Aimee Art Productions offers a variety of classes in the Visual Arts to teach the basics of shape, texture, lighting, angles and color. Group lessons are provided in Photography, Figure Drawing with pencils, charcoal and pastels, Self-Portraits, Studying Art, learning balance and precision in the art of Mobile Making, Marbling with Paint, turning old junk into new art in Recycled Art, Drawings with the dot technique and Collage. These courses culminate with a Gallery Showing where family and friends can view the unique work of your little artist. These Visual Art classes are being offered throughout Los Angeles, specifically in the Burbank, Glendale, Hollywood and Silverlake area.
Most of the following classes are also offered in a Parent-and-Me option, geared for students ages 18 months to 5 years and their caregivers. Contact us for more information!
Spring Crafts
Teaching Artist: Michelle Hanley
An arts and crafts class where all of our activities are inspired by the Spring season. We will collect natural materials for bird feeders and decorative wreaths, discover crafts to take us outdoors such as apple stamping and dream catchers, and explore mixed-media art that makes us all say WELCOME SPRING!
Calligraphy – Grades 1st – 5th
Teaching Artist: Nancy Friedman
Learn the art of calligraphy and typography! In this class students will study beautiful forms of writing as art, focusing on letter and word construction. They will use creative and artistic skills to develop their own typefaces based on their likes and hobbies. Students will practice their lettering skills to create fun and beautiful projects!
Rock n’ Roll T-shirts
Teaching Artist: Tehani Sarreal
Grades: 1st and up
Turn your old and new t-shirts into wearable and usable art! From iPod holders and wristbands to shaggy pillows and rock ‘n’ roll inspired shirt designs, you’ll never look at t-shirts the same way again. With these fun, easy and creative t-shirt projects, we cut, tie, stretch, pin and sometimes stitch old shirts into works of art! Over 50 different possibilities. All patterns range from minimal stitching or “no sew” designs. T-shirt scraps are always recycled into mini art projects and nothing is ever wasted! Bring your imagination, individuality and create your own unique spin on t-shirt fashion!
Needed Materials:
T-Shirts*
Cardboard squares (2 for every 4 or 5 kids, materials are shared)
Scissors
Box of Safety Pins
Chalk
Rulers
Needles and Thread (depending on projects and age of participants)
*Depending on specific projects (and level of difficulty), t-shirt needs vary. For example, for one project on one day, materials can range from one fitted shirt and one over-sized shirt to on L shirt for each participant. For a 4-class workshop (where you make take-home usable finished projects every class), a pack of (3-5) t-shirts per participant would be substantial to last the whole class, plus a pack for me to demo and one XL shirt to make a class project out of the leftover scraps. Since everyone varies in size, I would have to get t-shirt sizes (at least approximate) for each age range and in special cases for each kid.
Arts in Action: Mixed Media – Grades 1st-5th
Teaching Artist: Sara Alavikia
Dynamic and super fun hands-on visual art and art history class for budding young artists. Focused on the on the work of a different artist each week, children paint, draw, collage, glue, use pastels and build three-dimensional sculptures, while exploring their creative messy side, developing their imagination and technique, and encouraging their ability to think creatively. Artists studied include Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Toulouse Lautrec, Rosa Bonheur, Paul Gauguin, Joan Miro, and Rembrandt. Projects include painting landscape, drawing self-portrait, creating a palette, tracing profiles, collage ,mixed media and more. Class culminates in informal art gallery for the summer school community.
Creative Art Workshop
Teaching Artist: Farzad Kohan
This painting course is a fast paced program that teaches children about painting, class will expand skills, creativity and imagination. Students will gain knowledge of color theory, learn about line, shapes, textures, forms and dimensions through still life and perspective using professional grade art material in a fun, hands-on positive environment. Working in diverse mediums including pencil, charcoal, ink and acrylic paint new students will learn to draw basic lines and shapes, mix color and use shading and dimension to create drawings, paintings and unique artworks.
Ladybug Picnic
Teaching Artist: Angela Perino
Grades: Pre-K
Come play at the Lady Bug Picnic!! Together we will create our very own ladybug picnic! Projects will include making “crazy-color-ladybugs”, ants, grasshoppers and more using simple geometric shapes, painting your own picnic blanket, and making “nature prints” using leaves and flowers. We will also complete a few group projects: we will create a giant tree to shade our picnic and design a menu for the picnic as well! Start each class with a ladybug song and dance, explore the insect world and read some classic stories about ladybugs, caterpillars and grasshoppers!!
