The Visual Arts Online (VAO) course is like a series of virtual workshops on the Internet. The course is for learners of all ages who wish to acquire or revise basic theoretical and practical visual arts skills. VAO is also an excellent way to build up a folio for tertiary applications, and depending on what and how you enrol, may give you credit towards TAFE courses.

There is also a new structure.  VAO is organised into Skills Sets.  Each Skills Set has Activities Groups.  The first Skills Set to be available is Introductory Drawing. It is comprised of 4 Activities Groups:

Tools & Materials Group A (yes, there is a group B later on) is aimed at developing and extending creative choices with art materials, techniques and surfaces.

Line, Tone & Texture is fundamental to drawing.  Line is the structural basis of a graphic composition.  Tone is used in drawing and painting to simulate lighting, while texture represents the tactile quality of a surface.

Visual Awareness explores composition and our differing visual perception of our world.

Health & Safety equips you with the knowledge and resources to make safe and healthy decisions about using, disposing & storing art materials.

The only pre-requisites to start VAO are Internet access and a desire to embrace creative exchange.

Over the last year, Flying Arts & The Bremer Institute of TAFE, have collaborated to redesign the course. While retaining the visual arts content and friendly approach developed by Flying Arts, it has been configured to allow you to pursue accredited Certificates II & III in Visual Arts & Contemporary Craft.  So there are more options and pathways:

• Enrol in a Certificate II in Visual Arts & Contemporary Craft (accredited)
• Enrol in individual subjects (non-accredited)

If you change your mind after completing a skill set, you can choose to have your work recognised and applied to a Certificate in Visual Arts & Contemporary Craft .

VAO adds an extra dimension to the lives of all who participate. It is educational and rewards those who take part in the activities with new skills and a fresh approach to viewing the world. It is also a social activity, acting as a connection linking together people from diverse regions and disparate backgrounds who have a common appreciation of visual art. Germaine Kennedy, VAO participant 2001