1/27/10 Intro to Art

Today's Class- In class today the museum assignment was distributed and reviewed. The specifics of that assignment can be found here. We then looked at slides from the history of art, focusing on the many uses and functions of lines in that work. The studio portion today was a series of exercises in contour line.

How to make this up- Students who missed today's class need to make up this portfolio exercise on their own sometime before the end of the semester. Details of the exercise can be found here.

Homework- None

For next class 2/3/10- Bring your 18"x24" pad, pencils, and eraser. I'll provide the subject for more exercises in drawing.

1/20/10 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today was the first day of the semester. I distributed and reviewed the syllabus. Students participated in a survey of previous art experience, which we discussed as a group. Most students purchased the textbook packet.

Homework- If you haven't yet purchased the textbook, bring $3 to class next week.

For next class 1/27/10- Bring your 18"x24" pad, pencils, and eraser. You will need a shoe for the contour line exercises, so either bring an extra or be prepared to use one of your own.

Welcome to the Spring 2010 Semester

This is the blog that I have created for my classes at Kean University. This semester I have two sections of FA 1000 Introduction to Art. Since the classes will be doing the same thing each day, these posts apply to both sections.

Each week I will be posting detailed information about what we did in class. This will include a mention of the kind of art we were looking at, a full description of the day's studio art project (with photos of student examples if applicable and available), homework assignments, reminders of due dates, and the list of materials needed for the following week's class.

The main purpose of this blog is to provide information to students who miss class for any reason. If you are absent, come here (information will usually be posted by late that evening) to see what you missed and get a head start on making it up. Or even if you never miss a class, but might need a reminder of when something is due or what to bring to class, this blog can be helpful. It's available to give you the answers to the most common student questions 24/7. Of course, if you have a more detailed question or need more information you are welcome to e-mail me directly and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible with the answer.

Final Grades of the Fall Semester

Final Grades for my Fall 2009 sections of Introduction to Art have been calculated and submitted to KeanWise. The grades should be available for viewing by students sometime after 4:30 pm on January 4, 2010.

12/16/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at all the 3D projects, and those and the semester portfolios were graded. Unclaimed work was put on top of the file cabinet at the back of the room. Final class grades will be available online in January.

Enjoy the break.

12/9/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today was a general work day for the class. Students worked on anything related to the class. Some worked on the Final Project, some on their papers, some on previous projects. We also looked at some late arriving comic strip projects.

Homework- The 3D Final Project is due at the beginning of class on December 16, 2009. Those who have not yet turned in their museum papers should bring them as well.

For next class 12/16/09- Our final class meeting. Bring your 3D box project, all the portfolio material, and museum papers. We will critique all the projects as a group, and I'll grade everything else that comes in.

12/2/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we started by looking at the comic strip symbolic narrative projects. We also reviewed the Thanksgiving Architecture make up assignment. We viewed slides covering the history of sculpture, from prehistory to the present. Finally we talked about the final 3D project, a Joseph Cornell style box. Previous student examples are shown above.

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How to make this up- Further student examples (and one from me), along with all the specifications, can be found here.

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Homework- This 3D Box project is due at the beginning of class on the day of our last meeting, December 16, 2009. Those who have not yet turned in the comic strip, or had their collograph printed, should bring those next week.

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For next class 12/9/09- Next week will be a general work day, meaning students can work on anything related to the class. Most will work on the box project, but you may bring in materials to work on any back project that doesn't involve any items from me (such as still life objects or music). Below is the list of all the portfolio exercises from this semester and the dates where they can be found on this blog:

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Contour Line Drawings (shoes) 9/19/09

Negative Space (chair and bottles) 9/23/09

Charcoal Value Drawing (white objects) 9/30/09

Cut Paper Mosaic Collage 10/7/09

Color Wheel/Color Mixing 10/14/09

Photographs 10/21/09

Abstract Compositions to music 10/28/09

Collagraph print 11/4/09

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Bring whatever materials you will need to work on whatever you plan to do during the class.

Architecture Assignment

The class meeting on Wednesday November 25, 2009 has been cancelled. The next class meeting will be December 2, 2009.

The following is a short assignment that you need to do as part of making up that day:

In whatever location you eat your Thanksgiving dinner (your home, relatives home, house or apartment, restaurant, etc) find examples of the following architectural elements and materials:

stone/brick
cast concrete
solid wood
plywood
post and beam/lintel
glass
structural steel/aluminum
electical motor
interior load bearing structure

These items should be permanently part of the house, used in its construction or otherwise attached to the structure of the house.

