The Academy curriculum is based on developing strong foundational skills and knowledge from which students can improve their abilities as they complete challenging projects of progressive difficulty. The Academy offers seven Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs.
The American Academy of Art was founded in 1923 as a school for professional artists. Our classes have traditionally placed an emphasis on drawing and design based on the classical academic tradition. We are home to a distinguished faculty committed to providing our students with artistic skills and knowledge of contemporary tools and techniques. Today, the American Academy of Art continues to build on this strong reputation of educating successful professional artists.
The American Academy of Art seeks to inspire in its students the desire to stretch their minds and talents and the determination to work hard at their art. The Academy offers seven Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs in illustration, design, 3-D modeling/animation, multimedia/web design, life drawing, painting with specializations in oil painting and watercolor painting and photography.
All of our students start their training with the foundation program. The foundation program helps students to develop the core skills of the visual arts. In Fundamentals of Art and Life Drawing, students learn figure drawing, composition, rendering, linear perspective and color theory. A variety of materials and techniques are introduced in these courses. Class projects give students experience in the full artistic process—from concept to sketch to thumbnail to finished work.
The Academy also places a high priority on studio time to practice and improve on the skills and concepts covered in the classroom.Students spend many hours each week with hands-on studio work as they learn to develop and convey visual images. In addition, studio time gives students an opportunity to apply their unique inventiveness within the framework of a traditional approach.
