Join us for a two-day immersive workshop exploring the foundations of classical architecture through hands-on drawing and traditional rendering techniques. Designed for students and emerging professionals, the program begins on Friday with a focused study of the Tuscan Order through guided drawing, introducing the geometry, proportions, and terminology of classical design. Participants will then explore light and shade as a means of expressing architectural form.
On Saturday, the workshop continues with a full-day studio session dedicated to architectural rendering in wash, where participants will apply these techniques to complete a refined rendering of the Tuscan Order.
This program qualifies for credit toward the ICAA's Certificate in Classical Architecture. Participants who are pursuing the certificate and wish to receive credit may do so upon request.
Schedule & Learning Objectives
Friday, April 24th
9:30am - 9:45am | Introduction
9:45am-12:30pm | Elements of Classical Architecture: The Tuscan Order (5 Credits, Elements)
- Through the exercise of drawing a classical order, participants will explore in depth the terminology, geometry, and proportions of a columnar system. The components and mouldings of the order will be drawn step-by-step, illustrating the relationships and underlying geometry that unify the parts into a cohesive whole.
1:30pm-4:00pm | Light & Shade on Architectural Form (3 Credits, Light and Shade)
- In order to enhance the legibility and communicative nature of a two-dimensional line drawing, the rendering of light, shade, and shadow to describe the three-dimensional form of an architectural composition is fundamental. This session will explore the architectural conventions and qualities of light, shade, shadow, and reflected light, as well as a sensibility for how architectural geometries, volumes, planes, and profiles modulate light and shade to subsequently render form apparent.
4:00pm-5:30pm | Introduction to Architectural Rendering in Wash
- As an introduction to the history and techniques of Beaux-Arts wash rendering, participants will begin to learn the basic skills and techniques that are employed in producing a traditional wash rendering.
Saturday, April 25th
9:30am-5:00pm | Architectural Rendering in Wash (8 Credits, Wash Rendering)
- Using traditional wash techniques, participants will systematically execute the rendering of the Tuscan order using a limited watercolor palette. The skills and techniques to be utilized will include color mixing, flat washes, layered washes, gradients, and wet-on-wet washes.
16 credits towards the Certificate in Classical Architecture