Complimentary Fine Art Demonstrations in Los Angeles

We have added additional Complimentary Demonstrations available to the art community! This is a great way to learn the different methods and techniques that an instructor will teach you during his class. Students will have the opportunity to enroll in the class after the demonstration.
RSVP is required and space is limited.

Please click on the links to secure your space and to find out more information.

Contemporary Portrait Painting with Sean Cheetham
Alla Prima Figure Painting with Vadim Zang
Cast Drawing and Painting with Noah Buchanan
Indirect Figure Painting: Verdaccio Technique with Noah Buchanan
Head Drawing with Rey Bustos
Portrait Drawing with Daniel Bilmes
Portrait Painting with Daniel Bilmes

Upcoming Workshops

 

David Leffel is coming to LAAFA on October 15th for an evening Q and A event! Click here to register.

Only a few spots available for Ruo Li's Seascape Workshop starting on October 18th. Click here to register.

Early Registration for Fall Classes Ends September 16th!

Don't miss out on the top foundational art teachers in Los Angeles! New Students receive a $50 discount toward any new class! Check out the schedule here.

 

Learn Portrait Drawing with Nathan Fowkes

Nathan Fowkes' Step-by-Step Online Portrait Drawing Course

Starts January 13, 2014

This 9-Week course is a serious exploration of drawing the portrait from life in charcoal.

Students Receive

9 Lectures/Slideshows
9 Demonstrations
9 Video Critiques including draw-overs
A library of other student critiques
Tips and exercises to hone your drawing skills
Free 3-month subscription to OnlineLifeDrawing.com

Testimonials

"Delightfully inspiring and informative." Dave C

"Nathan is a masterful artist and teacher. He helps you on your creative journey by sharing his lifetime experiences in a nine-week course. What I learned, I will be working to perfect for a very long time. This class is amazing!" Daniel H

"I felt like I learned a great amount in a short amount of time, and will continually practice the assignments to further develop my understanding of portraiture through charcoal and other mediums." Justin W

Register for this educational experience today.  Only available to a few lucky students!  Additional online classes and demonstrations are also available.

Approved for Veterans Educational Benefits

Are your interested in a career in the Arts?  LAAFA has two 3-Year Art Programs to offer our Veterans.  Fall Applications for 2013 are being accepted!

We are now approved for Veterans Educational Benefits by the California State Approving Agency for Veterans Education.  Veterans who would like to study in our 3-Year Degree and Certificate Programs in Fine or Entertainment Art will receive educational benefits through the VA.

• Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
• The Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30)
• The Dependents Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35)
• The Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Chapter 31)
• The Selected Reserve Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 1606)

Start your art education training with LAAFA.  Click here for more information about our Veterans Education Benefits.   Email our Director of Admissions at hmiller@laafa.org for a tour of LAAFA.

Summer Art Classes | Los Angeles

Summer Art Classes

Classes are starting the week of July 8th! Our summer quarter will begin next week with the following selection of classes.  If you plan on taking summer classes, please do not wait until the last minute to sign up. Late sign-ups can lead to postponement or cancellation of classes.

MONDAYS
Long Pose Figure Painting |  Ramon Hurtado
Figure Drawing - Rhythm & Structure | Danny Galieote
Composition for Animation and Film | Bill Perkins

TUESDAYS
Life Painting with Color Theory | Ron Lemen

WEDNESDAYS
Alla Prima Head and Figure Painting | Vadim Zang

THURSDAYS
Indirect Figure Painting  - Verdaccio Technique | Noah Buchanan
Old Masters' Portrait Painting | Michael Siegel

SATURDAYS
Figure and Costume Uninstructed Workshop
Portfolio and Beyond | Ramon Hurtado

SUNDAYS
Ecorche/3D Anatomy | Rey Bustos (JUST ADDED:  Ecorche/3D Anatomy on Fridays starting July 19th)

For a list of all LAAFA art classes go to:  www.laafa.org/classes

An Interview with LAAFA Student and Professional 3D Artist Donna Bates

Donna Bates is one of the accomplished professional artists who are part of the student community at Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art.  Donna's well-rounded resume as a 3D entertainment artist features work on franchises including Planet of the Apes, Child's Play, Chronicles of Riddick, and Saw II.  Rather than resting on her 3D laurels, she keeps her skills in academic drawing and painting current by attending classes at LAAFA.

