Description

National Parks: Drawing and Watercolor — A Live Online Art Class for High School Students

There’s a reason the National Parks have shaped generations of American artists. Yellowstone’s geysers. The granite walls of Yosemite. The painted layers of the Grand Canyon. These aren’t just places — they’re invitations. Invitations to slow down, look closely, and pick up a brush.

This class is your student’s invitation to do exactly that.

National Parks: Drawing and Watercolor is a live, dynamic online art class for high school students (grades 9–12) at True North Academy. Over 15 weeks, your student will travel across some of America’s most breathtaking natural treasures — learning to capture them on paper while building the foundations of fine art: shape, depth, shading, contrast, and color theory.

This isn’t a self-paced video library. It’s a real classroom with a real teacher, real classmates, and real-time feedback every single week.

What Your Student Will Learn

Every park visit is paired with focused skill-building. By the end of this 15-week trek, your student will have a working command of:

• Shading — light, shadow, and how to make a flat page feel three-dimensional
• Contrast — the artist’s tool for guiding the eye and creating mood
• Shape dissection — the secret to drawing anything by breaking it into simple forms
• Perspective drawing — capturing depth, distance, and scale in landscape work
• Color theory — understanding why certain colors sing together (and others fight)
• Color mixing — getting the exact sage green of a high-desert juniper or the slate blue of a glacial lake
• Watercolor glazing — building luminous, layered washes the way the masters do
• Blending — soft skies, smooth water, and the gentle transitions watercolor is famous for

Along the way, students pick up something just as valuable as technique: a deeper familiarity with the geography, history, and botany of America’s natural treasures. Each park becomes more than a subject. It becomes a story.

Education with a Difference: Why This Class Matters

At True North Academy, we believe beauty is not decoration. It’s a doorway.

When a student learns to see a mountain ridge clearly enough to draw it, they are also learning to see the world more truthfully — to notice God’s handiwork, to slow down, to attend. That’s the heart of our Christian conviction in the arts: that Truth, Goodness, and Beauty belong together, and an art class can be a quiet act of worship as much as a craft to master.

Your student will leave this course with finished pieces they’re proud of, technical skills they can keep building on, and a wider view of the country they call home — all under the guidance of a teacher who shares the family’s values.

That’s what Education with a Difference looks like.

Meet Your Teacher: BJ Pramann

BJ Pramann is a talented self-taught artist who teaches Art at True North Academy. With experience curating Christian art galleries and leading live event painting, BJ brings something that’s rare in an online classroom: a working-artist’s eye and a teacher’s heart for her students.

Her classes encourage creativity, self-expression, and artistic growth — helping students explore their artistic potential in an inspiring, supportive environment. In BJ’s classroom, students don’t just pick up techniques. They learn what it looks like to walk the artist’s path with confidence and conviction.

Class Details at a Glance

• Course: National Parks: Drawing and Watercolor
• Format: Live online via Zoom — small class sizes, real-time instruction
• Grade level: High school (grades 9–12)
• Length: 15 weeks
• Credit: Fine arts elective — counts toward your student’s official transcript
• Instructor: BJ Pramann
• Day / Time: Friday,  2:15-3:15 p.m. CST, 2027 Spring Semester

Required Materials

Students will need to have the following on hand:

• Watercolor paints
• Watercolor brushes
• Watercolor paper
• Sketchbook
• Pencils
• Erasers

A specific supply list will be provided before the first class meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Parks: Drawing and Watercolor class?

National Parks: Drawing and Watercolor is a 15-week live online fine arts class for high school students at True North Academy. Students travel through America’s National Parks as artistic subjects while learning the foundations of drawing and watercolor, including shading, contrast, perspective, color theory, glazing, color mixing, and blending.

What grade levels is this class for?

This class is designed for high school students in grades 9–12. It’s a strong fit for any student looking for a meaningful fine arts elective for their high school transcript.

Is this a live online class or self-paced?

This is a live, dynamic online class taught over Zoom. Students meet weekly in real time with their teacher and classmates in a small-class setting — not a pre-recorded video course.

How long is the class?

The course runs for 15 weeks.

Do students need prior drawing or painting experience?

No prior experience is required. The class builds the fundamentals from the ground up — shape, shading, perspective, and color theory — while still offering plenty of challenge for students who already have some background in art.

Does this class count for high school fine arts credit?

Yes. Because True North Academy is fully Cognia-accredited, this class counts toward fine arts credit on your student’s official, accredited transcript.

What materials are required?

Students need watercolor paints, brushes, watercolor paper, a sketchbook, pencils, and erasers. A detailed supply list is provided before the first class meeting.

Who teaches the class?

BJ Pramann, a self-taught artist with experience curating Christian art galleries and leading live event painting. She teaches Art at True North Academy and brings a working-artist’s perspective into every class.

Is this class faith-integrated?

Yes. True North Academy is a Christ-centered online school, and this class reflects that conviction. Students explore creativity, beauty, and the natural world through the lens of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

How is this class different from a homeschool art curriculum?

True North Academy is not a homeschool curriculum — it’s a fully Cognia-accredited online school. Parents aren’t the teachers; BJ Pramann is. Students join a real live classroom with a qualified instructor and earn accredited credit for the work they complete.

 

Enroll Your Student Today

True North Academy is a fully Cognia-accredited online school serving homeschooling families with middle and high school students. Live dynamic classes. World-class teachers. Small class sizes. Families first. Rooted in Christ. Headed True North.

Have questions about fit, credit, or schedule? Our academic advising team is here to help your family find the right course load.

Talk to an Advisor →