• Have you ever wanted to learn to draw or paint, but didn’t know where to start? At Two Bridges Art Academy we believe there is an artist within all of us, and we have created the perfect onramp to launch you onto your creative journey. Welcome to Intro to Drawing and Painting! This is a no pressure, hands on class where you will learn the basics of both drawing and painting. The focus for each class will be in the practice, not the outcome. We will start off discussing basic drawing tools and vocabulary. Things like drawing lines and shapes, pencil pressure, shading and blending will be reviewed. We will render a simple still life and landscape with the tools we have learned. Our focus will then move into the basics of painting, learning about the types of paint, surfaces, and brushes. We will have plenty of hands-on exploration by putting brush to paper with simple shapes, eventually rendering a simple still life. Throughout the class there will be a lot of dialogue and practice to develop skills, muscle memory, and comfort level. If you want to learn art in a supportive and fun environment, this is the class for you!

    When Intro to Drawing and Painting is over you will be ready to take on any one of our Bridge I classes listed below.

  • Open to beginners and artist of all levels. If you’re new to drawing or looking to strengthen your understanding of good rendering skills this fun and informative class is for you. Learn foundational drawing skills in this fast paced, no pressure session such as linear drawing 2-D, form drawing 3-D rotation, vanishing points, spatial distance, textures, values and negative space. In-session drawing prompts include still life, portraits, landscapes, the human form, animals and more. Instruction is done by verbal, written and instructor demonstration. Each three-hour class concludes with a homework prompt. The highlight of our classes has become group review critique, an inclusive no pressure, supportive teaching style.

  • If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to use Colored Pencils and Watercolor Pencils, this class is for you. The session is broken into three different segments with equal time spent on the different mediums listed. It’s informational and experimental. FUN! Learn about wax and oil based colored pencils. Understand layering and pressure techniques to achieve a “painterly look”. Experience the usability and versatility of watercolor pencils and create a watercolor painting that stands alone or introduce the effects of inking lines too enhanced details. When this class is over, we think you’ll be inspired to dive further into each one of these mediums or combine them to create a unique style all your own. This is part of a 4-class series focused on different formats of colored pencils.

  • This Two Bridges Art Academy class will focus on being illustrative with your colors. Using some of the same techniques students learned in the Colored Pencil and Watercolor Pencil class we will explore the intense water-soluble colors found in Inktense pencils. Due to the more time intensive layering, burnishing and glazing techniques found in these pencil-based mediums we’ll focus our attention more on details. Some instructional efforts might take more than one class to complete based on the scale of our canvas or the “up close” complexities in the assignments. This session is open to all students but it’s beneficial if you have had previous drawing and or painting classes. The basics of drawing will be assumed as we dive deeper into the richness of these painterly pencils. This is part of a 4-class series focused on different formats of colored pencils.

  • Drawing pencils come in many shapes, forms, and colors. In this session, we will explore the earthy, muted tones of water-soluble graphite and compare them with the vibrant shades of watercolor pencils. While both are water-activated, these two mediums behave very differently. Subject studies for this course will include landscapes, seascapes, portraits, and still life. This class is beginner-friendly, and advanced students will enjoy exploring the unique illustrative qualities these pencils can achieve. This is part of a 4-class series focused on different formats of colored pencils.

  • At Two Bridge Art Academy we believe good drawing skills are the backbone to good painting results. We also believe that learning how to paint helps you draw better. What if there was a single class that focused on both needs? Introducing DRAWING and PAINTING.

    In this fun eight-week session your first challenge could be rendering a still life. The following week you return and learn how to paint that same still life as a separate standalone effort. Each week we’ll rotate back and forth covering additional subjects such as landscape, portraits, animals and the human form. Four individual weeks drawing and four individual weeks painting. Please check the supply list but be prepared to have graphite, charcoal and acrylic paint available. We look forward to seeing you in this fun and relaxed class.

