Foundations Program for 21st-Century Art and Design
Program Benefits
- Presents students with a fundamental skill set for success in each area of study.
- Delivers both in-depth and focused learning experiences.
- Allows students to take prerequisites in a meaningful order, leading to concentration-specific study
- Creates a summative learning experience by developing junctures that require students to pull information together between courses—forging connections between topics.
- Introduces the foundation's objectives and vocabulary to encourage more fluidity between media and materials.
- Offers an accessible course structure for co-majors, minors, and double majors.
Coursework
ART111: Design and Composition
This is an introductory course focusing on the elements and principles of design in two and three dimensions. Students will practice idea generation, good craftsmanship, and design vocabulary. Class will consist of discussions, presentations, quizzes, and critiques. Projects will be completed in some of the following media: paper, assemblage, cardboard, plaster, found object, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator.
ART121: Observational Drawing
This studio course introduces the students to the basic theory and practice of drawing. Through a variety of observational drawing activities, students will develop perceptual drawing skills; become versatile with achromatic drawing media such as graphite and charcoal; and gain conceptual and practical understanding of composing two-dimensional space. Lectures, demonstrations, critiques, and critical readings will complement the hands-on-learning process.
ART171: Narrative and Sequence
This is an introductory course structured as a thematic exploration that focuses on narrative and conceptual approaches to design and creative processes in two, three and four dimensions. Students will practice idea generation, good craftsmanship, and design vocabulary. Class will consist of discussions, presentations, quizzes, and critiques. Projects will be completed in some of the following media: paper, assemblage, cardboard, plaster, found object and digital media. Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator.
ART122: Drawing Projects
This is an introductory level drawing course designed to explore different modes of representation. Building upon traditional drawing techniques - Drawing Projects consists of a range of assignments that will strengthen a student's observational drawing skills while developing the ability to work from invention. Processes and techniques such as color theory and technical drawing and fundamentals of figure will be introduced and explored using a variety of drawing materials. Through short and long-term projects, presentations, demonstrations, critiques and readings students will deepen their engagement with craft, materials and the history of drawing.
ART281: Contemporary Art Forum
This is a lecture-based course that focuses on the discussion of contemporary visual art and design issues and their relationship to fundamental visual art practices. Students will attend lectures by visiting artists, write reflective responses, attend one field trip to a contemporary art venue, and attend break-out discussion sessions. The course uses a credit/no credit system based on attendance and written responses to lectures. Students will be exposed to current trends and issues in the art world, causing them to think critically of their place in the contemporary practice of art and design.
Studio Art
First Semester: ART111, ART121, ART281
Second Semester: ART122, ART171, ART281
Take one additional ART281 in the second year
Art Education
First Semester: ART111, ART121, ART281
Second Semester: ART171, ART122
Communication Design
First Semester: ART111, ART121, ART281
Second Semester: ART171, ART 221
Art History
Take any three hours
Technical Requirements
Students will need Adobe Creative Cloud or Creative Suite software, Illustrator, and Photoshop. A MacBook Pro 15" laptop is preferred, but a 13" or a PC with the required software is acceptable.
