Skill Levels

Anderson Ranch welcomes students with all levels of experience—absolute beginners to professionals. Some of our classes are tailored for beginners and some require prior experience; most welcome a range of skill levels. Our guidelines are intended to help you determine what classes are best suited to your level of experience. Each workshop has been rated with one or more skill levels. These levels indicate the technical knowledge and experience a student should have to effectively participate in the course.

Please reference this list before registering and apply only to courses that are appropriate for your experience level. Some advanced workshops may have additional prerequisites and/or require a portfolio submission; this will be indicated in the individual course descriptions.

Ceramics

• Studio Session: Multi-week programs designed for artists of varying skill levels to immerse themselves in the studio practice of their choice while working alongside established faculty.
• Level I: Students are new to ceramics and have no formal training.
• Level II: Students have a basic understanding of forming techniques, such as throwing and hand building. Students have taken one or two ceramics classes or workshops.
• Level III: Students have significant experience with clay forming techniques, such as throwing, hand building and modeling. Students are comfortable with ceramics equipment, such as wheels, extruders and slab rollers. Students are self­-starting with some formal training and have taken a minimum of three classes or workshops.
• Level IV: Students have advanced skills and knowledge of the ceramics field. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.
• Open to All: Students of any skill and knowledge level.
• Portfolio Review Required: Students have advanced skills and knowledge of the ceramics field. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.
• Master Class: These highly selective, limited-enrollment workshops provide advanced students with even greater access to world-renowned artists and educators. These rigorous classes are geared toward professional and committed artists who want to take their work to the next level with mentoring from master teachers, but who may not have the time for a years-long committed mentorship or residency. In the interest of continuity, some Master Classes also offer additional virtual sessions following the in-person summer workshop. Master classes require a portfolio review for admission.

View Ceramics Workshops

Children’s Program and Teen Workshops

• Open to All: Subject to specific age requirements, students of any skill/knowledge level.

View Children’s Programs and Teen Workshops

Furniture Design & Woodworking

• Studio Session: Multi-week programs designed for artists of varying skill levels to immerse themselves in the studio practice of their choice while working alongside established faculty.
• Level I: Students are new to Furniture Design & Woodworking and have no formal training.
• Level II: Students have experience working with stationary machines and power tools and are familiar with basic principles of joinery and 3­-D design.
• Level III: Students have some formal training in 3­-D design, experience with a variety of materials and fabrication processes, and know how to use machine and hand tools competently and safely. Students have a portfolio of their artwork.
• Level IV: Students have advanced skill and knowledge of furniture design and know how to use machine and hand tools competently and safely. Students are highly motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork.
• Open to All: Students of any skill and knowledge level.
• Portfolio Review Required: Students have advanced skill and knowledge of furniture design and know how to use machine and hand tools competently and safely. Students are highly motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork and are professionals in the field.
• Master Class: These highly selective, limited-enrollment workshops provide advanced students with even greater access to world-renowned artists and educators. These rigorous classes are geared toward professional and committed artists who want to take their work to the next level with mentoring from master teachers, but who may not have the time for a years-long committed mentorship or residency. In the interest of continuity, some Master Classes also offer additional virtual sessions following the in-person summer workshop. Master classes require a portfolio review for admission.

View Furniture Design & Woodworking Workshops

Painting & Drawing

• Studio Session: Multi-week programs designed for artists of varying skill levels to immerse themselves in the studio practice of their choice while working alongside established faculty.
• Level I: Students have very limited experience or none at all.
• Level II: Students have basic knowledge of 2-­D art making including form, negative space, value and line.
• Level III: Students have some formal training in critical issues of 2-­D art making and experience with critiques.
• Level IV: Students have advanced skill and knowledge of painting and drawing. Students are highly motivated and self­-directed, have a minimum of five years experience in their field and have a current portfolio of their artwork. Portfolio review is required for admittance to some Level IV classes.
• Open to All: Students of any skill and knowledge level.
• Portfolio Review Required: Students have advanced skill and knowledge of painting and drawing. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.
• Master Class: These highly selective, limited-enrollment workshops provide advanced students with even greater access to world-renowned artists and educators. These rigorous classes are geared toward professional and committed artists who want to take their work to the next level with mentoring from master teachers, but who may not have the time for a years-long committed mentorship or residency. In the interest of continuity, some Master Classes also offer additional virtual sessions following the in-person summer workshop. Master classes require a portfolio review for admission.

