Degrees and Certificates

Courses

ARTS/TVRF124: Visual Communication

Credits 3

This course will use a diverse range of approaches to visual analysis including theories, concepts and semiotics to gain a deeper understanding of images in contemporary culture. Examples from art, advertising, film and multimedia will be explored and analyzed.

ARTS100: Color and 2-D Design

Credits 3
Introductory lecture/studio course dealing with the art elements and principles of design. Through a series of structured black and white and color projects, students learn to manipulate these elements and principles to create visual solutions to a variety of conceptual problems.

ARTS103: Art Appreciation

Credits 3
Lecture survey course to develop appreciation and use of art criticism of the visual arts. Elements and principles of design, art terminology, style of expressions and function of ancient, primitive, and contemporary art concepts, objects, and types of art criticism are studied. Through a series of structured exercises in art criticism, students develop and practice these skills in the writing of art criticism. Meets General Education requirement for Humanities.

ARTS108: Art History from Ancient Times to the Gothic Period

Credits 3
Multi-mediated lecture survey of the world’s art chronologically from prehistoric times to the beginning of the 14th century. Examined are the arts and architecture of Western tradition, Islamic, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, ancient African and the early Americas in their own terms. Topics include the roles and functions of art and their creators, art terminology, art genres, mediums and techniques, and styles within a background of social, religious and intellectual influences. Through a series of structured exercises in judging works of art, students produce several original works of art criticism. Meets General Education requirement for Humanities.

ARTS109: Art History from the Renaissance to the Modern Era

Credits 3
Multi-mediated lecture survey of the world’s art chronologically from the beginning of the 14th century to our modern era. Examined are the arts and architecture of Western tradition, Islamic, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, African, the Pacific Islands and the Americas in their own terms. Topics include the roles and functions of art and their creators, art terminology, art genres, mediums and techniques, and styles within a background of social, religious and intellectual influences. Through a series of structured exercises in viewing works of art historically, students produce several original works of art criticism. Meets General Education requirement for Humanities.

ARTS110: Fundamental Drawing

Credits 3
An introductory lecture/studio course that explores anatomy, figure, dimensional and fundamental drawing forms, concepts and techniques. Students express form in traditional ways and experiment in personal style and technique.

ARTS111: Crafts

Credits 3
Introductory lecture/studio course on the fundamentals of several crafts including rug punch, ceramics, weaving, spinning, basketry, paper making, batik, tie dye and bookbinding. Materials, techniques and concepts are examined to understand crafts as a means of personal expression, exploration and effective communication.

ARTS112: Introduction to Ceramics

Credits 3
Introductory lecture/studio course on the fundamentals of clay-forming processes. Includes hand-building forms (pinch, coil and slab) and wheel-thrown pottery. Examines both functional and sculptural aspects of clay forms. Glaze applications, kilns and various pieces of ceramics equipment will be studied. Emphasis is on personal mastery of materials, self-expression and exploration in various techniques of clay forming.

ARTS115: Introduction to the Visual Arts

Credits 3
Provides students with an introduction to the visual arts by examining origins, cultural context, processes and artistic trends and movements. It is intended to broaden the appreciation of the visual arts and enhance personal aesthetics through the exploration of the principles and elements of all types of visual arts. Meets General Education requirement for Humanities.

ARTS116: Graphic Design

Credits 3

Provides students with an introductory understanding of print and Web technologies, basic concepts and terminology used in computer graphics and design and exploration of related software. Through a series of computer-based projects, students will design for hardcopy and Web distribution. Emphasis will be on effective design, problem-solving, design analysis and self-analysis of designed products that include images and text generated through the use of computer technology.

ARTS120: Introduction to Printmaking Processes

Credits 3
Introductory lecture/studio course, which examines the fundamentals of several printmaking processes including monotype, monoprint, embossing, relief prints, dry point, etching, collographs and chine collè. To understand printmaking as a means of exploration, personal expression and effective communication, students will examine materials and understand techniques and concepts.

ARTS128: Introduction to Photographic Methods

Credits 3
Study of the creative manual controls of the still, point and shoot camera and digital editing techniques. Creating color and black and white images, students will demonstrate knowledge of small format camera skills and an understanding of composition, digital image manipulation, and quality digital output using scanning and photo editing software. (Students must provide a camera with manual controls.)

ARTS135: Art with Computers

Credits 3
Provides students with an understanding of the theory and operation of a computer as an artist’s tool. Students will use microcomputers and drawing and scanning techniques as found in various software programs to produce computer artwork.

ARTS200: Intermediate Drawing

Credits 3
Continuation of ARTS110-Fundamental Drawing. A lecture/studio course that further explores value systems, light and shade, perspective, proportion, composition and various transfer techniques within both traditional and contemporary modes of drawing. Students learn to work with such media as pencil, colored pencils, charcoal, conte crayon, pen and ink, pastels and collage.

ARTS205: Introduction to Watercolor

Credits 3
Introductory lecture/studio course in watercolor, a transparent painting medium. Focuses on drawing, color and composition as they apply to the medium of watercolor. Through a series of structured exercises, students develop familiarity and skills with paint, brushes and painting techniques; washes, glazes, texture applications, brush manipulations and stretched paper.

ARTS206: Intermediate Watercolor

Credits 3
A lecture/studio course that further explores watercolor materials, techniques and concepts. Students learn to paint from still-life, figure and landscapes. Emphasizes personal expression while developing watercolor skills.

