One-Week Summer Intensives for High School Students
One-Week Intensives encourage teens at all levels choose their own adventure and develop their skills in the topic that excites them the most!
Our talented educators are leading innovative courses that are open to teens of all skill levels and backgrounds who have completed grades 8-12.
Each course runs for one week, Monday through Friday, 10:00AM - 5:00PM (except for the week of July 4th).
Materials Lists will be emailed directly to registered students at least two weeks before the start of class. Students are responsible for getting their own supplies.
Programming includes training and mentorship by PAFA faculty, with demonstrations, discussion, small group sessions and one-on-one guidance, for which students can earn 1.0 college credit in for each course while exploring their artistic passion.
Scholarships are available up to 7 days before the start of class. Please email precollege@pafa.org if you have any questions about your scholarship application.
2024 Course Offerings
Drawing I June 24-28  | Strengthen your drawing ability and build your college portfolio. Learn to draw what you see with confidence! Work from still life arrangements, PAFA’s renowned collection, interior spaces, and the human figure, to master foundational elements: shape, contour line, composition, light and shadow, texture, and perspective. Students practice sight-drawing and measuring techniques and learn ways of defining form and space. This course teaches important skills for all artmaking, including for painting and other disciplines. Live model fee is included in the tuition. | $465 |
Painting I: Still-Life and Portrait July 1-5 (no class July 4th) 
| Explore the vibrant possibilities of oil painting through PAFA’s time-honored methods. While focusing on still life and portraits, this class will introduce the method of direct painting of live models. Fledgling artists examine the proportions, placement, structure, and characteristics of both live models and still-life objects. They will develop color using a limited palette to understand how to use chroma, temperature, value, tint, and tone. This class will address materials, composition, paint handling, and color mixing, blending, and theory. Live model fee is included in the tuition. | $375 |
Painting II: Figure Painting July 8-12  | Painting the human form from observation is one of the cornerstones of PAFA's long tradition of rigorous instruction. Begin by learning about proportions, anatomical landmarks, and figure structure working with paintings and sculptures in PAFA’s historical collection and from a live model. Investigate color mixing, proportion, and composition using oil paint as a medium. Live model fee is included in the tuition. NOTE: To reach the fullest potential of art education provided by this program, we will have sessions with live nude models. If you or your parent/guardian are uncomfortable with this arrangement, please do not register for Figure Painting II. | $465 |
Portrait Drawing and Painting July 15-19  | Learn to draw or paint portraits with confidence. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the head structure, perspectives, and features, toward achieving both a likeness and aesthetic effect. Extended poses by live models will allow thorough observational study of both drawing and painting processes. Live model fee is included in the tuition. | $465 |
Drawing for Comics July 22-26  | In this course, we emphasize cartooning basics, studying drawing and inking techniques with a variety of professional tools. You will be taught to integrate narration with the language of sequential art (comics). Students will first write a story (choose either fiction or non-fiction) then design characters and environments to be used as they transform that story into a short-form comic. | $450 |
Experimental Art: Wearable Work July 29- August 2  | Expand your art making abilities and dive into the world of experimental art! Sparked by imagination, students will construct artful garments, masks, props, and more. Class attendees will gain familiarity with a variety of fabrics, sewing notions, glue, cardboard, and found objects, with a strong emphasis on using repurposed/sustainable or discarded materials as artmaking media. Each class meeting will be dedicated to building a different wearable piece of art; a mask, a glove/gauntlet, a hat, a prop for a character of the student’s creation to use (such as a tool, a talisman, etc.), and a tunic/cape/gown. Pictured: Artwork by instructor Cait McCormack | $450 |
Drawing II August 5-9  | Further develop your observational skills, strengthen your drawing ability, and build yourself a robust college portfolio. The focus of this course will be on drawing from intensive observation. You will hone your visual tools as we work from still life, landscape, and portraits as subjects. Art students will explore both historic and contemporary drawing materials and become familiar with a variety of techniques, understanding their characteristics and limitations. This class will also examine the work of both historic and contemporary artists. In this way, we will not only be making art but also working to form a greater understanding of the two-dimensional visual language. Live model fee is included in the tuition. | $465 |
Tuition & Fees
| Tuition | $450 per week Some classes may have additional model fee of $15 |
*Taking a course for college credit means that students will receive a grade for the course, and therefore be held accountable for completing assignments to an appropriate standard. The course content remains the same if taken for credit or non-credit.
Discounts
- Membership Discount
PAFA Members receive a 10% tuition discount! For more information and to join or upgrade your membership, view our online membership details or contact the Development Department at 215-972-2077. Register for Three Courses
Register for three or more courses and receive a 10% discount! This discount applies even if you are registering multiple students, and those students are not related. Consider inviting a friend or two to Intensives this year and everyone saves!
Combine these discounts to save 20% off your registration!
Scholarships and Refunds
Please check out our Policies, Procedures and Scholarships page to learn about scholarship opportunities and refunds.
If you have additional questions, please reach out to precollege@pafa.org or 215-972-7630.
Contact Pre-College Programs
Studio art classes and education for high school students to develop their artistic passions and prepare for college.