Painting

Visual arts instruction that goes beyond coloring inside the lines.

At P3 Arts Studio, art is more than putting brush to canvas. Our visual arts program is designed to build real artistic foundations, while giving students the freedom to explore their own creative voice. Our curriculum meets them where they are and grows with them.

Students work across a range of mediums. Each lesson balances structured skill-building with hands-on experimentation, so technique develops naturally alongside confidence and self-expression.

Below is a sample semester overview showing how the introductory program unfolds over four months, moving from foundational elements to media exploration to a final mixed-media project. As students progress from one semester to the next, we explore topics more in depth.

Month 1: Elements of Art

Week 1: Line & Shape

Focus: Line Weight and Quality; organic vs. geometric shapes.

Activity: "Zentangle" style composition using black markers.

Extension: Create Line Weight contrast on borders.

Week 2: Color Theory (Part 1)

Focus: Mixing Primary colors to create Secondary and Tertiary colors.

Activity: Paint a simple color wheel.

Week 3: Color Theory (Part 2)

Focus: Defining Value (Tints and Shades).

Activity: Create a 5-step Value Scale gradient.

Extension: Paint a monochromatic object (apple or cloud).

Month 2: Principles & Observation

Week 5: Form (3D)

Focus: Turning 2D circles into 3D spheres using light sources and shading.

Activity: Draw and shade a cube, cylinder, and sphere.

Week 6: Space

Focus: Overlapping, Size, and Placement to create depth.

Activity: Simple landscape or city scene showing near and far objects.

Week 7: Portrait Drawing

Focus: Proportional Grid for the head (eyes halfway, nose placement).

Activity: Self-portrait sketch using mirrors or photos.

Month 3: Media Exploration

Week 9: Pastels & Blending

Focus: Layering and blending soft vs. hard pastels.

Activity: Create a vibrant sky (sunset/aurora) or landscape.

Week 10: Watercolor Techniques

Focus: Transparency, Wet-on-Wet, Salt Texture, and Blotting.

Activity: Experiment with 3-4 specific watercolor techniques.

Week 11: Introduction to Printmaking

Focus: Relief Printing using foam plates and brayers.

Activity: Carve and make two clean prints from a Styrofoam plate.

Month 4: Bringing it Together

Week 13: Fantasy Creature Design

Focus: Combining 3 real animals; using Line, Texture, and Shape.

Activity: Design a fantasy creature with at least three textures.

Week 14: Perspective (Basic)

Focus: 1-Point Perspective with horizon lines and vanishing points.

Activity: Draw a road, tracks, or hallway converging at one point.

Week 15: Mixed Media

Focus: Combining two or more media (e.g., marker outline with watercolor).

Activity: Final piece combining at least two different materials.


Get in touch to check availability for this program.