Introduction to Visual Art
Tony
Allard, Instructor
Tuesday
12 – 3:50 Rm 220
Thursday
12 – 3:50 Rm 220 and Rm 346
Web
site:
The goal of this course is to expand your awareness and appreciation of visual art and to examine the function of art within past and present cultures. We will be looking at art from a number of different orientations, such as: the formal elements of art; the role of representation and “realism” in art; how political forces insinuate themselves into historical and contemporary art making; the influence of the “objective sciences” on the arts; and the recent merging of art, mass media and popular culture. In addition to the lectures we will also engage in hands-on studio activities (Conceptual Aerobics) which will further enhance your appreciation for art and the process artists go through in making art. The studio activities do not require that you have any previous training in visual arts.
In
pursuit of the primary goals of this course, I encourage you to keep an open
mind to the material that I will be presenting--keeping in mind that you may
encounter some art that may not be appealing and, in fact, may not seem to be
art at all. I think, however, that
to develop a genuine appreciation for art, you must be willing to experience
the widest possible range of artistic expressions from around the world. To
expand your appreciation of art beyond what you are currently familiar with,
you must be willing to question and challenge established definitions of what
art is and to develop your own sensibilities and critical thinking about art.
Outline
of Lecture Topics:
1. Introductory remarks: What Is Art?
2. Analysis of the formal elements at work in a work of visual art including: Color, shape, line, texture, space, design, perspective, 3 dimensional illusionistic space and composition.
3. Taking a close look at the fine arts media, materials and technical methods for both two dimensional and three-dimensional work including: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, electronic and digital media and environmental media.
4.
Architecture,
a brief history of materials and methods including among others: the arch, the
vault, domes, post-and-lintel construction, ferroconcrete, and reinforced
concrete architecture.
5. Identification of
concepts or orientations which cut across forms, cultural context, etc.
6. An appropriate use of
language ( vocabulary, jargon) widely used in writing about and discussing art.
7. A general timeline of the
art of prehistoric art to the present.
8. A brief look at art beyond
Europe and the United States such as, among others, African Art, Native Arts of
Mexico, Peru and the United States, Islamic Art and Chinese Art.
Outline of Studio activities: Conceptual Aerobics
Note:
these studio activities will be presented chronologically in conjunction with
lecture topics and are intended to expand on the material covered in lecture.
No projects will be assigned; these activities are participatory in nature and
therefore, you will be graded on the quality of participation.
1.
Socialized
vision. A variety of exercises to increase your awareness of visual habits that
are the foundation for how our vision gets socialized. Oculus introduced
2.
Blind
contour drawing, drawing with both hands
3. Working
with two and three dimensional design for the visual arts
4. A
visual/suclptural/performative retelling of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
5.
We
explore a variety of methods for creating perspective and the illusion of
three-dimensional space on a two dimensional surface. The main focus will be on
Linear Perspective from the Renaissance and multi-dimensional perspectival
methods from the 20th Century
6.
Creating Ephemeral
art works
Course
Objectives:
1. demonstrated comprehension of the course material through participation in class discussions, in written responses to examinations, in term papers and class presentations.
2.
demonstrated
ability to analyze major formal elements in visual images such as line, color,
shape, composition, design and perspective.
3. a
familiarity with several diverse orientations towards art: historical, sensual,
social, psychological.
4.
to reach
an understanding of the historical, cultural and social influences on the
production, consumption and experience of visual art and culture.
5.
demonstrated
ability to discuss stylistic characteristics of specific visual artifacts in
terms of historically significant movements and schools.
6. to fully participate in Studio Activities and gain hands-on experience
of the Visual Arts process.
Main Requirements
The work
you do for this class will consist of the following:
ü
reading
assignments completed
ü
taking
careful notes during each class
ü
participate
in class discussions
ü
developing
a list art terms with definitions
ü
3 quizzes
(dates listed on weekly schedule)
ü
writing
critiques of works of art (5 pages, double spaced paper)
ü
full
participation in the studio activities, including discussions
Reading Assignments:
Weekly
reading assignments will be given which coincide with the topics the lectures
and visual presentations. The dates when the reading assignments are due are
posted below in the week by week schedule.
Required Texts: Understanding Art (Sixth
Edition), Lois
Fichner-Rathus Wadsworth Press
Writing
Assignments:
You
will be required to write one critical paper on an artifact of your choice.
This artifact must be local and you will need to visit the site where it
exists. In this paper you will demonstrate your understanding of the vocabulary
terms presented in the course by using them in your critique of the artifact.
The writing assignment will require research and a thorough visual examination
of the artifact. I have included a list of several museums, galleries and arts
organization in town that you can visit in order to complete this assignment.
The assignment is due the fourth week of class on Thursday.
Grading
Using the A through F scale, the grade of C is
average. To receive an average grade, you must attend every class, complete all
the assignments and participate in class discussions. To receive an above
average grade you must fulfill all the above mentioned requirements for a C,
then you must do above average work to receive a B. To receive an A you must do
exceptional work and participate in class at the highest level. NOTE: I do not
give extra credit and work handed in
late will be downgraded accordingly.
