Painting introduces new apprentices to AFH and provides a solid foundation for all other artistic media, allowing youth to explore their identity and larger societal role in ways most have not previously experienced. Professional artist mentors teach youth the basics in drawing, painting, composition, design, and color theory. This training includes concepts such as drawing to scale, three-dimensional rendering on a two-dimensional surface, and the creation of perspective using vanishing points, building on the basic mathematics that teens learn in high school. Teens create work for exhibition, client commissions, and collaborative murals.

Working closely with clients, participants develop drawing and painting skills for public art, banners/advertising and large-scale painting projects. Using a blueprint, reading an architect’s scale ruler, and interpreting a designer’s drawing are some of the skills learned in order to transfer designs from paper to walls, backdrops, banners and other architectural settings.