Short-term Classes in Austin

At Atelier Dojo, we are dedicated to fostering the next generation of artists. We offer 6-week classes led by nationally recognized artists in an intimate and welcoming environment in Austin. We believe art education should be accessible to everyone which is why we offer classes to all skill levels with evening and weekend flexibility! Our immersive adult art classes focus on the fundamentals and classical skills of realism art through drawing and painting. From figure drawing and painting to portrait painting, our art classes in Austin can help artists discover their artistic potential and learn valuable skills. Explore our upcoming classes below and register today! 

Have any questions about our classes? Get in touch with us for more information!

Figure Drawing — Short Format

Thursdays 6:30 - 9:30 pm

4 classes: $300 (includes model fees)

Starts November 12, 2026 (skips week of Thanksgiving)

Instructor: Danny Grant

Prerequisites:

None

Class Description:

This class is designed to teach students a step-by-step process for approaching every figure drawing. We'll learn to take our drawings from a series of simple, flat, two-dimensional shapes to clean, organic line drawings and, ultimately, to fully rendered three-dimensional figure drawings. We'll use tools like comparative measuring, and learn to judge relationships better by focusing on points, tilts, and shapes. Students will also learn to judge value relationships better by studying the nature of the various forms of the figure and how they relate in space to the light source.

Supply List:

• Graphite pencils - 2B, B, HB, H, 2H (more HB than the others)

• Strathmore 400 Medium Drawing Paper 18 x 24 (Brown cover)

• Kneaded eraser

• Pencil sharpener

Plein-air painting

Saturdays 8:30 - 11:30 am

6 classes: $450

Starts January 9, 2027

INSTRUCTOR:

Jeff Markowsky

Prerequisites:

Students must have some experience in both drawing and painting from life. 

Class Description:

This course takes us outdoors to study natural light where we will put emphasis on the importance of the initial abstract design, seeing the dominant shapes in a painting before paint is even applied to the canvas. Good design hinges on understanding the dynamics of large to middle to small ranged shapes. The importance of drawing is discussed, practiced and emphasized including the use of Notans (small simplified sketches). Goals of the course include; learning about the fundamentals of Value, Hue, Saturation and Temperature. Throughout the course, discussions on creating Atmosphere and Color Harmony to depict the illusion of depth in our paintings will be investigated.

Supply List:

• An Outdoor easel and paintbox is required for this course.   

  Three suggested options are:

  John Coulter system (http://artboxandpanel.com/)

  Strada Mini. https://www.stradaeasel.com

  Daytripper easel. https://www.prolificpainter.com

  But there are many options available on the market.

• Gamsol mineral spirits

• Cup/clip holder for Gamsol

• Brush cleaner container

• Paper towels / or rags (I use blue shop towels from Home Depot)

• Brushes: I prefer Princeton or Rosemary filbert and long flats, bristle hair, sizes 6,8,10,12,14,16. I also use Rosemary Long Flats (sables-soft brush) sizes 3,5,8 (an assortment is fine and any brand is acceptable)

• Panels: (Suggested: Centurion, Source Tek or RayMar). An assortment of panels ranging in sizes (such as: 8 by 10, 9 by 12 or 12 by 16 inches). You will need approximately 10-12

• Sketchbook and drawing materials. I use a Strathmore 400 series 5.5 by 8.8 inch sketchbook Toned Tan, Design Ebony pencil, eraser pen and white charcoal pencil (Generals brand), but any sketchbook and materials you prefer will work.

• Viewfinder

• Oil Paints - I use Gamblin, Rembrandt and Williamsburg most often. I recommended these basic colors

  • Titanium White

  • Lemon Yellow

  • Cadmium yellow Medium

  • Yellow Ochre

  • Cadmium Red

  • Quinacridone Red

  • Transparent Red Oxide

  • Viridian

  • Ultramarine Blue

  • Severs Blue

  • Chromatic Black (I use Gamblin)

  • Cobalt Blue (optional)

  • Portland Grey light (optional)

  • Portland Grey Medium (optional)

Portrait Drawing

Mondays 6:00-9:00 pm

6 classes: $450 (includes model fees)

Starts January 4, 2027

Instructor:

Kaelin Palcu

Class Description

This class is dedicated to the study of drawing the portrait from life, bridging the  academic  and individual artistic voice. Students will work in charcoal, graphite — both accessible, foundational drawing media — and are encouraged to explore beyond them into red chalk, natural pigments or other materials as their eye and instinct call for.

The course is built around multistage classes that carry a drawing through its full arc: beginning with the structural block-in and developing into full, refined rendering. Alongside these longer studies, students will also take on shorter, more expressive drawings focused specifically on the structure of the portrait — sharpening their ability to see and construct the head quickly, with clarity and confidence. Together, these two modes train both patience and instinct: the discipline to render at a high level, and the responsiveness to capture structure fast and expressively.

