3 sessions on Thursdays: February 2, 9 and 16 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM |  in the Discovery Centre

Adult beginners drawing class introducing you to exploring portraiture in pencil. Artist & Instructor Jessica Plattner will guide you through the portraiture-drawing process, building upon skills each week. All levels welcome.

Week #1: February 2 Make Friends with a Stranger: Working from a photo (provided), students will "get to know" a stranger by drawing their portrait in pencil. Topics include basic proportions, visual relationships, and loosening up with quick sketches.

Week #2: February 9 Strangely Familiar: Working from a photo of a loved one (students must provide) students will learn to see a familiar face from new perspectives. Warm up with quick sketches, then complete a longer value study. Focus will be on moving from general shapes to specific details.

Week #3: February 16 Familiarly Strange: Students will work from photographs (students must provide) and create a narrative or expressive portrait of a loved one. Topics include tricks for combining different photo sources, overall composition, and creating drama with positive and negative shapes.

About Jessica Plattner

Jessica Plattner is an American artist living in Medicine Hat. She earned a BFA from Washington University School of Fine Art in St. Louis, and an MFA in painting from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and Temple Rome, Italy. Plattner has participated in artist residencies at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, the Vermont Studio Center, and Studio Art Centers International; and she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Mexico. Since moving to Canada in 2014, Plattner has had solo exhibitions at the ASA Gallery in Calgary, the Art Gallery of St. Albert, the Okotoks Art Gallery, and the Esplanade Art Gallery in Medicine Hat, along with many group exhibitions. She currently teaches in the Art & Design Program at Medicine Hat College and lives with her partner, artist/musician Dean Smale, and their daughter.

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A patron may withdraw their registration up totwo weeks prior to the start date and will be issued a full refund. No refundwill be issued within the two weeks prior to the start date, but withdrawalsduring that time period will be considered on a case by case basis and mayresult in a credit applied to the patron’s name. No credit or refund will beissued to any withdrawals within three business days before the start date ofthe program.

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