Arts

Art class

Age: 5-7

Instructor: Jenny Xu

Requirement: No previous drawing experience needed.

Class duration: 10 lessons/quarter, 1 lesson/week, 55minutes/lesson.

Material needed: Instructors will provide all the material. Please pay $6 to the instructor directly at the first lesson of each quarter.

For beginning art students, class will focus on some essential skills, including the ability to draw the shapes and lines of concrete subjects, such as animals, houses, cars, or trees. Students will also learn how to color and introduce some basic color theories: the names of colors, complementary colors, and color intensity. The materials for this level are colored markers, crayons, and oil pastels.

If they have drawing experience, students can begin with simple black-and-white drawing and learn how to produce good contours. The use of colored pencils and watercolor techniques will also offer children new ways to express themselves. Class will cover basic techniques, such as adding depth, layering, and mixing colors. Students may work on Chinese cultural related projects to produce completed pieces of artwork, which could hang on a wall or make a nice gift.

Chinese Painting

Age: 8 and up

Instructor: Jiayong Zhao

Requirement: No previous drawing experience needed.

Class duration: 10 lessons/quarter, 1 lesson/week, 55minutes/lesson.

Material needed: Instructors will provide all the material. Please make your payment to the instructor directly at the first lesson of each quarter.

Chinese painting has been practiced for hundreds of years, and the styles have changed enormously over time, giving a rich and varied tradition. The earliest painting in China was for decoration rather than representational illustration, and there was great freedom in the interpretation of subjects from life. Its apparent simplicity and the Oriental spirit behind this fascinating subject appeal to many who wish to explore traditional techniques. Philosophy and symbolism play a large part in Chinese painting. Paintings were often done as gifts and suitable subjects would carry a hidden message. The Chinese style of painting alerts the artist not only to the outer appearance of a subject, taking in structure, texture, and behavior, but also to its inner spirit and essence. This class progresses through carefully selected projects that enable all beginning artists to develop their painting skills and potential. Students will learn how to draw plants and flowers, landscapes, birds and insects, figure work, and other subjects that are traditionally featured in Chinese painting. This class also brings students closer to Chinese sensibilities and nurtures their appreciation of Chinese culture.