Painting—Arts 161—Spring 2017
Tuesdays; 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 Lateness: Attendance 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.
Grading: Individual 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 5% and your written assignments/reflections will count for
another 15%. Your final project will count for 20% of your grade. Bringing in a
self-portrait photo or landscape for the last project will count for 10%. Your
exam will count 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:
1/31 Introduction
and Syllabus; Group Abstraction Project
2/7 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!
2/14 Finish Tonal Still Life (Painting 1). Reflection/Writing
sheet #1 due next week.
2/21
Introduction to Color. Begin Fruit
Still Life (Painting 2). Bring small canvas or
canvas board no bigger than 12 x 16", palette, brushes, rags, turpenoid,
brush cleaner and all your colors.
2/28 Fruit Still Life (Painting 2),
continued and completed. Be prepared to work. Reflection/Writing
sheet #2 due next week.
3/7 Critique
on First Two Paintings (1 & 2) at 6:10 p.m. followed by
Introduction to Abstraction and Texture. Begin Abstraction (Painting 3).
Bring canvas or canvas board no bigger than 12” x 16", palette, brushes,
rags, turpenoid, brush cleaner and all your colors.
3/14 Continue
and finish Abstraction (Painting 3).
Reflection/Writing sheet #3 due
next week.
3/21 Introduction
to Painting Surfaces and Creating Excellent Composition in your work. Unusual Still Life (Painting 4)
begun. Bring in canvas or
canvas board 14”x 18” or 16” x 20” and all supplies.
3/28 Continue work on
your Unusual Still Life (Painting 4).
4/4 Continue
and finish working on Unusual Still
Life (Painting 4). Reflection sheet #4 due next week. Bring in as homework a photo of a landscape
you took yourself and want to paint OR a self-portrait photo. They need to be
printed out in color from a computer printer (not just on your phone). This
homework assignment will be graded and count a full 10% of your grade. If you
have an A average and don’t do this assignment, your grade will go down!!! Take
this seriously. Bring in canvas 14 x 18 or 16 x 20 for last painting.
NO CLASSES FOR TWO WEEKS!
QCC CLOSED.
4/25 Critique
on Paintings 3 & 4. Introduction to Landscape Painting/Portrait
Painting. Begin Landscape or Portrait
(Painting 5).
5/2 Continue working on Landscape/Portrait (Painting 5).
5/9 Landscape/Portrait
(Painting #5). Reflection
Sheets handed out and due next week.
5/16 Final
Critique on last painting (5) and exam.
"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
I use Dick Blick or Utrecht (online). Michael’s is expensive,
except for when canvases are on sale or there are special deals.
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
Payne’s Gray
Supports—stretched canvases or canvas boards or
a combination thereof to total 5-6 canvases in all:
3-12” x 16”
1 or 2-14” x 18”
1 or 2- 16” x 20”
Optional Fold-Up Table Easel (Black kind is
best)
Earphones, ipod if you want to “zone out” while
painting
Checklist for Success—Prof. Healy-Painting 161
Name________________________________________________________________
Attendance and Lateness: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Prepared: Supplies Brought (Including RAGS!!!)
___ Week 2
___ Week 3
___ Week 4
___ Week 5
___ Week 6
___ Week 7
___ Week 8
___ Week 9
___ Week 10
___ Week 11
___ Week 12
___ Week 13
___ Week 14
___ Tonal Painting #1
___ Reflection #1
___ Fruit Still Life Painting #2
___ Reflection #2
___ Abstraction Painting #3
___ Reflection #3
___ Unusual Still Life Painting #4
___ Reflection #4
___ Printout of Image for Painting #5 (10%) A or
F
___ Landscape/Portrait Painting #5
___ Reflection #5
___ Exam (10%)
Participation Notes:
