Life drawing is at the core of any serious program of fine arts. In these classes, students draw from the figure in pencil, charcoal, including an option of painting. Each drawing or painting is created over a period of sessions, developing the student’s eye for accurate gesture, proportions, and anatomy. With a single sustained pose, students will have the option of either taking one drawing/painting to a high degree of finish or completing several drawings from different positions around the model.

This course introduces students to master copies as a means of sharpening accuracy, developing technique, and understanding the visual language of great realist painters. Working in either graphite or oil, students will select a masterwork from a broad range of realist traditions — from Old Masters and Golden Age illustrators to contemporary atelier-trained painters.

Using masterworks to study the fundamentals — shape design, value control, edges, color, and form — Sawyer will help diagnose technical challenges and guide each student toward personalized solutions that strengthen their foundational skills.

Students begin by drawing a plaster cast in charcoal, developing their ability to render accurate proportions and value relationships. After students finish a charcoal cast drawing, they are introduced to the fundamentals of oil techniques in grisaille, paint handling, and modeling form. Once this has been achieved, students may progress to still-life painting in oil, working on values, color relationships and composition.

Hybrid Class (Students may attend either in-person or via Zoom.)

Explore your imagination! In this class you will be coached through an imaginative art-making process that Christine uses for creating personal work and client commissions. Emphasis is placed on intent and visual narrative. Christine's teaching is tailored to the needs of each student, be it exploring personal themes or creating work for your portfolio. Assignments can be provided or self-generated. You may work using traditional or digital media. The goal of this class is for you to learn this process (with modifications as needed) and build confidence in and further develop your unique personal creative abilities, therefore, we will avoid using image generators. During class, critiques and discussion are done in a supportive group atmosphere. Students will work on their projects between classes. We use Google Classroom to share information and review projects (Gmail account needed for access). Classes are not recorded. Email Christine with questions or concerns: christine.mitzuk@theatelier.org.

Imaginative Art and Illustration 2: A modified version of the class will be offered in the spring and summer sessions. The full lectures will not be included in level 2 sessions. The goal of this class is similar to Illustration 1 in that we will work to build confidence in and further develop your unique personal creative abilities, therefore we will avoid using image generators.

This nine-week evening class is designed for slightly advanced artists interested in sustained portrait study. Students will work from a live model, focusing on comparative drawing to strengthen proportion, structure, and likeness.

Participants will develop one drawing or painting over the full nine weeks, working with the same model throughout the session. Emphasis is placed on careful observation, disciplined studio practice, and individual growth.

Prior drawing or painting experience recommended.

Students begin by drawing a plaster cast in charcoal, developing their ability to render accurate proportions and value relationships. After students finish a charcoal cast drawing, they are introduced to the fundamentals of oil techniques in grisaille, paint handling, and modeling form. Once this has been achieved, students may progress to still-life painting in oil, working on values, color relationships and composition.

This is a wonderful class to learn the basics of watercolor and drawing and advance to more complicated watercolors. Gain knowledge of the richness of warm and cool colors, understand the nature of their relationship, and learn how opaque and transparent colors work together.

Begin with simple studies and advance to still life, landscape, and portrait. Instruction includes lots of individual help.

The goal of this course is to sharpen drawing ability and technique. Students will be guided through completing a single drawing from a reproduction in the Charles Bargue Drawing Course. The process will take students from the straight line block in to the end stages and subtle finishing. Occasional class exercises will allow students to practice using a variety of tools and techniques. This course is an excellent precursor to sight-size cast drawing and appropriate for all skill levels. Copies will be completed in pencil. Please bring a large 18" x 24" drawing board, HB pencil, and kneaded eraser to first class.