Animation Programs
Students apply art and design fundamentals to create characters and settings, and learn how to bring them to life on screen. Using a range of techniques and tools—from pencil-on-paper to plasticine to Photoshop—students learn filmmaking, storytelling, and motion design. All materials used in class are provided, including computers and software.
Claymation
Ages 6-8, 9-12, 13+
GI
Students learn to sculpt characters and props with plasticine, developing the model making and animation skills that are unique to this particular form of stop motion animation. Working at our camera stations to compose and photograph frame after frame, students develop an intuition for the principles of animation, from timing and spacing to squash and stretch. Students work with DSLR cameras and the industry-standard software, DragonFrame.
Stop Motion Animation
Ages 6-8, 9-12, 13+
GI
Students learn how to create posable paper puppets, and how to bring them to life on screen by arranging and photographing them frame after frame. This technique invites material exploration, and students work with a wide variety of materials, from hand-drawn characters and props to readymade objects, textiles, collage, and even special-effects animation of students themselves. Students work with DSLR cameras and the industry-standard software, DragonFrame.
2D Digital Animation
Ages 9-12, 13+
GI SS
In our Mac Lab, students bring their drawings to life using software such as Adobe Animate. At early levels, students cover frame rate, timelines, and drawing. Teens will expand on fundamentals with projects that challenge their skills.
3D Modeling & Animation
Ages 6-8, 9-12, 13+
GI
Character design, storytelling, and world-building combine for students to learn the basics of digital sculpting and animation. They will be introduced to software such as Blendr and Unity to gain fundamental skills and see their stories come to life.
Architecture Programs
Students explore the architectural design process, learning the basics of space, function, form, texture, and balance, along with technical skills in drafting and model making. As students progress, they learn principles of urban design and community development, building a well-rounded design practice.
Architecture
Ages 6-8, 9-12
GI SS
Students learn the fundamentals of architectural design, from sketching to model making, developing their creative problem-solving sills as they lay out floor plans and build 3D structures using cardboard and mixed media. Classes for older students focus on developing more conceptually rigorous designs, through projects based on real-life urban design and architecture case studies.
Architecture & Environmental Design
Ages 13+
GI
Students create 3D architectural models, learning the conceptual and technical fundamentals of the architectural design process, exploring ideas in urban planning and theory, and discussing the relationships between natural and built environments. Real-world case studies are used to inspire projects and discussion on topics such as energy conservation, water management, and sustainability rating systems.
Cartooning & Graphic Novel Programs
Students apply design and visual art foundations to bring characters and stories to life in the form of cartoons, comics, and graphic novels. As they progress, students build complexity in both their technical and storytelling skills.
Cartooning & Illustration
Ages 6-8, 9-12
GI SS
Students learn how to tell visual stories and draw distinctive and dynamic characters through comics, cartoons, and illustrations. Working with pen, pencil, marker, and ink, students learn to communicate sequential action, movement, story, and sound through the graphic conventions of cartooning and illustration. Students also learn panel layout, character sheets, speech bubbles, and hand-lettering.
Graphic Novel
Ages 9-12, 13+
GI SS
Students learn the fundamentals of graphic novel creation, from character design and narrative structure to page layout and lettering, working with standard tools for graphic novel illustration —like non-photo blue pencils, brush pens, and alcohol markers. Students further develop their skills, and their original stories, as they progress. At the end of the term completed short comics are scanned to print a unique creation.
Media Arts Programs
Students apply design and visual art foundations to projects specific to the digital world. In earlier levels, students build digital, computer, and creative software literacy, skillsets that support them as they progress.
Digital Media
Ages 6-8, 9-12
GI SS
Students build media and computer literacy through expressive creative projects, working with various software in our Mac Lab. Students learn to edit, manipulate, and create digital artwork using their own drawings and photographs as well as downloaded media, practicing internet safety. As students gain an understanding of the tools, techniques, and workflows of digital art and design they will move from using software such as Kid Pix, Photoshop and GDevelop to more in-depth tools such as Illustrator, Premiere Rush, and GarageBand.
Filmmaking & Editing
Ages 9-12, 13+
GI
From short films to YouTube videos, students are introduced to the essential processes of filmmaking and digital content creation. Students learn industry-standard software and tools, including iMovie, Adobe Rush and Premiere Pro, After Effects, and both DSLR and handheld video cameras. Storyboarding, scriptwriting, and shot selection are all covered, as well as basic lighting, green screen, and sound recording depending on the project.
