KIMONOS ART CENTER
To practice any art,
no matter how well or badly,
is a way to make your soul grow.
So do it.
Kurt Vonnegut,
THE CREATIVE HUB OF PAPHOS
KIMONOS ART CENTER WORKSHOPS
Drawing
This workshop studies the foundation for every art creation, that is drawing, and it points out the creative potential of drawing to function not only as a preliminary version, or a draft, or a working model etc., for other visual arts (it is well known that every visual art requires drawing), but also to function as a distinctive art form, highly effective in aspects such as aesthetics and ontology. The student explores the history and theory of this art form, learns the standard, academic techniques of drawing, and he soon dives into exercising with experimental ways and working with multiple materials, so as to achieve the following, rather peculiar goal of this workshop: to transform the “draft” into a distinguished art work, of his own inspiration and choice, and according to his personal artistic way of expression.
Taught by
Yiannis Sakellis and Charalambos Margaritis
Painting
This workshop, centered on the most famous visual art, includes two informal levels of studying, as follows: at first, the student gets more familiar, both in theory and in practice, with the basic painting techniques (oil, acrylic, aquarelle etc.), and he learns their general principles; after that, the student chooses a specific technique, the one that suits best to his temperament, and he focuses on that during the remaining length of the workshop. Now, the student goes far deeper into exploring the secrets of his chosen technique, by working on a painting of his own inspiration; in the same time, he comprehends every step of the creative process, from the initiative idea to the final materialization, the work of art. In case the student lacks the required knowledge of drawing, the workshop provides the necessary lessons (regarding anatomy, shading etc.) without changing its main course and goals.
Taught by
Yiannis Sakellis
Printmaking
The workshop explores the multiple techniques for printmaking, combining practice with theoretical sessions, regarding some great milestones in the long history of this ageless art form, and guiding the student into a full scale and depth comprehension of it functions. Under the guidance from the artist in charge, the student intensely works in every technique, absorbing its secrets and choosing the technique most suited to his own sensitivities and vision. Thus, he discovers and develops a personal way of artistic expression, tests himself in various subjects and, finally, he craves and prints his own mark, in the field of one of the most remarkable arts of humanity.
Advanced:
When done with the printmaking workshop, the student is offered the opportunity to go further into the unknown lands of his art, and to study methods and techniques familiar only and strictly to the “insiders”. While working with the artist in charge, the student learns how to print using multiple colors, applying experimental or mixed methods, and executing highly demanding techniques (the “dark arts” of printmaking) such as mezzoting / maniera near, carburandum etc. – these are techniques known and executed just by a handful of artists nowadays. Furthermore, at this stage, the student focuses on a subject of his own choice, and begins developing his personal work, for any length of time he wants, and having the full support (instructions, materials, tools etc.) by the artist in charge and the entire crew of Kimonos Art Center.
Taught by
Charalambos Margaritis
Animation
This workshop studies the art of stop motion, handmade / traditional animation, throughout a combination of theory and practice, since it aims at the making of an animated short film. The student, after a general introduction, will work on a film script of his own, to make his very own movie, in terms of a strictly personal work – this said, the student acts under the instructions and guidance by the artist in charge of the workshop. Thus, the student is being initiated, in practice, into the world of the moving picture, he absorbs the multiple techniques and he fully contemplates every step in the creation and production of an animated movie.
Advanced:
Every student who completes the animation workshop, is offered the opportunity to study further and go deeper in this endless art form, by creating a long movie of higher requirements and of a professional level, and by working together with the artist in charge. At this stage, the student improves his technical skills in full scale, and he enriches his philosophical views on the animation movie. Furthermore, he will face (and surpass) the difficulties that emerge after the creation of the movie: he will be introduced to the wild world of the international festivals, the distribution, the screenings – in general, the student will get to know the actual perspectives for himself and his work, outside the workshop.
Taught by
Charalambos Margaritis
Mixed Media
The workshop focuses on an approximately recent art form, the installation, and on the also recent form of technique, known as the mixed media – the actual way to materialize the form of the installation. The student gradually develops a whole different way of thinking, under the guidance of the artist in charge, and by studying theoretical background and the history of this art form. More specifically, the student gradually learns new ways to understand, organize and technically process his subject, while he tries to conceive, to design and, finally, to create an art work of this kind, according to the terms and specificities of the in situ (into the space) installation.
Taught by
Yiannis Sakellis
Comics
The workshop is taking place as a creative dialogue between the student and the artist in charge, in terms of co-operation, and in the direction aiming towards the creation of a story, based (partly or entirely) on an idea by the student. Thus, the exploration into the comics (into the sequential art) follows the steps of the creative process itself, the one needed, to create a comic book: the script, the characters, the scenery, the storyboard and, of course, the drawing and constructing the story – that’s why this workshop requires a good enough knowledge of drawing, in order for the student to concentrate in his work, along with the help from the artist, and while he enjoys some of the greatest comic book classics, waiting for him in the Center’s library.
Taught by
Charalambos Margaritis
