Art 135 Spring 2021 | Tues / Thursday 11:15 – 1:55 | Building C1
Zoom Link: https://lehigh.zoom.us/j/92922753035
Course Description
This course is an intermediate investigation of painting which builds upon prior knowledge of color theory, formal principles, content and expression. The course will further explore technical paint applications as well as large scale, series and diptych formats with varying color strategies. Working initially from direct observation, students will continue to hone their perceptual skills and advance to narrative based and abstract painting. The studio course assignments will be supported by lectures that introduce both contemporary and historical precedents in painting.
Course Content
- Intermediate Color Theory: color wheel, theories of additive and subtractive color, color mixing, pigments and their characteristics, contrast of hue, value and saturation.
- Technical aspects of painting: construction of support, stretching & preparing canvas, pigments, mediums, solvents, and paint handling.
- Construction of the pictorial field: composition, translation of 3D to 2D in color, figure ground relationship, volume and mass, light and volume, edge and contour, spatial strategies.
- Content, Narrative & Abstraction: the relationship between formal issues and content.
- Color organization: analogous, warm and cool, monochromatic, split complementary, triadic
- Paint handling: Mixed Media, Mark making and brushwork.
- Context: Painting issues and art history, studio practices, methods, conceptual thinking and formal issues.
Course Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate how to paint perceptually & abstractly with great skill
- Solve complex visual problems utilizing color, form and content as analytical tools
- Create well composed and innovative paintings in varying formats
- Clearly understand advanced principles of color theory
- Confidently use painting vocabulary to analyze art
- Build and stretch large scale canvases
Expectations
This class is a “maker-class” where we learn by doing, however each concept will be introduced with a slide show of art historical, contemporary and student examples paired with technical demonstration. At the end of each concept we will critique student work and completed projects will be graded as well as some in-class short assignments. This is an energetic, engaged learning environment where students are encouraged to take risks and challenge their understanding of painting.
Lab Fee: Enrolling in this course requires the payment of a $100 Studio Lab Fee to be charged through the Bursar. This fee will be used to supply the student with most of the materials required to complete the course. Students will be expected to purchase additional materials as needed based on their individual studio projects.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Lehigh University is committed to maintaining an equitable and inclusive community and welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University’s educational programs. If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting accommodations, please contact both your instructor and the Office of Academic Support Services, Williams Hall, Suite 301 (610-758-4152) as early as possible in the semester. You must have documentation from the Academic Support Services office before accommodations can be granted. For more information or to request services, please contact Disability Support Services in person in Williams Hall, Suite 301, via phone at 610-758-4152, via email at indss@lehigh.edu, or online at https://studentaffairs.lehigh.edu/disabilit
Environment
Lehigh University endorses The Principles of Our Equitable Community. We expect each member of this class to acknowledge and practice these Principles. Respect for each other and for differing viewpoints is a vital component of the learning environment inside and outside the classroom.
Academic Integrity
If a portion of your work (ie: artist statement & research presentations) is not your own, you must cite the source completely. Images are also copyrighted. Even when you utilize “copy-free” work from Wikimedia Commons, there are rules for how the author is to be credited. See the Library Tutorials for Research Success.
Attendance / Grading / Cell Phone Policy
Punctuality and attendance is mandatory for each class. New concepts will be introduced daily, as well as discussions and demonstrations that cannot be made up. More than three unexcused absences will result in a grade drop and a Section 3 report will be issued. Three unexcused tardies is considered an absence. A doctor’s, deans or judge letter must accompany excused absences. Homework that is turned in late will drop a half letter for each day that it is late. It is the student’s responsibility to find out missed assignments. Use of phones for texting and calls is strictly prohibited during class time. Students may listen to headphones with one earbud only so that you can listen to class instructions.
Evaluation Criteria
- Attendance 25%
- Completion & quality of in class work 35%
- Blog Posts & Comments / Homework 20%
- Critique Skills/ Blog Comments, / Participation 5%
- Midterm & Final Projects 15%
Homework
Students are expected to do a minimum of 3 homework hours per week. Weekly classes will begin with a critique of the homework assignment. Verbal participation during critiques is required. Students may resubmit projects for an improved grade resulting in an average of original and final re-submitted grade. Please discuss with instructor. Attendance of LUAG events & visiting artist lectures is extra credit.
Studio Maintenance & Safety
This is a shared low toxicity painting studio. Proper low toxicity studio methods will be taught for solvent recycling, rag disposal and daily studio clean-up. These studio maintenance rules must be strictly observed for your safety and others. Improper clean-up and repeated negligence will result in grade reduction. No eating in studio.
RESOURCE MATERIALS ****PDF files or links can be found on Course Site
David Batchelor, Colour, Documents of Contemporary Art, MIT Press
Albers, Joseph, Interaction of Color, Rev. Ed. New Haven, Conn. Yale University Press 1975
Arnheim, Rudolf, Visual Thinking, University of California, 1969
Itten, Johannes, The Elements of Color, Edl. Faber Birren. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold,
Assignment Schedule * Instructor may modify material or schedule. All changes will be announced in class.
| DATE | TOPIC | ASSIGNMENTS |
| February 2 | ALL REMOTE / ZOOM CLASS Introduction to course, supplies & syllabus | Prepare Painting 1 Portfolio & post on blog |
| February 4 | ALL REMOTE / ZOOM CLASS Advanced Still Life Painting with black and white or monochromatic photos. | Personal Narrative Still LIfe Painting |
| Feb 9 – 11 | Advanced Still Life Painting / Breaking down shapes / Jane Piper to Picasso to Deb Brown | Personal Narrative Still LIfe Painting |
| Feb 16 – 18 | Advanced Still Life Painting / Finding meaning through color and brush work. | Personal Narrative Still LIfe Painting |
| Feb 23 – 25 | Advanced Still LIfe & Class Critique | Self Portrait preparation |
| March 2-4 | Self Portrait / LUAG Collection | Self Portrait / Large Canvas Stretching Demonstration |
| March 9-11 | Self Portrait | Self Portrait |
| March 16 – 18 | Self Portrait/ Critique | Self Portrait Finish |
| March 23 – 25 | Intro to Contemporary Practice / color & space & content | Landscape Painting |
| March 30 – April 1 | Moving toward Abstraction / Composing complex space/ Multiple sources | Abstraction from Nature |
| April 6 – 8 | Moving toward Abstraction / LUAG / Field Trip | Abstraction from Industry |
| April 13 – 15 | Moving to Abstraction / Landscape Painting /Joan Mitchel | Abstraction from Landscape |
| April 20 -22 | Final Mentor Painting | Cumulative Final Project |
| April 27 -29 | Final Mentor Painting | Cumulative Final Project |
| May 4 | Final Mentor Painting | Cumulative Final Project Finish |
| May 6 | Final Critique/ Studio Cleanout | Mandatory Attendance |
| May 14 | Final Portfolio Due | Pickup work & supplies |
Extra Credit
Attend any of these events & lectures / Read an article on a blog and post about on our class blog / Write a response in your blog or photo from your sketchbook
Galleries
LUAG Exhibitions & Events Art & Dialogue Events Happening all Spring Semester.
Banana Factory
Allentown Art Museum
Local Galleries
Philly Galleries
Blogs