Media & Design Classes in nyc

HSA’s Media & Design program is rooted in the elemental principles of drawing, painting, illustration and storytelling in both traditional and digital media, as well as game design. Students are taught to harness their gifts as they embark on the journey into the world of visual arts.

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HSA Media & Design

Cultivating Tomorrows Visual Artists

Empowering students to explore their creativity and build technical skills in digital media, graphic design, photography, and film. Through hands-on projects and mentorship from industry professionals, students learn to tell compelling stories, create impactful visuals, and develop a strong foundation in the creative arts. Our department fosters innovation, collaboration, and confidence, preparing young artists to thrive in today’s dynamic media landscape.

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HSA Media and Design Programs

Everybody starts somewhere, our early childhood classes are designed to tap into budding raw talent and begin the process of cultivating core skills in visual art. Our offerings include Drawing and Painting for Beginners, Picturebooks Reimagined, Digital Painting for Beginners, as well as our Minecraft Builders class for our young students who have an interest in not just visual arts but coding and game design. We recommend parents pair classes so that students have the ability to invest in core skills and have early exposure to more specified disciplines, which they are often already experimenting with on their own.

Once our students begin learning the basics, the natural next step for them is to branch off into the more specific discipline(s) that oftentimes inspired them to start the visual arts journey. This might be comic book art, animation, or painting. While this is normal and necessary, it’s always important, especially at this early stage, to continue to cultivate core skills. We recommend that parents pair specialty classes, i.e., Comic Book Art or Animation, with our level two Drawing and Painting class to maintain balance and growth.

Our advanced classes represent the apex of our offerings in visual arts education. Some of our advanced offerings include Advanced Animation, Advanced Comic Art, Mural Production, Cinematography, and Game Design. These classes engage students in the undertaking of fully developed pre-professional projects within the discipline. Oftentimes, these classes include workshops with professional firms as well as off-campus opportunities in visual arts. Students are often on track to apply to specialized high schools or colleges as they pursue professional careers in the visual arts world.

Game on Video Design program (Real Estate Flyer) (2)

Summer Video Game Creators Program

🎮 Introducing HSA’s new Summer Video Game Design Program for ages 12–18 – your chance to create your own world and build a playable game using Unity software. This 4-week course runs from July 8–31, 2025, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 2–5 PM, and is open to beginners and experienced students alike. By the end, you'll have your own original game to showcase—space is limited, so sign up now!

📢 HSA x WEBTOON: Empowering the Next Generation of Comic Creators!

For the past three years, WEBTOON, the world’s leading digital comics publisher, has partnered with the Harlem School of the Arts to bring exclusive workshops, mentorship, and industry insight to our Advanced Comics students. Under the guidance of Brent Bristol, students are mastering the art of comic book storytelling—learning from top WEBTOON artists and editors to create their very own comics! From character design to panel composition, this collaboration is shaping the future of webcomic storytelling. Stay tuned for the incredible stories our students are bringing to life!

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Programming for Young Artist

The earlier children are exposed to the techniques and ideas around harnessing a skill, the sooner and more likely they are to master them. In our young artist's programming, we provide the first step on the journey to children realizing their talent. Starting with our earliest “Drawing and Painting Level One” class students begin to learn the core concepts at the foundation of all of the visual arts. Color, shape, line, and ways they can be used are all introduced in this “first step” class. From there students are equipped to take their first steps into the subgenres of the visual arts world.

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Group Visual Art

These classes provide the building blocks necessary to navigate the evolving digital landscape of art young people get to explore design in a safe space following sequential learning skill building in case a student decides to pursue art in a pre-professional level.

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Private Media & Design Lessons

Private lessons provide students an opportunity for study free of distraction to build their artistic skills in areas of practice that may need extra attention.

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Discover our media and design instructors

Our instructors are active professional performers, lending a competitive edge to our programming

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Frequently asked questions

For students ages 8-17 who dream of pursuing art as a career, we offer specialized programs called HSA Prep and HSA Pre-Prep. These programs provide advanced artistic training in a supportive environment, helping young artists build the skills and confidence they need for future success in the arts.

Our experienced department directors work personally with each student to evaluate their current skills and interests. This helps us place your child in the perfect class where they’ll feel both challenged and confident as they grow their artistic abilities.

Yes. However, for those students who do not have access to an instrument, HSA can provide a list of stores that rent a variety of instruments.

Our program runs in two terms of 16 weeks each, for a total of 32 weeks of artistic exploration. Class lengths are designed with your child’s age and attention span in mind – toddler classes are a fun-filled hour, while older students enjoy immersive two-hour sessions. There is a calendar link on the contact page.

Yes! We’re excited to announce that our toddler programs are launching soon. These age-appropriate classes will introduce our youngest artists to the joy of creative expression. Stay tuned for more details!