Quick Sketch in Watercolor (Sep. 2026)

Sep. 6, 13 & 20, Sunday Afternoons at the Campbell Studio.

Watercolor is a medium that is perfect for travel sketching and on the go! Take it anywhere with some easy techniques for when you're traveling or short on time. We'll practice from life in the studio and in the garden, using a gesture style quick sketch. Learn to use some additional water-based media, such as ink and gouache, a fast-drying, opaque watercolor medium. They are all great for traveling or sketching on the go! An excellent approach for beginners.

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Watercolor with Ink (Mar. 2026)

Watercolor is a medium used for urban sketching or painting, making it perfect for travel. Using waterproof ink and watercolor, we'll focus on achieving a simple outcome that you can practice and take with you anywhere or scale into a larger format.

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The ink allows control over your lines and values, so the watercolor may be used create expressive, vibrant, and energetic strokes. An excellent approach for beginners: you only need ink, your paints, and a waterbrush to get started.

Meets: Sunday Afternoons, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Mar. 1, 8 & 15,
Location: Art Verve Academy
Art Verve Studio is located at 2700 N. Campbell Ave. Suite 300 Tucson, Arizona 85719.

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, studio practice with one-on-one instruction.
Level: No experience necessary. All levels are welcome!

Medium: Watercolor
Technique: Use waterproof ink to add lines and build values with the loose feel of expressive watercolor washes or brushwork.
Materials: Bring some basic drawing materials to take notes. Bring any watercolor paints or supplies that you already own. We'll also provide pens, paints, and brushes, along with instructions on what to buy if you are just getting started and want to purchase supplies in the future.

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Getting Acquainted with Watercolor (Jan. 2026)

Jan. 11, 18 & 25, Sunday Afternoons at the Campbell Studio.

Watercolor is a medium used for urban sketching, or painting. It refers to both the medium and the and the resulting artwork. Watercolor is a great medium for beginners, you only need your paints, a brush and piece of paper to get going, water activates the paint. We'll focus on the basics to achieve a simple outcome in this medium and what types of supplies that are needed to help you succeed.

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Cloudscapes in Pastel (Jan. 2025)

Jan. 19, 26 & Feb. 2, Sunday Afternoon at B.Marie's Atelier & Gallery via the Art Verve Academy.

Are you eager to explore the delicate beauty of clouds? Whether you're looking to get started or deepen your understanding of the pastel medium, you'll learn the techniques needed to capture the ever-changing nature of the sky, from soft, wispy clouds to dramatic storm clouds, all in rich, vibrant colors.

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Getting Acquainted with Pastel (Sep. 2024)

Sep. 14, 21, & 28, Saturday Afternoons at TPS Art Center via the Art Verve Academy.

Pastel is a medium used for sketching, drawing, or painting since the Renaissance, not an aesthetic. It is unique in that you only need a piece of paper to get going. These classes are perfect for those who want to start working with pastels. We'll focus on using the materials to achieve a specific desired outcome or to enhance visual art effects.

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Printmaking without a Press - Monotypes (Feb. 2024)

Delve into the captivating world of monotypes, an enchanting printmaking technique that needs no traditional press and may be taken with you on the go! Monotypes combine the spontaneity of drawing, painting, and printmaking and are renowned for their individuality and expressiveness via the Art Verve Academy.

Discover the freedom of spontaneous mark-making. This class will have everything you need to try this unique and forgiving medium! Learn the various methods, tools, and materials to produce one-of-a-kind evocative prints. Learn to manipulate ink, textures, and surfaces. The possibilities to create stand-alone artwork that may be realistic, painterly, or abstract are limitless! 

Meets: Saturday Afternoons, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Feb. 3, 10, & 17
Location:Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Lecture & demonstration, studio practice with individual feedback, and one-on-one instruction.
Level: No prior experience is necessary. Just be open to trying new drawing methods or tools!

Medium: Printmaking (Akua ink or waterbased oils)
Technique: How to create a monotype using the additive and subtractive methods.
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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Posted on January 18, 2024  by Christy Olsen
Location: 2447 N Los Altos Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705, USA
Tags: 2024 , Adult Visual Art Class , Art School (Art Verve)  

Responsive Drawing (Jan. 2024)

Learn a new approach where we start without a blank page and respond to our drawings. Every element on the page affects how we perceive the other or surrounding elements. Shapes, forms, or patterns are all related concepts but have nuances that set them apart via the Art Verve Academy.