Beatles Art and Murals
Teaching Artist: Angela Perino
Grades pre-K and up
In this class students will be exposed to the music of the Beatles and learn about the band’s history and contributions to music and art. The purpose of the class will be to create imagery that reflects the lyrics of the songs.
Each week we will begin class by listening to 1 or 2 songs. We will discuss the songs and the meaning of the lyrics, pick out the most vivid imagery from the song and create pieces that will later be combined in order to create a mural. Most projects will be individual but a few pieces will be created by the group together.
Arts In Action
Ages: 4-6 years and 7-10 years
Dynamic and super fun hands-on visual art and art history class for budding young artists. Focused on the on the work of a different artist each week, children paint, draw, collage, glue, use pastels and build three-dimensional sculptures, while exploring their creative messy side, developing their imagination and encouraging their ability to think creatively. Artists studied include Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Toulouse Lautrec, Rosa Bonheur, Paul Gauguin, Joan Miro, and Rembrandt. Projects include painting landscape, drawing self-portrait, creating a palette, tracing profiles, collage, and more. Super popular class, fills up early.
Visual Arts Design and Technique
April 6th Tue @ 3-4pm
Teacher: Ji Ahn
Ages: 5-10
Art Around the World (Japan) by Ji Ahn
Children will be learning about Japanese cultures through paper cranes and they will be making paper cranes in the class. A portion of the proceeds from this class will be donated to Japan to support the victims of the earthquake. Here is the little information about Thousand Origami Cranes: Thousand Origami Cranes (千羽鶴 Senbazuru) is a group of one thousand origami paper cranes held together by strings. An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. The crane in Japan is one of the mystical or holy creatures (others include the dragon and the tortoise), and is said to live for a thousand years. In Japan, it is commonly said that folding 1000 paper origami cranes makes a person’s wish come true. This makes them popular gifts for special friends and family.
Explorative Arts: Collaboration through Art
April 20th Tue @ 3-4pm
Teacher: Ji Ahn
Ages: 7-12
Collaboration is the core of the program and children will be engaged in discussions and develop social and problem solving skills through a series of fun and creative games.
Children will paint BUT! with their hands tied to each other! They have to talk and collaborate with each other in order to finish their painting in time! They will play another game, this time, they have to circle the right number with their eyes covered. Only way to do this is to really listen to their teammates for guidance. Children will have great fun playing these games while developing social and problem solving skills.
Scrapbooking
Teacher: Staff
Grades: 2nd and up
Scrapbooking is a fun, expressive way for children to develop their inner-artist while exploring themes such as holidays, history, sports, nature, friends, etc. It is a wonderful and cost effective way to help children develop their self-esteem, creativity and expression of emotions as they record memories in a keep-sake that both children and parents can cherish for a lifetime.
Pioneer Living
Teacher: Dan Rae Wilson
Grades: 3rd and up
Ever wonder what it was like living in the old wild west? Explore how the settlers lived 200 years ago before the internet and TV by learning useful and entertaining skills. Some directions the class could take are candle making, hand sewing, hand weaving, simple cooking/preserving and growing something from a seed. This class could break down into different sections depending on the facilities and interest of the school/students.
Clothing Rescue 911!
Teacher: Dan Rae Wilson
Grades: K and up
A creative alternative to getting rid of old clothing; this class focuses on how to alter clothing to give it new life, how to turn felted sweaters in to useful accessories and toys, and simple sewing techniques such as patching holes, appliqués and button sewing. This class could fit perfectly into an elementary setting where students are exploring their own personal style.Scrapbooking is a fun, expressive way for children to develop their inner-artist while exploring themes such as holidays, history, sports, nature, friends, etc. It is a wonderful and cost effective way to help children develop their self-esteem, creativity and expression of emotions as they record memories in a keep-sake that both children and parents can cherish for a lifetime.
Recycled Art! Everything Old is New Again!
Teacher: Nikki Adkins
Grades: Pre-K to 3rd
This innovative class combines conservation, communication, and creativity, culminating in a collaborative “museum walk” through a Camelot-style found art exhibit, where we will view each other’s work and share it with our parents and the school community. Each week, we will read a different story from children’s literature and create an art project using recycled items from home, school, and from the ‘hood.
