This one-week intensive is designed for high school students with a particular interest in architecture and design principles. Students will learn What makes a compelling architecture portfolio, key architectural design principles, and how to apply to real portfolio pieces. 

Sessions:

July 20-July 24 (M-F) 11:00am-2:00pm

July 20-July 24 (M-F) 2:30pm-5:30pm

July 27-July 31 (M-F) 11:00am-2:00pm

July 27-July 31 (M-F) 2:30pm-5:30pm

Figure drawing open studios are returning for the summer! Bring your own materials and draw from live nude models. PAA will provide easels, boards, clips and stools. Register for whichever dates you'd like!

Sessions: Thursdays, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6

Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm

Are you a student? Send us an email at enrollment@princetonacademyofart.com for your discount!

Session 1: July 27, 28, & 29 (Monday-Wednesday)

Session 2: August 5, 6, & 7 (Wednesday-Friday)

9:00AM - 12:00PM

*This camp is located at our 10 Nassau St location*

Painting Explorations is a three-day studio program designed to introduce young artists to the foundations of observational painting. Working with gouache, students will learn how to observe shape, color, and light while creating paintings from both still life arrangements and landscape subjects.

Each day, students will be guided through structured demonstrations and hands-on practice, developing skills in color mixing, brush handling, and simple compositional design. 

Classes meet from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM each day over three consecutive days, providing a focused and supportive environment where students can build foundational painting skills and complete a series of finished works.

Designed for high school students preparing for college-level fine art programs, this two-week residency focuses exclusively on creative development and portfolio refinement. Through structured projects, advanced prompts, and mentorship, students will explore concept-driven work while integrating classical principles into their artistic practice.

This full-day immersive residency challenges students to expand their visual language and develop a portfolio that reflects both technical proficiency and personal vision.

Advanced Portfolio Development: Students engage in structured prompts designed to challenge their creativity while strengthening their composition, storytelling, and conceptual thinking. Projects reference historical techniques, material exploration, and contemporary artistic approaches, ensuring students build a portfolio that is both technically strong and creatively compelling.

Application of Classical Methods: Students take inspiration from still life painting, figure drawing, portrait painting, and landscape painting, applying these classical principles to self-directed creative work. Through guided exercises and personal experimentation, they learn to synthesize traditional techniques with their unique artistic voice, preparing them for the demands of competitive college programs.

By the end of the residency, students will:

This residency is designed for serious high school students planning to apply to BFA or BA programs in fine art, illustration, or design or those who wish to showcase their committment to art as their passion, in addition to their non-art intended major. It is ideal for those seeking a focused, intensive environment to refine their work, expand their portfolio, and gain a deeper understanding of their artistic identity. 55 Hours of Work Time!

Equivalent to almost 50% of the work time available during the academic year.

Program Details:

Dates: July 27 - August 7, 2026

Full Day Program - 10:30 am - 4:00 pm

Session 1: July 27, 28, 29

Session 2: August 5, 6, 7

1:00pm - 4:00pm

*This program is located at our 10 Nassau St location*

This three-day workshop introduces students to the core ideas of painting through a focused study of still life, landscape, and portrait. Each day centers on a different subject, allowing students to build a clear understanding of how painters organize form, light, and color across varied contexts.

Students will begin with still life, learning how to observe relationships between objects and establish structure and value. The landscape session will introduce atmospheric perspective and the simplification of natural forms. In the portrait session, students will be guided through proportion and basic color relationships of the head.

Throughout the workshop, instruction emphasizes careful observation, color mixing, and the organization of a painting from start to finish. Students will complete a series of studies while developing a stronger sense of control and clarity in their work.