This course will introduce students to creating hard surface modeling such as vehicles and assets for production in Autodesk Maya. The course will consist of demonstrations combined with discussion and tutorials created by the instructor; in-class exercises and an assignment will be given every week. In addition, different lighting scenarios such as interior, exterior, and studio lighting with Arnold renderer will be also covered.

This course will introduce students to animating in Maya. Students will start with the basics and learn about the twelve principles of animation. Some assignment examples will consist of a bouncing ball, walk-cycles, jumping, and kick ball.

This course will introduce students to creating organic characters and sculpture for production using Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, and Mudbox. This course will introduce students to creating hard-surface and organic characters and sculpture for production and concept art with Pixologic ZBrush. Students will also cover the 3D printing process and print work. The course will consist of demonstrations combined with discussion, and tutorials created by the instructor, in-class exercises and an assignment every week. In addition, students will be given different lighting scenarios such as interior, exterior and studio lighting with Arnold renderer. (Prerequisite Modeling I for Animation)

As a continuation to Animation I, students will now look at creating basic rig setups to more advanced rig setups for characters and assets. Towards the end of this course, the class will focus on the importance of posing and body mechanics for animation. (Prerequisite Animation I)

As a continuation to Animation II, students will learn about creating storyboards, animatics, and creating an animation based on their own stories. Each student will create a mini 15-second animation with a pre-rigged character of choice. Students will also be recording their own live video reference to help with timing for their animations. (Prerequisite Animation II)

In this course, students will use the technical, drawing, and storytelling skills they have learned in the previous courses to produce their own demo reel. It is expected that the reel will be of a high degree of finish regardless of the content. In addition, students will investigate survival skills and portfolio practices necessary to work as a professional, freelance, or independent computer graphic artist. Students will exhibit their final work at The Center for the Digital Arts Gallery.

Learn about the field of user experience and the essential principles of human-centered design, including design architecture and its application. Discuss the human factors that impact design; how to start a mapping project; how to conduct user experience research; and how to use diagrammatic tools to succeed.

This course will apply design thinking best practices to develop websites and mobile applications for commercial or public industries. Students will learn how to be a design thinking facilitator and a UX/UI designer in a collaborative team environment that will utilize human-centered techniques to solve complex problems and discover innovative solutions for interactive media. With hands-on examples and tutorials students will better understand how to design effective websites and mobile applications for diverse end-users. Through well-established industry standards students will understand and apply innovative techniques to design and develop responsive interactive media.

This course provides a human-centered approach to working on a real-world project and covers the end-to-end lifecycle of user-centered design. User research, wireframes and prototypes, user interface and interactive design, and usability testing are utilized. Weekly home assignments are assigned and students will be working as a small UX/UI team. This is the first of a two-part portfolio course. The culminating experience results in a realized professional portfolio piece that will enable students to start preparing to enter the UX/UI Design field.

Your brand impacts your success; entrepreneurs and business owners know that in order for their business to win, their brand identity must be specific and clearly defined. From logos to tag lines and storytelling, your brand strategy will position your business at the top of your field through what you’ll learn in this course. Students will not only learn about the basics but also get to create a logo, brand, tag line, elevator pitch, and more. Students will present their brand at the end of the program.

This course continues building upon User Experience Design Portfolio I by working on a second, more complex portfolio case study. Working on a real-world project, covering the end-to-end lifecycle of user-centered design. User research, contextual interviews, in situ observing, design thinking, persona creation, user story, journey map, mental models, information architecture, wireframes and prototypes, user interface and interactive design, usability testing, and heuristics are utilized. Weekly home assignments are assigned and students will be asked to work as a small UX/UI team workshop style. The culminating experience results in a second professional portfolio piece that will enable students to enter the UX/UI job market.

This course will include wire-framing and designing your prototype with Sketch and Invision. Once their prototype is complete, students will create a website with WordPress learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript programming languages. Students will utilize a WYSIWYG editor and code generator. The course will focus on front end web development to actualize dynamic web pages. Students will utilize a variety of web tools and resources in this course. In addition, students will use responsive design templates that take into consideration mobile devices.

This course is designed for freelance professionals that seek understanding in business management. It will provide a foundational business overview designed to help you make more informed decisions, develop successful strategies and achieve your personal and organizational goals. The course will provide insights into how components of various business functions must be integrated and aligned to achieve short and long-term success. Business topics covered will include Business Formation, Marketing, Branding, Planning, Strategy, Customer Service, Budgeting and Conflict Resolution. Freelancers who want to expand their knowledge into different business areas including technical professionals seeking a fuller understanding for general business management, and entrepreneurs who seek to develop their knowledge base and understandings of business operations will gain valuable skills.

Learn how to navigate the Google Analytics interface. In this course, beginner and intermediate-level attendees gain insight into dashboard metrics, platform terminology, campaign tracking, filters, custom reports, and more. Discover how to set up campaign tracking and how to analyze basic reports on audience, acquisition, and behavior. Learn how to work with important dashboard metrics to improve website conversions and traffic. For online access details, please contact us at 914-606-7300.