Calligraphy
Teacher: Bonnie Ebbs
Grades: 3rd and up
Learn the art of Caligraphy! In this class we will study this beautiful form of writing focusing on the rules of letter construction as well as discuss the topics of pen, inks, papers, crafts and good reference books. We will practice our calligraphy skills to create fun and useful cards, invitations, books and write poetry.
Mosaics
Teacher: Lorraine Heitzman
Grades: K to 2nd
This class will introduce the art of mosaics to the younger student. Kids will learn how to turn a drawing into a mosaic by using different materials. They will see how dried beans, pasta and pebbles can all be transformed into a fantastic mosaic.
Sculpture
Teacher: Lorraine Heitzman
Grades: K to 2nd
Come explore the wacky world of 3 dimensions! Kids will have fun making sculptures out of cardboard, clay and all sorts of materials found in your home. We will recycle plastic bottles, cardboard tubes, and cans to create everything from animals to robots. Be prepared to get creative and messy!
Hand Puppet-Making
Teacher: Alison Heimstead
Grades: K to 2nd or 3rd to 5th
In this class students create an original character, learn various ways of constructing puppets based on character and finally the class will culminate in an original puppet show written by the students using their newly created characters.
Jewelry-Making
Teacher: Lorraine Heitzman
Grades: K to 2nd or 3rd to 5th
Don’t just wear jewelry….Make it! In this class we will make jewelry from all sorts of materials. You will learn how to make your own paper beads for necklaces, bracelets and earrings. We will also explore different techniques for making beads with polymer clay and fun macramé friendship bracelets.
The Mystery of Marbling – Painting Swirls of Color!
Teacher: Docious Godfrey
Grades: K and up (also available as Parent-and-Me course)
This class will teach the easy and beautiful art of marbling. It’s fun and fast and full of surprises. Paint is dripped onto a tray of liquid, swirled around and then transferred to paper. We’ll make all sorts of things including painted lunch bags, holiday ornaments and picture frames.
Drawing Class
Teacher: Steve Loizos
Grades 1st and Up
This class will show the students how to observe in a focused manner and approach the paper with a wide range of styles and different mediums including pen, pencil, paint, charcoal and digital media. We will study anatomy, diverse styles, cubism, realism, impressionism and perspective. Draw quick gesture drawings or long studies like still life.
Mobile Making
Teacher: Docious Godfrey
Grades: 1st and up
With an introduction to Alexander Calder, the inventor of the mobile, this class will explore the many types of materials that can be used for mobile making and learn about how balance and weight play a key role in creating this work of art. Kids will create their own mobiles using wire, cardboard that they decorate, and string.
Down on the Farm
Teacher: Docious Godfrey
Grades: 2nd and up (also available as Parent-and-Me course)
This is an assemblage class that involves creating a farm scene from craft supplies, and found and recycled objects. Children design and build a 3-dimensional project representing animals, barns, fences and anything else they want on their very own farm. A great class for team-building as well as layout and design.
Painting with Scissors – Matisse’s Cut Outs
Teacher: Docious Godfrey
Grades: 2nd and up
This class will look at the end of Matisse’s career when he turned to using scissors to cut out shapes from paper and created wonderful collages. We’ll explore positive and negative space, composition and color.
Costume Design
Teacher: Staff
Grades: 3rd to 5th
This is an introduction to sewing and an introduction to design for theatre, with an emphasis on communicating the characters and the story through costume. Students will learn hands-on technical skills and techniques and also the design process and vocabulary. The culmination will be a costume production for Musical Theatre Production, as well as a design portfolio/display that would contain students’ sketches and pre-construction work that led up to the final product.
Mosaics
Teacher: Lorraine Heitzman
Grades: 3rd to 5th
Did you ever want to learn how to make a tile mosaic? In this class we will use tiles, broken dishes, marbles and bottle caps to make your own mosaic. Each student will create a design and learn how to translate their artwork into a finished mosaic.
