portrayal of form, while the abstract approaches will deepen the student’s understanding of the role of drawing in the creative process and expose them to different ways of thinking about art. 

Painting - students will learn the basics of colour theory, depth, lighting, paint layering, rendering and how to use brushstrokes. Projects could include still life, abstract, figurative, or landscape, and each project will build upon the skills already learned. Abstraction will be emphasized to consider using a different language to express various concepts. Some projects will combine different materials, such as collage and painting with non-traditional materials.

Printmaking - the introductory printing method of mono-printing will also be explored. This can be combined with a variety of drawing techniques and approaches, as well as collage materials. The topics could include abstract, still life, figure drawing, and experimental approaches. 

Animation and video art - stop-motion animation uses a hands-on approach of starting from hand-drawn images which are then photographed and turned into a digital animation. This will teach students the principles of animation using low-tech and expressive means. Students may also work on a video art project, focusing on concept and how to think creatively about the language of moving image and sound.

3D Art and Installation - Another aspect of the course will be exploring sculpture, 3 dimensional design, and installation.  Students will be asked to generate work from supplied and found materials. For this project subjects will include: materiality, space, light, colour and form, perception and imagination, and how to combine these aspects to convey a concept. 

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Photography - Students will be introduced to the fundamental theory of photography. Focusing on key composition points such as; light, shadow, line, shape, form, texture, color, size and depth. After the introduction, students can apply what they have learnt to their own photography. In the practical element of the course, subjects could include cityscape photography within the neighborhood of the studio and an alternative approach to viewing and taking self-portraits.