Thursday, September 7, 2017

Beginning Painting Syllabus - Fall 2017

ART 3063: PAINTING
Fall 2017 – 3 Credit Hours, CRN: 61214
Section 001: T/R 2pm - 4:50pm, Fine Arts Building – 104
Instructor: John Norris, Associate Professor of Art
Office Hours: T: 7-8am, 5-6pm TH: 7-8am or by appointment
E-mail: jnorris@astate.edu        Phone: 972-3050 ext. 3755
Blog: norrisartclass.blogspot.com

COURSE DESCRIPTION (from the Undergraduate Bulletin): Introduction to composition and techniques in painting media. It is expected that students will spend a minimum of three additional clock hours per week on work outside the scheduled class time for each studio class. Students enrolled in the BFA programs must pass the BFA Review prior to enrollment in 4000 ART courses. Prerequisites, ART 1013, ART 1033, ART 1043.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: Skills will be developed through technical exercises in class and homework assignments employing these techniques. The homework will allow students an opportunity to use their acquired skills creatively and to build off of the techniques they have learned in class.  This is a STUDIO CLASS; one which requires that students be actively involved in daily exercises and contribute during critiques.  Thus, students must be present and punctual in order to fully participate. Skills in observational oil painting such as underpainting, direct/indirect painting, color-mixing and paint layering will be developed. Genres including portraiture, still life, landscape and abstraction will be engaged.

ATTENDANCE & CLASS PARTICIPATION: All late work will be counted off 10 points (aka one letter grade) for each class period late. For example: if your work merits a 93 but is 2 class periods late, then your grade will be a 73.  Participation counts as 25% of your grade and is based on the following considerations: 1. Being present, punctual, and prepared for class 2. Focus on and completion of exercises during class 3. Participation during critiques, discussions, and dialogues 4. Maintenance of the shared studio space, including cleaning up after work sessions, respecting shared tools and resources, and storing work and materials appropriately. After 2 absences, 10 points will be subtracted from your participation grade for each class missed. 20 points will automatically be deducted from your final participation grade if you miss the Final Critique.

GRADING: Grading will be based on assignments (which will be submitted in portfolio form), and class participation. The portfolios will make up 75% of your grade, and class participation will make up 25%.

A: 90 - 100%   B: 80 - 89%   C: 70 - 79%   D: 60 - 69%   F: 0 - 59%

Portfolio grades will be based on the following elements: 1) Indications that the student has understood the assignment and is employing its specific techniques. 2) a sense of quality showing that the students has invested a significant amount of time and focus into the assignment. 3) The overall success of the final image based on formal elements (composition, line quality, sense of light & volume, etc.) as well as creativity. AGAIN, TURNING IN ASSIGNMENTS LATE AUTOMATICALLY REDUCES YOUR GRADE.  IF YOU ARE CONFUSED ABOUT GRADING, FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS.

COURSE OUTLINE: We will be covering a wide range of introductory techniques and processes associated with the act of oil painting, from the very beginning stages of preparing a surface, through the various approaches of building a surface and developing an image, and finally to the end stages of presentation and documentation. In doing so, we will perform short-term formal exercises in class, create long-term multi-session paintings, and you will be given ambitious homework projects.

1. We will discuss a new concept and do several exercises based     
    on this idea. We may also do readings and/or have slide talks.
2. We will do one or more extended paintings connected to the concept.
3. We will work on extended paintings outside of class that may take up
    to 2/3 weeks to complete.
4. We will critique the work and its relation to the concept as a class.

CLASS STRUCTURE (subject to change):

Week 1 – Materials – Preparing a surface
Week 2 – Still Life – Short Term Monochromatic Paintings – Transparent
Week 3  – Still Life – Short Term Grisaille Paintings – Opaque
Week 4  – Stilll Life – Short Term Color Shape Paintings – Transparent/Opaque
Week 5  – Still Life – Long Term Still Life with Underpainting
Week 6  – Still Life – Long Term Direct Painting Still Life
Week 7  – Portrait – Short Term Monochromatic Paintings
Week 8  – Portrait – Long Term Portraits with Underpainting
Week 9  – Portrait – Self Portrait
Week 10  – Portrait – Abstraction and the Human Form
Week 11  – Landscape – Short Term Landscape Paintings (Abstraction: Weather Alternative)
Week 13 – Landscape – Long Term Landscape Paintings (Abstraction: Weather Alternative)
Week 14 – Fall Break
Week 15 – Final Project

YOU WILL BE WORKING OUTSIDE OF CLASS REGULARLY. BE PREPARED TO COME INTO THE CLASS ROOM OUTSIDE OF CLASS AND TO WORK ON DRAWINGS AT HOME.



BOOK / BLOG: There is no textbook required for this class. Handouts will occasionally be made available. Students will usually receive additional info, image examples, assignment specifications, and portfolio details via the following blog:

NORRISARTCLASS.BLOGSPOT.COM

You will be expected to check this regularly as part of your class participation. THE BLOG SERVES AS A SUPPLEMENT; IT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR BEING IN CLASS.

MATERIALS: Students will be required to purchase the following materials. Most materials can be found at the ASU Bookstore, Hobby Lobby, and hardware stores. You might also do well to just go online and make an order to acquire your materials: dickblick.com, aswexpress.com, danielsmith.com, etc.

PAINT: Required Colors
(Windsor & Newton Winton Oil Colors are recommended):

-Burnt Sienna, 200ml               -Titanium White, 200ml
-Yellow Ochre, 37ml                 -French Ultramarine, 37ml
-Alizarin Crimson, 37ml                        -Viridian Hue, 37ml
-Burnt Umber, 37ml                 -Sap Green, 37 ml                                 
-Cadmium Red Hue, 37ml                    -Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue, 37ml
-Ivory Black, 37ml                               

Optional Colors to expand palette:
-Raw Umber, 37ml                               -Prussian Blue (37ml)
-Chromium Oxide, 37ml                                   -Naples Yellow Hue, 37ml

BRUSHES
Natural Bristle Hair Oil Painting Brushes (Filbert or Flat style):
Sizes #2, 4, 8, 12


TOOLS
-Mixing Knife                                        -Razor Blade and holder
-Paper Towels                                      -Solvent Holder
-Bar of Soap                                        -Toolbox for Materials
-Silicoil Brush Tank                              -Turpenoid or Gamsol(at least 1 liter)   

SURFACES:

You will be required to regularly provide surfaces on which to paint. They will generally be primed masonite and canvas. We will discuss acquiring and preparing these surfaces in class.


AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER, CERTAIN MATERIALS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU (BRUSHES, GESSO, MEDIUM)). YOU WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THESE MATERIALS INDIVIDUALLY AS THEY RUN OUT. WE WILL DISCUSS THE PURCHASE OF OTHER MATERIALS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS AS WE PROCEED.