ARTS207: Figure Drawing

Credits 3
A lecture/studio drawing course based on the visual structure of the human figure, both skeletal and muscular. Students learn to draw from life and costumed figures to strengthen their understanding of figure articulation, action, proportion and anatomical construction.

ARTS208: Advanced Art with Computers

Credits 3
Provides students with an extended understanding of the theory and operation of a computer as an artist’s tool. Students will use computers and various software programs to produce computer-generated artwork. Students will receive hands-on experience creating, developing and producing original artwork and projects in the exciting field of graphic design. Emphasis will be on graphic computer skills, developing ability for self-critique and artistic problem solving.

ARTS209: Intermediate Ceramics

Credits 3
Continuation of ARTS112-Introduction to Ceramics. A lecture/studio course that further explores the clay forming processes, hand building and wheel throwing, glaze application, and other clay materials, techniques, concepts and equipment. Emphasis is on skill building and personal expression while examining both functional and sculptural ceramics.

ARTS210: Oil and Acrylic Painting

Credits 3
A lecture/studio survey of oil and acrylic painting techniques and their relation to classic and contemporary styles, painting and quick studies, under painting, color mixing, glazing, impasto, mediums and use of various brushes and painting knife techniques using models and still life.

ARTS211: Materials and Techniques

Credits 3

A lecture/studio survey of painting techniques using various kinds of 2-D and 3-D found objects and material in addition to oil and acrylic paints, drawing and painting techniques combined, papier colle and magazine collages, montages and other forms of high relief and 3-D painting.

ARTS212: Sculpture and 3-D Design

Credits 3
A lecture/studio course on the fundamentals of sculpture and on its viability as a means of artistic expression and exploration. Approach is through tactile and visual perceptions, using a variety of materials and techniques. Sculptural issues studied are the recognition and construction of space and form, scale, weight, balance, organic and geometric qualities, modalities, transformations and symbolic meaning. Both relief and 3-dimensional (freestanding) forms are explored through a series of problems, using modeling, carving and casting techniques for construction.

ARTS214: Wood and Linocut Block Printing

Credits 3
A lecture/studio course that concentrates on the relief printing processes of printmaking including woodcut, wood engraving, and linoleum block printing.

ARTS217: Weaving

Credits 3
Lecture/studio course on the fundamentals of weaving and its materials, techniques and concepts as a means of artistic expression. Methods are explored through a variety of assignments, such as weaving process (plain weave, tapestry), various frame looms, non-loom technique (basketry), and yarn design (hand spinning of fiber on a drop spindle and spinning wheel). Emphasis is on mastery of materials and the exploration of various techniques as a means of creative expression.

ARTS218: Advanced Drawing

Credits 3
A lecture/studio course that takes the student beyond the basic methods, materials, media and concepts found in ARTS200-Intermediate Drawing. Students will be encouraged to develop a personal style and vision through the use of traditional and contemporary modes of drawing. Includes subjective and objective drawing, anatomical and portraitive drawing, group drawing and the creation and development of a drawing notebook and/or journal.

ARTS219: Advanced Graphic Design

Credits 3
This course integrates design principles and software, typography, digital illustration and imaging, page layout and prepress techniques with an emphasis on sound design practices from visualization to production. By exploring in-demand tools and techniques that are relevant across a variety of graphic design careers, students will gain an advanced familiarity with strategies resulting in strengthening design processes, conceptual thinking, digital techniques and effective communication.

ARTS221: Advanced Ceramics

Credits 3
A lecture/studio course that allows students to work in formulating clay bodies and glazes. Skills on the potter’s wheel and in various hand-building ceramic construction techniques will be developed. Emphasis is on mastery of materials, personal creative expression and exploration.

ARTS222: Intermediate Printmaking Processes

Credits 3
Intermediate lecture/studio course which examines in-depth exploration of several printmaking processes including reduction linocut, multi-color woodcuts, non-toxic etching, basic hand-crafted books, and overprint, and hand-coloring methods in order to understand printmaking and book arts as a means of exploration, personal expression, and effective communication. Students will examine a variety of related materials and understand creative techniques and the importance of planning and design.

ARTS223: Classical Drawing and Painting

Credits 3
An advanced lecture/studio course that explores classical drawing and painting. This course deals thematically with the landscape, still-life and figure using value systems, perspective, proportion, color and composition as it relates to the practice of traditional drawing and painting techniques. Students learn to work with media such as charcoal, chalk, pastel, pen and ink, watercolor, gouache and oil and/or acrylic paint.

ARTS250: Special Topics in Arts

Credits 3
An in-depth, advanced lecture/studio course that explores a specialized area of the ARTS to enhance the portfolio for potential employment and/or improve a skill set in an area of fine or digital arts. The specialized course topic is intended to be explored in a comprehensive method to strengthen proficiencies and focus on a topic not offered in a standard curriculum.

ARTS290: Fine Arts Capstone Portfolio

Credits 1
Designed to grant emerging artists the opportunity to prepare and assemble a professional portfolio of artwork for exhibition, employment and/or transfer, prepare photographs and documents for self-promotion and to explore the procedures for competing and exhibiting at the professional level.

ARTS295: Visual Arts Fieldwork

Credits 3

The fieldwork course is designed to provide students with on-the-job training and practice in career settings through a faculty-approved work site with a minimum of 135 hours. The purpose of the course is to apply the principles and skills taught in the classroom with real-life projects in a professional work setting. Students will secure a position at an approved site prior to the start of the course and complete the required hours and assignments by the end of the course. Each student will secure fieldwork that is consistent with his or her professional goals.