Bold Colours, Iconic Heroes, and Graphic Style: Summer at LAB Art Studios!
- LAB Language Arts Base
- Jun 7
- 4 min read
This July and August, LAB Art Studios is bursting with vibrant portraits, pop culture icons, and larger-than-life creativity! Dive into a world where graphic design meets fine art, and where every student becomes both an artist and a storyteller.
July Weekly Classes: Van Orton Brothers-Inspired Portrait Posters
This summer weekends kick off with a bold splash of colour and symmetry! Inspired by the Italian twin duo Van Orton Brothers, kids will explore how stained-glass design, geometric patterns, and pop culture collide in their iconic art style. Known for reimagining famous characters with a kaleidoscope of colours and layered line work, the Van Ortons bring modern portraiture to life in electrifying ways.
👩👧 Parent & Me Painting (Ages 2–3) Little hands, big colours! Caregivers and toddlers will explore geometric shapes, face collages, and symmetry painting using tape-resist and dot/stamp markers in a playful introduction to portrait art.
🖌 Mixed Media (Ages 3-5) Students will design stylized self-portraits using collage, stencils, oil pastels, and pattern layering inspired by the stained-glass look of the Van Orton Brothers. Projects may include transparency overlays and pop culture mashups!
🎨 Acrylic Painting (Ages 3-5, 6+) Bold colours meet crisp outlines as students paint expressive portraits with a focus on symmetry, color blocking, and bold backgrounds. Think poster-style, neon-light portraits with a comic flair.
🧱 Sculpture (Ages 3-5, 6+) We'll bring portraits to life in 3D! Using earthenware clays, students will construct relief portraits with layered features, etched patterns, and vibrant painted surfaces.
💻 Digital Drawing (Ages 6+) Young digital artists will learn to design stylized character portraits using tablets - experimenting with digital layering, vector shapes, and bold graphic details just like modern illustrators.
🧵 Needle Felting (Ages 6+) Even fibers can be pop art! Students will create mini character portraits or badges using layered felt, embroidery floss, and bold outlines, mimicking the Van Orton stained-glass color fields.
📝 Creative Writing (Ages 6+) Portraits tell stories too! Students will develop character bios for their visual creations, exploring themes of identity, favourites, powers, and personality in short form storybooks or zines.
August Weekly Classes: Heroes in the City
During the weekends in August, we’re turning our attention to the everyday and extraordinary heroes who make cities thrive. Inspired by comic books, city skylines, and real-world champions, this month is all about courage, community, and creativity.
What We’ll Be Creating:
👩👧 Parent & Me Painting (Ages 2–3) Celebrate everyday heroes with painted cityscapes, hero masks, and sticker collages. Activities will highlight hand-eye coordination, colour recognition, and storytelling through paint and play.
🖌 Mixed Media (Ages 3-5) Kids will create layered artwork featuring their chosen hero (real or imagined) using a mix of paper textures, drawing, painting, and stamps. Projects will explore what makes someone brave and kind.
🎨 Acrylic Painting (Ages 3-5, 6+) Paint your hero in action! Students will illustrate dynamic hero portraits using foreshortening, dramatic poses, and comic-style brushwork. Think skyline silhouettes and bold colour backdrops.
🧱 Sculpture (Ages 3-5, 6+) From hero figurines to tiny city scenes, students will sculpt action-packed characters and urban settings using clay and recycled materials. Projects may include wearable hero emblems and/or mini monuments.
💻 Digital Drawing (Ages 6+) Kids will design their own superhero characters and logos using digital tools. They'll explore comic panels, basic animation loops, and character design techniques for storytelling.
🧵 Needle Felting (Ages 6+) Felt your favourite hero! Students will needle felt hero faces, symbols, or wearable badges inspired by frontline workers, firefighters, or caped characters of their own invention.
📝 Creative Writing (Ages 6+) Students will write original mini comics, heroic origin stories, or city-saving adventures inspired by their visual art. They'll build story arcs, develop characters, and even illustrate short scenes.
What Your Child Will Discover at LAB Art Studios!
Modern Inspiration: From graphic designers to cultural icons, your child will gain insight into today's art world in a fun, age-appropriate way.
Design Thinking: Students will explore pattern, symmetry, and narrative as they build their creative skills week by week.
Visual Storytelling: Kids will use their artwork to share who they are, what they love, and how they see the world around them.
Confidence + Creativity: Whether they’re drawing themselves as a superhero or painting a stained-glass portrait, every child will walk away with a sense of pride and personal expression.
Reserve Your Spot Today
We'll have all sorts of Weekly Class programs available in our Richmond, Point Grey and Kerrisdale studios, for the following age groups: Toddlers, 3-5, 6-9, and 10+ years. Let LAB Art Studios be your child’s creative destination this summer. With every brushstroke and collage cutout, they’ll discover new ways to see themselves, and the world around them!
Can't wait to create with you!
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LAB Language Arts Base
Come visit our studios:
Richmond: 760-4400 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC
West Point Grey Village: 4431 W. 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
Kerrisdale: 2090 W. 41st Avenue, Vancouver, BC
Give us a call: +1-604-285-6226
See what we're about: labartstudio.ca
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