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Department of Art
College of Liberal Arts


 

With a commitment to academic excellence and practical experience, the Department of Art provides a solid foundation for those passionate about the arts. We offer a balanced exploration of art’s history and contemporary practices. Our curriculum emphasizes both theoretical understanding and hands-on training, preparing students for diverse opportunities within the art realm.

Courses

ART 101 (3) Art Fundamentals. Designed for non-Art majors. Study and experimentation with art elements and art principles.

ART 102 (3) Design I. Exploration of processes and concepts of the visual arts and an introduction to design fundamentals.

ART 111 (3) Drawing I. Introduction to drawing with emphasis on the use of various media and techniques.

ART 112 (3) Drawing II. Prerequisite: ART 111. Representational drawing, concerned with space and volume relationships.

ART 201 (3) Design II. Introduction to two dimensional composition with emphasis on art elements and art principles.

ART 202 (3) Design III. Introduction to design in the third dimension with emphasis on art elements, art principles, and color theory.

ART 203 (3) Introduction to Computer Graphics I. This course provides students with skills needed to produce raster- based graphics. Students gain a thorough understanding of the nature of raster-based digital file development, as well as an in- depth study of the application used to create them. Projects and assignments focus on an exploration and understanding of the application, applying color, tools, and techniques.

ART 206 (3) Art Appreciation. Introduction to art and survey of architecture, painting, sculpture and related arts. Not required for art majors.

ART 210 (3) Visual Thinking. Prerequisites: ART 102 and 111. Students explore the creative process of making images that can move ideas and information to the minds of others. Assigned projects will explore the fundamental rigors of art theory and practice while honing students’ conceptual and presentation skills. As a result, students will broaden their visual thinking and perceptual literacy to the point where they can easily transcend media barriers.

ART 211 (3) Introduction to Ceramics. Introduction and experimentation with various forming processes in ceramics; study of the nature and properties of clay; firing procedures; methods of glazing and decorating ceramic wares.

ART 213 (3) Introduction to Graphic Design. Prerequisites: ART 102, 111, 112, 201, 203, 210. Students will learn to use the principles of visual communication and to combine them successfully with basic production techniques. Also, they will gain awareness of how important ethics and social responsibility are in the creation of visuals. Questions and various activities will prompt discussions about the nature of design. The questions address issues that span time periods and stylistic groupings. The material is intended to offer different viewpoints rather than draw conclusions about what makes something a work of design.

ART 216 (3) Drawing III. Prerequisites: ART 111, 112. Representational drawing from models.

ART 217 (3) Drawing IV. Prerequisite: ART 216. Figure drawing with emphasis on inventive lines and independent expression.

ART 221 (3) Art History. Survey of art history from prehistoric civilizations through the Renaissance.

ART 222 (3) Art History. Prerequisite: ART 221. Survey of

art history from Baroque through contemporary movements.

ART 224 (3) Introduction to Painting. Prerequisite: ART 111, 112. Introduction to media and procedures in painting.

ART 228 (3) Typography. Prerequisites: ART 203 and 210. The theme of this course is the integration of type and image. The primary goal of the projects is how to achieve a harmonious and effective interplay of typography and imagery to express meaning. Through a confident use of grids, colors, images, type, and visual hierarchy, students will explore a variety of solutions to design problems that require both expressiveness as well as an understanding of the practical uses of communication design.

ART 232 (3) Introduction to Sculpture. Prerequisites: ART 111, 112, 201. Introduction to the media, tools, and procedures in sculpture.

ART 242 (3) Introduction to Printmaking. Prerequisites: ART 111, 112. Introduction to Printmaking processes.

ART 301 (3) Art for Children. Study and experimentation with art programming and art activities in the elementary school.

ART 310 (3) Color Theory and Design. Prerequisites: ART 201. Introduction to color theories in two-dimensional design.

ART 311 (3) Web Design. This course concentrates on the software knowledge, design, development, and implementation of effective static html interfaces based on principles of graphic design.

ART 312 (3) Ceramics. Prerequisite: ART 211. Advanced clay forming. Introduction to wheel throwing, and ceramic decoration procedures.

ART 313 (3) Ceramics. Prerequisite: ART 312. Introduction to ceramic processes, mold making, slip casting and the hand jigger process.

ART 314 (3) Ceramics. Prerequisite: ART 313. Experimentation with ceramic materials, properties and classification and calculation, compounding of ceramic glazes and clay bodies.

ART 322 (3) Painting. Prerequisites: ART 201, 224. Special emphasis on composition utilizing the elements of design.

ART 323 (3) Painting. Prerequisite: ART 322. Figure painting.

ART 324 (3) Painting. Prerequisite: ART 323. Experimentation with a variety of subjects emphasizing procedures, style and composition.

