VISUAL ARTS
Within the Visual Arts Department framework of studio practice, critique, and exhibition, students develop skills to articulate their ideas and process and become self-directed in pursuing their own subject matter and concept areas in their artwork.
From this multifaceted educational style, students develop skills through verbal presentation and the written word. By participating in core arts courses, students become self-directed artists who are guided to pursue their own interests in different mediums.
YOUR VISUAL ARTS TEACHERS
YOUR VISUAL ARTS CLASSES
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![Colorful abstract stickers on a window with a cityscape in the background.]()
Design
Students learn design principles and composition through hands-on projects in two-, three-, and four-dimensional forms, including digital mediums like photography and Adobe Photoshop. Projects emphasize concept development, critique, and extended focus, preparing students for future visual arts study.
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![A woman wearing glasses, a blue jacket, and camouflage pants sitting at a wooden voting booth, casting her vote with a sign in her hand.]()
Drawing
A foundational course in the visual arts program, Drawing combines observational skills with problem-solving in mixed-grade classes. Students maintain sketchbooks, participate in figure drawing workshops, and regularly critique each other’s work, developing unique artistic voices.
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![Person viewing a colorful, abstract portrait painting with various human figures and animals in an art gallery.]()
Color Theory
Students study color theories and vocabulary through technical and expressive projects, including exercises based on Interaction of Color and immersive installations. Emphasis is on analyzing and creating compositions where color is central. Regular critiques enhance understanding.
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![A woman in a firefighter uniform is sitting on the floor, examining a large beige tile with a leaf imprint. The room has a worn wooden floor with dust and debris, and a busy workshop environment with chairs, tables, and various tools scattered around.]()
Interdisciplinary Art
An advanced, concept-based course combining media like printmaking, sculpture, photography, and video. Students explore themes independently, guided by studies of contemporary art. Frequent critiques support collaborative learning, and students develop a portfolio series.
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![A woman with curly blonde hair painting on a canvas in a classroom setting with other students also engaged in art projects.]()
Painting
Students learn to create depth and form through paint, focusing on both observation and personal themes. Instruction is individualized, and critiques emphasize form, color, and content. Students build a portfolio of works showcasing their unique artistic direction.
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![A person with red and black hair, glasses, and multiple earrings is hanging artwork on a white gallery wall. The person is using a hammer and a nail to hang a piece of art while wearing a tie-dye shirt and an earbud in their left ear.]()
Printmaking
This course builds on drawing and painting skills through printmaking techniques such as lithography, intaglio, and monoprinting. Students integrate digital tools like Photoshop and work with various printmaking processes to create a portfolio of prints.
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![A young woman in a gray hoodie and blue jeans applies yellow paint to a white foam sculpture in a workshop with two other women working on projects at tables in the background.]()
Sculpture
Students explore three-dimensional concepts using diverse materials like wood, clay, plaster, and found objects. Projects emphasize problem-solving and the relationship between materials, form, and space, with regular critiques to develop skills for a 3D portfolio component.
AUDITION/PORTFOLIO REVIEW
We are thrilled you are auditioning for The Chicago Academy for the Arts. Please remember: our number one goal is for you to be successful. That means that when you have questions, please ask them!
You can email Department Chair Margy Stover at any time for more clarification.
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The Visual Arts Department live audition consists of a portfolio review, a discussion of student artwork, and a departmental interview.
Portfolio Requirements
Self Portrait (from direct observation in a mirror, not a photo).
What you see while looking out your window.
A section of your room, including your bed.
A pair of shoes (from direct observation, not a photo).
Something from your imagination.
Optional: you are welcome to submit additional artwork to support your portfolio. We recommend compiling your additional pieces into a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation and uploading it to your application as a PDF.
Applicants should be prepared to discuss their work in detail and their previous experience with the visual arts, i.e. mediums interests, classes taken, etc. Your work is evaluated on technical skill, use of composition, and the degree of difficulty of the individual works.
Artwork Analysis
Select one of the approved artworks below and answer the following five questions. While you may go see the work in person at The Art Institute of Chicago, you can answer the following questions by looking at the piece online here. Your response should be no more than one typed page. Please submit your response in PDF format.
Questions:
1. Describe the composition of the piece including the overall organization of elements?
2. Is there an illusion of space or movement in the composition? How is color being used?
3. How does the form of the artwork mirror the content (meaning) of the work?
4. Why did you select this work? What do you find interesting?
5. What questions do you have about this artwork?
Approved Artworks:
Artist: Willem de Kooning
Artwork title:Excavation, 1950Artist: Jasper Johns
Artwork title:Corpse and Mirror II, 1974-75Artist: Agnes Martin
Artwork title:Untitled #12, 1977Artist: Glenn Ligon
Artwork title:Stranger in the Village #13, 1998Artist: Kiki Smith
Artwork title:Blood Pool, 1992Artist: Kerry James Marshall
Artwork Title:Africa Restored (Cheryl as Cleopatra), 2003Artist: Eva Hesse
Artwork Title:Hang Up, 1966Artist: Edward Hopper
Artwork title:Nighthawks, 1942Artist: Cindy Sherman
Artwork Title:Untitled #92, 1981Artist: Alberto Giacometti
Artwork Title:Walking Man II, 1960
