The CCA Atelier program in San Francisco offers weekend workshops during fall and spring semesters. These art and design focused studios include a range of creative disciplines that allow students to learn new techniques directly from our college instructors, while exploring new materials and making portfolio-ready pieces. Unless otherwise noted, all materials are provided and included in tuition.

Experimental Photography: Outdoor Cyanotypes and Lumen Prints

Register now!

• $100 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Bec Imrich
• Saturday, April 27, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• CCA Rayko Building, 428 3rd St, San Francisco

This experimental photography workshop will cover an exciting range of alternative practices in the great outdoors. We’ll create cyanotypes (blue prints) and experiment with lumen prints (solar photograms) using found and gathered materials. The variation in each process and hands-on manipulation techniques will allow students to create unique pieces that push traditional concepts of photography.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Materials: All photography materials provided. A list of possible objects and additional collage materials for student projects will be shared in advance of the workshop.

Jewelry and Metal Arts: Make a Ring

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• $100 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Olivia Shih
• Sunday, April 28, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• CCA Main Building, Jewelry Metal Arts Studio A2, 1111 8th Street

In this workshop you will learn basic jewelry skills in order to make and decorate a simple silver band from start to finish and transform it into your own personal piece. Working in the jewelry and metal arts studio, techniques that will be covered include sawing, forming, soldering, texturing, sanding, and polishing.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Materials: All materials provided. A list of possible materials for student projects will be shared in advance of the workshop.

Figure Drawing: 8-Week Course

Registration closed.

• $395 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Barbara Pollak-Lewis
• Sundays, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
• February 11 - April 7 (8 sessions, no class on March 31)
• CCA Main Building, Drawing Studio 200, 1111 8th Street, San Francisco

California College of the Arts offers this course as a special opportunity for high school students to develop their drawing skills and experience drawing from a live nude model. Please note that a model is not employed for the first class meeting. Students spend the first class focusing on a variety of drawing issues in anticipation of drawing from the model. All seven subsequent sessions involve drawing from a nude model.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Bring to first class: 20" x 26" drawing board with clips, 18" x 24" pad of 80 lb weight drawing paper, two sticks vine charcoal (medium or jumbo size), General's soft charcoal pencils (at least 4), kneaded eraser, masking (artist's) tape, blending stumps (various sizes), white conte crayon (pack of 2) B or 2B, 11x14” pad toned grey or tan paper, sandpaper sharpener, Pitt Artist brush pen. Optional: artist’s chamois.

Illustration: 8-Week Course

Registration closed.

• $395 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Barbara Pollak-Lewis
• Sundays, 9:30 PM - 12:30 PM
• February 11 - April 7 (8 sessions, no class on March 31)
• CCA Main Building, Drawing Studio 200, 1111 8th Street, San Francisco

Dive deep into the world of illustration! Students will explore different projects illustrators work on. The instructor will shed light on the real-world workings of an illustrator, offering a hands-on experience that simulates industry scenarios. Students will start on a journey through the design development process. Beginning with a prompt, they will conceptualize and bring their visions to life via sketches. The collaborative environment ensures students benefit from diverse perspectives through constructive group critiques. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have crafted several finished projects that uniquely showcase their artistic style.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Materials Needed:  8x10 drawing/sketch pad, an 11x17 Bristol pad, pencils, erasers, color pencils, micron pens (size 1, 3, 5), a watercolor or gouache set, 3x3 Post-it notes, and any additional art materials students prefer. There will be time to explore Procreate during the course for those inclined towards digital media.

Experimental Photography: Photograms and Chemigrams in the Darkroom

Registration closed.

• $100 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Bec Imrich
• Saturday, March 16, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• CCA Rayko Building, 428 3rd St, San Francisco

This experimental photography workshop will cover an exciting range of alternative practices in the darkroom. We’ll create camera-less images, exploring the processes of photograms (using objects to block light on light-sensitive gelatin silver paper) and embracing chance with chemigrams (painting with chemicals on gelatin silver paper). Digital scanning and manipulation techniques of our experiments will also be explored. The variation in each process and hands-on manipulation techniques will allow students to create unique pieces that push traditional concepts of photography.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Materials: All photography materials provided. A list of possible objects and additional collage materials for student projects will be shared in advance of the workshop.

Cyanotypes for Fashion and Textile Design

Registration closed.

• $100 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Jeanette Au
• Saturday, March 30, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• CCA Textiles Studio, 350 Kansas

Using old school 19th century alternative photography process we will explore cyanotype printing by painting fabric and exposing it with objects and drawings in the sunlight to make imagery and meaning with the classic cyano blue hue. With the customized prints, we will consider how to use them in fashion design or further alter them by shifting the color or adding embellishment techniques.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Materials: All materials provided. A list of possible objects and additional collage materials for student projects will be shared in advance of the workshop.

Fashion Design: Upcycling

Registration closed.

• $200 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Jeanette Au
• Saturday, April 20 - Sunday, April 21, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• CCA Fashion Studio 120, 80 Carolina

Explore design possibilities by taking another look at discarded garments by taking them apart and draping on the dress form in unexpected ways to create new and experimental silhouettes. Invigorate clothing doomed for landfill by creating meaning and connection through repair, repurposing and recreating new fabric and 3D textures. You will learn about the design process through drawing and hands-on fabric manipulation and embellishing techniques such as felting and embroidery.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Materials: All materials provided. A list of possible objects and additional collage materials for student projects will be shared in advance of the workshop.

Animation: Digital Methods

Registration closed.

• $100 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Anna Firth
• Saturday, March 2, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• CCA Main Building, Animation Lab 110, 1111 8th Street, San Francisco

Ready to see your ideas in motion? This one-day workshop leads beginners and seasoned animators through a fast-paced sampling of professional animation techniques. We will watch exciting examples of contemporary animation, engage in a collaborative production process, and sample digital and traditional methods. This workshop will guide you through three unique animated projects. Beginning frame-by-frame, we will produce a short metamorphosis loop to understand the building blocks of timing. Next we'll design a simple character cycle to dig into the basics of bringing a character to life. We'll wrap up with a mini short film, which you will write, direct, and animate. You will edit your three projects into a cohesive reel showcasing your hard work.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Materials: Bring drawing materials (pencils, pens). The school will provide iPads with Procreate, animation light tables, and computers with Adobe Creative Cloud for students to use during class. If you have your own iPad, you are welcome to bring it.

Animation: Short Form & Mixed Media

Registration closed.

• $100 (noncredit)
• Instructor: Anna Firth
• Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• CCA Main Building, Animation Lab 110, 1111 8th Street, San Francisco

What can you animate in one day? This workshop explores and celebrates short form animation! We'll practice timing, design, and production skills using different materials under a stop motion camera. We'll reference historical and contemporary examples of mixed media animation that we'll watch and discuss before getting to work. We'll start with paper cutout animation followed by a short hand-drawn paper animation. We'll wrap up with a multiplane animation using transparent layers to create a sense of cinematic depth. You will edit your three explorations into a cohesive reel showcasing your hard work.

Prerequisite: Must be currently enrolled in high school ages 14-18 to attend.

Materials: Bring drawing materials (pencils, pens). The school will provide iPads with Procreate, animation light tables, and computers with Adobe Creative Cloud for students to use during class. If you have your own iPad, you are welcome to bring it.

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We believe creativity is a lifelong experience that expands the potential of communities and individuals alike. How can we help? Email YouthPrograms@cca.edu.