Week One: Organic Textures Part A
The first week will look at the importance of reference in the painting process; it will also show students how to read and reference images to their advantage and introduce shading terms to communicate ideas. The class will discuss how to effect randomness and layering in artwork and will analyze references of stone. Students will try their hand at painting stone from a set reference and create at least three stone pieces.

At the conclusion of week one, students will be required to find and photograph organic reference samples.

Week Two: Organic Textures Part B
This class will continue to look at organic texturing by investigating the painting of leaves. Often in the 3d world a painter will need to paint leaves to flush out a tree and in doing so, they need to understand many different aspects: New leaves; aging leaves; dead leaves and more requiring a myriad of textures and colors.The class will discuss the properties of displacement painting, and the use of 'black and white maps' for detail.

Students will also learn techniques required to undertake color, backlight, displacement and opaque pass techniques before implementing them in an assignment at week’s end

Week Three: Organic Textures Part C

This class will look at the techniques that go into the painting of wood to include depth and detail.

The class will study three different wood types and determine what is involved in recreating them before moving on to layering, grain painting, avoiding striping and the techniques required to simplify detail. Students will create three wood samples from their reference.Week Four: Faking Relief
This class will cover the basic elements of trompe l'oeil painting. Exploring painted highlight and shadow, cut and cast shadow, and how to take a flat image of stone and make it look carved. There are circumstances in 3D that require 2D paintings that fake depth. This class will discuss the appropriate use of this technique. Students will take organic samples created in the preceding weeks and turn them into architectural elements.

Week Five: The Wonders of Dirt and Distressing
A lot of the day-to-day work undertaken by many digital painters is making things look dirty, distressed and less "computery". This is the part of the painting process that gives the most depth and interest to a surface. It is also the "bread and butter" of many working in the field of digital painting. By working with a template, this class will demonstrate the different levels and aspects of dirt and distressing.

Week Six: A Stone Floor
In this class we will discuss how to take a single painting and use it to create a larger surface image. The instructor will discuss displacement maps, specularity maps, dirt maps and other processes from a professional perspective. Students will take either a stone painting or wood painting and create a floor painting that includes: color map, displacement map, a specularity map and a dirt map.

Week Seven: Stylization
In animation we are constantly challenged to make our textures fit in to a very stylized world. In this class students will learn how to simplify textures for highly designed environments. Analyzing some of the most successful artists in animation, we will discuss the elements of an effective stylized design. Students will create 3 stylized textures to solve design problems: wood, stone, leaf.

Week Eight: Review
In week eight we will wrap up the course with formal critique and discussion about assignment work from a professional standpoint before offering recommendations for further growth and study.

Level of Ability
Students will need to have basic skills in digital painting and be able to manipulate images for transfer to the web. A professional interest in texturing is preferred but not essential.

Students need to be familiar with web navigation and browsing, as well as email.

Students need to be familiar with using a bulletin board system (such as CGTalk).

Examples of Work
Students are required to submit a minimum of three samples of their best recent work. Students will be required to upload their sample work in the week preceding the commencement of the course.

Software and Hardware Requirements
Students must have software and hardware to enable them to paint on their computer and have access to a scanner and a digital camera.

A Broadband Internet connection is recommended but not essential.