Course Overview
This course will consist of experimentation, exploration, and improvisation with abstract art and different methods of drawing. Formal elements such as line, shape, space, value, and texture will be used as a foundation to expand the understanding of a student’s technical and conceptual skills in drawing. Drawings will be executed using a variety of media (including graphite, ink, and marker), while expanding ways to render traditional subject matter such as still life, interiors, and landscape. Demonstrations, discussions, and formal critiques will augment studio work. This is a heavily process-driven course focused on the practice of drawing to create a body of work. Brief lectures, examples, student research, and individual/group critiques will supplement the course.
All students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion and have the opportunity to request a Syracuse University noncredit transcript.
Learning Objectives
- Build observational and conceptual thinking and artmaking through a series of exercises, projects, and assignments to develop an expansion of basic formal, technical, and conceptual drawing skills.
- To explore and gain familiarity with a variety of materials and techniques.
- Students will investigate and enlarge the fundamental elements of drawing such as line, expression, shape, space, value, texture, and composition.
- Learn about diverse artists and how they expand, express, and use elements learned in class in their art practices.
- Integrate critical thinking skills through completed artworks and formal critiques.
- Develop a deeper understanding of student individual interests and habits in relation to studio practices and drawing.
Course Information
Course Prefix and Number: TBD
Format: Online
Eligibility: Students must be of rising high school sophomore, junior or senior status – or a 2026 high school graduate.
Credit: Noncredit
Grading: Pass/Fail
Cost: $1,995
Program rates are subject to change and will be approved by the board of trustees. Discounts and scholarships are also available.
Program Information
Summer College – Online: Explore college life before stepping foot on campus! High school students can enroll in a college-level course, pursue their academic interests, and meet likeminded students in daily virtual events and activities.
Course Dates and Details
| Program | Course Dates | Synchronous Class Time (Eastern Time) | Credit/Noncredit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer College -Online | 3-Week Session II: Monday, July 27 – Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026 | Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10 a.m. – Noon (12 p.m.) | Noncredit |
To see if this course is ‘open,’ refer to the full course catalog.
Additional Student Requirements
Students will need to have taken at least one drawing or art class prior to taking this course. This is not a beginner art class, but for students who have more than a basic understanding of drawing figures and principles of art.
Required Supplies
- Laptop with a camera
- Notebook
- Writing utensils
- Access to internet
- Art supplies
Typical Day
Tentative Schedule
Students will learn through professor prompted discussions & interactive activities.
Class Structure Overview:
- Student Check In/Attendance
- Critique
- Artist Overview
- Introduction of Assignment
- In-Class Guided Practice & Individual Feedback
- Announcements
When class is over, and on weekends, students can look forward to various Summer College virtual activities to meet and connect with other students across the world. Check out our Virtual Campus Experience page for more information!
Faculty Bios
Beatrice CareyCarter
Beatrice CareyCarter is a practicing artist and adjunct professor at Rowan University. Her current research and art practice focuses on the intersections of visual arts-based research, student voice, and access within minoritized populations in K-12 and higher education. Beatrice is currently finishing her PhD in Education and holds a MFA in Fine Art from Kingston University London, a BA in Art with a concentration in Africana Studies and minor in Education from Rowan University and is active in her professional art practices being proficient in painting, printmaking, drawing techniques, and currently in conceptual fine art photography. She has over 18 years of experience as an artist and has curated and participated in exhibitions abroad focusing on heritage, access, and belonging.