Beginners

We are a safe place for first-time artists, or anyone who has never had training before. More than that, at Firstlight, beginning artists discover and practice the critical things that make art work – the Foundations. The lessons are clear and simple. Our Foundations course, for your first 2 years, includes 72 individual lessons covering everything an artist needs to feel competent. Techniques are presented with detailed demonstrations and well-designed projects. Artists will use these foundational insights every day as their skills grow.

But these lessons are not scaled down or simplified. Our Foundations curriculum is based on college-level art school curriculum. We have made things easier to understand, and more concrete, but still robust. So Foundations is also important for intermediate level artists who have not been at Firstlight before.

Intermediate

Foundations is also essential for artists who have worked and even taken lessons elsewhere. We have insights and techniques that are simply not found in other programs, and allow artists more freedom to express themselves as they grow.

After our Foundations course, artists move into creating a greater number of finished works in our Creations level. Because it’s important for Foundations to be reviewed, the Creations students stay in the same classroom so they hear the lessons again, and can even help other students. It’s been discovered recently that teaching helps you learn even better than repetition. The 72 Creations lessons are more challenging versions of the Foundations course, with more room for self-expression too. It’s like an athlete lifting more weight.

Advanced

Artists who want to move towards a higher level are encouraged to continue moving up to Expressions. Students work with their instructor to create a vision and work on their portfolio. The instructor coaches you through your projects. Young artists who are working towards art schools get help with admissions letters and portfolio requirements. Many of our advanced artists have been in the program for 8 years or more, but the ultimate goal is to move away from needing lessons and into your own studio.

Learn more about our curriculum and approach further below on this page.

And pretty easy to get to.

Address in Cool Springs:
1710 General George Patton Dr
Brentwood, TN  37027

Tap the maps to enlarge.

“I started Firstlight in 2006, because we needed a community art school that focused on each student’s goals.”

Dennas Davis

Toons is for beginners, and also for students who have been working on their cartoons, stories and even their style, for some time. The class of first-year cartoonists covers the basics. Students learn how to develop characters, create strong images, backgrounds, draw from reference material, and create good speak-bubbles. Modeling clay is used for character development with 3D visualization. Several fun projects, like a movie poster or TV show title-screen, help students apply their skills. At the end of the year, they will create a short comic book. Please call for availability, since this class fills to capacity earlier than most.

Toons 2 is for older first-year students and advancing 2nd year students. The projects and instructions are similar to Toons 1.

Advanced Toons continues the same theme of developing characters and working towards a personal style. The projects are more challenging, and we do some projects as a team, just like professional cartoonists do. We’ll work on heads, hands, arms & legs, as well as body stance and action poses. The regular Toons class must be taken previously, or a portfolio can be submitted to bypass that course if the artist has already develped their work and is in high school. It is also good to have taken Foundations for two years, but is not required.