Contemporary artwork up for auction at Christie's.
Contemporary art takes in many movements from the 1900s onward and features prominent artists such as Andy Warhol. Lessons on the subject can be beneficial not only to art students, but to anyone seeking a starting point in art history or creation. Prices for lessons differ by location, with some museums conducting special programs for members.
Locations
Students wishing to take contemporary art lessons can choose to attend onsite classes or study over the Internet. Online courses are good for those with time issues. Museums such as the and Sotheby's Institute of Art offer this as an option for those who wish to achieve degrees and for causal art enthusiasts. Other lessons and courses take place at the actual museum or art center location. For example, the Museum of Modern Art in New York provides both day and evening lessons. Studio art lessons cover a particular artist or subject matter, while providing hands-on work in a studio to create projects that reflect the subject. Some local art studios also offer opportunities to create your own work, in addition to offering lessons.
Age Groups
There are options for all age groups in the world of contemporary art. Children can take part in summer camps for the arts. Contemporary art lesson plans are also available through some museums and through PBS. Some of the subjects covered in the plans include abstraction and realism. The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art has lesson plans that are divided into grade levels -- for example, What Is Popular? and Self Portraits in the Style of Roy Lichtenstein. Adults can take lessons that are more advanced than those for teens and children. One such course is Experimenting With Art at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. This allows the student to use a different medium of art each week of a 10-week course.
Materials
The materials in use for contemporary art vary by artist. Lessons help to show those studying the subject properly incorporate these resources into their own projects. Some items, such as cameras, may require extra lessons to master their capabilities. In studying abstraction and realism, a student can use photography, collage, drawing and painting to convey his vision with materials ranging from stickers to canvas.
Media
A medium is the material or the procedure that an artist uses to complete an artwork. Lessons may cover just one medium, such as sculpture or painting. Mixed media deals with several materials combined at one time for artwork. For example, a specific lesson may show put together a collage project with photos and recycled objects.