Watercolor Classes

  • Have you ever wanted to try watercolors but were afraid to jump in too quickly? Our Beginner Watercolors class is the perfect place for you. In this class, we welcome you to the world of watercolor painting as we focus on the process, not the outcome. We will teach you the basic skills that, over time, will level up your control of painting with water.  We will experiment with different brushes and learn about how water, pigment, paper, and drying time all impact your results. In this class we will be working from a limited palette which will help build your confidence with the medium. Our main subjects will be simple still-life and landscape projects. This class will be about experimenting and learning together each week in a supportive and judgement free environment.

    We encourage you to give Beginner Watercolors a try. We are confident that you will love this medium and will be signing up for our next class in this series, Watercolor Fundamentals.

  • This is a great class for both beginners and those who have taken other Two Bridges watercolor classes. For those new to watercolor, you will learn the fundamentals in a open and friendly environment. For more experienced artists this class is a great opportunity to revisit the basics. From how various watercolor paints work to a multitude of brush techniques. We will start working with one color where we will focus on values, eventually moving to working with a limited color palette. Learn about paper and how you can paint on dry or wet surfaces. Learn what’s important in your paintings and whats not. We’ll even cover how to best draw your image before we add any paint. There is so much to learn. This session is always fun and never any pressure. We just love the medium. When the class is over, you’ll have a solid understanding of how watercolors work and will be ready to join our other Watercolor classes with confidence.

  • This watercolor class is open to artists at all levels. Each week we will focus on a new technique that will help to build your understanding of this fun and challenging medium. We'll work with a variety of color schemes, learning about how different color combinations can impact a painting. Various paint applications like wet into wet, glazing, and the right water to pigment ratio will be reviewed. You’ll learn about paint opacity and how/when you can best showcase these mixtures in your work. And all of this will be done in a supportive and fun environment. This is a class that you can take multiple times as we are always changing the techniques taught.

  • This second class in our watercolor series is open to any student who has taken Watercolor Fundamentals or a student who is already familiar with each of the techniques listed its description. In this Watercolor Next Level class we’ll learn when it’s best to use multiple transparent washes throughout your work. We’ll challenge you with gray scale painting and working with only the primary colors. We’ll learn more about adding texture with granular paint and how to showcase light and shadow. We’ll work fast and loose and we’ll slow things down and allowing you to add more detail. Landscapes, still life, figure painting and portrait will be used as inspiration as we learn many of these techniques.

    When Watercolor Next Level concludes we hope your portfolio of knowledge is well rounded and you never stop having fun painting. We encourage you to take this class multiple times or move to our Watercolor Continued class.

  • In the previous Two Bridge Art Academy watercolor classes (Fundamentals and Next Level) we focused our attention on learning specific techniques and rendering projects that best represent that specific skill. The emphasis in Watercolor Continued will be on the artist putting ALL of those skills to work, thinking through what skill is needed and how it can best be utilized. A “think tank” discussion kicks things off each week and we’ll then do quick color thumbnail before we proceed. Gaining confidence in your ability and developing an action plan is the focus. Landscapes, still life, portraits and figures will be the primarily subjects but be prepared for random surprises. Open to students who have taken our Watercolor Next Level Class or students who are well versed in the medium are looking to join a supportive group of returning students. This class is not designed to have an ending rather a place for students who love watercolor to always call home!

Opaque Painting

  • This class is open to both novice acrylic painters and those with some experience with the medium. In Acrylic Studies we will explore the key concepts for working with acrylics. We’ll start with color mixing and will experiment with how to use underpaintings to provide depth to our paintings. We will then move on to layering and using expressive brush strokes to create movement and visual appeal. We will also explore the importance of using bold color choices and strong values in our paintings. Ever painted with just a palette knife? We’ll be experimenting with this technique as well. Our subjects will include both landscapes and still life studies. This will be an opportunity for you to learn some new techniques or further build upon techniques learned in prior classes. It will be helpful if you have taken our Drawing Fundamentals class or have basic drawing skills before taking this class. 

  • This class is open to anyone wanting to explore the fun of gouache. Whether you are new to gouache or have been using the medium, this class will challenge you in new ways! In this class our subjects will vary from landscapes to still lifes to everyday scenes.

