QCC/CUNY
Department of Art and Design
Painting—Arts 161—Spring 2020
Wednesdays: 2:10 p.m. 5:50 p.m.; 4 hours, 3 credits; Studio 104, Building C
Office Hour: Wednesdays, 1:10-2:10 p.m.
Professor Julia Healy
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.
Academic programs for which this course is required:
General Education Outcomes: Below is a listing of General Education Outcome(s) that this course supports.
- Communicate effectively in various forms
Course-specific student learning outcomes:
Students will achieve the following course objectives:
- Personal Aesthetic: Student will demonstrate the ability to construct a unified work by employing color, value, and composition that are indicative of the beginnings of a creative personal aesthetic.
- Revision: Student will participate in group critiques to analyze the formal elements of a painting and to formulate objective criticism. Student will evaluate objective criticism directed at his/her own work to revise and refine its formal qualities.
- Composition: Student will demonstrate competence in composition as evidenced by balance or expressive choices in the use of positive and negative space, patterns, rhythm and/or visual paths through the arrangement of all elements on the canvas.
Program-specific outcomes
- Demonstrate a progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation, interpretation, and execution within their discipline
- Integrate personal observation and objective criticism in the evolution of their artistic work.
- Apply increasingly sophisticated design principles to various media and visual forms.
Other program outcomes (if applicable).
- Integrate knowledge and skills in the program of study
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/Outcomes:
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 six 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 2:10 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 as to what we are working on and when it is due. Previously-absent students must come to the following class with all of the appropriate work finished for that class.
Methods by which student learning will be assessed and evaluated; describe the types of methods to be employed; note whether certain methods are required for all sections):
The general education outcome is assessed by participation in lectures, class discussions and group critiques. An analytic rubric is used to assess knowledge and skills as evidenced by the integration of various elements of painting to achieve a unified whole, while expressing a particular vantage point or personal creative aesthetic.
Grading: Individual grades will be given for each of your first 5 paintings and count 10% each paintings to make up 50% of your grade. Your final work will count 20%. Class participation/preparation and attendance will count as 10%, and your written assignments/reflections will count for another 20%. Two unexcused absences will lower your grade by one letter grade. (From a B to a C, for, instance.)
Due at the end of the semester: 6 (or more) paintings, as listed; 5 Reflections; 1 Written Paper, based on a museum trip.
Rubrics will be given for each assignment.
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!!!
Sessions:
1/29
#1-Introduction and Syllabus; Supply Tutorial, Group Abstraction Project
2/5
2/5
#2-Be prepared to work! Introduction to the Still Life with Power Point and Demo. Also Nuts on Bolts on Clean-up and Formative Assessment and Peer Assessment (TAG). Simple Tonal Still Life (Painting #1). Bring a 12 x 16” canvas, rags, black, white and raw umber paint, turpenoid, brushes of different sizes (as below on supply sheet), at least one jar for turpenoid, your palette, brush cleaner and lots of rags!
NO CLASS 2/12-- QCC CLOSED
2/19
#3-Continue Tonal Still Life (Painting #1); Bring previously-started canvas and all supplies. Reflection Sheet #1 due next week.
2/26
#4-Introduction to Color/Fruit Power Point and Demo. Begin Fruit Still Life (Painting #2). Bring a 12 x 16” canvas or canvas board, palette, brushes, rags, turpenoid, brush cleaner and all your colors.
3/4
#5-Fruit Still Life (Painting #2), continued and completed. Bring previously started canvas and all supplies. Reflection #2 due next week. Museum assignment given out.
3/8
SUNDAY!!!! Group Museum Trip, (Counts for 5/20 Class.) Meet in the main hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 5th Avenue at 82th Street at noon. If you can’t make this, you will go to an approved art museum on your own!
