About Zwick Academy of Fine Art

Since 2012, the Zwick Academy of Fine Art (ZAFA) has been dedicated to offering the highest level of classical drawing and painting instruction to students on O‘ahu.

Through workshops, lectures, and private lessons, ZAFA provides a space where students can access traditional techniques and straightforward, systematic approaches to drawing, painting, and classical realism.

Our goal is to teach the foundational principles of art in a clear, concise, and practical way—giving students of all levels the tools they need to build a strong and lasting skill set. These core principles include methods for achieving accurate measurements and visual relationships, organizing values effectively, understanding and applying compositional design, and using a systematic approach to color mixing and palette organization. These skills transcend subject matter or medium and are essential, learnable tools for any student serious about improving their craft.

At ZAFA, we believe the fundamentals of art are not mystical or unteachable. With time, effort, and guidance, anyone can learn to draw or paint with accuracy and confidence. We offer real-world, logical, and applicable techniques that empower students to capture what they see with a high degree of realism. The work may be challenging, but the path forward is clear—and we’re here to help you walk it.

Technique and Teaching Practices

Instruction at ZAFA follows a clear, systematic progression—beginning with simple projects that introduce essential concepts, and gradually moving toward more complex challenges as students develop their skills. Each class is structured around a blend of lectures and live demonstrations, which introduce the day’s task in a clear and accessible way. After this introduction, students begin their individual projects while the instructor circulates to provide one-on-one critiques and personalized feedback.

As the project progresses, the class periodically regroups for additional demonstrations and short lectures, timed to correspond with key stages of the assignment. This structure allows each student to work at their own pace and skill level, while still benefiting from targeted instruction and the shared classroom experience.

ZAFA’s cumulative and individualized approach ensures that students build a solid foundation without becoming overwhelmed as projects increase in difficulty. Classes are designed so that students of all ages and experience levels can work side by side—challenged, but never left behind. Most projects are offered with multiple levels of complexity, giving students the opportunity to select a version that matches their skill level and personal goals.

Students are first guided to master the fundamentals: proportion, form, value, and a high standard of craftsmanship and accuracy. Once confident in these core areas, they move on to the more nuanced demands of painting, including color mixing, temperature variation, and the challenges unique to working in paint.

In every workshop and private lesson, the instructor completes each project alongside the students, providing a real-time, step-by-step demonstration of the entire process. This "running demo" format is especially effective for visual learners, reinforcing lessons as students watch the techniques being executed correctly in real time. It also creates an engaging, collaborative studio environment where students can learn by both doing and observing.

Get information about upcoming workshops, events, and ZAFA news.