Summer Art Camps
Summer Art Camps at Latrobe Art Center!
Join Latrobe Art Center for some Summer art fun! Participating children and students will have the opportunity to learn from professional, local artists and create summertime-themed works of art using a variety of media and techniques! See below for this year’s camp options.
Dates: June 16 & 17, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Age Group: Children ages 4-6
Cost: $45
Day 1 – “Duck, Duck, Goose”
This charming book puts a fun twist on the classic game! Students will create a mixed-media background of a bright sky with fluffy clouds, starting with watercolor and adding depth with acrylic paint. Next, they will paint the main characters—two ducks and a goose—using watercolor, bringing them to life with detailed facial features outlined in Sharpie. Finally, they will assemble their artwork into a collage by attaching their characters to the background, creating a playful scene inspired by the story.
Day 2 – “Dragons Love Tacos”
Do you love tacos? Do you love dragons? Then get ready for a sizzling art project! Students will begin by creating a textured background that mimics the book’s illustrations, using watercolor and a toothbrush technique for a fun, speckled effect. To craft their dragon, they will learn a simple yet effective shading technique using Crayola markers and water—an easy method they can use for future projects! Sharpie will be used to define details, including the dragon’s expressive eyes. Finally, they will create a delicious-looking taco by combining acrylic paint, watercolor, and Sharpie for rich details and texture.
Dates: June 23-25, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Age Group: Grades 1-4
Cost: $60
Join Latrobe Art Center for some Summer art fun! For three days, children in 1st through 4th grade will be taught by artists from Latrobe Art Center and create works of art inspired by famous artists:
Project 1: Paul Klee – “Cat and Bird”
Students will begin by freehand drawing a cat and bird, following step-by-step guidance from the instructor. Once their drawing is complete, they will use a tissue paper and Mod Podge technique to create a smooth, textured surface. To make their artwork stand out, they will outline the cat and bird using 3D puffy paint. Shading will be applied with oil pastels, adding depth to the figures before coloring the cat’s face and bird with watercolor paint. The background will feature a cubist-inspired design, created with watercolor crayons that blend into a smooth texture when activated with water.
Project 2: Franz Marc – “Blue Horse”
Students will freehand draw the central figure of a horse, carefully following the instructor’s guidance. After outlining the shape, they will sketch a background featuring mountains and a landscape. To incorporate cubist elements, they will fold their paper to create dividing lines, which will then be outlined with black marker. Each section will be filled with rich colors using oil pastels, which will be blended with baby oil to achieve a smooth, polished effect. This technique will enhance the vibrancy and depth of their Blue Horse composition.
Project 3: Pablo Picasso – “The Bull”
Students will begin by selecting one of four bull head templates and tracing the shape onto transparent paper. They will decide whether to create a black or white bull and paint the head accordingly. Using printed examples for inspiration, they will freehand draw the bull’s face, incorporating cubist elements with different shapes. The face will then be outlined with Sharpie and copied for further development. Next, students will create their own templates from cardstock, which they will use to add layered details to their bull’s face. These shapes will be traced onto cardboard, colored with oil pastels, and mounted onto the bull’s face, resulting in a striking 3D artwork.
Dates: July 21 & 22, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Age Group: Children ages 4-6
Cost: $45
Day 1: “Tiny T-Rex”
Have you ever needed a hug? Tiny’s best friend, Pointy, does—but there’s a problem! In this project, students will create a vibrant landscape background on a flat canvas using acrylic paint, learning the technique of blending to create soft, fluffy clouds. Following step-by-step guidance, they will freehand draw Tiny’s mouth and eyes to bring his expression to life. For Tiny’s body, students will blend blue and green watercolor paint, creating a smooth and dynamic color effect. Additional details will be crafted from cutout paper before Tiny is mounted onto the background, completing this heartwarming scene.
Day 2: “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”
If you give a mouse a cookie, it will lead to a whole lot of creativity! Students will begin by crafting a colorful background on a flat canvas using layers of tissue paper and Mod Podge for a textured effect. The fun continues as they create a cookie! They will shape crumpled brown tissue paper into a round cookie form, securing it onto a mat board circle with Mod Podge, then sealing the top for durability. For the mouse, students will freehand draw its face onto a template using Sharpie, adding details to its overalls with a blue Sharpie. Using watercolor crayons, they will bring their mouse to life with soft blended colors, while oil pastels add depth to the nose and ears. Finally, they will assemble the mouse and cookie onto their background, adding the finishing touch—chocolate chips—using acrylic paint.
Dates: July 14-16, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Age Group: Children in grades 5-8
Cost: $60
Join Latrobe Art Center for some Summer art fun! For three days, children in 5th through 8th grade will be taught by artists from Latrobe Art Center and create works of art using a variety of media and techniques.
Dates: July 28-30, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Age Group: Children in grades 1-4
Cost: $60
Join Latrobe Art Center for some Summer art fun! For three days, children in 1st through 4th grade will be taught by artists from Latrobe Art Center and create works of art inspired by famous artists using a variety of media and techniques.
Project 1: Jeff Koons – “Balloon Dog”
Students will sculpt their own balloon dog using Model Magic clay, shaping it on wax paper with the help of provided templates. Once molded, they will mix two colors of pouring paint to create a custom hue for their dog. Using a plastic mesh drain, they will apply a marbling effect for added texture and visual interest. Meanwhile, students will prepare a flat canvas background with two layers of acrylic paint. Once their balloon dog has dried, it will be mounted onto the background to complete the piece.
Project 2: George Rodrigue – “Blue Dog”
Students will begin by freehand drawing a large dog on cardboard, following step-by-step guidance from the instructor. Once satisfied with their drawing, they will outline it using 3D puffy paint. After the paint dries, a sheet of heavy aluminum foil will be carefully adhered to the cardboard using spray adhesive. With a Q-tip, students will gently trace over the dried paint, pressing the foil to create a raised, embossed effect. Finally, they will paint within the outlined shape, allowing the silver lines to stand out and bring their Blue Dog to life.
Project 3: Wassily Kandinsky – “Abstract Flowers in a Vase”
Students will start by painting a background featuring a table and a wall using acrylic paint on mixed media paper. For the vase, they will select from seven pre-designed black-and-white patterns or create their own unique design. Next, they will craft six abstract flowers, layering concentric circles of different colors within larger circles. Once the vase is glued onto the background, students will arrange their flowers to create a dynamic composition. Finally, they will draw stems connecting the flowers to the vase using a white chalk pencil, then outline them with a black Sharpie, including the defining line between the table and the wall.