You'll be guided through exercises that explore figure-ground relationships. Learn to design shapes that integrate with the background and discover a variety of edges that may be used to distinguish shapes that share a common boundary.

Meets: (3) Saturday Afternoons, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Jan. 6, 13, & 20, 2024
Location: Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Lecture & demonstration, studio practice with individual feedback, and one-on-one instruction.
Level: All levels are welcome! No experience is needed. Just be open to trying new drawing methods or tools!

Medium: Charcoal, Conté crayons, Pastels, or Sanguine
Technique: Learn how to create shapes, forms, or patterns that integrate with the background.
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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What Can You Do With Walnut Ink? (Oct. 2023)

Explore walnut ink and its rich sepia tones. Rembrandt, DaVinci, and Van Gogh all used it in their sketches and drawings. Discover what they found so enchanting and why they used this extremely forgiving water-soluble medium.

One dip of a brush will get you a wide variety of tones or lighten up dark areas with a wet brush. Create quick, playful sketches on the go or finished pieces.

Lucca. 7x10. Walnut Ink on toned paper by Christy Olsen.

Meets: (3) Saturday Afternoons, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Oct 7, 14 & 21, 2023
Location: Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705) via the Art Verve Academy.

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, hands-on studio practice with one-on-one instruction or individual feedback.
Level: No experience necessary. Absolute beginner, beginner to intermediate, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Walnut Drawing Ink or Similar
Technique: Sketching, working with dip pens and or brushes
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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Painting in Gouache Basics & Essentials(Spring 2023)

Learn how to paint with gouache! This versatile, fast-drying water medium, also known as opaque watercolor, is simple to set up and easy to clean up.

The colors are rich & exceptionally vibrant because each tube has a high concentration of pigments. Use it in multiple ways, including travel sketching, color studies on the go, or paint your own miniature masterpiece!!

Blue & Orange. 8x10. Goauche on paper by Christy Olsen.

Learn the basics & essentials to paint in gouache, or build on your current painting skills with some guided practice. You only need a few primary colors to get started.

Meets: (3) Saturdays 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Apr. 8, 15 & 22 in 2023
Location: Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, hands-on studio practice with one-on-one instruction or individual feedback.
Level: No experience necessary. Absolute beginner, beginner to intermediate, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Gouache or Opaque Watercolor
Technique: Includes scumbling, impasto, veiling & washes.
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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Colored Ink with a Brush (Spring 2023)

Create ink drawings using a brush! Learn how to create ink washes and work with various colored inks and ink types. Use pen and basic brush strokes to create beautiful lines and forms.

Lotus. 8x10. Colored inks paper by Christy Olsen.

Practice using an ink brush pen for travel in guided exercises on a small scale. Explore the traditional brush painting concept of “less is more” as you learn how to capture the essence of your subject using only a few strokes. Work your way up to finished pieces that explode with color!

Meets: (3) Saturdays 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Jan. 7, 14 & 21 in 2023
Location: Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, hands-on studio practice with one-on-one instruction or individual feedback.
Level: No experience necessary. Absolute beginner, beginner to intermediate, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Ink & Ink washes
Technique: Demonstrations in mark-making using a brush or brush pen.
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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Pen & Ink Practice, Sketching & Scribbles (Fall 2022)

Pen & ink is perfect for sketching on the go! You'll find it's a medium worth getting to know. It dries quickly and won't smudge; however, once some marks are made, they will not budge. Switch to a brush and draw like a painter. Work through an October challenge as if it's a no-brainer.

Jug. 8x10. Ink sketch on paper by Christy Olsen.

Practice with the guidance you seek as you learn a variety of inking tools & techniques. Whether a novice or an established inker, you may discover that you're intrigued by pen & ink practice hook, line, and sinker. During this class, you will have access to the supplies you need, and by the end, you may even feel as if your challenge in pen & ink will succeed!

Meets: (3) Saturdays 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Oct. 1, 8, & 15 in 2022
Location: Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85705) via the Art Verve Academy.

