College Catalog - Course Descriptions
This listing of Art courses includes new course numbers and descriptions. Students should review course listings carefully and consult with academic advisers or Art Department faculty to ensure proper course sequence and avoid duplication of course credits.
ARTS 1001 through ARTS 1009 are introductory level courses and are open to all students. These courses offer fine arts elective credit for non-art students and liberal arts elective credit for Art majors.
ARTS 1010 through ARTS 1599 are basic foundation level courses and are open to all students. These courses are either required or recommended for Art majors and are strongly recommended for Liberal Arts or General Studies program majors.
ARTS 1600 through ARTS 1999 are open to all students and provide basic study in a variety of art disciplines. Previous study in a foundation level course may be recommended but not required. Other prerequisites may apply.
Courses numbered ARTS 2000 and above are designed for continued work after basic studies have been completed. More than one prerequisite may be required.
This course is an introduction to the basic principles of analyzing and understanding the visual arts. Vocabulary, techniques and a brief history of art are covered with slide lectures, reading and discussion, studio art/design assignments and gallery visits. (Note: Visual Arts elective credit for non-art majors and liberal arts elective credit for art majors) Lecture/studio: 4 hours
This course covers basic drawing processes and techniques. Fundamental skills are developed through a variety of approaches from short exercises to longer compositional studies. Emphasis is on drawing from observation including the depiction of form, light, and space. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
The course is an introduction to the basic principles and theories of color. Students develop an understanding of fundamental color concepts as they apply to all areas of the visual arts. Color properties and relationships are explored and utilized through studio projects. Classes include, lectures, demonstrations, studio assignments, and critiques. (Prerequisite: NONE although ARTS 1010 or ARTS 1310 is recommended). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
Introduction to Printmaking is a studio course in basic printmaking skills with equal focus on concept and technique. Students experiment with a variety of printmaking processes including collagraph, intaglio, litho, transfer, and monotype, providing the opportunity to work with a range of printmaking methods and materials. This course will examine the language of printmaking as a unique art form and establish a basis for further work in the medium. Using a variety of approaches, in both black and white and color, students will explore ways they may develop their individual vision through the creation of original prints. (Prerequisite: NONE although ARTS 1010 or ARTS 1310 is recommended). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course introduces students to relief printing processes as used by a range of including printmakers, designers, illustrators and book artists. The course covers woodcut, linocut and photosensitive plates using hand drawn and digitally produced transparencies. Students learn to use hand tools, printmaking presses and exposure equipment to create, ink, and print their images. Through examples demonstrations and studio-based assignments, students are introduced to the history and vocabulary of relief printmaking. We will experiment with relief printmaking as a method of visual communication, including visual storytelling and narrative, addressing a broad range of ideas, issues and aesthetics to create a portfolio of printed work. No prior printing experience is necessary. Course Completes the Following Requirement(s): FINE: Fine Arts and HUMN: Humanities Requirement - Lab Fee: $20
This course offers an introduction to the study of the human figure and its relationship to the environment. Students draw from both nude models and skeletons. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1010). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course examines the basic elements of design including line, shape, value, color, texture, movement and direction; and the principles of design, such as balance, unity, emphasis, variety and similarity. Primary focus is on studying the potential for visual communication when composing an image or design using the two-dimensional or flat, format. Classes include lectures, demonstrations, studio assignments and critiques. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This studio course introduces students to the elements, principles and construction methods used in making art and design in three dimensions. Using simple materials such as wire, cardboard, Foam-core and plaster, students learn to organize forms in space. The elements of three-dimensional design, including line, plane, volume and mass; and the principles of three-dimensional design, including repetition, variety, rhythm, balance, emphasis and economy, will be studied and used in the making of studio projects. Classes include lectures, demonstrations, studio assignments and critiques. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course examines the basic elements of art and design in space and time. Students are introduced to artists working with 4D and New Media Arts to explore their own ideas, spaces and time-based techniques while developing critical thinking in relation to subject, medium, form and content and how all of these can create or effect meaning in 4D art. Students will create works of art using time based techniques such as time lapse, basic cell animation, stop motion, go motion, basic green screen, and sound. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
