Artist and instructor Christian Iraca.
DUBOIS, Pa. — Penn State DuBois invites anyone who loves to draw or those who would like to learn how to draw to take part in its Aspiring Artist Series of classes.
Professional artist Christion Iraca, of DuBois, is accomplished in all aspects of art and specializes in portrait art. He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Penn State and teaches both youth and adult classes. He will provide individualized instruction and guidance to students who want to learn more about the techniques that help create realistic portraits.
This three-part series allows artists of all skill levels the opportunity to build their knowledge by taking a single class, or signing up for all three classes. The small class sizes will accommodate individualized instruction and participants will pick their subject matter themselves, allowing for a very personal final piece of art at the end of the class. Participants do not need to take class one in order to enroll in class two or class three.
In class one, Introduction to Portrait Drawing, students will be asked to bring a portrait of their child, grandparent or any other loved one and learn how to recreate that portrait as their very own artistic interpretation. The class includes concepts that allow participants to simplify the structures of the face, discover the placement of those features, and how to accurately draw them as a realistic portrait. Techniques in light and shadow will round out the introduction before students will learn to create their portraits and learn additional techniques using acrylic paints. This class is scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Aug. 22, 24, 29 and 31, and Sept. 5 and 7.
Class two, Drawing Monsters, will take place just in time for Halloween. Students will be able to pick their favorite monster and develop techniques to bring their portraits to life. Participants can bring photos of their favorite classic monsters and learn techniques to draw realistic features of the face and head. Other concepts addressed include light and shadow and the use of light and dark values to define parts of a drawing. Students who take class one will be able to build upon techniques learned in that class; new students will be introduced to concepts of portrait drawing using this fun theme. The class is planned for 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Oct. 3, 5, 10, 12, 17 and 19.
Drawing Star Wars Characters is the theme of class three. Fans of "Star Wars" will be able to capture the excitement following the Dec. 15 release of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." Students will use both pencil and acrylic paints to create a realistic portrait of their favorite character. The class includes concepts that allow you to generalize the forms of the face, measure the geometric placement of those features, and how to accurately draw them as a realistic portrait. Techniques in light and shadow will round out the introduction before students will learn to create their portraits and learn additional techniques using acrylic paints. Students who take classes one and/or two will be able to build upon techniques learned in those classes, and new students will be introduced to concepts of portrait drawing using this fun theme. The class will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 9, 11, 16, 18, 23 and 25, 2018.
All materials are included in the price of $149 per class. Each class has six sessions that are 1.5 hours long, to be held in the DEF Building at Penn State DuBois. For more information or registration assistance, contact John Brennan at 814-375-4836 or [email protected]