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, hands-on studio practice with one-on-one instruction or individual feedback.
Level: No experience necessary. Absolute beginner, beginner to intermediate, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Pen & Ink
Technique: Mark making, line & how to use fountain pens
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

Register or enroll at the Art Verve Academy!

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Pen & Ink Toolbox for Ink Challenge (Fall 2021)

Pen & ink is perfect for sketching on the go! You'll find it's medium worth getting to know. It dries quickly and won't smudge however once that mark is made, it will not budge. Switch to a brush and draw like a painter, work through the October/Inktober challenge as if it's a no-brainer. Practice with the guidance you seek, as you learn a whole variety of inking tools & techniques. Whether you are a novice or an established inker, you may find out that you're intrigued by InkTober practice hook line and sinker. During this class, you will have access to supplies you need, and by the end, you may even feel as if your InkTober practice will succeed!

Husky. 5x7. Ink sketch on paper by Christy Olsen.

This class will focus on how to perform a 30 day Pen & Ink challenge!

Meets: (2) Saturdays 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Oct. 2, 9 in 2021 (Inktober)
Location: Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N Los Altos Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705) via the Art Verve Academy.

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice.
Level: Absolute Beginner to advanced, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Pen & Ink
Technique: Drawing, Hatching & Cross Hatching
Materials: Bring a sketchbook, notebook, pencil, pen, or something to take notes on.

Register or enroll at the Art Verve Academy!

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Drawing in Pen & Ink (Spring 2020)

Drawing in Pen & Ink

Pen & ink is perfect for sketching on the go, you'll find that it's a medium definitely worth getting to know. Once you make a mark, it won't budge, it also dries quickly and is sure not to smudge. Switch to a brush and draw like a painter, work with ink washes to build values like it's a no-brainer. Practice with all the guidance that you seek, as you learn a variety of inking techniques. Whether you are a novice or an established inker, you may find that you're intrigued by colored inks hook line, and sinker. During class, you will have access to all the supplies needed, and by the end, you might even feel that drawings have succeeded!

Artwork by Christy Olsen

Meets: (2) Sunday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Jan. 19, 26 in 2020
Location: Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N Los Altos Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice.
Level: Absolute Beginner to advanced, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Pen & Ink
Technique: Drawing, Hatching, Cross Hatching, Ink Washes & Working with Colored Ink
Materials: All materials will be provided. Bring a sketchbook, notebook, or something to take notes on.

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Painting Landscapes in the Studio (Nov. 2019)

Ideal for anyone painting in oils who would like to practice within a studio setting and learn from live demonstrations. Topics will include painting from outdoor sketches, creating compositions, and the pitfalls of reference photography. Demonstrations will focus on how to use the building blocks of shapes, values, edges, and colors to improve your landscape paintings.

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Crash Course in Color (Oct. 2019)

Do you mix colors together and get mud? In a few easy steps, learn how to mix a wide variety of brilliant, rich, and luscious colors. Discover your own personal palette. This class is fun!

It will walk you through the basics of color mixing, warm tones, cool tones, and complementary colors. You will create your own color references, paint different color combinations with certain themes in mind, and create your very own abstract painting using intuitive color mixing.

Meets: (3) Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Oct. 5, 12, and 19, 2019
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice.
Level: All levels are welcome! Ideal for absolute beginners with no experience and those with any previous experience who would like to revisit or expand their knowledge on the topic.

Medium: Any painting is welcome. Demonstrations will be performed in water-based oils, watercolor, opaque watercolor (gouache)
Technique: Color mixing as it applies to oils, acrylics, watercolor, opaque watercolor, or gouache

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Nōtan (濃淡) Design and Composition: Notan (Spring 2019)

Whether you are drawing or painting, a strong composition will attract attention, engage the viewer or provide clarity in your message. This class covers some of the basic principles of art, simplification, and the Japanese concept of Nōtan (濃淡), a concept that evolved during the evolution of woodblock prints using a limited set of dark and light shapes. By the end of this class, you will have a solid understanding of how to simplify your shapes and arrange your values into a pleasing design.

Notan by Christy Olsen

Meets: (2) Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Feb. 9, 16 in 2019
Location: Art Verve Academy
TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Medium: Not media-specific, demonstrations will be performed in graphite or pen & ink
Technique: Design & Composition
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list prior to the first day of class.