Required of all AFA graduates, Fine Art Seminar is a keystone course which prepares students to set and pursue goals, such as: transfer to a four-year art program, or to explore careers in the fields of art and design. Seminar topics include: portfolio preparation, resume development, art school selection, photographing of artwork and exhibition construction. Students will participate in a professionally designed group exhibition which will be held at least once a year in the college’s galleries. (Prerequisites: at least 2 studio courses and 1 art history course or permission of the instructor. Recommended: This class should be taken during the 3rd semester of the student's program of studies.) Lecture/Studio: 3 hours
This course is a survey of visual art from prehistory through Gothic Europe. Emphasis is placed on how art, architecture and functional objects provide evidence of the religious beliefs and cultural structures of early civilizations. Regions covered include Egypt, the Near East and Europe. Lecture: 3 hours
This course is a survey of visual art and architecture from the Renaissance through the 20th century, focused primarily upon European and American study. The manner in which art both reflects and shapes history is a central means of exploration, leading to the complexities of art in the Post-Modern period. (Recommended: ARTS 1510 ) Lecture: 3 hours
This course introduces artistic traditions of people in in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas and explores how examples drawn from historical and contemporary sources convey expressive meaning, relate to religion and philosophy, and reflect historical, political, and economic conditions. Rather than attempt to gain a comprehensive knowledge of a single region or culture, specific topics of inquiry provide insights about how material choices, forms and designs communicate knowledge related to spiritual beliefs and cultural traditions. Through readings and research, the course examines both Western and local/indigenous perspectives related to art around the globe. Lecture: 3 hours
This course identifies and analyzes art after 1945 in the U.S. and prominent art centers internationally. Emphasis is placed on artists’ philosophies, art media and processes, and the role of art in society, politics and culture. Major movements in Modernism, Post-Modernism and Contemporary are addressed. Topics are presented through reading, lecture, discussion, writing, video, and museum/gallery visits. Lecture: 3 hours, Lab 1 hour
This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of dyeing and surface design techniques on fabric, with an emphasis on learning the elements and principles of two-dimensional design. Techniques may include shibori tie-dye, batik wax-resist, paste-resist, block printing and photo transfer. Traditional and contemporary examples of these processes are presented and good craftsmanship is emphasized. (Recommended: ARTS 1010 or 1020 or 1310). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
Concept development and structural problem-solving are emphasized in this study of sculpture and three-dimensional form. Studio assignments evolve out of an examination of historical and contemporary examples of sculpture, architecture, design and engineering, as well as forms found in the natural world. Classes include demonstrations, studio assignments, critiques and lectures. (Recommended: ARTS 1410). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course acts as an introduction to fine art ceramics. Coil, slab and other basic hand building methods as well as glazing and various kiln firing methods are covered. Kiln and basic glazes are provided; clay and tools must be purchased. (Recommended: ARTS 1410). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This is a continuation of fine arts ceramics using advanced hand-building techniques. Wheel throwing, glaze formulation, kiln management and alternative firing methods are introduced. Kiln and basic glazes are provided; clay and tools must be purchased. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1650 or permission of instructor). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course provides an introduction to the basic principles of graphic design and visual communication. Graphic representation and typographic fundamentals are explored with electronic and traditional media, tools, skills and methodology. A history of graphic communication is presented through example and slide presentation. (Prerequisite: none, although ARTS 1310 is recommended). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course continues coverage of concepts introduced in Graphic Design I. Focus is on creative image making and typographic development in a variety of visual formats. Projects provide experience with elements of print and/or digital publication design, logo design, poster design and the design of visual systems. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1710 or permission of instructor). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course emphasizes the creative and expressive aspects of form and content of traditional black and white photography using light sensitive materials. Course covers principles of exposure using cameras, film, and paper to make photographic images. Darkroom printing, alternative cameras and processes will also be included. Students provide or borrow a 35 mm SLR film camera with manual exposure controls. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
