In this course, the students will be introduced to colored pencils and watercolor pencil. Upon successful completion of the course, students will gain proficiency in the use of these media in drawing, portraiture, abstract art, animals, scientific illustration, landscapes, and more. They will be introduced to techniques, application, and incorporation of these techniques in art expression. They will be introduced to the basic elements of art and provided opportunities to experiment with these elements. Finally, students will be exposed to a multitude of career choices in the field of illustration. The ultimate goal of this class is for students to execute successful drawings and to produce a body of cohesive art composition using colored pencil and watercolor pencil.
This course is offered for those who enjoy drawing. Knowing that there will be varying levels of mastery in drawing skills, the instructor will offer various challenge levels as we approach each topic. In this way, the student will be able to receive the challenge he/she needs at a basic or advanced level. These two tracks will culminate in a collection of projects or an online portfolio. Live class demos, in-class drawing time, and self-determined challenges will continue to engage students in our studio community. Students should expect short daily drawing assignments as well as larger completed drawing projects. Plan to devote 2-4 hours of time per week outside of class to this subject.
Please view prerequisites and required supplies below.
A list of colored pencil and watercolor materials will be supplied to enrolled students. Computer video and audio capabilities are strongly encouraged.
Julie Rohr is both a homeschooling parent and a professional educator. She has served students of all ages and skill levels in both live and online settings. She has written curriculum and has presented on topics in local, national, and international forums. Julie has taught for the past 22+ years in many areas of art and culture. She knows there is more to enjoy in great art than just “The Last Supper.” Ms. Rohr has personally developed a series of Art History courses that delights and engages students. Her drawing classes have seen participants grow in leaps and bounds! She is excited to offer a new course in general art for high school students that will ensure they have a solid foundation in a broad range of visual art topics. Additionally, Ms. Rohr serves as a student and parent-oriented community builder, offering social events and clubs for Excelsior students and families. The results of her time in class and clubs are confident, thoughtful, informed students who are ready to contribute to the culture around them with a biblical view of art and creative skills.
Parent T. –
These are my son’s own words: “Thank you so much for this class, Mrs. Rohr! Not only did I have lots of fun, but I learned to use colored pencils to make realistic drawings for the first time in forever. I learned how to blend the colors well and turn out accurate shades and shadows with my pencils, all the time creating work I was surprised to find myself proud of. Thank you for guiding me through this process and showing me how to use these awesome tools, which I had previously shied away from due to ignorance. I really enjoyed your encouraging personality and comments that pushed me forward and made this class a very welcoming place. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone who wants to learn how to make art, have fun doing it, and not feel scared of making mistakes.”
Josiah N –
During my time with Mrs. Rohr, I have grown as an artist in my knowledge of color theory and artistry in general. Learning from Mrs. Rohr has been a real pleasure as she goes through different techniques for colored pencils and watercolor pencils. Her guiding instructions helped me personally to improve my style of art as I used different color styles to create art pieces, divergent from my normal style of just using graphite. Mrs. Rohr also makes the class engaging and exciting with fun projects and demonstrations of techniques in class. This class is great for introducing colored and watercolor pencil styles to newcomers in the art world and is also excellent for polishing the artistry of seasoned artists.
Catherine G –
Julie Rohr is a bundle of awesome! My daughter started out as a nervous, beginning middle school artist with Mrs. Rohr and emerged a more confident and capable artist, ready to try out more techniques and media. I often listened to Mrs. Rorh’s classes while my daughter was in class, and Mrs. Rohr provided solid feedback and encouragement. I could definitely see the improvements the students made from week to week. She is really good at coaxing each student to blossom. Whether you have a newbie or a seasoned artist, Mrs. Rohr won’t disappoint! She’s fun, positive, creative, encouraging, and she inspires good things from her students.