Autodesk Maya is a powerful 3D modeling, rendering, simulation and animation software for artists. Maya is utilized throughout the gaming, commercial and movie industries. To start with, students will learn the essentials of Maya. You will learn the interface, basic modeling, basic rigging and animation, and basic rendering. By the end of the course, students should be able to model, texture, light and render utilizing Maya and complete a final portfolio piece. For ages 12-17.

You play games on Playstation, Nintendo Switch, and your mobile devices but did you ever wonder how to build an interactive game? The gaming industry is an exciting, burgeoning field that requires both technical ability and creativity. Dive into interactivity with a multimedia designer. Start programming and designing your own games and learning gaming concepts. Students will work with a game designer to construct board games, design characters, build terrains, and interactive user experiences. For ages 12-17.

In this 8-week course, the student will gain a solid understanding of the art of Animation; which can be used in any kind of moving art such as 2D animation, 3D animation, stop-motion, and motion graphics. The course will be focused on traditional animation since it provides a hands-on understanding of the basic techniques of animation. Students will learn INSERTED The course will cover how to determine timing and spacing of a drawing and how it affects the outcome of an animation by studying different kinds of subjects such as a bouncing ball, falling leaves, and walk-cycles. The course is designed for those who want to start a career in animation but is not limited to those who want to sharpen their skills or further their experience. By the end of the course, students will have created a short animation 15 to 30 seconds long.

In this 8-week advanced session, students will dive deeper into what brings animation to life adding to what they have learned from Animation 1. This course will have students look into pre-production animation techniques such as layouts and backgrounds, character design and acting, sound and special effects. As the course progresses, students will move from pre-production to post-production including editing, color and visual effects, and rendering final projects for presentation. Using the tools given to them, students will create their own short animation 15 to 30 seconds long. Prerequisite: Animation 1.

Are you a designer or photographer, amateur or pro looking for professional software on a budget? This course could be an eye-opener for you! Learn digital imaging, retouching, and animation with tools such as Krita, Photoshop Elements, Canva, and Spark. There is an array of free and low cost apps that provide creative solutions for all of your design needs. This provides the indie designer an opportunity to compete in a new market place free of monthly subscription fees. There are software applications available that meet the needs of many budget-minded creatives. Do not miss out on kick starting your career in digital media design - begin your journey here!

Printmaking is useful for making multiple images for tee shirts, textile pattern, posters, and for artwork editions. This course introduces economical and innovative ways to make homemade prints and how everyday technology, like copy machines, computers, and jet printers make printmaking very accessible and contemporary. Students interested in making a portrait print can use a photograph to get started or draw directly. Working from a live model or drawing from observation, students may paint directly onto a printing plate to make a monotype print on rice paper. The instructor will introduce step-by-step technique instruction for understanding soft linocut, monotype, silkscreen, variety of printmaking papers, textural effects, fabric inks, mixed media, and collage methods. All levels are welcome.

The Center for the Digital Arts at Peekskill is an artist’s space and a friendly environment in which to work. The center hosts five Apple post-production studios including two video labs, an animation studio including ZBrush, and facilities for other digital projects. The studio also offers large format printing, 3D MakerBot printers and 3D scanners for use by artists enrolled in this program. This package is for the professional or aspiring artist with competent computer skills who wants to continue to develop a portfolio and use the center’s resources. Note: Interview with Technical Support Manager required; choose daily access fee or package fee.

In Python Programming, students will be introduced to the basic aspects of problem solving, data representation, algorithm design, and object-oriented design and programming.  The Python programming language will be used as the means to implement programs.  This course prepares students for problem analysis and solution design. Students will also discuss ethical and social issues relating to computing.

Give your child the edge and have them engage in coding sequences of instructions that empower them to control characters and gaming interfaces. Students need to be able to write commands in the right sequences in order to communicate their instructions to others. Computer coding is what makes this possible and is a key 21st century competency for children today. Students will code stories, animations, and games. For ages 7-11.

Explore new technology that enables the design of everything from car parts to jewelry. Learn how to be a “maker” by using 3D modeling software and 3D scanners to print actual physical objects that you’ve designed. Use a free software package, TinkerCAD, to create 3D forms that you can realize through 3D printing. Our MakerBot studio is equipped with multiple 3D scanners, printers, and an array of colors.

In this course, you will learn how to leverage Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram for business. From profile creation to posts and advertising to analytics, attendees will take a deep dive into each platform’s unique opportunities for marketing use. Demographic research and best practices for each platform will be shared to help you determine the right platform for your business. In-class assignments and homework activities will be required.

Learn to use the latest version of Photoshop with time management features and enhancements for web and video designers. This training package will include imaging formats, use of Photoshop in computer imaging, and output for the web. No previous experience with Photoshop necessary; previous computer experience required.