For each item, state where it is found in the building and what function it serves in the building. Write it up in paragraph form and bring it to the next class.

11/18/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at slides of architecture from prehistoric to late 20th century. Then the collographs were printed while students worked on their comic strip projects.

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How to make this up- Bring your collograph plate to the next meeting of our class, December 2, 2009. I'll take them to print at my studio and return to you the following week.

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Homework- The personal narrative comic strip project started last week is due at the beginning of class on December 2, 2009. The architecture take home assignment is also due on 12/2/09.

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For next class 12/2/09- Bring your completed comic strip project and some paper for sketching. (can be your big pad or a notebook/sketchbook) If you haven't brought your photos to class yet, bring them that day.

11/11/09 Intro to Art

Today's class- Today we looked at slides of art that dealt with issues of narrative (story telling) and symbolism. We also looked at all the photos from the photography assignment. The first graded art project of the semester, a personal narrative in the form of a comic strip, was discussed.

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How to make this up- The assignment is to tell a true story from your life using symbolic characters to represent yourself and others in the story. Above are several examples from previous semesters. Today students were asked to consider what story they want to depict and what kinds of symbols they want to use. To see the specifics of the assignment, as well as some supplementary material, click here.

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Homework- This graded project will be due at the beginning of class on December 2, 2009. Students will be given time in class next week to work on the project while the collographs that we started last week are printed. Those who did not bring photos this week should bring them to class next week.

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For next class 11/18/09- Bring your 18"x24" pad, pencil, paper, and pastels. Also bring your completed collograph plate. (I'll provide the ink and tools to print it) While individual collographs are printed everyone else will work on the comic strip project.

11/4/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at the history of printmaking, from the renaissance to the present. Students started a new print related portfolio exercise, a collograph. Previous student examples are shown above. In class we started making the plates. Students will finish them on their own time and we will print them in class in a few weeks. We also had the oral presentations related to the recent research assignment and the papers were returned.

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How to make this up- Instructions for creating a collograph plate can be found here. You should be able to find everything you need around your home.

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Homework- The completed collograph plate is due in class on November 18th, at which time we'll print them in class, using ink and tools that I'll provide. The photography assignment is due in class next week, November 11, 2009. Bring prints of all 20 photos from the assignment.

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For next class 11/11/09- We will start the first graded art project of the semester. Bring your 18"x24" pad, pencil, eraser, and set of pastels.

10/28/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at slides related to the idea of rhythm and movement in visual art. Then we did a portfolio exercise where students listened to a variety of instrumental music and created abstract watercolor compositions based on what they were listening to. Above is an example. At the end of class we looked at an example of each student's work while the class tried to guess which music inspired it.

How to make this up- Full details, including the type of music listened to and further student examples, can be found here. This is a portfolio exercise, which must be made up by the end of the semester.

Homework- Anyone who has not yet turned in their research assignment should do so as soon as possible. The longer it takes to get to me, the more points you lose. The photo assignment that I gave last week is due November 11, 2009.

Next class 11/4/09- Next week we will be starting a printmaking related project, making a collagraph plate. You are invited to bring in a variety of materials that can be cut up and/or glued down to create the plate. (I'll have a huge bag of stuff available as well) Materials can be natural or manufactured, anything with interesting textures and not too thick. You will need to bring scissors and glue, in addition to whatever collage materials you bring. You don't need your large pad of paper.

10/21/09 Intro to Art

Today's class- Today we looked at slides of the history of photography, from the early 1800's experimental processes to today. We also discussed the vocabulary of photography and the process by which it works. The photography assignment was distributed and reviewed. In addition, research papers were collected and we took a tour of all the studio classrooms in the building.

Homework- The photography assignment, including some student examples, can be found here. Prints of all 20 photographs are due at the beginning of class on November 11, 2009. Those who have not yet turned in your research papers should bring them to class as soon as possible. The longer it's late, the fewer points you will get.

For next class 10/28/09- Bring in your 18"x24" pad and all the painting related materials- watercolors, brushes, palette and water container.

10/14/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at the history and use of color in art. We started with slides ranging from cave paintings through the 20th century. The day's project was creating a color wheel and doing an exercise in complement color mixing, as shown above.

How to make this up- This full description is too lengthy to put here. Next week in class I'll have a handout for students that explains all the steps. This is a portfolio exercise that can be made up anytime before the end of the semester.

Homework- The research papers are due at the beginning of class next week, October 21, 2009.

