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Experience a personalized learning journey
Dive into a medium of your choice, no experience required. Everything from ceramics and beginning painting to puppet making and stone carving! Continuing Education classes are available for youth and adults, starting at Kindergarten.
2026 Spring Adult + Young Artist classes begin in February.
Have questions or need help registering? Check out our FAQ page or Contact the Continuing Education office at ce@cia.edu.
Discounts
CIA is proud to offer discounts to veterans, alumni, CMSD students, and educators—email ce@cia.edu to learn more! Any tuition discount must be entered at the time of purchase.
Interested in more than one class? Use code MULTI0122 when registering for 2 or more classes to receive a 10% discount!
Spring Young Artist Classes
Classes will begin Saturday, February 7.
Saturday, 2–4pm | $250
Explore the more technical side of cartooning, both visually and conceptually. Students will examine a variety of concepts, such as narrative visual storytelling, character design, world building, story circles AKA the Hero’s Journey, basic anatomy, layout/composition, script writing techniques, & perspective. Create your own original comic & receive individual feedback throughout the process.
Saturday, 9–11am | $250
Cartooning 101 is a studio course for young, aspiring cartoonists, designed to introduce and develop a diverse set of drawing and storytelling skills around this eclectic medium. We will begin with a few individual projects and introduce a variety of concepts, such as narrative visual storytelling, character design, world building, story circles AKA the Hero’s Journey, basic cartoon anatomy, layout/composition, and perspective.
Saturday, 11:30am–1:30pm | $250
Characters play an important role in storytelling – whether it’s for animation, comics, or game design. This new class is perfect for anyone interested in cartooning, concept art, character design, and 2D and 3D design. Students will create a 2D character design model sheet with unique and expressive body poses and facial emotions as well as a poseable, 3D version of your character made of Sculpey polymer clay.
Saturday, 9–11am | $250
Students will read contemporary poetry, fiction, comics, and other works by authors from a wide range of backgrounds and identities. In class, we’ll write both freely and following specific prompts. Students will share their work and celebrate the shared work of their classmates. By creating community with each other and through the work of the writers we’ll study, we’ll ignite our imaginations and catch the resulting splendor on the page.
Saturday, 2–4pm | $250
This course focuses on drawing plants and animals using traditional drawing techniques, such as watercolor, pastel, and ink. Students will engage in research and observational drawing to enhance their understanding of form and detail. Projects include students selecting their favorite plant to draw, finding a bird or insect, aquatic animals, and then a final landscape project.
Saturday, 11:30am–1:30pm | $250
This course will be a combined course of learning the print process of intaglio (or copper plate etching) as well as learning drawing skills with ink, micron pens, ball point pens, and nib pens. These drawing materials often mirror or replicate marks that appear in the print processes and offer a way to learn how to generate imagery to put onto your copper plate. The drawing portion of the class will work on generation of imagery from observation to the imagined. The print side will focus on making multiples of work generated from the drawings, as well as learning to work with the technical ins and outs of the print shop. In this technical side of the course there is room to play, experiment and expand our knowledge through collage techniques (chine colle), working back into your plates, use of color and layering imagery.
Saturday, 11:30am–1:30pm | $250
In this class, students will create their own unique characters while learning about the principles of drawing and character design. Students will learn how to create compelling visual narratives while working with a fun range of materials, such as ink, watercolor, color pencil, and graphite.
Saturday, 9–11am | $250
This course offers students an in-depth introduction to figure drawing. Students will learn how to draw anatomy, hands, portraits, props, composition and background, and design characters. Throughout the course, students will engage in observational drawing, drawing from a clothed figure drawing model to better understand how to depict the human form in their art.
Saturday, 9–11am | $250
Learn the fundamentals of creating a painting, including composition, color and paint application. Students will learn how to prep a canvas, sketch ideas, mix colors, and explore multiple painting tools and techniques.
Saturday, 2–4pm | $125
Join artist Allison Bogard Hall in exploring the art of printmaking through fun hands-on activities. Each class introduces a new technique, including gelli plate monoprints, pattern printing on fabric, basic stamp making, and DIY letterpress. Young artists will experiment with color, texture, and pattern while learning how simple materials can create exciting and unique works of art. Wear your paint clothes and come ready to create!
This class is currently full. Please contact our office at ce@cia.edu to be added to the waitlist.
Spring Adult Classes
Classes will begin the week of February 2.
