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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

LOS ANGELES ACADEMY OF FIGURATIVE ART

From courses in anatomy,

by way of écorché and the

dissection of cadavers, to

courses in concept art, the

Los Angeles Academy of

Figurative Art (LAAFA) is in the

forefront of education in the arts.

INTERVIEW QUESTION: What are some

features that make the Los Angeles

Academy of Figurative Art distinct

from other classical ateliers?

Unlike most other classical ateliers,

LAAFA offers accredited degree and

certifi cate programs in Fine Art and also

Entertainment Art. The Fine Art Program

provides a fusion of French, Italian

and Russian academic traditions. The

Entertainment Art Program focuses on

concept art and design for conventional

and animated fi lms; it combines instruc-

tion in traditional skills with digital media

and software programs that give students

a well-rounded course of study.

Throughout the programs, LAAFA

focuses on teaching students both

technique and theory; LAAFA does not

prioritize one over the other. As the works

of our graduates demonstrate, our train-

ing produces artists with unique voice

and vision.

Your courses follow the classical

paradigm that includes studying

anatomy and écorché (the body,

as if fl ayed, without skin). LAAFA

students actually observe the dis-

section of cadavers. How does that

aspect of the program work?

Today’s students receive an enormous

amount of information from books and

the Internet, information that tends to

simplify and stylize versions of anatomy.

This can lead to an inaccurate under-

standing of scientifi c facts. LAAFA is

exceptional in providing students with

the rare opportunity to observe the dis-

section of cadavers. In the lab, students

are challenged to prove or disprove their

knowledge with a real human body as it’s

dissected by medical doctors. Students

thus learn how the body works by noting

surface anatomy, muscles, tendons, bone

joints, at the same time they’re under-

standing the limitations of the body.

Los Angeles is, of course, the

center of the fi lm and animation

industries, as well as a hub of the

international art market. How does

the setting enhance your students’

experiences and opportunities?

Los Angeles has the second-largest num-

ber of artists, donors and collectors in

America. Students are immersed in this

creative hub where they can be active

participants and observers, discovering

the abundant number of galleries, muse-

ums, entertainment studios, conventions,

and creative environments that surround

the city.

Students can appreciate the culture

and diverse styles of traditional, contem-

Ascent by instructor

Daniel Bilmes

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