All the tools you need to accelerate your skills as an illustrator, painter, and visual artist.
Course Details
Your career as a successful illustrator begins here. Don’t just learn how the pros work, work with the pros. The ‘Process: Skills and Craft’ course—your first in the Illustration Program—is a hands on dive into picture-making and drawing.
Alongside an assigned mentor, you’ll explore the complexities of working with different media, applying color, drawing with shape, and controlling light. You’ll be joined by guest speakers with decades of combined experience drawing for the biggest names in the industry.
Class Time
Saturdays, 10am – 1pm PT
Length
10 weeks (23 Live Classes)
Delivery
Live & Online
Medium
Digital or traditional
Enrollment Now Open
Mentor
Katherine Lam
Skill Level
Beginner / Intermediate
Feedback
Live & On-Demand
Live Mentorship Class
3 Hours on Saturdays
Live Group Critiques
2 Hours on Wednesdays
Guest Speakers
7 (view here)
Price
$1199
Semester Dates
Key Takeaways From The 10 Week Course
Week 1: Intros & Professional Goals
Homeroom:
Saturday Zoom Meeting (3 hours)
Topics: Student introductions, class goals, followed by discussion of image-making, composition, and assignments. Students receive first homework project: The Flat Assignment.
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 2: Drawing
Homeroom:
Saturday Zoom Meeting (3 hours)
Topics: Drawing from memory, life, and photography. Review and individual critiques of flat assignment progress.
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 3: Guest Speakers
Guest Speakers:
Saturday & Sunday Zoom Meeting
Students meet both Saturday and Sunday for two separate Guest Artist events. Guest artists will present work, share process, and technique via demonstration and on occasion will provide group critiques to select students.
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 4: Controlling Value & Shape
Homeroom:
Saturday Zoom Meeting (3 hours)
Topics: Understanding silhouette, value control with thumbnails.
Assignment #2: Criterion Collection Film Poster
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 5: Understanding Composition
Homeroom:
Saturday Zoom Meeting (3 hours)
Topics: Understanding composition and controlling shape
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 6: Guest Speakers
Guest Speakers:
Saturday & Sunday Zoom Meeting
Students meet both Saturday and Sunday for two separate Guest Artist events. Guest artists will present work, share process, and technique via demonstration and on occasion will provide group critiques to select students.
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 7: Creating Great Photo Reference
Homeroom:
Saturday Zoom Meeting (3 hours)
Topics: Creating photography reference with great lighting, posing, and costuming.
Assignment #3: Celebrity/Historical Figure Portrait
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 8: Guest Speakers
Guest Speakers:
Saturday & Sunday Zoom Meeting
Students meet both Saturday and Sunday for two separate Guest Artist events. Guest artists will present work, share process, and technique via demonstration and on occasion will provide group critiques to select students.
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 9: Using Reference to Make Great Images
Homeroom:
Saturday Zoom Meeting (3 hours)
Topics: The power of great reference and using reference in your work.
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Week 10: Exit Review and Demonstrations
Homeroom:
Saturday Zoom Meeting (3 hours)
Topics: Final reviews of work, critique, and demonstration
Study Hall:
Wednesday Zoom Meeting (1-2 hours)
Topics: Study Hall is an optional weekly resource. Group critique, assistance on homework and general support by VAP mentors from each program.
Discord:
Post progress, ask questions, connect and network with fellow classmates, while gaining insights from VAP mentors throughout the week.
Meet the Class Mentor Katherine Lam
Katherine Lam is an illustrator. She grew up in Maryland, went to school in Florida, and now lives in NYC. She likes drawing houses.
Her work has been in 3×3, Society of Illustrators, AI-AP, Communication Arts, Applied Arts, and Creative Quarterly. She has been featured in Photoshop Creative 166.
Clients include: The New York Times, New Yorker, NBCUniversal, Criterion Collection, Laundry TV, The Telegraph, Hollywood Reporter, Smithsonian Magazine, The Intercept, TED, Propublica, Amazon, The Guardian, Buzzfeed, The New Republic, California Sunday, Pop-Up Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, Believer, Times Higher Education, Outside, Outline, New Jersey Monthly, Sierra, Little White Lies, Editions Gallmeister, Milwaukee Magazine, Charlotte Magazine, Narratively, BUST, Telemedicine, Doctorish, Il Corriere dela Sera, and Dinardo Design
Connect with industry leading guest artists
Each semester features 7 guest artists who have risen to the top of their industry, giving you access to their craft, process, and industry wisdom. Ask questions, join the discussion, and gain industry knowledge from high-caliber artists.