ART 327 (3) Sound Design. This course provides a basic introduction to sound design principles. Sound will be examined through digital audio workstations where students will cover fundamental, technical, and creative aspects of sound production, for both stand-alone audio projects and audio for film.

ART 332 (3) Sculpture. Prerequisite: ART 232. Basic procedures in casting with varied media. Emphasis on piece molds and waste molds.

ART 333 (3) Sculpture. Prerequisite: ART 332. Experimentation with procedures in construction of sculpture, combining materials and exploring spatial relationships.

ART 334 (3) Sculpture. Prerequisite: ART 232, 333. Introduction to wood; exploring its possibilities as a sculpture medium, and independent research and experimentation.

ART 335 (3) Introduction to Photography. Introduction to basic camera operation and black and white darkroom procedures, with an emphasis on creative applications for photography.

ART 337 (3) Non-Western Art. Survey of Non-Western Art: The Art of Africa, India and China are discussed.

ART 338 (3) African American Art. A survey of African American Art from 1619 to the present.

ART 342 (3) Printmaking. Prerequisite: ART 242. Introduction to silk screen printing.

ART 343 (3) Printmaking. Prerequisite: ART 342. Independent study in Printmaking.

ART 349 (3) Junior Graphic Design Studio I. This course is a study of the structural and organizing systems at work in graphic design such as grids, modules, proportion, progression, symmetry, and rhythm. Design problems will be studied holistically through projects that stress dynamic relationships among content, form, and context to gain a deeper understanding of systems at many levels.

ART 351 (3) Junior Graphic Design Studio II. This course expands and builds on previous graphic design knowledge and skills, offering students the opportunity of development of complex design projects. The emphasis will be on research and analysis, and the design processes that lead to creative conceptualization and polished final design solutions. All students are expected to demonstrate sophisticated design decisions and solutions. All students are expected to demonstrate sophisticated design decisions and appropriate design solutions that demonstrate a high level of expertise and achievement.

ART 403 (3) Design. Prerequisites: ART 201 and 202. Advanced problems in design.

ART 412 (3) Painting. Prerequisite: ART 324. Advanced problems in painting.

ART 413 (3) Painting. Prerequisite: ART 324. Advanced independent research and experimentation in painting.

ART 414 (3) Ceramics. Prerequisite: ART 314. Special problems in ceramic kiln design and construction.

ART 415 (3) Ceramics. Prerequisite: ART 414. Independent study and experimentation with ceramic sculpture and introduction to the history of ceramics.

ART 416 (3) Sculpture. Prerequisite: ART 331. Introduction to Lost Wax casting.

ART 417 (3) Sculpture. Prerequisite: ART 416. Special problems independent research and experimentation in sculpture.

ART 418 (3) Display Design. Developing designs for display purposes.

ART 420 (3) Photography. Introduction to camera operation, chemical solutions, negative development and contact printing.

ART 421 (3) Photography. Prerequisite: ART 420. Advanced problems in photography.

ART 430 (3) Graphic Design Internship. Training with professional designers of firms, eight hours per day for one semester. Students must have completed seven semesters in graphic design.

ART 441 (3) Senior Graphic Design Studio I. Prerequisites: ART 203, 210, 213, 228, 311, 327, 349, and 351. This course is to purposely apply acquired knowledge and skills (e.g., typography, color, visual translation, photography, and theory) to a set of “real” problems based on a theme. Necessary vehicles for information (such as brochures, printed materials, posters, web sites, etc.) will be developed from concept up to production. This course is intended to closely duplicate the actual working context of professional studio situations.

ART 443 (3) Senior Graphic Design Studio II (Motion Graphics). This course trains students in the basic and essential vocabularies, techniques, and methodologies of broadcast design/motion graphics. Students will receive training in video, sound, and motion software necessary for the creation of professional broadcast/motion graphic projects. It is set up to give a basic foundation in these techniques and software.

ART 445 (3) Printmaking. Prerequisites: ART 342 and 343. Special problems in Printmaking.

ART 446 (3) Printmaking. Prerequisite: ART 443. Advanced independent research and experimentation in Printmaking.

ART 453 (2) Seminar on Aesthetics. Evaluation of current art ideologies, styles, techniques, media, and modern approaches in contemporary art. (Open to seniors only.)

ART 454 (3) Portfolio Development. This course prepares students to meet the challenges of professional practice within the arts. Components of this class include building a resume, writing an artist’s statement, portfolio development, and strategies for a web presence, grant funding, self-promotion, marketing strategies, presentation, and senior exhibition.

ART 455 (3) African Art. Study of the art of West and Central Africa.

ART 456 (3) African American Art. A study of the art of African Americans, showing its development in the Americas from 1600 to the present.

General Requirements/Curriculum

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DEPARTMENT OF ART

Location

Johnson Hall

Contact

(601) 979-2388