Scenic Design
Teacher: Staff
Grades: 3rd to 5th
In this class students will learn the basics of collaborative art, creative structure, and practical design. We will start by figuring out exactly what a scenic designer is required to do. In this students will learn how to analyze a script practically and creatively. Then we will begin working on the space we are given (how much set we can have, budget, etc.), the colors, lines, and textures used to create mood and movement in collaboration with the costume class. Each student will get to suggest ideas for how to attain the finished product as well as create their own set design. They will also learn the basics of painting on a large skill and some tricks of the trade in terms of low-budget materials and techniques. This class will be one of creative exploration and achievement to see and think of things outside of the box. The culmination would be the actual set design for school’s Musical Theatre Production.
Sculpture
Teacher: Lorraine Heitzman
Grades: 3rd to 5th
Do you like to build things? In this class we will learn about sculpture and different materials such as clay and paper mache. We will create dioramas, wire sculptures, and discover how to make sculpture out of just about anything. The only requirement is your imagination!
Figure Drawing for Kids
Teacher: Ann Marie Smith
Grades: 3rd to 8th
Students will take turns posing (one at time) while their poses are sketched on paper with pencil, charcoal or pastels. Students will learn basic figure drawing by using simple geometric shapes with shading. They will progress to simple anatomy proportion. Quick and loose gestures along with portraits will be covered in this fundamental figure drawing class.
Modigliani’s Noses
Teacher: Docious Godfrey
Grades: 3rd and up
This class looks at portraiture through the work of Modigliani and some of his contemporaries. Kids explore the many ways faces can be represented and create their own self-portrait using various mediums including pastel and charcoal.
Seurat’s Dots
Teacher: Docious Godfrey
Grades: 3rd and up
This class will explore the pointillism technique started by Seurat in the 19th century. We’ll learn how to make landscape drawings and paintings using dots of color instead of brushstrokes.
New Media Art
Character Animation for Films and Cartoon Strips
Teacher: Steve Loizos
Grades 1st and Up
Hey students out there! Learn how a character runs the story! We will study many known character designs of the animated cartoon and your favorite cartoon strip. Study construction, color and learn how to draw amazing believable characters that make you laugh, and then publish a cartoon strip for the Internet!
Color and Design for Digital Art
Teacher: Steve Loizos
Grades: 2nd and up
Behind every great music video, film, digital media or painting, is a well-balanced and interesting design. Learn how to solve designs with color, three-dimensional objects. Learn the fascinating world of color theory. It is amazing to create beautifully designed composition from simple forms. It’s magic through study!
Traditional Animation: Make Your Own Cartoon!
Teacher: Steve Loizos
Grades: 3rd and up
Learn the magic of animation! We will learn the principals of animation, story, design and creating characters. At the end of the class, as our final project, the student will have created their own digital cartoon!
Photography
Snap! Fun With Photography
Teacher: Staff
Grades: 2nd and up
We see pictures every day! In magazines, the family photo album, books. Explore the visual art of photography. You will learn to “see” shapes, texture, light, angles. We will shoot portraits (candid and posed). All of your beautiful photographs will be organized in a fun album to share with friends and family.
IMAGINATION AND MEMORY THROUGH VISUAL ARTS!
With Expert Teaching Artist Caitlin Lainoff
(also available as Parent-and-Me course)
Course Description: The goal of the class is to provoke the imagination and find different methods for inspiration: drawing from life/observation, memories/dreams, the work of other artists, and collaboration with other children. The materials will mostly consist of paper and recycled goods. At the beginning of each class a book related to the activity will be read. The final culmination of all the activities will be a book that documents each project either with the original piece or a photograph.
Evolution Through Revolution:Printmaking & Letterpress
Grades: 6-12
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Explore various techniques of printmaking and letterpress aswe take a whirlwind hands-on tour of the history of printing. Fromreligion to the DIY punk zine, we will briefly look at the historical value ofprinting and how it mobilized various social movements. We will look atthe historical value of printing and how it mobilized various socialmovements. We will look at famous printed work by Andy Warhol, AlbrechtDurer, Vincent Van Gough and more. Discover ways to print from everydayobjects and tools in addition to using linoleum block carvings, letterpress,vintage printers’ blocks and wooden type. Share your prints withclassmates and leave with a portfolio of your evolution of print. Allstudents will have the opportunity to print on a hundred year old printingpress. Be a part of history as you reclaim tangible communication in anera of disposable digital information! Projects will range from personal artprints to promotional posters to handmade books.
