Photography was invented in 1839. In the beginning, there was a light-tight box, a lens, and a shutter to control light. The camera projected the image on a light-sensitive paper which was then developed and made permanent through chemical processes. Students will view the first photographs as they look back at the history of photography and then discuss how photography has changed over the last century. Once students have an understanding of image making, the class will make rudimentary photographs using pinhole cameras (supplied) and review the materials needed to make pinhole cameras.
Archives
Cut, Paste, Layer, and Mask: The Digital Photo Montage
Using digital photographs and Photoshop, students will alter images at the pixel level creating digital montages — or a blend of imagery created by cutting, pasting, layering, and masking digital content — inspired by artwork in the VMFA collection. The instructor will provide digital images during the workshop, but students are encouraged to bring their own digital photos on a jump drive. Students are required to have basic computer skills.
Storytelling with a Camera
A story is often told through photographs. Small groups of students will write fictional stories based on artwork from the museum collection and shown photography examples that take advantage of set construction, lighting, and documentary styles. Visually thinking about their stories, each group will decide how to convey the narratives using a camera. Establishing the subject, location, and character, the photography process begins. The final output will be a portfolio of photographs exhibiting the story either through digital or printed resources.
Photo Illustration Using Collage
This workshop will illustrate an idea using various photographs. To start, students choose a word or phrase to be illustrated. Looking through a variety of photographic imagery, students will choose photographs to cut and paste to make a collage. Students will be asked to express their word or phrase with three to five different versions of their photo collages. If digital photography technology is available, cameras will also be used in the photo illustration process. The final output will be a portfolio of three to five photo collage illustrations.
The Digital Portrait
Join photographer Glen McClure, whose projects have included A Random Portrait of Virginia and Faces at the Races, in a hands-on workshop on the digital portrait. Learn simple portrait techniques, including the use of natural light, electronic studio flash, proper backgrounds, and strategies to help your subjects relax in front of the camera. Weather permitting, we will work outside with natural light and create portraits of our classmates. At the end of the day, images are reviewed in one-on-one and group discussions.
Creative Clothing Construction: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fashion Institute Mixed Media Workshop
The focus of this workshop is to give students, grades 6 – 12, the opportunity to create a wearable piece of art that explores cultural trends, nontraditional materials, and fine art processes. Similar to the Project Runway design style, students make wearable art by reconstructing clothing, found objects, and recycled materials. Inspiration comes from the VMFA collection, artists, and fashion designers. Workshop attendance also gives students a snapshot of the annual Teen Stylin’ runway show held each year in December and open to all teens living in Virginia.
Mixed Media Sculpture
Participants in this workshop are asked to bring 10 objects that can fit into a backpack. Using those objects plus a variety of provided “treasures,” students will enjoy a day of creating sculpture! Concepts such as connections, texture, focal points, stability, longevity, and other elements involved in developing mixed media sculpture will be explored. Students will walk away with new brainstorming techniques as well as the information and skills needed to create sculpture using a variety of materials.
Writing an Effective Artist’s Statement
The daunting challenge of writing an artist’s statement can cause even the most accomplished artist to lose confidence. How long should it be? What should it include? Should it be creative or just state the facts? This workshop helps visual artists craft statements about their work that are effective and express their individual personalities. Participants learn how to critique their current statements, how to avoid common pitfalls, how to determine the requirements of particular tasks — from exhibition statements to grant applications, how to select and manipulate words to create a lively sense of who they are, and how to compose a general statement easily adapted for different purposes. Above all, this workshop takes the fear out of writing and replaces it with self-assurance and fun.
Professional Practices for the Visual Artist
This workshop is devoted to the needs of the individual artist. Topics include photographing artwork, funding opportunities, developing professional relationships with galleries and publications, copyright issues, and marketing on the web. This workshop can be offered as a day-long workshop with a strong focus on photographing artwork or in a half-day or evening format that focuses more on gallery relationships, funding, and the business of art.
Painting Portraits in Oil
Discover how a portrait is so much more than simply recording proportions, it can be one of the most expressive paintings you can create. We will focus on identifying the simple patterns and forms that are the basis for a well-designed portrait and learn how to use oils to capture the character of your subject. Students will learn from demonstrations of color mixing and technique. Students should bring a printed photo or an image on iPad/tablet to work from. Images with clear lighting are easiest but working with images in all lighting situations will be addressed.