Your final grade will be determined by the
following:
ü
20% class participation/studio activities
ü
30% written critique of art
ü
50% quizzes
100%
Total
Thursday,
July 3 Rm 220
ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class. Part of your overall course grade will be determined by your cooperation, time and attention given to the class. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what material was covered during the absence. I strongly suggest you exchange phone numbers/email with someone in the class to take full responsibility for any absences.
I
have a strict and clear attendance policy, as follows: You are allowed two
absences which will not adversely affect your grade. Absences are neither
excused nor unexcused. After these 2 absences, each absence will lower your
semester grade by one full letter grade. In other words, if you are doing C
work in the class, and you miss 4 classes, you will fail. If you are doing A
work, and you miss 3 classes, you will receive a B.
If you miss class it is your responsibility to find out
what you missed and catch up. I suggest you contact a fellow class mate in this
regard.
Week to Week Schedule:
Week 1__________________________________________________
Introduction
to the class
--Instructor’s
introduction
--Careful
reading of the Syllabus and introduction to the course
--Grades,
attendance, assignments
--Introduction
of textbook, Understanding Art.
--Working with the textbook, how to take notes, quizzes
–-Conceptual Aerobics Studio activities introduced
First
lecture:
I INTRODUCTION Pg 1 – 24
1. What Is Art? What is
the functions of art in a given culture?
--“Socialized
Vision” and representations from different Cultural perspectives
--visual literacy,
representation, culturally bound visual habits examined
--opening the senses: considering the senses before and after they are
socialized
-- perception exercises
--First reading assignment
Reading
due for Thursday:
I INTRODUCTION Pg 1 – 24, for
review of main topics covered on Monday.
1.
What Is Art
II.
THE LANGUAGE OF ART Pg 29 - 75
2.
Visual elements of Art
1.
What Is Art
2.
Visual Elements of Art
Reading due for next week:
2. Visual Elements of Art
(continued)
3.
Principles of Design Pg 81 – 108
4. Style, Form and Content
Reading due for
Thursday
4.
Style, Form and Content
4. Style, Form, and
Content
Reading due for
Tuesday:
III TWO-DIMENSIONAL MEDIA
Pg 125 – 172
5. Drawing
6. Painting
7. Printmaking
8. Camera and Computer
Arts
--Blind contour drawing, drawing with both hands
--Principles of Design explored with the oculus
Review for First Quiz
Tuesday, June 10
Review
all material we have covered thus far for the Quiz on Tuesday
which includes terms and concepts from my talk on Socialized vision and from
all of Sections I and II.
Week
3___________________________________________________
First quiz over all the
material we have covered thus far
Then,
III TWO-DIMENSIONAL MEDIA
Pg 125 – 172
5. Drawing
6. Painting
7. Printmaking
Reading due for
Thursday:
8. Camera and Computer
Arts
Reading due for next week:
IV
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEDIA Pg 207 – 251
9.
Sculpture
10.
Architecture
11. Craft and Design Pg. 257 – 278
V. ART THROUGH THE AGES
12. The Art of the Ancients Pg. 285 – 307
13.
Classical Art: Greece and Rome Pg. 311 – 338
--Plato’s
Allegory of the Cave, From Book Seven of Plato’s Republic (Handout)
STUDIO WORK: Conceptual
Aerobics
--Color theory,
creating a three dimensional color wheel
--Exercises
designed for working drawing, painting, and printmaking
--Cameras and computers, camera obscura, working with the oculus
Week
4__________________________________________________
TUESDAY June 17
IV THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEDIA Pg 207 – 251
9.
Sculpture
10.
Architecture
11. Craft and Design Pg. 257 - 278
-- slide
presentation: two and three dimensional design for the visual arts
Reading due for Thursday:
V. ART THROUGH THE AGES
12. The Art of the Ancients Pg. 285 – 307
Screening: Iraq: From Summer to Saddam
13.
Classical Art: Greece and Rome Pg. 311 – 338
--Plato’s
Allegory of the Cave, From Book Seven of Plato’s Republic (Handout)
THURSDAY June 19th
Critique of a Local Work of
Art Due
V. ART THROUGH THE AGES
12. The Art of the Ancients Pg. 285 – 307
13. Classical Art: Greece
and Rome Pg. 311 – 338
Reading due for next
week:
18.
The Twentieth Century: the Early Years Pg. 467 – 487
--A
visual/sculptural/per formative retelling of Plato’s Allegory of the
Cave
Reading due for
Thursday:
18.
The Twentieth Century: the Early Years Pg. 467 – 487
17. Modern Art Pg.427
– 463
18. The Twentieth Century:
the Early Years Pg. 467 – 487
Reading
due for Tuesday
--Creating
Ephemeral and anti art works
Week
6________________________________________________
19.
Contemporary Art Pg. 491 – 530
Reading due for
Thursday:
Review
for Third Quiz