View Painting & Drawing Workshops

Photography & New Media

• Studio Session: Multi-week programs designed for artists of varying skill levels to immerse themselves in the studio practice of their choice while working alongside established faculty.
• Level I: Students are new to photography and new media and have no formal training in photography, video, multimedia or animation. Students have basic computer literacy.
• Level II: Photography students have a basic understanding of photography principles and technology and are comfortable using an SLR camera in manual mode. New Media students have a basic understanding of video, multimedia or animation software. Students have basic computer skills and are comfortable using a Macintosh computer.
• Level III: Photography students have some formal training and significant experience making, capturing and digitally processing images using Adobe Lightroom and/or Adobe Photoshop. New Media students have some formal training in conceptual and technological aspects of video, multimedia, coding or animation and are versed in the appropriate software applications. Students have a portfolio of their artwork.
• Level IV: Photography students have advanced skills and knowledge of photography and digital image processing. New Media students have advanced skills and knowledge of video, multimedia, coding or animation. Students are self­-motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork.
• Open to All: Students of any skill and knowledge level.
• Portfolio Review Required: Students have advanced skill and knowledge of photography. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.
• Master Class: These highly selective, limited-enrollment workshops provide advanced students with even greater access to world-renowned artists and educators. These rigorous classes are geared toward professional and committed artists who want to take their work to the next level with mentoring from master teachers, but who may not have the time for a years-long committed mentorship or residency. In the interest of continuity, some Master Classes also offer additional virtual sessions following the in-person summer workshop. Master classes require a portfolio review for admission.

View Photography & New Media Workshops

Printmaking

• Studio Session: Multi-week programs designed for artists of varying skill levels to immerse themselves in the studio practice of their choice while working alongside established faculty.
• Level I: Students have very limited experience or none at all.
• Level II: Students have a basic understanding of press operation, tools common to printmaking, paper preparation and basic principles of registration.
• Level III: Students have significant experience in the print medium that is the subject of the workshop.
• Level IV: Students have advanced skill and knowledge of the printmaking fields. Students are highly motivated and self­-directed, have a minimum of five years experience in their field, and have multiple portfolios of their artwork. Portfolio review is required for admittance to some Level IV classes.
• Open to All: Students of any skill and knowledge level.
• Portfolio Review Required: Students have advanced skill and knowledge of printmaking. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.
• Master Class: These highly selective, limited-enrollment workshops provide advanced students with even greater access to world-renowned artists and educators. These rigorous classes are geared toward professional and committed artists who want to take their work to the next level with mentoring from master teachers, but who may not have the time for a years-long committed mentorship or residency. In the interest of continuity, some Master Classes also offer additional virtual sessions following the in-person summer workshop. Master classes require a portfolio review for admission.

View Printmaking Workshops

Sculpture

• Studio Session: Multi-week programs designed for artists of varying skill levels to immerse themselves in the studio practice of their choice while working alongside established faculty.
• Level I: Students are new to sculpture and have no formal training.
• Level II: Students have a basic knowledge of 3­-D art making and sculpture concepts and are comfortable using a variety of hand and power tools. Students have taken one or two sculpture classes or workshops.
• Level III: Students have experience with a variety of materials and fabrication techniques and know how to use hand and power tools competently and safely. Students are self­-starting with some formal training in critical aspects of sculpture and have a portfolio of artwork. Students have taken a minimum of three classes or workshops.
• Level IV: Students have advanced skills and knowledge of sculpture. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have multiple portfolios of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.
• Open to All: Students of any skill and knowledge level.
• Portfolio Review Required: Students have advanced skill and knowledge of sculpture and know how to use machine and hand tools competently and safely. Students are highly motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork and are professionals in the field.
• Master Class: These highly selective, limited-enrollment workshops provide advanced students with even greater access to world-renowned artists and educators. These rigorous classes are geared toward professional and committed artists who want to take their work to the next level with mentoring from master teachers, but who may not have the time for a years-long committed mentorship or residency. In the interest of continuity, some Master Classes also offer additional virtual sessions following the in-person summer workshop. Master classes require a portfolio review for admission.

View Sculpture Workshops