Graphic Design
Ages 9-12
GI
Students learn how to creatively combine text and image to communicate a message and convey ideas, feelings, and attitudes. They are introduced to fundamental design elements such as shape, line, space, balance and typography as they develop technical skills with industry-standard software such as Adobe Photoshop and InDesign. Through logos, posters, book covers, labels and more, students learn to produce strong visual designs that share messages and bring ideas to life.
Game Design
Ages 9-12, 13+
GI
Using PC laptops, students learn the theory and practice of game design, from world building, level design and theme development to the details of individual game mechanics. Students design graphic assets for their own games, and then add interactivity using software such as GDevelop.
Photography Programs
Arts Umbrella is home to one of the only fully functional educational darkrooms left in Vancouver. Students learn the fundamentals of photography, including lens selection, exposure, depth-of-field, composition, photo developing, and presentation using a 35mm film or DSLR camera. Technical skills learned include shooting speeds, black & white film processing, photograms, and cyanotypes. Cameras and all materials are provided for each student.
Darkroom Photography
Ages 9-12, 13+
GI
The basics of film photography and photo developing are introduced to budding photographers, using a 35mm camera to shoot and a fully appointed darkroom to develop images in black and white. Students will learn the principles of lens selection, lighting, composition through a variety of shooting scenarios including street and studio photography. They will also learn the fundamentals of image editing through analog techniques such as burning, dodging and blending and be introduced to more experimental darkroom processes and cameras.
Sculpture & Ceramics Programs
Students build, paint, and decorate 2D and 3D works using the principles of form, volume, texture, line, and colour and materials such as clay, pastels, plaster, and wood. They learn skills such as handbuilding, pinch-pot, coiling, sculpting, and glazing.
Ceramics
Ages 9-12, 13+
GI
Students delve into the world of pottery and ceramic design as they bring concept sketches to life and explore contemporary approaches to an age-old practice. This class focuses on the technique of wheel-throwing alongside fundamental hand-building techniques such as pinch pot, coil, and slab work to create thrown or manipulated fired-ceramic objects and will also include the use of mixed glazes to finish.
Clay Sculpture
Parent & Me, Ages 2-3, 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 9-12, 13+
GI
Students learn the entire process of clay sculpting from idea design to fired and glazed three-dimensional object, focusing on the use of essential hand-building techniques such as pinch-pot, coiling, and slab work to create experimental creative objects with a focus on texture, form and expression using glazing, hand-painting and mixed media to decorate and finish. As they build, students develop focus, recognizing self and others, and listening skills. In Parent & Me classes, caregivers and students work together to build, paint, and decorate 2D and 3D fired ceramic pieces.
Sculpture & Mixed Media
Ages 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 9-12, 13+
GI SS
Students create 3D works (or bring 2D pieces to life with added 3D elements) by transforming and combining different materials including wood, textiles, paper, paint, thread, and more. Students are taught and encouraged to use fundamental design elements such as space, texture, and line and develop building skills such as cutting, sculpting, and gluing.
In Teen classes, students are introduced to the broader context of Contemporary Art, exploring significant themes in contemporary sculpture, such as scale, materiality, movement, the body, environment, or public space. They are introduced to safe tool use in the Arts Umbrella wood shop, as well as fundamental processes like design, assemblage, carving, and casting.
Visual Arts Programs
Young artists build a foundation for art and design through task-based projects, gathering inspiration through story, studying established artists and traditions, still-life observation, image reference, purposeful play, and imagination. Students build an understanding of symbols, the use of tools, and technical processes while also developing focus, effective listening skills, and an understanding of self in relation to others. As students progress, more advanced concepts and artistic techniques are introduced and built upon.
Drawing & Painting
Ages 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 9-12, 13+
GI SS SC
Students explore methods of visual image-making, using a variety of drawing, sketching, and painting techniques inspired by reference, observation, and imagination. Purposeful play is used with the youngest students to develop the use of tools such as pencil, marker, pastel, paint, and ink, as well as life-skills such as confident self-expression, understanding feelings, and effective listening skills. As students progress, understanding is deepened through increased self-direction, discussion of artists, art history and the use of symbols, abstraction, and representation. More advanced technique, tools, and materials (such as acrylic) are introduced in teen classes.
Drawing & Sketching Techniques
Ages 9-12
GI SS
Students deepen their study of fine art techniques related to drawing, working from image reference, still life observation, and imagination to create various traditional and non-traditional methods of representation and abstraction. They will use various dry materials such as pencil, marker, pastel, and charcoal on paper to build their understanding of principles like value, colour, gesture, proportion and perspective.