Fine Arts

Courses 

Color Theory

Discover color and its implications for designers and artists, such as the use of color to solve spatial problems. This course also examines color qualities, color harmony, and the way colors interact.

Drawing I

This immersive experience in drawing instruction explores form through the use of light and shadow, texture, line, and color. Students practice perspective, foreshortening, gesture, portraiture, and representation of drapery through still-life and live-model drawing.

Painting I

Intended for students who have limited experience with oil painting, this course includes painting from the figure as well as still lifes. Instruction includes references to historical and contemporary art, so that students can understand their work in wider cultural context. 

Life Drawing

Drawing is the most accessible form of visual expression. It enables experimentation, crystallizes ideas, and communicates viewpoints. This class focuses on gesture, contour, values, and composition, enabling you to convey your unique perceptions to others.  

Painting II

Students practice direct observation and sketching to execute fully developed oil and watercolor paintings. We encourage departing from established creative techniques, so that students transform this ancient medium into a conduit for personal, visionary expression.  Three electives Electives for this certificate include Drawing II, Drawing Interiors, Mixed Media, Collage, and others.

“Our Fine Arts certificate offers more than just technical skills; it allows students to capture space and time through their own expression.”

Program Highlights

Who Should Enroll

• Anyone interested in developing fine arts talent with formal training
• Students and creative professionals who want to use drawing and painting to communicate ideas more effectively 
• Art collectors and historians seeking greater understanding of imagery, materials, and technique

What You’ll Gain

• Mastery of the basic techniques that underpin all art and design careers
• Knowledge of methods of professional communication and personal expression
• Greater understanding of the criteria of aesthetic success
• New points of entry for learning about art and cultural history

How You’ll Learn

• Direct interaction with faculty practitioners at the top of their fields
• In-person collaboration in small classes
• Project-based learning focused on developing real-world skills and portfolio assets
• Flexibility to review course content and complete assignments at any time
  

Why The New School?

The professional landscape as we’ve known it has changed dramatically, and ongoing learning is more important now than ever before. At The New School, we champion every student’s creativity and growth. By combining integrated disciplines with collaborative problem solving, we deliver an immersive, transformative learning experience. With the leadership of Parsons School of Design — ranked #1 in the United States* — our faculty imparts the critical expertise students need to advance their careers or pivot to new ones in a constantly evolving world.

*Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings (2020).