Artwork by David Aitchison, Summer 2024
In the Painting Certificate, students develop the skills and conceptual foundation necessary to cultivate their art practice, drawing inspiration and context from SAIC’s many resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago, an encyclopedic museum that encompasses more than 5,000 years of creative expression from cultures around the world.
You will be able to keep track of your certificate requirements as you move through your individualized program using our Painting Certificate Curriculum Guide.
Total Required Courses (6):
Studio Courses (4)
Four 30-hour courses under the subject headings Certificate Painting
Art History Courses (1)
One 30-hour course under the subject heading Art History
Elective (1)
All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificates, including 1-week and 2-weekend intensives *
To find courses, visit continuingstudies.saic.edu and click Adult Courses on the left panel. On the I would like to see dropdown menu, select Certificate Painting or CS Art History.
*It is strongly encouraged that students with little or no drawing experience take Introduction to Drawing, which can be used to fulfill the Painting Certificate elective requirement.
Schedule is subject to change. Select courses may also be offered as winter intensives.
Contemporary Watercolor
Introduction to Oil Painting
Painting: Materials and Methods
Pigment Painting: From Lascaux to Tibet
Water-Based Painting
Introduction to Oil Painting
Introduction to Watercolor Painting
Narratives in Acrylic Painting
Painting Studio: Multi-level
Painting: Color and Light
Contemporary Watercolor
Experimental Drawing and Painting Intensive: Exploring Contemporary Practice
Explorations in Acrylic Painting
Figure Painting Studio: Multi-level
From Drawing to Painting
Introduction to Oil Painting
Painting and Drawing Intensive
Plein Air Painting
Advising Notes
The information above is subject to change.
Courses are offered online and on our campus in Chicago. However, we did not design noncredit certificates to be completed remotely.
The course schedule and your availability will influence your progress. It is not recommended to take more than two courses per term.
We schedule a limited number of two-weekend intensives in the winter. During this term, students can complete coursework requirements, including their electives.
All 30-hour Adult Continuing Education courses are eligible electives for all certificate programs.
Some courses are meant to be taken in sequence and have prerequisite courses or other requirements deemed necessary to ensure the greatest likelihood of student success. You are responsible for being aware of and meeting any course prerequisite(s) before registration.
Visit continuingstudies.saic.edu for course descriptions, including prerequisite(s).
As students work to complete a Certificate, they should also be preparing documentation of their work as they complete their courses. Visit the Portfolio Review Day website for more information.