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Youth
Art Classes

Each Saturday, for a year

By Emily KowalikBy Emily KowalikBy Jordan AguiarBy Nik Moreau

The Visual Arts Brampton Junior and Teen levels let your child develop their creative skills in a studio setting.

We accept students of all skill levels, so long as they love art. From there, Keith helps them individually to improve at their own pace, while exploring various mediums and subject matters. They all have the chance to then exhibit at the Fridge Front Gallery in Shoppers World.

Classes start just after New Year's and run to just before Christmas; students however can sign up at any time of the year. It costs just $250 for fifty weekly two-hour creative sessions.

There are two classes for juniors (8-12), and one for teens (13-17). Classes are nearly full for 2008!

  • Ages 9 to 12, 9:30 am to 11:30 am, 5 spots left!
  • Ages 9 to 12, 3:15 pm to 5:15 pm, class full
  • Ages 13 to 18, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, class full
  • Ages 6 to 8, see Young Creativity Classes

By Pavithra MeiyappanBy Joanna WenderskaBy Pavithra MeiyappanBy Joanna Wenderska

WHAT WE DO...

The students will learn perspective, pencil, coloured pencil, scratchboard, acrylic painting, watercolours, cartooning, printmaking, portraiture, various forms of still life and animal drawing, as well as many other mediums. In general, the classes work towards creating works for VAB's Artway exhibit space in Shoppers World.

Later in the year, students are taught how to use professional computer graphics programs in design. Throughout the year, students will be introduced to animation, particularly the traditional 2D form. If there is a great enough interest from the class, we may do a small project on Flipbook, a program used in many college animation courses.

Each class starts with a 30-minute independent drawing exercise. Rotating from week to week, the subjects are portraits, animals, and still life objects. On portrait weeks students may choose between two faces, one male, one female. In all cases, these half-hour opening assignments are meant to loosen the students up, and draw a loose interpretation of the subject.

For the rest of the class, students work on a piece in the monthly subject or medium.

SPECIAL EVENT CLASSES

Occassionally classes are held at off-site locations in Brampton and the surrounding area. Already in 2005, the kids drew Mardi Gras-themed illustrations on clay pots, at Shoppers World. More events are in the planning stage.

Other years, students have drawn animals at the Royal Ontario Museum, Victorian-era artifacts and toys at the Peel Heritage Complex, historic reenactors from the Upper Canada Living History Association, and real-life and toy cars at John Logan Chev-Olds.

By Pavithra MeiyappanBy Nick MoreauBy Emily KowalikBy Anitra Steinberg

GUEST ARTISTS

Occasionally, guest artists will come and help teach lessons to the kids in their specialty's subject.

Among others, artists have included:

  • Peter EmslieWatercolourists such as Kjell Orrling (featured in Watercolor Magazine)
  • Peter Emslie, illustrator, who has worked on Disney books for more than twenty years, as well as working freelance for magazines and companies.
  • Animation storyboard artist Jim Caswell whose credits included Rugrats, Doug and Pepper Ann, as well as many others

Children's book illustrator Sean Cassidy also came one class to talk to students about his career.

YEAR-END AWARD LEVELS

Each student will be judged on skill, at the end of the year. A panel of the VAB board of directors will judge his or her work.

The student will judge what is their best works, which they will display on the wall mounted display units at the studio. Also, students must complete 12 home assignments, from a list of 30 possible mini-projects assigned at the start of the year.

Also, students are encouraged to participate in a year-end project. This year students will design a Canadian stamp, and a corporate identity. Past years have included name illustration, packaging design, a CD cover, and a magazine cover.

Students are judged against other students of their age, so all have a chance at a high standing.

Each child will be awarded at the end of the year: either a certificate of completion, an honourable mention, a bronze level award, or silver or gold level. There is no limit to how many awards of each level are available.

The higher level you receive, the more apt that Mayfield and St. Thomas Aquinas art high schools, or Sheridan College and Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) will think that they are serious about art, increasing their odds of acceptance. Many of the students

ART ON DISPLAY AT FRIDGE FRONT

Any works that students complete can be displayed at VAB's Fridge Front Gallery in Shoppers World. Fridge Front is right near Artway Gallery, which shows the works of professional and semi-professional artists. Students also participate in the World Art Gallery, exhibiting their works alongside worldwide artists.

By Alex RodwayBy Nick Moreau

Great Value
VAB is here to serve all of the community. We keep the classes at an extremely affordable $250 a year for 50 two hour weekly instruction and practice periods.

Discounts
Students receive a Visual Arts Brampton membership card. With that card, VAB students get discounts at Curry's
Art Supplies, Loomis Art Supplies, and Woolfitt's Arts Supplies.


Youth achievements | Payment notes | Frequently asked questions

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