After studying Art at Cal State Fullerton, Donna was among the first illustrators to seize the chance to train for artistic work in the then-emerging field of computer animation.  She completed her training at Otis, Art Center, and Gnomon.  She studied Photoshop, Illustrator, and 3D modeling in Maya and other programs.  The expertise she developed in 3D modeling led to a stint teaching polygon modeling at the Gnomon School of VFX.

Image by Donna Bates

In her drawing and painting classes at LAAFA, Donna values the opportunity to learn from highly qualified instructors who help students gain a better handle on techniques that will enhance their work in figurative art in any media - whether in two or three dimensions.

With the same perspicacity that kept her ahead of the curve in her pursuit of artistic work in 3D modeling, Donna continues to look towards the future.  Her present ambitions include completing paintings for a solo show, as well as developing artwork and jewelery design using cutting-edge 3D printing technology.  You can see more of Donna's impressive work on her website: www.donnabates3d.com.

Interested in joining the vibrant artistic community at LAAFA?  Check out LAAFA's part-time summer class schedule here.  Click here for information on LAAFA's  full-time BFA and Atelier Certificate Programs in Fine Art and Entertainment Art.

Entertainment Art Student Graduation Exhibition

Mark your calendar to stop by and show your support for our recent Entertainment Art graduates. We wish them much success in their journey as artists!

Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Avenue, Building G – Space 8A
Santa Monica, CA 90404
May 11th, 6pm to 9pm

10-Years Of Excellence in Art Education

The Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art (LAAFA) recently celebrated a milestone of 10 years in art education. The party was held at the famed Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, CA where we exhibit artists' artwork and hold classes in our gallery throughout the year. And yes, the band playing in the video is Sean Cheetham's band, Del Toro. We have a spectacular line-up of instructors and individual classes this Spring Quarter for our extension students. Take a look at the choices of classes in our Van Nuys or Santa Monica locations. For students wanting to apply to our 3-Year Program, this is the best time to start your application process. LAAFA is considered a premier choice for students wanting an intensive art program that provides the necessary foundation skills which allow our students to excel and apply these fundamentals to a career in the fine or entertainment art industry.

LAAFA Open House - March 16th | Santa Monica | Van Nuys

The Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art would like to treat you to 4 marvelous open house art demonstrations.  Choose from our Van Nuys or Santa Monica locations.  Each demonstration is a great way to find out about the instructor and the methods and techniques they use to teach their classes.  We hope you will join us for the day.

Van Nuys – March 16th
Daniel Bilmes – Portrait Painting Demo
Ramon Hurtado – Figure Panting Demo

Santa Monica – March 16th
Michael Siegel – Portrait Painting Demo
Kate Savage – Portrait Drawing Demo

Please click one of the links above to RSVP and receive additional information and reserve your spot.

Online Art Classes  - Ongoing
Nathan Fowkes
Drawing the Portrait in Charcoal | DEMO
Drawing the Portrait in Charcoal | 9-Week CLASS

Rey Bustos
3D Anatomy/Ecorche | 10-Week CLASS

Art Classes in Santa Monica and Van Nuys | Spring Registration Open!

Our spring classes are now available in our Santa Monica and Van Nuys locations. At your convenience, you may download our spring art class schedule (PDF) with hyperlinks to each individual class. We are lucky to have the best classes and instructors under two roofs in Los Angeles!

