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: 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: 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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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: 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: 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: 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: 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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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: 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: 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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Drawing with Pen & Ink (Fall 2017)

Ideal for anyone interested in travel sketching or sketching on the go or anyone interested in sketching or using pen & ink or ink with watercolor. This medium is worth getting to know as it is perfect for sketching on the go. Learn techniques for pen and ink with guidance from an experienced artist, starting with how to select the right supplies. Find out how to create quick single-line sketches of your surroundings quickly before adding contrast and dimension. Once your shapes are sketched, you'll learn to add textures and details that will enhance your sketches.

Artwork by Christy Olsen

You will also learn mark-making techniques and tips for creating perspective with ease. Switch to a brush pen and learn how to draw like a painter by working with tone and shape instead of a line. You will also learn how to work with a brush using inks and also try some colored inks.

Meets: (2) Saturday Afternoons 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Nov. 4, 11 in 2017
Location: 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 Techniques Specific to Pen & Ink
Materials: Bring your own supplies.

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Drawing the Human Head (Fall 2017)

Ideal for anyone interested in figure drawing or portraits. Have you ever wanted to draw or paint the human head? It's a complex subject and may seem overwhelming. However, in this class, we will cover the step-by-step process to help you get started. It’s called the ‘Loomis Method’ and was popularized in the early ’50s by the marvelous illustrator Andrew Loomis.

Artwork by Christy Olsen

Working with photographs as a reference is fine, but you will need to develop a feel for the three-dimensional form, so we will be working from realistic plaster casts of the head and eventually work with a live model. This method is a must for anyone working in portraits or figure drawing. The process will help you break down major complex structures from the head and the face. It’s simple, easy, and will help get you up and running in no time! Demonstration with some lecture, students will perform hands-on studio art practice.

Meets: (4) Saturday Afternoons at 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Sep. 23, 30, Oct. 7, 14 in 2017
Location: 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: This class is not media specific. Demos will be performed in charcoal, graphite, or pastel pencil.
Technique: Portrait Drawing
Materials: Bring your own supplies.

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Finding Creative Pathways (Summer 2017)

Ideal for anyone who needs help finding their aesthetic or 'visual voice', would like to stay on track with their studio art practice, or would like to be inspired to create more often!

Artwork by Christy Olsen

You will also learn mark-making techniques and tips for creating perspective with ease. Switch to a brush pen and learn how to draw like a painter by working with tone and shape instead of a line. You will also learn how to work with a brush using inks and also try some colored inks.

Meets: (6) Saturday Mornings 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Jun. 3, 17, Jul. 15, 29, Aug. 12, 26 in 2017
Location: Junior League (2099 E River Rd, Tucson, AZ 85718) via the Art Verve Academy.

Instructor: Christy Olsen
Format: Work independently, pick your own projects or work at home in between class sessions, then bring your work in for review. Individual feedback or one-on-one instruction will be provided.
Level: Absolute Beginner to advanced, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Not media-specific, demos will be performed in charcoal, graphite, or pastel pencil.
Technique: Drawing & sketchbook practice
Materials: Bring your own supplies.

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Pastel Pencils (Fall 2016)

Explore new ways to use pastel pencils. Create beautiful sketches, drawings, or even finished works of art, rich in pigment with lots of colors. Pastel pencils may be used in conjunction with soft pastels or can serve as a cleaner alternative to pastel sticks with no mess & little setup time.

Artwork by Christy Olsen

Meets: (3) Saturday Afternoons at 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (3-hour duration)
Dates: Sep. 10, 17, 24 in 2016
Location: TPS Art Center (2447 N. Los Altos, Tucson, Arizona 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 beginner, all levels are welcome!

Medium: Pastel pencils & pastel
Technique: A variety of approaches to pastel pencils or the pastel medium
Materials: The instructor will email the materials list prior to the first day of class.

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