Program Overview

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University Program Information

The university offers a variety of programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as minors and certificate programs.

Undergraduate Programs

• Art History (BA)
• Graphic Design (BFA)
• Interior Design (BFA)
• Painting + Printmaking (BFA)
• Kinetic Imaging (BFA)

Graduate Program: MFA in Design

The MFA in Design program is designed to provide students with advanced training in design principles and practices.

MFA in Design: Overview

The program focuses on the development of creative and technical skills, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

MFA in Design: Curriculum

The curriculum includes a combination of studio courses, seminars, and lectures, as well as a thesis project.

MFA in Design: MFA ON-THE-GO

This program is designed for working professionals who want to pursue an MFA in Design while continuing to work.

Art Foundation

The Art Foundation program provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of art and design.

First Year Introduction (FYI)

The FYI program is designed to introduce first-year students to the university's academic and creative community.

Liberal Arts & Sciences

The Liberal Arts & Sciences program provides students with a broad-based education in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

Honors Program

The Honors Program is designed for high-achieving students who want to pursue a more challenging and rigorous academic program.

Minors

• Film and Design
• Islamic Art History

Annual Showcases

• Art & Design Now (Year-End Show 2025)
• BFA+MFA Thesis 2024
• BFA+MFA Thesis 2023

Digital Drawing Program

About this class

This workshop is designed to introduce participants to the principles and practices of digital drawing using Procreate on iPads.

Program Objectives

• Develop Creative Thinking: Encourage participants to imagine and design original creatures and environments that tell a visual story.
• Strengthen Design Skills: Teach fundamental concepts of shape language, color language, and exaggeration to create strong, expressive designs.
• Build Digital Art Techniques: Guide participants in using Procreate on iPads effectively for sketching, rendering, and coloring digital illustrations.
• Enhance Understanding of Form and Light: Train participants to render in grayscale first, focusing on values, lighting, and depth before introducing color.
• Promote Visual Storytelling: Help participants communicate mood, personality, and narrative through a single still image that unites creature and environment design.
• Encourage Personal Style and Expression: Support participants in experimenting with visual ideas and developing their own creative voice through the design process.

Class Outline

• Session 1 Introduction & Concept Development (Part 1)
• Session 2 Concept Development (Part 2)
• Session 3 Creature Design & Refinement (Part 1)
• Session 4 Creature Rendering (Grayscale)
• Session 5 Environment Design (Part 1)
• Session 6 Environment Design (Part 2 Grayscale)
• Session 7: Adding Color & Finishing Techniques
• Session 8: Presentation, Critique & Reflection

Materials/Equipment Needed

• iPads with Procreate will be provided by VCUarts Qatar. Participants are also welcome to bring their own iPads if preferred.

Schedule

• Start: Sun, 05 Apr, 2025
• End: Tues, 28 Apr, 2025
• Lessons: 8
• Days: Sundays and Tuesdays
• Time: 5-8pm
• Location: VCUarts Qatar Campus
• Cost: QAR 950

Instructors

• Sumam Azzam: Sumam is a professional artist and educator with a strong background in visual storytelling and digital art techniques. He has a BFA from the Virginia Commonwealth University, School of the Arts, and an MFA in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).