Register for our Upcoming Visiting Artist Workshops:

Scott McCloud -  February 23rd - 2-Day COMICS: Theory and Practice

March 23rd - Portrait Painting Demonstration with David Leffel
Steve Huston - March 15th - 3-Day The Rendering of Gesture and Structure
Steve Huston - March 16th - Visual Story Structure Demonstration
David Leffel - March 21st - 4-Day Alla Prima Portrait and Figure Workshop
March 21st - 4-Day Alla Prima Portrait and Figure Workshop
March 23rd - Portrait Painting Demonstration with David Leffel

Online Art Course | Bluecanvas Magazine | LAAFA Winter Art Classes

Online "Drawing the Portrait in Charcoal" course by Nathan Fowkes

We are thrilled to announce the release of our latest online course with Nathan Fowkes, "Drawing the Portrait in Charcoal", now open for registration, starting January 21, 2013. Space is limited! This online course is a serious exploration of drawing the portrait from life in charcoal. Over the course of the class, Nathan will provide each student with the necessary understanding and experience to draw the human head with authority. Watch the preview video and learn more here.  

 

Online "3D Anatomy/Ecorché" course by Rey Bustos

A fabulous online course, Rey Bustos' "3D Anatomy/Ecorché" starting January 28, 2013 is also open for registration for critique and self-study courses. Space is limited! If you are a fan of Rey Bustos, you must experience him in a classroom setting with students present. The interaction between Rey and his students adds another dimension to his teaching since the questions posed by the students and the energy of the classroom environment lead Rey to veer off to lecture on topics that wouldn't normally be covered if he was lecturing to a camera. Watch the preview video and learn more here.

Bluecanvas Magazine Article

We are excited that Bluecanvas Magazine has chosen LAAFA for their most recent school collaboration article, issue #14. You may check out the full article here. In addition, Bluecanvas is sponsoring a contest for a $10,000 Entertainment Art Scholarship at LAAFA! Click here to check out the contest details! You can also order your own copy online or at your local bookstore.  

 

 Van Nuys and Santa Monica Classes start January 14th

While we are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we want to remind you to take a breath and think about taking some fantastic art classes with our talented instructors! Choose from a variety of beginning and advanced classes: * Portrait and Figure Painting/Drawing * Figure Construction * Quick Sketch * Perspective and Character Design * Still Life * Long Pose Painting and Drawing * Ecorché or Zbrush * Imaginative Animal Design/Drawing  

 

Instructor image by: Noah Buchanan

LAAFA Contest/Scholarship with Bluecanvas Magazine

For additional information, please click here.

LAAFA 10-Year Anniversary Party

Find out more information.  RSVP Requested.

Fall Art Classes Available

Fall Classes 

We are pleased to announce our Fall Quarter Schedule of classes starting October 1st!  Please note: Register by September 16th, for best prices.  Take advantage of:

• High School Program
• Work-Study Opportunities
• Payment Plans
• Discounts for New Students | Referral | Seniors | Multi-Course

Open House

You are invited to our Open House on September 9th, from 1pm to 5:30pm! We will have complimentary drawing demonstrations by Daniel Bilmes and Ramon Hurtado during the day's festivities. In addition, bring a book for our LAAFA Library Drive and receive one ticket per book for a chance to win an 8-week class and other prizes! RSVP for demos required.

Awesome Announcements at LAAFA

New Website

We recently launched our new website! Please visit us at your convenience and see all the wonderful improvements we have made to the website. 

Nathan Fowkes Pre-Sale Video

“Drawing the Portrait from Life” – In this 2 1/2 hour full demonstration, renowned artist and veteran teacher Nathan Fowkes gives you step by step instruction on how to successfully draw the portrait from life in charcoal.  This demonstration is digitally downloaded to your favorite MAC or Windows OS computer.  Introductory pre-sale price ends on August 31st.  Download will be made available by September 15th.  Order today and save.

Nathan Fowkes Drawing Workshop - August 18th

This workshop will be an instructive overview of the materials, techniques, and concepts for successful portrait drawing, it will include:

• The fundamentals of constructing the head with the values of light and shadow.
• Principles for creating the illusion of space and volume on a 2 dimensional drawing surface.
• Ideas for portrait composition and creating a likeness.
• Techniques and tips on materials and the drawing process.
• Instructor demonstration from a live model.
• Student drawing time from a live model with instructor feedback.

REGISTER HERE FOR THIS CLASS