Core Foundations Program
Program Information
The Ghosthouse Core Foundations Program is an intensive four-month course designed to prepare students for serious study in academic drawing and painting. The program helps students establish essential technical methods, observational discipline, and studio habits that form the groundwork for the Core Drawing & Painting Program beginning each fall.
Students begin by developing visual language fluency through rigorous work with Bargue plates and plaster casts, focusing on measuring principles, shape accuracy, line quality, and light-and-shadow logic. As the program progresses, emphasis shifts toward structural understanding of form through cast drawing, figure drawing, planar analysis, and sculptural studies, reinforcing a three-dimensional approach to drawing.
Curriculum
Foundations Program Student Benefits
Students enrolled in the Core Foundations Program gain access to additional benefits including
Off-hours studio time
50% discount admission for all classes at Ghosthouse
10% off all materials at Reliquary Artist Supply
A 4-month Ghosthouse Guild Membership which grants free admission to over 1,300 museums, botanical gardens, and historical sites across North America.
Application Deadline
The 2026 Application deadline is March 5th. Applications submitted after this date will be placed on a waitlist.
The 2026 Foundations Program begins on April 6th.
Tuition
Tuition for the 2026 Foundations Program is $1,800
An option for 2-month installments is available.
Scholarships
We have a limited number of need-based scholarships available, ranging from $400-$800. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship at Ghosthouse, please check the box in the application below. Students who are granted scholarships will be asked to participate in our monthly studio cleanings.
Application Process
Online applications will be reviewed starting March 6th. If your online application is accepted, a brief meeting will be scheduled at Ghosthouse to discuss your interest. Appplicants can expect a response to their application within the week of March 8th.
Artwork Submission Guidelines
Please read the submission requirements carefully before submitting your application
Provide 5 examples of your artwork
Label each image file with the artwork title, size, and medium. For example: Title_Size_Medium.jpg
Indicate if the artwork is a copy of another artwork.
File extensions accepted: .png, .jpg, .pdf, .tiff (No more than 1MB file size each).