Summer Institute Art, Media & Design

Monday–Friday

Choose one major from the following areas.

Animation (Major Has Filled) 

Professional animators guide you through the basics of motion studies. You’ll experiment with traditional hand-drawn, stop-motion and digital animation techniques. Over the course of the program, you’ll storyboard, film, edit and execute your own short animated movie and demo reel.

Digital Filmmaking

Examine artistic expression in filmmaking from all points of view. Study direction, cinematography and editing using state-of-the-art cameras, equipment and software. Work with filmmakers and classmates on group projects as you learn to balance the many elements of filmmaking, including storyboarding, developing characters, shooting scenes and editing. 

Game Design 

Dive into the complex and intricate world of video games. In this course, you’ll explore the principles that inform how games work, what makes them fun and how they can help us understand our world and social interactions. Learn to construct logical narratives and rules within a hypothetical space, and utilize interface design, programming tools and aesthetics to bring your original game concept to life.

Graphic Design 

Design is all around us. Posters, publications, album covers, apparel and digital media utilize graphic design to convey messages to viewers. You’ll focus on the principles and possibilities of visual communication, including graphic form, type design, layout, image treatment and sequence, and you’ll use Adobe Creative Cloud. 

Illustration 

Gain an understanding of both hand-drawn and digital processes for articulating visual ideas and meaning in comics, children’s books, advertising, editorial pieces and other applications. You’ll encounter subject matter sourced from various fields and be prompted to respond with imaginative illustrations that articulate insight and draw an emotional response. 

Painting*  (Major Has Filled) 

This studio major will introduce you to how the oldest art discipline is being practiced, interpreted, discussed and made relevant today. You’ll begin with fundamental painting techniques and studio processes, such as color mixing, paint application and composition. Hands-on assignments and group critiques will inspire you to experiment materially and conceptually. 

Photography 

Learn the fundamentals of photography while digging into composition, lighting techniques, color and tonality to create dynamic images. You’ll also explore advanced camera controls and post-production techniques using Adobe Creative Cloud to refine your photographs. A DSLR camera is needed for this course.

Sculpture and Installation

Sculpture incites physical and emotional response through material choice, scale and space. Learn to make art in 3-D, from concept and experiments to materials and execution. Projects allow you to explore conceptual ideas while learning technical skills for composing and constructing in clay, plaster, and other materials.

*Nude figure models may be used in this class.

Elective A 

Mondays and Wednesdays

Choose one elective from the following.

Alternative Painting 

Consider psychological influences and imaginative approaches to creating paintings. Your technical instruction will be in painting, but you’ll be encouraged to explore and incorporate nontraditional materials and other media of your choice to develop your individual expression. 

B&W Darkroom Photo

Experience the alchemy of darkroom photography as you develop your own film, hand-print images, and explore darkroom processes and manipulation techniques. This course is appropriate for all levels of experience.

Character Development: Illustration

Work from your imagination to develop and design original characters. Use a variety of traditional and digital media to create thumbnail sketches that evolve into highly rendered images suitable for various applications, including animation, cartoons, comic books, graphic novels and illustration. 

Drawing into Print

Course Description coming soon. 

Creative Writing

Focus on developing your voice while exploring contemporary approaches to writing. Compose original work in various formats based on prompts that incite experimentation while participating in critiques with peers and faculty.

Digital Effects for Film & Animation

Create effects for live-action and animated films using Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere. Shoot and light sequences in front of a green screen for a range of settings, and create standard effects such as muzzle slashes, lightsabers and explosions. 

Elective B

Tuesdays and Thursdays

Choose one elective from the following.

Art Appreciation

Philadelphia is a treasure trove of art. Not only is the city rich with historic collections, it is also home to leading contemporary art institutions. In this course, students will visit thought-provoking exhibitions in celebrated museums or galleries, such as the Barnes Foundation, the Fabric Workshop and Museum, or The Institute for the Contemporary Image. Group trips will enable students to engage with art first-hand, find influences that enhance their own artistic practice, and connect with peers through shared experiences.

Drawing*

Drawing is the most basic art and design tool, and it’s a fundamental component of all creative disciplines. Working in classical media such as pencil, charcoal and ink, you’ll develop essential observational and technical skills. Instruction will focus on still life, models, and landscape and techniques such as composition, light, shadow, rendering and perspective.

Figure Drawing* 

Drawing the figure is crucial for many forms of artmaking and design. This course allows you to focus exclusively on articulating the human form. You’ll work from nude models as you learn basic anatomy, gesture, volume and how to check accuracy. Previous drawing experience is preferred.

Screenprinting

Grasp the basics of screenprinting, from setup and screen prep to image transferring and printing. Learn to screenprint posters, zines, bags, apparel and more. This empowering course will give you the tools to print your imagery, pattern, logo or message on items of your choice.

Sketchbooks: Experiments & Field Notes

Learn to use your sketchbook as a visual journal for observation and invention. You’ll experiment with markers, ink and cut paper. Field trips will encourage you to work from life and your imagination. 

Street Photography

Capture the city’s spirit through your lens. Explore camera control and photographic concepts on walking trips to local galleries, markets and parks. Previous photo experience is preferred.

Writing for Comics

Examine how text works with sequential images to create stories and worlds in comics, cartoons, graphic novels, animation and other forms of illustrated text. You’ll dive into concepts like dialogue and narrative as you create written pieces that can be used for future projects.  

*Nude figure models may be used in this class.