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Ceramics | Drawing | Painting | Young Artists: Vacation Camps |

Debora Aldo

From ancient Roman palazzos to Byzantine churches, architectural mosaics have adorned the floors, walls and fountains of grand homes and buildings for centuries. This class offers a comprehensive hands-on introduction to creating mosaics for specific sites and surfaces, including home interiors, exteriors and other architectural structures. The process begins with developing imagery and planning the design of the mosaic for a designated site. Both traditional and contemporary techniques of making mosaics using stone, glass, ceramic, found objects, broken china, metal and other recycled materials -- by themselves or in combination -- are explored. Students use simple tools to cut the materials into small cubes known as tessera, which are then assembled into the design. While students work in small format to gain technical experience, the logistics of working on a much larger scale are discussed, including possible on-site installation in your own home or beyond.

Robin Wiseman

Capturing a likeness of the human face has intrigued artists throughout history. Explore this fascinating process by learning to translate your observations of structure, proportion and the relationships among visual elements onto the two-dimensional page. Students also examine how the artist reveals personality traits while capturing the physical likeness on paper. The course bases its investigation of technique and approach on the work of both Old Masters and contemporary artists. Both composition and expressiveness are emphasized, and students are encouraged to develop their own personal style.

Applies to the following certificate programs (18 contact hours): CB-E, DI-E, DS-E, NS-E

Susan Fossati

The natural beauty, spectacular colors and graceful forms of flowers have inspired artists throughout history. Think of Vincent van Gogh's energetic blooms and Georgia O'Keeffe's startling floral close-ups. This hands-on course gives beginning and experienced artists alike a unique opportunity to strengthen their powers of observation while developing their own styles of expression. With flowers as subject, students explore acrylics, oils, or other media of their choice. Numerous techniques are demonstrated and practiced, including glazing (application of thin layers) to help capture the translucence of petals, and the use of additives to help recreate leaf texture. Master artworks are studied and the elements of composition are discussed, with a wide selection of flowers provided to work from in class. Note: Previous painting experience is helpful.

Applies to the following certificate program (18 contact hours): DS-E

Keith Fox

Matisse and his cohort of early 20th-century French artists were known as les fauves, or the wild beasts, for the vibrant way they reconciled exhilarating, arbitrary color with simplified and flattened shapes to push their work beyond the descriptive and towards abstraction. Later, American painter Milton Avery was inspired to investigate fauvist ideas in familiar subject matter: beach scenes, pastimes and landscapes. Through discussion and assignments, both beginning and experienced painters in this studio course are inspired by Avery's investigations as they learn to depict recognizable imagery through a semi-abstract mode of expression. Students learn how to place more emphasis on form than on content, and using their choice of acrylics or oils, create works that are startling, colorful and bold.
Prerequisite: Basic drawing skills
Applies to the following certificate program (18 contact hours): DS-E

Steven Hayes

The historical surrounds of RISD's Tillinghast Farm in the cold grips of winter are the perfect setting for exploring the arts, crafts and amusements from times when kids had no choice but to enjoy toys and games powered by their own imagination. Participants stay warm inside, handcrafting paper and books, and producing puppet shows with puppets they make themselves. We also have fun learning about the games and toys of centuries past by designing and building some of our own, including Hoops and Graces, checker boards and jigsaw puzzles -- with a 21st-century twist, of course! Join in the fun and develop an appreciation for the skill, care and imagination that goes into handcrafting your own entertainment!