Grades: 2-12
Explore various techniques of printmaking and letterpress aswe take a whirlwind hands-on tour of the history of printing. Fromreligion to the DIY punk zine, we will briefly look at the historical value ofprinting and how it mobilized various social movements. We will look atthe historical value of printing and how it mobilized various socialmovements. We will look at famous printed work by Andy Warhol, AlbrechtDurer, Vincent Van Gough and more. Discover ways to print from everydayobjects and tools in addition to using linoleum block carvings, letterpress,vintage printers’ blocks and wooden type. Share your prints withclassmates and leave with a portfolio of your evolution of print. Allstudents will have the opportunity to print on a hundred year old printingpress. Be a part of history as you reclaim tangible communication in anera of disposable digital information! Projects will range from personal artprints to promotional posters to handmade books.
Art-astic!
Teacher: Angela Perino
Ages: 18 months and up (available in Parent-and-Me format as well)
This class is designed to combine movement and physical activity with art making. Our inspiration will be action painting and we will look at the work of Jackson Pollock. Classes will explore a variety of ways that we can create art through movement and physical activity. Lessons will include painting with hands and feet, drawing the world’s longest line (an activity in which the children will use markers to draw continuous lines along a winding “maze” of paper), musical chairs painting, drawing “dancing silhouettes”, painting with bubbles, and we will collaboratively recreate a Jackson Pollock painting as well.
Circle time will include songs with movement and dance, stories that are art oriented and/or are known books distinctively for outstanding illustrations.
Printmaking Revolution!
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Explore various techniques of printmaking and letterpress as we take a whirlwind hands on tour of the history of printing. From religion to the DIY punk zine, we will briefly look at the historical value of printing and how it mobilized various social movements. We will look at famous printed work by Andy Warhol, Albrecht Durer, Vincent Van Gogh, Johannes Gutenberg and more. Discover ways to print from everyday objects and tools in addition to using linoleum block carvings, letterpress, vintage printers’ blocks and wooden type. Share your prints with classmates and leave with a portfolio of your evolution of print. All students will have the opportunity to print on an antique printing press. Projects will range from personal art prints, to promotional posters to handmade books. You will get your hands inky and have some fun!
Zines and Blogs: Self-Exploration & Self-Publishing
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Explore your creative voice through writing and visual art as we compile pages for a zine that we will print and distribute within the Marlborough community. In addition to publishing a paper zine, students will create an online version in the form of a blog. From feminism to punk music, to art and fashion, we will look at the value of self-publishing and how it historically and currently mobilizes various social movements. We will examine how the personal can be political. Using lo-fi and hi-fi techniques, we will produce work using typewriters, collage, printmaking, photocopy machines, the computer and much more. You are highly encouraged to explore topics you are studying in other classes. Be ready to challenge yourself to increase your self-expression, get your hands dirty and collaborate with other students!
Dear Diary: Documenting Life through Creative Journals
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Throughout time revolutionaries, explorers, and survivors have documented their feelings, findings and circumstances in journals. Whether intended for personal or public viewing many of these journals have sparked and influenced public thought and action. Now it’s your turn to explore and document your personal journey in a journal of artwork and writing. We will examine work by Leonardo da Vinci, Lewis and Clark, Che Guevara, Anne Frank, David Byrne and many other historical and contemporary figures who used the diary as a creative, scientific and political form of expression. We will experiment with writing, typewriters, collage, painting, photography and more. As a class, we will also spearhead a schoolwide, communal journal to submit to the ongoing 1000 Journals Project (1001journals.com)
Paper Arts: Pop Ups, Painting with Paper and more!
Teacher: Madeleine Zygarewicz
Create dynamic visual pieces and sculptures from paper by using collage, pop ups and paper cut outs. We’ll explore positive and negative space, composition, geometric versus organic shapes, and color. This class will look at the end of Matisse’s career when he turned to using scissors to cut out shapes from paper and created wonderful collages. We will also look at contemporary examples of artists using similar methods such as Kara Walker, Chuck Close, Nikki McClure, Famille Summerbelle and folk art from China and Mexico. Some themes explored are identity, nature, and surroundings. In addition, we will learn to make fun pop up and sculptural books looking at current book artists like Carol Barton, who use this medium to tell stories in an interactive way. We will also experiment with paper marbling and paste papers. Cut, fold, glue and pop up with some fun, interactive art pieces in this class!
