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Art and Design Now, VCUarts Qatar’s year-end show, at M7 from May 5th
Portfolio Development Class B
About this Class
The admissions portfolio requirements for VCUarts Qatar emphasize creative thinking and development as being of equal importance to drawing skills. This course will teach the necessary skills to build a competitive portfolio. Students will have time for practice and personal feedback, while developing an understanding of the vigor and value of an arts/design education at VCUarts Qatar.
Class Outline
Please note that this schedule is flexible and may be subject to change
Week 1: Introduction to course, teacher, and VCUarts Qatar; introduction to Composition; introduction to Sketch Booking
Week 2: Observational Drawing/Line Drawing
Week 3: Introduction to color
Week 4: Introduction to Basic Value Drawing
Week 5: Advanced Value Drawing
Week 6: Creative Thinking: Sketchbook and communicating ideas
Week 7: Using a camera to document your ideas and work
Week 8: Final Review – Preparing your Portfolio
Materials Needed
Please note: VCUarts Qatar reserves the right to cancel classes for which not enough participants are registered. Already paid fees will be refunded.
Please do not purchase materials until VCUarts Qatar has sent final course confirmation.
Items to buy for this class
To be bought and brought in for every class by course participants:
- Scissors (x1)
- Glue stick (x1)
- Eraser (x1)
- Pencil sharpener (x1)
- Black Pilot pen (fine liner) (x1)
- A set of colored pencils (at least 20 different colors) (x1)
- Drawing paper A2 (x1 Pad/book)
- Sketchbook A4 (x1)
- 2B / 4B / 6B pencils (1 box)
- Charcoal (x1 box)
- Kneadable eraser (x1)
Participants are allowed to buy materials from their desired place. Below are a few suggestions.
On occasion, there may be some more materials to be bought and brought in if and when advised by the instructor.
Where to buy your materials
Most of the materials are available at any art supply shop, for example:
- Cass Art (Fire station) – Community Classes students get a 15% discount upon presenting their registration ticket
- Jarir Bookstore – located on Rayyan Road or Salwa Road
- Color Note – located on Al Nasser Street
- Ibn Al Qayyim – located at Markhiya Roundabout
- Al Rawnaq
Schedule
Start: Mon, 16 Sep, 2025
End: Mon, 4 Nov, 2025
Lessons: 8
Days: Mondays
Time: 5pm–8pm
Location: VCUarts Qatar
Cost: QAR 1600
Instructors
Salma Awad
Salma is a painter and printmaker based in Qatar, whose artistic practice is deeply inspired by her passion for travel and self-discovery. Her work explores the intimate connection between nature, the earth, and emotional well-being, highlighting how grounding oneself in the natural world can restore balance and guide individuals back to their authentic selves. Through her art, Salma recreates vivid, transformative moments she has experienced in nature, harnessing their therapeutic power to reconnect with those memories and emotions. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting & Printmaking, with a minor in Art History, from VCUarts Qatar. Beyond her studio practice, Salma worked as an Admissions Counselor at VCUarts Qatar, where she guided aspiring artists through portfolio development and inspired them to pursue their creative dreams. Sharing her knowledge and passion, she finds fulfillment in leading community workshops and teaching printmaking techniques. Salma’s work has been featured in exhibitions and she has contributed to significant artistic collaborations, including a landmark public mural project in Qatar. Her art captures the harmony of the natural world, expressing emotion and experience through vibrant colors, bold forms, and expressive brushstrokes. Each piece invites viewers to embark on their own journeys of self-reflection and connection, resonating deeply with the universal quest for balance and authenticity.