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Animal Safari Sketch (Summer 2018)

Go on a super fun safari, to sketch or draw the animals on location at the fabulous International Wildlife Museum. Get a close-up look at taxidermy mammals and birds from the collection in the upstairs classroom. Through a series of simple exercises with a focus on gesture, structure & anatomy, you will learn how to draw animals.

Gouache by Christy Olsen

You will also explore how to render texture such as fur or reptilian skin. We will set up animals within the classroom in the proper studio lighting to create dynamic compositions and practice smaller studies. Each session also includes time for practice in the downstairs natural history museum on animals within their own diorama.

Meets: (4) Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Jul. 14, 21, 28 Aug. 4 in 2018
Location: Art Verve Academy
Upstairs Board Room of the International Wildlife Museum (4800 West Gates Pass Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85745) via the Art Verve Academy.
Directions: From the West: On West Gates Pass Boulevard, turn left after W. McElroy Dr.
From the East: On West Gates Pass Boulevard, turn right after N. Camino De Oeste.

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Lecture & demonstration, individual feedback, or one-on-one instruction will be provided, during in-class exercises or studio practice.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Medium: Not media-specific, demonstrations will be performed in charcoal, graphite, or pastel pencil
Technique: Drawing from life, Drawing textures such as fur or animal skin
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list prior to the first day of class.

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Portraits in Pastel or Pastel Pencils (Mar. 2018)

Discover a new approach to capturing portraits in pastel. Ideal for anyone interested in portraiture or figure drawing! By the end of this class, you will have a basic understanding of how to make a realistic portrait working from a live model and identify the advantages and shortcomings of working from a reference photograph. You will discover the secret to the subtle differences in skin color and its undertone.

Learn how to work on toned paper, control your values, and enhance your edges with specific pastel techniques. Through demonstration, lecture, group feedback, and plenty of one-on-one attention, this class will expose participants to new artistic possibilities in portraiture.

Lucca. 8x10. Pastel toned paper by Christy Olsen.

Meets: (4) Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Mar. 17, 24, 31, and April 7, 2018
Location: Upcycle Tucson, Inc. (924 W Grant Rd, Tucson, AZ 85705).

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, hands-on studio practice with one-on-one instruction or individual feedback.
Level: No experience necessary. Absolute beginner, beginner to intermediate, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Pastel Pencils
Technique: Portrait Drawing
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list before the first day of class.

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Drawing Facial Features: Mouth (Feb. 2018)

Discover a simplified approach with expert guidelines to the complex task of drawing human anatomy. Ideal for anyone interested in portraits or figure drawing! Our brains will extract relevant information for facial recognition principally from the eyes and secondly from the mouth.

Artwork by Christy Olsen

The mouth is an essential feature for recognizing familiar faces. Subtle mouth movements are also crucial to perceive human emotion. We will study and practice drawing the human mouth from a detailed plaster cast and a live model. All drawing mediums are welcome!

Meets: (2) Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Feb 17, 24, 2018
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate. All levels are welcome!

Medium: This class is not media-specific. Demos will be performed in charcoal, graphite, or pastel pencil.
Technique: Portrait Drawing
Materials: Bring a sketchbook or something for taking notes and your favorite materials for drawing.

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Live Model Dates

• Feb. 24: Carla

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Drawing Facial Features: Nose (Feb. 2018)

Discover a simplified approach with expert guidelines to the complex task of drawing human anatomy. Ideal for anyone interested in portraits or figure drawing! Do your noses look like cartoons? The nose characterizes the face in portraiture, but no two noses are alike.

Artwork by Christy Olsen

The key is observation. The nose shadow adds structure and creates the illusion of form. Capturing the value relationships is paramount. We will study and practice drawing the human nose from a detailed plaster cast and a live model. All drawing mediums are welcome!

Meets: Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Dates: Feb 3, 10, 2018
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 85705)

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Demonstration, lecture, & one-on-one instruction provided during hands-on practice.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate. All levels are welcome!

Medium: This class is not media-specific. Demos will be performed in charcoal, graphite, or pastel pencil.
Technique: Portrait Drawing
Materials: Bring a sketchbook or something for taking notes and your favorite materials for drawing.

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Live Model Dates

• Feb. 10: Carla

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