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Art History

Survey of Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Early Medieval, Romanesque, and Gothic art, with an emphasis on sculpture and painting.

Survey of Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Romantic, Modern, and Contemporary art, with an emphasis on painting, sculpture, and graphic arts.

To be announced based on current Art Historian faculty research.

Fundamental Concepts Block

Concepts of Space provides VAST majors with necessary concepts about artistic space. Both 2-D and 3-D studio investigations will be employed. A lecture component will provide a historical and cultural backdrop upon which students may better understand the role of special depiction in artistic expression. Course topics include:

  • Perspective with particular attention to linear perspective.
  • Cultural variations of perspective — with particular attention to oriental interpretations.
  • Historical variations within western Art — including, but not limited to: Egyptian, Medieval, Byzantine, Modern, especially Cubist.
  • Sculptural notions of space. Figure/ground relationships, CAD, isometric Drafting.
     

Concepts of Form provides VAST majors with necessary concepts about artistic form. Both 2-D and 3-D studio investigations will be employed. A lecture component will provide a historical and cultural backdrop upon which students may better understand the role of special depiction in artistic expression. Course topics include

  • Modeling in light and dark — with particular attention to drawing.
  • Cultural/historical variations of form — including, but not limited to: Egyptian, Medieval, Byzantine, and Modern.
  • Sculptural notions of form will be investigated by the actual creation of artistic objects, via modeling construction and reduction.

The Digital Medium provides the much needed introductory technological/digital component wherein computing will be discussed as a media, rather than a tool. Students will be engaged in the creation of graphic imagery that themes and concepts introduced in class. While most of the course will center around the use of industry standard MAC based computers there will be some forays into PC computers as well as other hardware associated with production, sound, and projection of images.

Concepts of Color provides VAST majors with necessary concepts about color. Both 2-D and 3-D studio investigations will be employed. A lecture component will provide a historical and cultural backdrop upon which students may better understand the role of special depiction in artistic expression. Course topics include:

  • Traditional notions of color wheels, pigment mixing, color value, and color hue.
  • Notions of how colors affect other colors and optical color mixing.
  • Cultural/historical variations and uses of color in Art, with particular attention to Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism.
  • Individual solutions to color-related assignments related to a theme.

Concepts of Light provides Visual Art Studies majors with necessary concepts about light. Both 2-D and 3-D studio investigations will be employed. A lecture component will provide a historical and cultural backdrop upon which students may better understand the role of special depiction in artistic expression. Course topics include:

  • Chiauroscuro with particular attention to the connection between light and perceivable form.
  • Cultural/historical uses of light with attention to The Baroque.
  • Uses of light in photography, film, video, and interiors. Individual solutions to light related assignments related to a theme.

This course, and its follow-up ART 469, gives majors the opportunity to experience particular areas of visual art in which faculty members have gained significant expertise. Topics will vary as faculty members rotate responsibility for offering the course. The course may be about a specific method, material or theme in which a faculty member is involved. The course is introductory in nature, and students may gain a basic understanding of a specific art form. Students are given the opportunity to explore several types of Art made by scheduling this course more than one semester. One of the goals of this course is to provide Visual Art Studies majors ways of visually communicating concepts and themes/issues.

Themes and Issues Block

Themes and Issues I builds on the four pre-requisite courses from the Fundamentals Concepts Block of the Visual Art Studies degree. With a common course theme, that will change from semester to semester, students will be asked to build a series of three completed works in diverse materials and techniques. Students will work to build clear concepts that are communicated through objects and images.

Themes and Issues II, continued experience working with a common assigned theme for the first five weeks of the semester. The remainder of the course will consist of a body of work, 4-6 pieces, based on a student selected theme. Students will work to build clear concepts that are communicated through objects and images.

Individual Approaches Block

Individual Approaches Block I is an advanced studio course building on the Themes and Issues Block with continued experience creating art within a series. Students will be asked to complete 4-6 pieces that stem from an individual idea. Medium is open and can be traditional or non-traditional. Students will be required to document and maintain a journal outlining the steps needed to complete each piece. Weekly formal and/or informal critiques will allow students constant feedback of their progress.

ART 466W is the 6 credit Visual Art Studies capstone experience where students are given the opportunity to experience the professional aspects of a practicing artist. In additional to completing the last 2-4 pieces toward their exit portfolio students will address vital activities surrounding applying for employment and graduate school. Student will create "packets" including resumes, cover letters, post cards, slides, and portfolio CDs that can be used directly out of school for various calls and job listings. In addition topics that will be addressed in depth are photo-documentation, and inventory of work through database maintenance. All of these issues will culminate with small group exhibitions which will be curated, installed, and promoted by the students.

This course will provide the much needed intermediate technological/digital component wherein computing will be discussed as a media, rather than a tool. Students will be engaged in the creation of graphic imagery that themes and concepts introduced in class. While most of the course will center around the use of industry standard MAC based computers there will be some forays into PC computers as well as other hardware associated with production, sound, and projection of images.

This course, and its Prerequisite ART 269, gives majors the opportunity to experience particular areas of visual art in which faculty members have gained significant expertise. Topics will vary as faculty members rotate responsibility for offering the course. The course may be about a specific method, material or theme in which a faculty member is involved. The course is in depth in nature, and students may gain an advanced understanding of a specific art form. Students are given the opportunity to explore several types of Art made by scheduling this course more than one semester. One of the goals of this course is to provide Visual Art Studies majors ways of visually communicating concepts and themes/issues.