Practice and refinement of basic black and white photographic techniques and introduction to advanced material. The history, styles and critical theory of photography are presented. Students create visually and conceptually unified portfolios focusing on presentation, sequencing and multiple images. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1810 or permission of instructor). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course explores creative and technical issues related to computer-based image making as an effective means of artistic expression. While students apply the fundamentals using the latest industry-standard digital photo editing software, they also acquire both the manual and conceptual skills associated with creativity in the digital realm. Projects provide experience with image manipulation, montage, color corrections, retouching, and layout and design of individual artist's projects. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course is an introduction to the use of video as a form of artistic expression and visual communication. Students learn about structure, form, rhythm and pace. Emphasis is placed on image and sound manipulation, editing and theory, as they relate to capturing video and audio, and finalizing content for DVD or web. Complete and short form projects are produced that explore the relationship of subject, form and content in the creation of meaning. Works by video artists are viewed and discussed. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course is an introduction to the technique of digital photography and its use as a form of artistic expression and visual communication. Course covers principles of image creation using digital cameras, image correction and manipulation with industry standard software, and inkjet printers to make photographic prints. Students provide or borrow a digital camera, which must have manual, program, aperture and shutter priority exposure modes. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course offers an introduction to the painting process through an investigation of theories, materials and techniques. Historical and contemporary aesthetic issues are explored through studio assignments, slide lectures, discussions, critiques, and museum and gallery visits. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1010 or ARTS 1020). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
A continuation of Painting I, this course encourages further development of personal artistic expression with emphasis on aesthetic and critical theory. Lectures, discussions, studio assignments, critiques, and museum and gallery visits are included. (Prerequisite: ARTS 2010 or permission of instructor). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
A continuation of Drawing II, this course emphasizes excellence in drawing, design and color in exploring relationships between the human figure and the environment. Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This seminar course is for any student who wants to do advanced work in any studio area. The most advanced course offered by that particular studio area must have been successfully completed or taken concurrently. Seminar work involves independent Projects and research done under the guidance of an Art Department faculty advisor. Before signing up for Seminar, students must choose a faculty advisor and submit to them a proposed program of study for approval. Studio Seminar may be elected for one to three credits. Lecture/Studio: 6 hours.
A continuation of the material covered in Introduction to Printmaking, this course allows students to further their skills in printmaking media. Students will learn to use color processes, the registration of unique and multiple impressions, and the integration of digital or photo-sensitive plates. This course will encourage students to explore both traditional and alternate approaches to create printed images that reflect their individual interests. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1030 or ARTS 1035, or permission of instructor) Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
Students are required to develop a proposal for a project(s) they will develop and create by the conclusion of the semester. Exploration of alternate construction methods other than those covered in Ceramics I and II are encouraged as well as an investigation into a personal artistic voice in clay. Kiln and basic glazes are provided; clay and tools must be purchased. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1660 or permission of instructor). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
A continuation of Darkroom Photography II, this course requires students to create a visually and thematically cohesive portfolio of exhibition quality photographs. Through research on photographic history, artists and styles, students identify influences and acquire historical perspective. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1820 or 2850 or permission of instructor). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
The focus of this course is design of a visual experience for the World Wide Web and the making of Net Art. Students will develop interactive web publications and original web art experiences using the latest industry-standard imaging and graphical interface-based software. Students will learn to successfully address multiple design issues related to web development such as organizational concepts, navigation design, image manipulation, and typographic application. The course focuses on developing a sequence of coded art with increasingly sophisticated web pages using creative links, text, images and multimedia segments. (Prerequisite: ARTS 1840 or permission of instructor). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
This course continues skill development in digital camera operation and image editing with the introduction of advanced techniques, including crafting inkjet prints. Students are encouraged to develop a personal, expressive style in addition to mastering a range of photographic techniques while they create a visually and conceptually cohesive, exhibition quality portfolio. DSLR or equivalent camera required. (Prerequisite: Undergraduate level ARTS 1850 Minimum Grade of D). Studio: 6 hours - Art Studio Fee: $50
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