Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Sunday, November 13, 2016

NO CLASS THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING!!

To All: After talking to several of you, I realize that the class will be fairly empty if we hold it on November 23. So we will add a class at the end on December 14!! Please mark your calendars accordingly and I will see you this week on the 16th.

Be sure to bring your photo or photos of a "Personal Landscape" and a 16 x 20" canvas....!

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Monday, October 31, 2016

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Painting—Arts 161/262/263—Fall 2016
Wednesdays; 6:10 p.m. 9:50 p.m.; Studio 104, Building C
Professor Julia Healy
Jhealy@qcc.cuny.edu
    
Course Descriptions: Arts 161: Basic elements of oil or acrylic painting, designed for acquisition of skill and technique in the medium. Experiences in realism, abstraction and non-objectivity.

Introduction: This course will explore painting at the beginning level.  Students will receive basic instruction on learning "to see" and develop skills in using form, tone, color and composition. Subjects will include still life works and the landscape. Occasional presentations on historic and contemporary artists will supplement the topics covered. We will have ongoing individual critiques, as well as group critiques and written self-reflections and writing assignments over the course of the semester.

Course Objectives
At the end of the course, students will:
·      Employ techniques of mixing and blending color
·      Create the effects of three-dimensional forms with shadow and light
·      Observe and arrange still life objects into a strong
   composition of forms and shapes
·      Analyze personal work through critique and feedback from classmates and
   instructor
·      Examine works by other artists that relate to their process
·      Identify elements and principles of design in the world around them and translate
   these into paintings
·      Create five paintings
·      Develop our thinking and writing skills through personal reflections and aesthetic   
   inquiry

Attendance and LatenessAttendance is mandatory and essential to your performance.  There is no substitute for working and participating in class. Three absences are grounds for a failing grade.
    
Please be on time. Class begins promptly at 6:10 p.m. Two tardies can be counted as one absence.  If you will have an ongoing scheduling conflict, please discuss it with me at the beginning of the semester. Note that parking is always an issue, so allow time to find a space or take public transportation.

Make-Up Policy: As a student in this course, it is your responsibility to make certain you obtain information covered, should you miss a session. This syllabus and our blog have the information you need to know what we are working on and what it due. Previously-absent students must come to the following class with all of the appropriate work finished for that class.
    
GradingIndividual grades will be given for each of the four first paintings and averaged to make up 40% of your grade.  Class participation/attendance will count as 10% and your written assignments/reflections will count for another 20%. Your final project will count for 20% of your grade. Bringing in a self-portrait photo for the last project will count for 10%. Two unexcused absences will lower your grade by one letter grade. (From a B to a C, for, instance.)

Sample Rubrics for Fruit Still Life painting:

To receive a D, make a painting as assigned from observation

To receive a C, make a painting as assigned from observation and show that you can make it three-dimensional using light and dark colors

To receive a B, make a painting as assigned, from observation, show that you can create a three-dimensional effect using light and dark and show that you understand how to mix and blend colors for shading and use composition to good effect

To receive an A, make a painting as assigned from observation, show that you can create a three-dimensional effect using light and dark, show that you understand how to mix and blend color and show that you can create texture and surface qualities, understand and employ thoughtful composition, background, middle ground and foreground, while, at the same time, you are also developing your own style

Supplies: See below. Materials and supplies for this class are not inexpensive but if you take care of them, they will last a long time. We will discuss how to approach buying the materials the first class.  You must come prepared to work every week, with all the materials you need. Do not expect other students to lend you paint, brushes and canvases!!!

Writing Help: You may want to refer to a very helpful website operated by Purdue University: http://owl.english.edu 
The format to use is the MLA one and they have many resources available to help you make your writing better.

Sessions:
    
Aug. 31         Introduction and Syllabus; Group Abstraction Project

Sept. 7            Introduction to the Still Life and Nuts on Bolts on Clean-up. Tonal Still Life (Painting #1). Bring canvas or canvas board (12 x 16" or so), rags, black, white and burnt umber paint, turpenoid,  brushes of different sizes  as below on supply sheet), at least one jar for turp, your palette, brush cleaner and lots of rags!    

