Have you always wanted to take a RISD|CE course, but don’t have time for a drive to RISD’s Providence campus? Students in southern Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut can now take advantage of a number of art and design courses from Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education (RISD|CE) that, until now, required commuting to its Providence campus. A select group of RISD|CE courses are now offered at the Westerly Education Center, giving students the opportunity to work with distinguished faculty in a range of visual arts and design disciplines. RISD|CE continues its Westerly courses, first offered in spring 2017, with eight daytime and evening courses scheduled for summer 2017.
RISD|CE course offerings in Westerly span a variety of creative choices in artistic mediums, but all focus on developing the key building blocks to establish a working knowledge of spatial organization and visual problem solving to further your abilities as an artist.
Registration is now open for these Summer 2017 courses. Visit cereg.risd.edu (enter keyword “WESTERLY”) for full course descriptions, instructor bios, tuition, and registration information.
Mapping Your Way to Accessories
Ages 18+ | Thursdays, July 13 – August 3, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Have you ever wanted to capture the charm of your favorite destination in a way that you could carry it with you? Find out how to apply the iconographic methods of cartographers to add distinct style as you design and paint a tote bag, pillow or other accessory — turning a classic essential into a statement piece you can gift or keep for yourself! The possibilities are endless: Whether you love vacationing in Venice, rambling through Reykjavik, or beaching at a Block Island home, you’ll interpret your scenic memories and the shape and contours of the landscape into a home accessory.
Essentials of Digital Photography for Teens + Parents
Ages 13-17 and their Parents 18+ | Thursdays, June 22 – July 27, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Need a little nudge to make the move from film to digital? If your teen is a digital native but hasn’t advanced beyond an iPhone’s automated functions, while you’re an amateur photographer eager to understand the basics of digital workflow while sharpening your compositional eye, then this introductory course is the ideal opportunity for both of you.
Fundamentals of Interior Design
Ages 18+ | Thursdays, June 22 – July 27, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Get an introduction to the basics of interior design, the design process and the tools and skills interior designers use to compose successful interiors. We will walk through the design process and you’ll complete your first project — a fully developed room design. The design process will incorporate hand sketching, mood boards and finish material selection. We will also review how to select lighting, furniture, artwork and accessories, and examine spatial relationships, appropriate material usage, color and scale.
Apparel Concept Development: Sketching Your Own Collection
Ages 18+ | Wednesdays, July 12 – August 2, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
How can you take a simple idea and expand it into an apparel collection? In this course, we will explore the development of a design concept from the initial inspiration to the final sketches. We’ll focus on color and trend research, fashion illustration, detailed technical drawings and presentation techniques. Turn your ideas into marketable, production-ready presentations, through this industry-standard method for apparel concept development.
Surface Pattern Design
Ages 18+ | Wednesdays, July 12 – August 2, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Have you wanted to make your own printed fabric or wallpaper? Illustration, color development and finishing techniques form the basis of surface pattern design development, with applications in fabrics, wallpaper, ceramics, glass, metal, fiberglass and resin. In this course, we will discuss various printing processes to better understand how your original surface pattern designs can be produced. Using collage, graphite, watercolor and gouache, we will apply 2D design principles and color theory to support design decisions for a variety of surface applications.
Design + Botanical Illustration
Ages 18+ | Monday, July 10, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Design and Botanical Illustration synthesizes the worlds of two- and three-dimensional design processes by working with an assortment of plant life, paper, pen and watercolor. This course offers you an initial overview of design terms such as hierarchy, form, composition, texture, light and shadow. A botanical designer with expertise in sculpting arrangements joins together with a fine artist, who will shift the focus to illustrate was has been created. After you compose botanical materials, you’ll learn to illustrate what you assembled using traditional drawing materials. You’ll come away with a deeper awareness of natural forms and the fundamental thinking tools to translate and interpret what you observe.
Natural Hand Dyeing with Plants
Ages 18+ | Saturday, August 5, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Join a renowned materials dyer and fiber artist for an engaging workshop where you’ll learn how to dye fabric and silk ribbon using botanicals. You will be introduced to natural dyes such as cochineal, madder root, marigold, dahlia and osage. As you dye squares of fabric and silk ribbon, you’ll build observational color skills complemented by note-taking to eventually build your own ingredient color library. You’ll also learn how to hand stitch the ribbon on the fabric to create beautiful embellished pieces suitable for pillows, wall hangings or journal covers.
Rediscovering the Art of Sewing
Ages 18+ | Tuesdays, July 11 – August 15, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Sewing — as a craft, hobby or even its practicality for individuals — is becoming a lost art. If you think sewing is difficult or too complicated, think again! Sewing and its tools have changed dramatically over the years. What’s available to today’s sewer makes every part of sewing easier, and more enjoyable, than ever. If you want the satisfaction that comes from making your own things like tote bags, Roman shades, aprons, quilts and more, then this course is for you. Note: Students must bring their own sewing machine and sewing/accessories kit to class.