    Gouache is such an accessible medium that can produce amazing results once you learn how to use it. We will provide you with a complete understanding of the properties of gouache and will focus our exercises on different techniques so that you can feel confident in your ability to use this medium. We will explore how to effectively layer to create dimension and depth. Brush strokes and expressive mark making will be reviewed along with the impact of underpaintings. We will also review the concepts of color, light, and values in your paintings.

    Our goal will be to practice these approaches as much as possible, so our work will be kept small (8x10 or smaller). To help us catalogue our learnings, we will be building a gouache workbook for our studies. This is a great way to keep all of our studies in one place with reference notes.

    When this class concludes, you will have a full book of paintings and moreover, will have specific notes that you can refer back to as you work through other pieces.

  • This Oil Pastel class is open to anyone looking to explore the playful and fun nature of oil pastels. This class is designed to unlock the vibrant, painterly potential of this unique medium. Students will explore the creamy, expressive nature of oil pastels, moving from basic mark-making to complex, layered compositions that mimic the rich textures of oil paint. The buttery consistency of oil pastels makes them a dust-free alternative to soft pastels.

    In this class our subjects will be primarily landscapes and still lifes. We will learn to blend like a painter, using your fingers, blending stumps, and other tools to create smooth gradations and atmospheric effects. We will also explore how to build impasto textures, applying heavy, sculptural layers of pastel to create three-dimensional depth on the page. And we’ll explore techniques such as sgraffito, utilizing tools to carve details and textures into heavy layers of color.

    You will absolutely fall in love with oil pastels after taking this class! And for those that have considered learning oil paints, this is a great entry point into that medium.

Pastels

  • Pastels are often underrated, but they are a very powerful medium that every artist should have in their portfolio. After all, Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt loved them! And you will too after taking this class. Paper texture and the hardness of pastels have a great influence on the outcome of a pastel painting, and in this class, we will review and experiment with both. We will discuss how to build a painting through multiple layers and how to blend colors to get the effect you want. We will also learn how to make expressive marks that convey emotion in your painting. And we will have fun! Our focus for this class will be mainly still life and landscapes.

    At the end of Introduction to Pastel, you will feel comfortable with the fundamentals and will have many finished pieces to prove it. And because you loved the class so much, you’ll be ready to sign up for Pastel Next Level!

  • At Two Bridges, we love pastels but understand they can be messy and create dust which can be problematic for some. With PanPastels, that problem is solved! PanPastels are ultra-soft pastels compressed into pans that allow for a dry, paint-like application using sponges. They are highly pigmented and produce minimal dust, making them ideal for blending, layering, and making beautiful pieces. And they are so fun to use!

    In this class we will start by understanding how to apply PanPastels using different tools and will also learn how to effectively blend colors. Although there are over 140 colors of PanPastels to choose from, you can make any painting using just 5 colors. Once we get comfortable with how to apply PanPastels, we will begin to add pastel pencils to our work. The great thing about PanPastels is that they can be used alone or combined with pastel pencils or regular soft pastels. With the addition of pencils, we can render more detail into our work. Starting with still lifes, we will move on to landscapes as we learn how to effectively render shadows and light. In the last few weeks, we will move on to more complex subjects like animals and portraits.

    This class is open to all students. However, the basics of drawing will be assumed so it will be beneficial if you have taken a previous drawing and/or painting class. 

  • This Oil Pastel class is open to anyone looking to explore the playful and fun nature of oil pastels. This class is designed to unlock the vibrant, painterly potential of this unique medium. Students will explore the creamy, expressive nature of oil pastels, moving from basic mark-making to complex, layered compositions that mimic the rich textures of oil paint. The buttery consistency of oil pastels makes them a dust-free alternative to soft pastels.

    In this class our subjects will be primarily landscapes and still lifes. We will learn to blend like a painter, using your fingers, blending stumps, and other tools to create smooth gradations and atmospheric effects. We will also explore how to build impasto textures, applying heavy, sculptural layers of pastel to create three-dimensional depth on the page. And we’ll explore techniques such as sgraffito, utilizing tools to carve details and textures into heavy layers of color.

    You will absolutely fall in love with oil pastels after taking this class! And for those that have considered learning oil paints, this is a great entry point into that medium.