Sept. 14         Finish Tonal Still Life (Painting #1) Have another support available to work on a free-choice, if you finish early. Reflection/Writing sheet #1 due next week.

Sept.21          Painting #1 Critique at 6:10 p.m. Introduction to Color. Begin Fruit Still Life (Painting #2).  Bring small canvas or canvas board no bigger than 11 x 14", palette, brushes, rags, turpenoid, brush cleaner and all your colors.

Sept. 28         Fruit Still Life (Painting #2), continued and completed. Be prepared to work. Reflection/Writing sheet #2 due next week.

Oct. 5             Critique on Fruit Still Life (Painting #2) at 6:10 p.m. followed by
Introduction to Abstraction and Texture. Begin Fabric with Non-Objective Background (Painting #3). Bring canvas or canvas board no bigger than 11” x 14", palette, brushes, rags, turpenoid, brush cleaner and all your colors.

NO CLASSES ON OCTOBER 12!!!!

Oct. 19           Continue and finish Fabric with Non-Objective Background (Painting #3). Reflection/Writing sheet #3 due next week.

Oct. 26           Introduction to Painting Surfaces and Creating Excellent Composition in your work. Compositional Still Life (Painting #4) begun. Bring in canvas or canvas board 14”x 18” or 16” x 20” and all supplies.


Nov. 2            Continue work on your Compositional Still Life (Painting #4).     

Nov. 9            Continue and finish working on Compositional Still Life (Painting #4). Reflection sheet #4 due next week. Also, bring in a canvas or canvas board at least 16” x 20” and a landscape image you have taken, printed out on 8 1/2 by 11” paper. This is required and will be 10% of your grade. This could take you down a grade!!!! Use of cell phone to paint from is not acceptable.

Nov. 16          Introduction to Landscape Painting Presentation. Begin Personal Landscape (Painting #5). 

Nov. 23          Continue working on Personal Landscape (Painting #5).

Nov. 30          Personal Landscape (Painting #5)., Continued. Reflection Sheets handed out and due next week.

Dec. 7             Final Critiques on last three paintings.

Arts 262                

The sessions are as above.
At this point you should have the basics of oil painting down. I expect you know and understand:

The color wheel
Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Complimentary Colors
How to dull colors without using black
The idea of edge (as opposed to line) in painting
How to blend
How to make different marks with the same brush and different brushes
Composition
Foreground/Middle Ground/ Background
The importance of light and dark to create illusion
How to use texture to great advantage
The importance of subject matter

If you are deficient in any of the above areas, you may want to do some of the assignments for 161 to catch up.

If you feel comfortable with your painting abilities and are familiar with the above, we will plan your curriculum together.  Bring in a few samples of your work, as well as any images on a thumb drive that you might have. (Phones are too small to really see your work best.)

We will choose a theme or themes and work out what processes and ideas you would like to explore. Some of the possibilities are: glazing, scumbling, acrylic underpainting/oil over painting and mixed media. Your materials, including your supports, will depend on your choices.

I expect you will have at least five works completed by the end of the semester, and I will ask you to reflect on them in writing as part of your grade.

Grading; The first four paintings will count as 12.5% of your grade each to make 50%. The fifth painting will count as 20%. Your attendance and class participation will count as 10%. Bringing in your printed photo is 10%. Written assignments will count as 10%. Two unexcused absences will lower your grade by one letter grade. (From a B to a C, for, instance.)

­­­­­­­­

Arts 263

The sessions are as above.

You should know and be able to show understanding all of the above concepts listed in the 262 syllabus, as well as:

Understand some of the possibilities of glazing, scumbling, smafuto and chiarscuro.
Be able to identify transparent colors
Be able to identify opaque colors
Have a rudimentary understanding of the interaction of color
Have a body of work that exhibits a personal style
Have a direction you want to explore this semester

If you need to catch up in any way with some of the above concepts (in 262 and 161 as well), you may work on some of their assignments if you would benefit from them.

