Centennial College Offers a Hands-On Fine Arts Education

“This is a hands-on program and the slogan I have for the Fine Arts Studio program is ‘Get your hands dirty,’” says David McKilmen. coordinator of the Fine Arts Studio program at Centennial College, in which students receive a fine arts education, “because you’re definitely going to get your hands dirty with charcoal paint, clay and more. When you apply, book yourself an appointment to come meet with me and bring your portfolio. I’m looking for two things. On the technical side. I am looking for people who have had experience drawing and painting. And I have to say, for me, what’s important is some sense of commitment, passion, dedication to the fine arts.”

David offers a great overview of what is expected of students but let’s take a closer look at the specific benefits of this Fine Arts Studio offering. First and foremost, to apply to the two-year program, students must have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. They also need to have the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment or equivalent credit. However, possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the school Fine Arts Studio program. There also artistic requirements that students must meet, such as attending a program admission session and presenting a portfolio of no less than four and no more than 15 pieces. Within the portfolio, students are encouraged to have figure drawings, colour work (abstract, figurative or objective), perspective (demonstration of your ability to apply basic principles of linear perspective in free-hand drawing and or painting), and sketchbooks.

This unique fine arts education program allows students to: develop advanced skills to work independently both in and out of the studio environment and nurture a lifetime of growth as a professional visual artist and storyteller; have a progressive learning experience led by a collaborative team of teachers who share a commitment to the central philosophy of excellence through meaningful skills development; develop personal directions and approaches to build their own unique voice and style in visual storytelling; find inspired new careers paths in the art world as exhibiting artists or in the visual art industries including animation, illustration and design.

This is achieved through a number of courses such as: Figure Drawing, Drawing + Composition, Paining Techniques, 3D Figure Modeling, History of World Art from Prehistoric to 17th Century, Figure Painting, Digital Art, Drawing Painting and Thesis and more. All classes are held in two large state-of-the-art studios and include aspects such as art-relevant lectures, seminars and excursions that are offered throughout the school year. Small class sizes guarantee one-on-one attention from instructors. Classes are three to six hours in duration. Mural seminars and an illustration class to broaden students’ job skills are also available.

The fine arts education received in the program allows students seamless entry into more specialized art-based program such as Digital Animation, Graphic Design, Game Design and more.