For next class 10/14/09- Next week we will be learning about photography. The project will be an assignment that I hand out and you do on your own. As a result, you do not need to bring in any of your art supplies next week.

10/7/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at monumental art- art which is designed to be permanently part of a building, put on walls, ceiling, or floor. I showed slides from cave paintings to contemporary work, as well as a video of a contemporary mural being created. Then we started the day's project, a mosaic style collage. While students worked on that, I met with everyone individually to discuss their chosen artists and artworks for the research assignment.

How to make this up- Details as to how to make up the day's art project (an example of which can be seen above) can be found here. This is a portfolio exercise, so it must be made up by the end of the semester.

Homework- The research assignment is due at the beginning of class on October 21, 2009. Those who have not yet shown me their artists and artworks should do so as soon as possible.

Next class 10/14/09- Next time we officially begin our study of color. Bring all your paint related materials- watercolor paints, brush, mixing palette, and some kind of water container, as well as your 18"x24" pad and pencil.

9/30/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we looked at the formal art property of value, defined as the relative lightness or darkness of elements in a work of art. Proper use of value can add to the illusion of space and volume in a 2D artwork. We looked at slides of art from antiquity to the present, then did a portfolio exercise in value drawing, as in the example above. We also visited the gallery to see the Fine Arts Adjunct Exhibition.

How to make this up- To learn the details as to how to make up this exercise, click here. This is a portfolio exercise and must be made up by the end of the semester.

Homework- The list of artists and artworks and book for your research assignment is due in class next week, October 7, 2009.

For next class 10/7/09- Bring your 18"x24" pad of paper, pencil and eraser, scissors and glue. We will be doing a collage type project. If you have any old magazines that you don't mind cutting up, you can bring them in. I will have some magazines for you to go through as well.

9/23/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today I distributed the research assignment to the class, showed slide examples of the various art movements to the class, and the students chose topics based on a randomly assigned order. After that we did some drawing exercises involving negative space. We did a negative space drawing of a chair and used negative space to help find spacing, proportions, shapes, and locations in a still life drawing of bottles. These were both portfolio exercises.

Homework- The list of 3 artists, an artwork from each, and an example of book to be used in the research of your chosen topic is due in class on October 7, 2009. The completed paper is due at the beginning of class on October 21, 2009.

For next class 9/30/09- We will start our study of value. Bring your 18"x24" pad of drawing paper, drawing charcoal, and a kneaded eraser. This can be messy, so you are advised not to wear light colors to class that day.

9/16/09 Intro to Art

Today's Class- Today we reviewed the museum assignment due by the end of the semester. Then we looked at slides of examples of line from prehistoric cave paintings through the 20th century. For today's studio project we did some exercises in contour drawing involving shoes.

Homework- none, but if you missed today's class, the information as to how to make it up is found here.

For next class 9/23/09- I will distribute the research assignment, then we will continue our study of line. Bring your 18"x24" pad of drawing paper, pencils, and eraser.

9/09/09 Intro to Art

Today's class- Today was the first day of class. The syllabus was distributed and reviewed. The course outline was also distributed and the class completed a survey about their art experiences.

Homework- none

For the next class 9/16/09- Bring your 18"x24" drawing pad, pencils, and eraser. The subject will be shoes. You may want to bring an extra shoe with you to draw, or you can take a chance I'll find some in the prop closet, or you can use one that you are wearing.

Those who didn't buy the photocopied book should bring $3 next week to purchase one.

Welcome to the Fall 2009 Semester

I will be using this blog each week to post information about the classes I teach here at Kean. This semester I have two sections of FA 1000 (Intro to Art) that meet on the same day, so each week's entry applies to both classes unless I state otherwise.

For each week I will post a description of what was done in class that day, with full directions as to how to make up the assignment. When available and applicable I will have photos of student projects from previous semesters to show successful examples and what the end results should be. Any homework and due dates will be listed under the day's entry as well. In addition, I'll list what materials will be needed for the following week's class. I'll have about a month's worth of postings available on the main page, and previous dates are available through the archives on the right.

The main purpose of this blog is for students who missed class for whatever reason, so that they may make up the work missed before they return to class. However, stop by here also if you need a reminder of when a project is due, or what materials you need next, etc. These used to be the most common e-mail questions I got from students. Now you can get the answers to these questions 24/7 without having to wait for me to reply to an e-mail. Of course, if you have any further questions regarding an assignment you are welcome to contact me via e-mail. Don't bother to leave comments here, as I won't be on the blog between classes.