2010 Programs

Drawing can help students learn in a wide variety of subject areas. You don't need vast art-making experience to effectively incorporate drawing into your lesson plans. In fact, in just two days, you can learn basic drawing techniques and vocabulary and apply them to create a portfolio of samples for your students. Brainstorm with your colleagues about
how to use drawing to make your classrooms more engaging. Evaluate which materials are most appropriate for your subject and grade level. No drawing experience is necessary. Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

Pop-up books have a long history and have been used by contemporary artists with amazing variations. In this course, you will learn the process of making pop-up books, working step-by-step with a professional book designer who will demonstrate the possibilities in this medium. By the end of the two days, you will have created a sculptural book that incorporates various 2-dimensional disciplines. The importance of measurement in this process and its use in reinforcing math and language skills will also be examined. With your peers, you will explore how to integrate other subjects and disciplines to make them “pop.” Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

Animation is a fun way to make drawings come alive and get students to think about sequencing and narration. Working in Marwen’s state-of-the-art Mac technology studio, you will experiment with a variety of animation methods ranging from simple flip books to combine clay, iStopMotion (user-friendly software), and camera use. You will also view and discuss Marwen student examples from grades 6-12. Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

In this course, you will enjoy the portability and adaptability of watercolor painting. As a resource for content and technique, you will take a field trip to view the watercolor collection of famous American artist Winslow Homer at The Art Institute of Chicago. You will replicate the tools and materials of this artist, examine his color schemes, and create your own works based on his ideas, using the lakefront of Chicago as inspiration and source for drawings. The use of basic tools such as brushes and paper will be covered, as well as techniques like preparatory drawings, washes, masks, incising, and sure-fire color schemes. You will take home a series of studies that will be suitable examples for your students. No experience is required. Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

This course is supported through a grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Ceramics is one of the most ancient arts, dating back to the beginnings of mankind. Participants will examine the history of functional objects as well as sculpture created with the ceramics process, then create at least two forms, using wheel-thrown and hand-building techniques. Methods of decorating pots with extensions, under-glazing and glazing will be covered. You'll take away beautiful samples for your classroom and lots of ideas for creative ceramics projects. No experience is required.

Printmaking has a distinct advantage over other art forms because artists can easily replicate their work. In this program you will learn several printmaking projects ranging from simple monoprints to more complex relief printing that can be duplicated in many classroom situations. You will experience hands-on processes to create examples and evaluate projects for specific use in a variety of subjects and grade levels. Materials that are easy to find, reasonable in cost, and do not require special equipment will be of high priority. No art-making experience required. Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

This course is for instructors who have some experience in drawing and want an opportunity to sharpen and develop those skills. You will examine and take home many resources centered on the work of innovative American artists through a field trip to The Art Institute of Chicago. You will explore drawing with wet and with dry media, traditional and non-traditional materials, You will learn to combine drawings using sophisticated collage techniques, ultimately creating a beautiful collection of your work with simple book binding methods. Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

This course is supported through a grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art.

In this course the emphasis will be on the production of a variety of book types. You will spend two days with a book expert making many interesting books, from basic one-page fold books to hardcover accordion folds to books made with a Japanese stab binding. All of these structures are very adaptable and can be modified for a number of grade levels and subject areas. You will be amazed at how simple materials can be transformed into beautiful book structures. Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

Examine the works of Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer, and other American artists who were also illustrators, and take home many reproductions and resources for the classroom. After studying selected artists, create an eight-page biography of the artist of your choice in children's book form complete with text and illustrations. This model can be replicated for many subject areas. A field trip to The Art Institute of Chicago is included.
Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

This course is supported through a grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art.

For the person who wants to develop skills in mosaics, this course will guide you through the entire mosaic-making process. You will create design sketches, select color schemes, and finalize work using glass, ceramic tiles, and found objects such as marbles and pottery pieces. You will view selected examples from ancient to modern times, and have the opportunity to try out several techniques borrowed from art history. You will produce one two-dimensional object and one small three-dimensional object. Techniques such as hammering tiles, making mock-ups, and selecting grouting colors will be included. No experience necessary.

If you are an instructor who wants to work creatively on a computer and can’t afford expensive software, this is for you. There are free systems and tools to make art, create lesson plans, share information, create blogs, and exhibit student art — and these may be all you need. Learn some basic art tools using well-known, expensive software, then download and install free open source software, and compare the differences. Even if you only have one computer in your classroom, you will learn how to use it creatively as an effective educational tool. Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

Teaching sculpture through a variety of activities can be fun and affordable! You will be introduced to low-cost, easy-to-find materials and a number of hands-on projects for the classroom. You will practice basic construction methods, including joining and interlocking, and create examples to show students. No art-making experience required. Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs

Use a digital camera as an effective teaching tool. Stage and create digital photographs, then manipulate them further with Adobe Photoshop in Marwen’s state-of-the-art Mac technology studio. Explore how to use digital photographs in a variety of classroom applications, including sequencing images to create simple books with text.
Lunch provided. One lane credit, 15 CPDUs