I expect you will have at least five works completed by the end of the semester, and I will ask you to reflect on them in writing as part of your grade.

Grading; Each painting will count as 15% of your grade to make 75%. Your attendance and class participation will count as 10%. Written assignments will count as 15%. Two unexcused absences will lower your grade by one letter grade. (From a B to a C, for, instance.)




"ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
 As stated in the current college catalog, any student who needs specific accommodations based on the impact of a disability should register with the office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) to be eligible for accommodations, which are determined on an individual basis. The SSD office is located in the Science Building, room S-132 (718-631-6257). Students should also contact their instructor privately to discuss their specific needs."

    
Supplies

Apron or old shirt to use as smock. You will ruin your clothes otherwise!

Container for paints such as a large shoebox, tackle box or canvas tote.

A glass jar or two with a lid for turpenoid. Label with your name.

Soft pencil 4B and eraser (optional)

Scissors (optional)

RAGS: LOTS OF THEM! OLD COTTON BEDSHEETS RIPPED UP, OLD WHITE T-SHIRTS, ETC. NOTHING WITH A NAP, LIKE A TOWEL.

Turpenoid in the BLUE AND WHITE container (not the green one)

Master’s Brush Cleaner

Brushes: DON’T BUY CHEAP SETS…THEY ARE USUALLY A RIP-OFF. Get soft, sable or sableline, Wonder Whites (from Blick), not the stiff hogs-hair kind. Those are harder to control and clean. If you take care of your brushes, they will last a long time.

Minimum Brushes Needed:

BRIGHT SOFT (not bristly) BRUSHES: Choose at least 6 brushes (smalls (0, 1, 2, 4), mediums (6, 8, 10, 12), bigger ones (14, 16, 20, 24)
              
At least 1 ROUND brush smallish (0, 1, 2)
                  
Optional Brushes:  filberts, flats, a fan brush

Palette knife

Palette—Palette paper tear-off pads are fine (12” x 16”gives you enough mixing room)

Paint

Oil is preferable for beginners. If you have to use acrylic, see me. I use Gamblin Paints, but Windsor and Newton, Utrecht, and Grumbacher are also good. The best student grade oil paint is WINTON.



Basic Beginning Colors
37 ml tubes of:

Cadmium Red Medium
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue
Permanent Green Light
Viridian Green
Burnt Umber
Raw Sienna or Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna
Ivory Black

Large 150ml tube of Titanium White

Optional Colors:
Cadmium Orange
Cerulean
Terra Verte Green or Hooker’s Green
Dioxazine Violet
Magenta
Raw Umber

Supports—stretched canvases or canvas boards or a combination thereof:
2-11” x 14”
1-12” x 16”
2- 16” x 20”

Optional Fold-Up Table Easel (Black kind is best)



Checklist for Success—

Prof. Healy-Painting 161

Attendance: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Late: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Brought Supplies (Including RAGS!!!) and was Ready to Work:
­___ Week 2
___ Week 3
___ Week 4 & also Participation in Critique
___ Week 5
___ Week 6 & also Participation in Critique
___ Week 7
___ Week 8
___ Week 9
___ Week 10
___ Personal Landscape Print-Out Brought In (10%)
___ Week 11
___ Week 12
___ Week 13
___ Week 14 & also Participation in Final Critique

___ Tonal Painting #1
___ Reflection #1
___ Fruit Still Life Painting #2
___ Reflection #2
___ Fabric with Non-Objective Background Painting #3
___ Reflection #3
___ Compositional Still Life Painting #4
___ Reflection #4
___ Personal Landscape Painting #5
___ Reflection #5





Tuesday, May 3, 2016

CLASS CANCELLED TONIGHT MAY 3rd!!!!

Sorry for any inconvenience. There was a terrible accident on Route 17 and I spent over an hour and a half sitting still. I would have ended up arriving around 7:30 p.m. and felt that since we were starting a new project, it would not have been a good class for you. We will make it up the 24th...
Thanks.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016