Tuesday, 6–9pm | $495
In this introductory painting course, students will learn the fundamental techniques and processes of painting with acrylic paint. Class projects will target basic painting principles and guide students to develop a better understanding of tools and materials, acrylic paint and mediums, basic color theory, and two-dimensional design concepts. Discussions, demonstrations, and handouts will provide students with valuable resources to facilitate good painting practices and artistic growth.
Open to students 16+
Wednesday, 6–9pm | $595
The primary focus for this class will be hand building to provide a hands-on experience, for those looking to get down in the dirt. Students will be given the class time to experiment/fabricate their ceramic designs, either based on their own creative influences, inspiration from media, or through 1 on 1s with the teacher. The majority of supplies for this course are provided.
Open to students 16+
Thursday, 6–9pm | $595
The goal of this course is to explore the endless possibilities in working with clay both on and off the pottery wheel. Together we will go over basic to advanced techniques to achieve your artistic goals. By the end of the course students will have a complex understanding of how to manipulate clay on and off the wheel at all different stages of the making process. We will glaze and fire our work using multiple firing methods. The majority of supplies for this course are provided.
Open to students 16+
Thursday, 6–9pm | $495
This hands-on workshop will employ techniques used in traditional forensic facial reconstruction. Students will use plaster cast skulls to apply oil-based clay to recreate the face. Facial muscle study, tissue depth markers and clay modeling skills are part of the curriculum, and students of any level are invited. Previous clay modeling skills are not required.
Open to students 16+
Tuesday, 6–9pm | $495
In this class students will learn to use the kiln to create glass drawings with glass frit and powder. All students will learn to schedule and operate a kiln and learn the fundamentals of fusing and ways to display their work. They will learn the material of glass and ways to create flat and dimensional pieces.
Open to students 16+
Thursday, 6–9pm | $495
Sculptural forms in hot glass will consist of various techniques to make both blown and solid works out of hot glass. Beginners, starting with the bubble or simply a gather of solid glass, will learn ways to develop sculptural forms out of glass, while intermediate/advanced students explore more techniques and more challenging functional forms. Each class will add a different skill to the making process. Students are encouraged to lean into the abstract, and fluid nature of glass. Natural fiber clothing is mandatory, nothing synthetic may be worn (Jeans and cotton T-shirts are recommended). Protective eyewear (safety glasses) and closed toe shoes are mandatory.
Open to students 16+
Tuesday, 6–9pm | $495
This class introduces the fundamental skills needed to create jewelry and small metal objects using the casting process. Students will use found objects/materials, wax carvings, and casting machinery to create projects using sawing, filing, carving, soldering, polishing, and casting. During the course, students will complete projects and samples. Open to beginners as well as intermediate students. More advanced students will be encouraged to work on independent projects.
This class is currently full. Please contact our office at ce@cia.edu to be added to the waitlist.
Wednesday, 6–9pm | $495
In this hands-on Jewelry & Metals course, adult learners will explore the fundamentals of metalsmithing, from basic techniques like sawing, soldering, and shaping to creating simple jewelry pieces. Using non-ferrous metals, students will gain an understanding of tools, materials, and design principles while developing their own unique creations. Whether you’re looking to start a new hobby or begin building a jewelry portfolio, this course offers a supportive environment for creativity and skill-building. All levels welcome.
Thursday, 6–9pm | $595
This studio-based course offers a comprehensive exploration of intaglio printmaking, tracing its evolution from traditional copperplate techniques practiced by the Old Masters to contemporary innovations in the medium. Students will gain hands-on experience with a range of intaglio processes including copperplate etching, collagraph, and photopolymer intaglio.
Through guided technical instruction, historical context, and critical discussion, the course examines how artists have used intaglio across centuries to engage with themes of identity, materiality, and reproduction. Emphasis will be placed on both craftsmanship and conceptual development, encouraging students to explore the expressive potential of print media in today’s art practice.
No prior printmaking experience required. All levels welcome. The majority of supplies for this course are provided.
Open to students 16+
Monday, 6–9pm | $495
Inspired by Jim Hensen’s Muppet Universe, whose imaginative characters monumentally transformed the shape of storytelling from Gen X and beyond, Students will explore Simple Stick, Articulated Rod and Hand Puppets and Props from Drawing Design to Construction, using Armatures, Clay, Foam and Fabric with Hot Glue. Character Narratives are encouraged. The class will be led by sustainable artist Linda Zolten Wood, who has 20 years of experience creating art dolls, costumes, masks, and puppets for CMA’s yearly Parade the Circle event.
Open to students 16+