Who This Is For

This class welcomes all levels. Beginning students will be introduced to the practical, structural anatomy of the portrait — the skeletal and muscular logic beneath the surface — while more experienced students will be pushed to sharpen their observational responsiveness and develop a more personal visual language.

Instructor

Kaelin Palcu received part of her technical training at the Florence Academy of Art, where the pursuit of technical excellence and a deep reverence for drawing from life were foundational. She furthered her studies with Steven Assael, Michael Grimaldi, and Vincent Desiderio — artists whose work bridges academic precision with a highly individualistic approach to observation. Kaelin loves and encourages this dual lineage in the classroom: exacting in craft while encouraging individual expression.

SUPPLY LIST

• 3 sheets strathmore charcoal paper (18x24)

• vine charcoal sticks

• willow charcoal sticks

• conte pierre noire pencils. 2b

• marie's charcoal pencil - neutral

• kneaded eraser

• mono zero eraser, or a standard rubber eraser cut into sharp triangles

Intro to Portrait Painting

Sundays 9:30 am — 12:30 pm (3 Hours)

6 classes: $475 (includes model fees & oil paints)

Starts January 10, 2027

INSTRUCTOR:

Denise M. Fulton

Prerequisites:

Experience drawing from life is recommended and it helps if you have experience painting in oils.

Class Description:

This course is will introduce students to creating portraits in oil. There is a different model for each class, so you’ll get to paint a variety of faces.

Each class begins with a short instructor demo (~25 minutes), then the students start painting. The instructor works with students, as needed, throughout the class. There are group critiques at the half-way point and at the end of each class.  

In the first class, we do 2-color paintings and then more colors are introduced over the course of the session.

Supply List:

• Canvas boards/panels/canvas paper.

  • (6) 9"x12"s or 12"x16"s

• Odorless mineral spirits (no smelly solvents). Gamsol and Turpenoid Natural are good less toxic solvents

• Container for your mineral spirits

• Paper towels (Viva brand is good) or rags

• Brushes – assorted. Try hog and synthetic blend. Following are recommended sizes.

  • Filbert 4, 6

  • Flat 6, 8

  • Round 2, 4

sculpting the figure

Saturdays 1:30 - 4:30 pm (3 hours)

6 classes: $550 (all supplies included)

Starts January 9, 2027

Instructor:

Kaelin Palcu

Class Description:

Join classically trained figurative sculptor and artist Kaelin Palcu for a six-week figure sculpting class in Austin.

Over six Saturdays, students will learn to interpret the figure from life with sensitivity and accuracy. The class opens with short clay sketches to build fluency and confidence. From there it moves into a sustained study of the full figure, which develops week by week. The focus is on capturing gesture and proportion, and on understanding how the large masses of the body (ribcage, pelvis and limbs) guide a pose, carry weight and create balance.

Kaelin’s approach bridges her classical atelier training with her contemporary figurative practice. She draws on structural and applied artistic anatomy to help students understand the body functionally, not just visually. The six-week format leaves time to go further than an intensive allows: refining the modeling, rendering select areas, and seeing how bone and muscle shape the surface.

Open to all levels. Whether you’re building foundational skills or deepening an existing practice, this class offers sustained time with the live model, direct instruction, and the space to develop a real, fluent relationship with clay.

Constructive Figure Drawing

Wednesdays 6:30-9:30 pm (3 hours)

6 classes: $450 (includes model fees)

Starts January 6, 2027

INSTRUCTOR:

Pedro Cardoso

Prerequisites:

None

Class Description:

In this class we will cover many different aspects of Figure Drawing such as Gesture, Structure, Composition, Value, Line Drawing, Mass Drawing, and Anatomy.

We will discuss and practice Gesture as movement, with lines that follow the direction of the contour describing Gesture. Structure complements the gesture, and lines and marks made against the contour will give volume to our drawings, as well as simplify the form into geometric or graphic shapes. Both of these aspects come together when Composing a page, a long pose drawing or a personal project. We will talk about using value to describe form with light and shadow, as well as limiting the value range in our compositions. We will cover Line Drawing and Mass Drawing, and how both can be combined for expressive purposes, either making a drawing more graphic or more naturalistic. Throughout these topics we will investigate the Anatomy of the human body, and familiarize ourselves with muscles, bones and landmarks of the figure.

The goal of learning these topics is to understand drawing as a tool for expression, and how to conceptualize an image and bring it together on paper with marks that will be lively and thoughtful.

Supply List:

• Strathmore 300 Series Sketch Pad 18 x 24"

• willow charcoal, and compressed charcoal

• charcoal pencils General’s 2b and HB 

• drawing stumps

• kneaded eraser

• sand paper and a exacto knife.