Continue on to more advanced topics and hone your skill sets developed in Level 1. This training package will include advanced photo retouching and compositing, refining your edits with quick masks, layer masks, pen tool and channels. Learn timesaving workflows like batch processing and automated tasks. Prepare your files for multiple outputs and gain a deeper understanding of file sizes, formats, and color spaces. This course will also teach you how to use the timeline and create animations in Photoshop. In addition, students will create a final project by the end of the course, which brings many of these techniques to fruition. Quick Start to Adobe Photoshop CC (or equivalent knowledge) required, option to sign-up for Adobe Photoshop Expert certification exam preparation sessions available.

Becoming an Adobe certified expert is an excellent choice for professionals looking for a job in the industry or simply looking to stand out from their peers gaining proof that they know the software inside and out. Students will train and take preparatory tests in order to prepare for Adobe Photoshop Expert certification exam. The course will cover what to expect at the testing center and topics to be covered in the 90-minute exam. After taking two four-hour sessions with our Adobe certified expert, students should be prepared to take the exam, provided they have either taken our Quick Start series or have had prior rigorous Photoshop experience.

• HTML to define the content of web pages.
• CSS to specify the layout of web pages.
• JavaScript to program the behavior of web pages.

All web pages created will be fully functional and portable. In addition, we will explore server languages like PHP for dynamic web pages. Since web servers integrate several technologies to serve applications, this class covers reasonable in-depth knowledge and skills to serve design purposes. Students will then use tools to do database administration and test PHP server level programs using PHP to connect to web server and Database Server (MySQL).

For the beginner photographer: learn all aspects of Adobe Lightroom, from the basics of importing photography files, to the more complex steps of image post-production and presentation. Learn organizational techniques, including how to safely import and store files on hard drives; tag and label photos; create image collections; and the importance of backup files. Each student will create a presentation of 15-20 photographs in an online book or website created in Lightroom.

Learn how to navigate the Google Ads interface and to create effective ad copy, tracking URLs, calls-to-action, and budgeting that works. In this course, beginner and intermediate-level attendees will have hands-on activities to help develop effective text and graphical ads using the Google Ad (AdWords) interface. A review of keywords and URL structure are included. In-class assignments and homework activities will be required.

This course will cover HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Front end code is the code that builds the web pages that people see. The power of these languages together can make you a very powerful designer/front end programmer and put you in demand in the work force. For ages 14 & up.

In this rigorous six-week class, students will learn the fundamentals of digital photography, from learning the more advanced manual functions in their cameras to how to create strong and dynamic compositions. The course will include slideshows and lectures on important contemporary photographers’ critique sessions of new work, which will be assigned each week. This course provides the opportunity for aspiring amateur photographers to push their work to the next level.

Learn to use the latest version of InDesign and take advantage of the integrative power and dynamic nature of its print-to-web solutions. Includes an overview of graphic layout and design; an overview of interface and tools; and a hands-on exercise. No previous experience with InDesign necessary; previous computer experience required.

Learn to use this industry-standard vector image creation program for print and web. Includes digital illustration, drawing tools, Bezier curves, fonts, and use of Illustrator in graphic design. No previous experience with Illustrator necessary; previous computer experience required.

Work with a variety of media and learn different approaches to painting and drawing. Prep a palette; mix colors; use media; work on various surfaces; learn about brushes; investigate the use of colors and shades; and create strong compositions. Painting and drawing from observation will be implemented by working from a live model, still-life arrangements, portraiture, and working outdoors. Class will be encouraged to work together to create the atmosphere of an atelier. For all levels.

This course is an introduction to the history, principles and practice of historic preservation. It will provide a framework for understanding how the architecture and natural beauty of the Hudson Valley influenced the birth of the preservation movement in America and how preservation law has developed in New York State into present-day policies. Through discussions about the guiding principles, terminologies and current issues of historic preservation, the class will explore the benefits and limitations of the agencies that play a role in preservation and discuss local case studies. These will be 2-hour class sessions over 10 weeks for a total of 20 hours required towards completion of certificate requirements.

With an emphasis on New York State architectural design, this course will explore the development of architecture in America. Areas of examination will include indigenous and vernacular American architecture as well as the appropriation of European design elements in the Hudson Valley estates of the Gilded Age. Federalism, the advent of architecture as a profession, the American Parks movement and landscape architecture, the innovation of the skyscraper, the rise of twentieth century urban environments and public works projects plus more will be discussed. At least one field trip to a historic architectural site in the Hudson Valley will be included. These will be 2-hour class sessions over 10 weeks for a total of 20 hours required towards completion of certificate requirements.

This course is designed to provide a wide range of hands-on experience related to historic preservation in a variety of settings. Participants will work at actual historic sites in the field as well as with artisans in trades related to historic preservation. Sessions will total 20 hours required for completion of certificate requirements.

Continuation of Historic Preservation Field Work I. Sessions will total 20 hours required for completion of certificate requirements. Prerequisite: Historic Preservation Field Work I