In this new program for 10- to 12-year-olds, participants will be invited to explore a wide range of artistic mediums, including painting, illustration, printmaking, sculpture, model making, and textile art. In continuity with our flagship programs for 4- to 9-year-olds, preteens will also be introduced to an artist of the week, allowing them to engage with an artistic practice in a more mature and in-depth way.

Each day, they will create and experiment with a project inspired by the works of the week’s featured artist, while participating in playful cultural mediation activities that help them discover these iconic creators. A weekly drawing class will further strengthen their technical skills and sense of observation.

Every week, the group will take part in an outing to a Montreal museum related to the featured artist’s practice. Possible destinations include the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Architecture, or the Museum of Contemporary Art. A local artist represented in our boutique will also meet with the children to share their artistic approach and experience.

The week will be punctuated with free time at La Fontaine Park or atop Mount Royal, where participants can enjoy time together, sketch in their notebooks, or simply take in Montreal’s natural surroundings.

They will leave with multiple artworks, meaningful experiences, enriching artistic references, and new friends, ready to keep exploring their creativity long after the camp ends.

Week 5 – Gustave Doré

This week, preteens will dive into the fascinating world of Gustave Doré, one of the greatest engravers in art history and a major painter of his time. Renowned for his illustrations of Puss in Boots and Don Quixote, as well as his biblical imagery and depictions of Dante’s Inferno, Doré remains an essential visual reference for many contemporary artists and printmakers.

Inspired by his technique, participants will explore PVC engraving and screen printing to understand the fundamental principles of printmaking and create their own imagery. They will leave with a final engraving and several preparatory drawings. Drawing classes will support them in learning the patterns and textures used in traditional engraving while helping them develop their own visual universe.

A cultural mediation session will highlight Doré’s work, the context of 19th-century printmaking, and illustration as a fully fledged artistic discipline. To complete the experience, the group will visit a professional printmaking studio, where they will discover authentic drypoint engravings.

This week encourages children to unleash their imagination and their love of drawing, creating a unique engraving and illustrating their own story.