3/11
#6-Critique/Assessment on First Two Paintings (1 & 2) at 2:10 p.m.
followed by Introduction to Texture Power Point & Demo. Textured Abstraction (Painting #3). Bring a 12” x 16” canvas or canvas board, palette, brushes, rags, turpenoid, brush cleaner and all your colors. Reflection sheet handed out. Bring LANDSCAPE IMAGE NEXT WEEK. Extra credit if you bring in your own personal image either printed up or on an iPad. (Images on a phone are too small.)
followed by Introduction to Texture Power Point & Demo. Textured Abstraction (Painting #3). Bring a 12” x 16” canvas or canvas board, palette, brushes, rags, turpenoid, brush cleaner and all your colors. Reflection sheet handed out. Bring LANDSCAPE IMAGE NEXT WEEK. Extra credit if you bring in your own personal image either printed up or on an iPad. (Images on a phone are too small.)
3/18
#7-Introduction to the Landscape. Power Point & Demo. Begin Personal Landscape (Painting #4). Bring in landscape image, canvas or canvas board 14”x 16” or 16” x 20” and all supplies.
3/25
#8-Continue Landscape (Painting #4). Bring in canvas or canvas board 14”x 16” or 16” x 20” and all supplies.
4/1
#9- Continue and finish Landscape (Painting #4). Power Point on Subject Matter/Content towards end of class. Reflection #4 handed out and due next class.
4/7-TUESDAY!!!!
4/7-TUESDAY!!!!
#10-Begin Free Choice Painting (Painting #5). Bring in canvas or canvas board, 14 x 16” or 16 x 20” and all supplies.
4/8 & 4/15-NO CLASSES—QCC CLOSED
4/22
#11-Continue and finish Free Choice Painting (Painting #5). Reflection Sheet #5 handed out and due next week.
4/29
#12-Figure Power Point and demo. Begin Figure/Portrait (Painting #6) Bring canvas or canvases of any size and all materials and tools needed. Museum paper due next week.
5/6
#13-Continue and finish Figure/Portrait (Painting #5) Reflection # 6 due next week. Bring previously-started canvas and all supplies. MUSEUM PAPER DUE.
5/13
#14-Last Class and Final Critique
5/20
#15-NO CLASS-COMP TIME FOR MUSEUM TRIP
Academic Integrity Policy
Academic honesty is expected of all students. Any violation of academic integrity is taken extremely seriously. All assignments and projects must be the original work of the student or teammates, if applicable. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any questions regarding academic integrity should be brought to the attention of the instructor. The following is the Queensborough Community College Policy on Academic Integrity: “It is the official policy of the College that all acts or attempted acts that are violations of Academic Integrity be reported to the Office of Student Affairs. At the faculty member’s discretion and with the concurrence of the student or students involved, some cases through reported to the Office of Student Affairs, may be resolved within the confines of the course and the department. The instructor has the authority to adjust the offender’s grade as deemed appropriate, including assigning an F to the assignment or exercise, or, in more serious cases, an F to the student for the entire course. Please refer tot the college’s Academic Integrity Policy.
"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 personally use Dick Blick or Utrecht as my suppliers.
•RAGS: LOTS OF THEM! OLD COTTON BEDSHEETS RIPPED UP, OLD WHITE T-SHIRTS, ETC. NOTHING WITH A NAP, LIKE A TOWEL.
•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)
•Turpenoid in the BLUE AND WHITE container (not the green one)
•Master’s Brush Cleaner—THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
•Brushes: DON’T BUY CHEAP SETS…THEY ARE USUALLY A RIP-OFF. Sets are often a bad choice. 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 (8):
•BRIGHT SOFT (not bristly) BRUSHES: Choose at least 7 of these brushes—more if possible— (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.
BEWARE: READ THE LABELS…SOME STORES SELL WATER-THINNED OILS THAT WILL NOT WORK WITH REGULAR OILS. DO NOT BUY THEM. READ THE LABELS CAREFULLY. SOMETIMES THEY ARE DISPLAYED NEXT TO THE REAL OIL PAINTS.
•Basic Beginning Colors—Do not buy cheesy sets with fake colors!!!!! Get the real colors.
37 ml tubes of:
Cadmium Red Medium
Cadmium Yellow Light
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue
Permanent Green Light
Viridian Green
Burnt Umber
Raw Sienna or Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna
Ivory Black
and
•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 a total of SIX (or 7 if you want an extra, just in case) canvases in all:
3-12” x 16”
1-314” x 18”
1-3 16” x 20”
•Optional: iPad, earbuds, music on phone or player if you want to “zone out” while painting
