Touching The Art
TTA 201: Making Art Appreciation Second Nature
Spring Session Starting in April '25
Registration Open!
Your registration includes:
- eight, live, seminar-style classes (max 10 students)
- one-hour tutorial session
- feedback on homework
- access to class recordings
- copy of TTA
- certificate of course completion
To register, click the PayPal registration link below, and follow instructions. Once you've made a registration payment, expect an email from me within one or two business days.
If you cannot attend the live classes, but are interested in a recordings+tutorial option, please email me ([email protected]) If you would prefer to break up the registration payment into installments, please email me ([email protected]). Or if you have any other questions... you got it, email me!
Adult Early Bird Discount - $399
(Regularly $449)
Student/Young Adult Early Bird Discount - $299
(Regularly 349)
Course Description
The most common “complaint” I get on my tours or after my presentations goes something like this, “Luc, that was fantastic, but I don’t think I could do this on my own without you being there to guide us.”
Perhaps you've had similar feelings yourself--like many others, you might have enjoyed the books or the tours, but feel like your own experiences with art haven't been as rewarding. Well, those sentiments are completely legitimate, and there's a solution.
"Reading" art is not something that was part of most of our education growing up. Just like any kind of skill, it's not something that automatically sticks with you if you do it once, or even if you read a book about it. This is where TTA 201 comes in. The goal of this course is to make appreciating art an automatized skill and as natural an experience for you as reading a novel.
In this course, you'll learn the various TTA techniques, get to practice them on great works of art, and, to solidify your understanding, you'll prepare your own art presentation.
The skills you will learn and practice are not only applicable to appreciating the visual arts, but also to enjoying other art forms (literature, movies, etc.), to teaching, to communicating, to introspection, and more. The core of the of this course is applied objective thinking.
It's time to make a world of art open up to you... without the feeling that you need a guide. It's time to master TTA for yourself.
Perhaps you've had similar feelings yourself--like many others, you might have enjoyed the books or the tours, but feel like your own experiences with art haven't been as rewarding. Well, those sentiments are completely legitimate, and there's a solution.
"Reading" art is not something that was part of most of our education growing up. Just like any kind of skill, it's not something that automatically sticks with you if you do it once, or even if you read a book about it. This is where TTA 201 comes in. The goal of this course is to make appreciating art an automatized skill and as natural an experience for you as reading a novel.
In this course, you'll learn the various TTA techniques, get to practice them on great works of art, and, to solidify your understanding, you'll prepare your own art presentation.
The skills you will learn and practice are not only applicable to appreciating the visual arts, but also to enjoying other art forms (literature, movies, etc.), to teaching, to communicating, to introspection, and more. The core of the of this course is applied objective thinking.
It's time to make a world of art open up to you... without the feeling that you need a guide. It's time to master TTA for yourself.
Schedule and Syllabus
Classes will start in January '25.
Class day and time TBD
Every week you will add new art appreciation tools while enjoying amazing artworks.
Class #1: “Reading” an Artwork
We will learn and practice a variety of techniques for “Reading” an artwork. You'll learn to immerse yourself into the world of the story and to heighten the drama of the scene.
Homework: Art Reading #1
Class #2: Identifying the Theme
We’ll define what a theme in an artwork is compared to a theme in literature. You’ll learn and practice a step-by-step process for grasping the theme of a narrative artwork with clarity.
Homework: Art Reading #2
Oct. 30th - Class #3: Making Connections and Empathizing
You'll learn to use the theme of an artwork to personally connect to its meaning. We'll see how "empathizing" with the main character in a scene is the key to unlocking the deeper, emotional meaning. Then, we’ll practice connecting with a variety of different artworks.
Homework: Identifying Themes and Making Connections
Class #4: Great Artists
We’ll wrap up our discussion of making connections to the theme of an artwork. And we'll look at some of the best “storytellers” in art history including Michelangelo, John W. Waterhouse, Norman Rockwell, and others.
Homework: "Short Presentation" - a five-minute “reading” an artwork of your choice.
Class #5: Short Presentations + Portraits, Landscapes, and Still Life
Students will deliver their short presentations. Then, we’ll look at the other genres of visual art. We’ll discuss how to find the story in a still life, what the theme of a portrait is, and how to immerse ourselves in a landscape.
Class #6: Final Presentation Prep + General Discussion
We’ll go over the content and format of the final presentations. Then we'll have a Q&A over a variety of possible topics including modern art, movies, art education, etc.
Private Tutorials by Appointment
Each student will have a one-hour private tutorial to help prepare a final presentation. In the final presentation (8-minutes long) each student will read an artwork of their choice, identify a theme, and describe a personal connection.
Class #7: Final Presentations + Music in Art
We’ll have a first batch of presentations followed by a short discussion on how music enhances one's immersion in the visual arts.
Class #8: Final presentations + Course Wrap-up
We’ll have our second batch of presentations and sum up what you’ve accomplished in the course.
(Minor adjustments to the final syllabus are possible.)
Class day and time TBD
Every week you will add new art appreciation tools while enjoying amazing artworks.
- There will be weekly homework assignments and two student presentations.
- The course culminates in each student delivering a final presentation where they'll apply everything they've learned.
- Homework assignments are given in-depth feedback.
- There is also one private tutorial session for each student.
- The 75-minute classes are live on zoom and highly interactive.
- Recordings of each class will be available
Class #1: “Reading” an Artwork
We will learn and practice a variety of techniques for “Reading” an artwork. You'll learn to immerse yourself into the world of the story and to heighten the drama of the scene.
Homework: Art Reading #1
Class #2: Identifying the Theme
We’ll define what a theme in an artwork is compared to a theme in literature. You’ll learn and practice a step-by-step process for grasping the theme of a narrative artwork with clarity.
Homework: Art Reading #2
Oct. 30th - Class #3: Making Connections and Empathizing
You'll learn to use the theme of an artwork to personally connect to its meaning. We'll see how "empathizing" with the main character in a scene is the key to unlocking the deeper, emotional meaning. Then, we’ll practice connecting with a variety of different artworks.
Homework: Identifying Themes and Making Connections
Class #4: Great Artists
We’ll wrap up our discussion of making connections to the theme of an artwork. And we'll look at some of the best “storytellers” in art history including Michelangelo, John W. Waterhouse, Norman Rockwell, and others.
Homework: "Short Presentation" - a five-minute “reading” an artwork of your choice.
Class #5: Short Presentations + Portraits, Landscapes, and Still Life
Students will deliver their short presentations. Then, we’ll look at the other genres of visual art. We’ll discuss how to find the story in a still life, what the theme of a portrait is, and how to immerse ourselves in a landscape.
Class #6: Final Presentation Prep + General Discussion
We’ll go over the content and format of the final presentations. Then we'll have a Q&A over a variety of possible topics including modern art, movies, art education, etc.
Private Tutorials by Appointment
Each student will have a one-hour private tutorial to help prepare a final presentation. In the final presentation (8-minutes long) each student will read an artwork of their choice, identify a theme, and describe a personal connection.
Class #7: Final Presentations + Music in Art
We’ll have a first batch of presentations followed by a short discussion on how music enhances one's immersion in the visual arts.
Class #8: Final presentations + Course Wrap-up
We’ll have our second batch of presentations and sum up what you’ve accomplished in the course.
(Minor adjustments to the final syllabus are possible.)
Dramatic, new art... every week.
Testimonials from Past TTA 201 Students
"Wonderful course. So much fun and entertaining. I would take it again!"
"Excellent. Provides a technique to understand and appreciate art and oneself."
"This was a great course. Luc has a very effective teaching style and his material is innovative."
"This was an awesome class that helped me get an order of magnitude better at reading art. The wide variety of techniques and topics was great."
"Luc is a wonderful teacher, I keep coming back. This course went deeper, though. I got to experience artworks in a more personal way than I have ever done before."
"Luc knows how to ask the most awesome questions. He is a super gentle guide and also super talented at helping you learn. What a treasure of delights this course has been!"
"The best next step for those who have read his book. Luc leads an advanced class in making personal connections to art you love. He offers clear guidance, including a one-on-one session with each student. The presentation I developed for the class will be one of my top achievements this year. I loved the course and eagerly await Luc's next adventure in art."
"[TTA 201] helped me to gain a better understanding of why I love the art I love. But even more it helped me to find connections and develop and understanding for art that I may not have loved immediately. Most of all it taught me to immerse myself in the artwork until I could viscerally feel the emotional connection of the piece to my own life and experiences."
"TTA 201 has not only opened up my appreciation for art, but helped me articulate that to others. I see many other uses including photography, writing, presentations, etc. Thank You!"