The A.R.T. ™ System at Drawing America
All of our our classes fit within three categories.
- Anatomy: Includes human anatomy and the basics of architectural drawing
- Rendering: All forms of rendering from shading to hatching
- Theory: Understanding graphic space picture composition, and design
Students take one class in each category per term for four terms (a total of 12 sections). For many students this process takes 2 years. Students they should be competent to get a job in design or animation.* Not a guarantee. Students are provided a certificate upon successful completion of the A.R.T. System.
Anatomy (and Architecture) are focused on explicit knowledge building of human anatomy, buildings, and space. This is clearly a 2-year offering.
Rendering is focused on developing drawing skills from shade and line to sketching and basic painting techniques. This is not generic rendering in the sense of traditional atelier methods, but any drawing development tool, whether one is creating a figure drawing or an environmental sketch for film
Theory is focused on anything related to composition and design. Theory explores the powerful uses of shape, flat picture planes and geometry on the viewer whether it is in film or sketchbooks and canvas. This is designed to help students control the viewers’ attention and direct it.
Students are to take one class in each discipline per term. The simultaneous nature of learning is designed to cross-pollinate the ideas from each area because they are most powerful when used all at once and no one area is more important on its own.
Each class created for this system must have homework and teacher feedback. Students are working towards a goal of achieving skills at a fraction of the cost of IRL schools. IRL schools are immensely important and this can not substitute them.
| A.R.T. SYSTEM | Anatomy | Rendering | Theory |
| LEVEL 1 | Architecture & Perspective | Line, Shape, Form | Graphic Space |
| LEVEL 2 | Artistic Human Anatomy | Light and Shade | Composition |
| LEVEL 3 | Advanced Figure Drawing | Advanced Rendering | Advanced Design |