Fall 2008

Course Objectives Texts Course Content Writing/Great Debate Criteria Visual Art Grading Criteria Participation--Attendance and Punctuality Supplies

Visual Perception

The Cultural Image -- Nature and Culture Setting the Context--The Form Ways of Communicating

LIGHT Light and Visual Correspondences Film and the Flicks--The Magic Lantern Show Cinematography & Film

Exam

SPACE Getting to the Roots--Western Euro-centric Space and Visual Display Rendering Perspective Our Own Spatial Culture The Postmodern Frame--Art in Our Times Pluralism

TIME Time and Motion--The Movies--The 4th Dimension Film Time and Movement

Exam

Creating a Mask

This course will explore the nature of the world's visual arts and their influences on the quality of our lives. It will discuss:   What is visual culture?: Understanding our own ways of seeing and of becoming visually literate; Employing visual thinking and creating through visual communication; Understanding the roots of visual culture and visual production.   COURSE OBJECTIVES:   1. To discover the purpose of the visual arts; 2. To realize the scope of the visual arts; 3. To develop an awareness of and appreciation for the diversity of human visual responses; 4. To become aware of and involved in the act of creativity; and 5. To become a motivating force for bettering your visual environment. Student Learning Outcomes for Art 1) To develop fundamental skills and concepts relative to the practice of art. 2) To develop an understanding and appreciation of the tradition which formed our present approach to the visual arts. 3) To develop the ability to analyze the merits of art works and develop informed opinions applicable to the broad range of human cultural production. 4) To develop specific skills and knowledge of a medium(s) to be utilized as a means of visual communication and self expression5) To encourage the development of new approaches, methodologies and philosophies of art as well as the understanding of traditional modes and paradigms.     TEXTS: The Humanistic Tradition Volumes 3 & 6 --Gloria Fiero Art Basics (this is a very thin booklet--no author listed) packet of 101 handouts at Campus Center Copy Service   COURSE CONTENT:   40% -- Written Entries/Great Debates (10 Great Debate assignments) 25% -- Visual Entries/Artworks 5% box 5% -- realistic drawing, 5% -- abstract drawing, 10% -- mask 10% -- Global Art History Archive 10% -- First Exam (Part Take-Home, Part In-Class) 10% -- Second Exam ( " ) 5% - -Participation (The class may decide to give more weight to some items at a later time.)  WRITING/GREAT DEBATE CRITERIA:   All debate position papers should be: 1. typed, double-spaced, 3/4 to 1+ pages long, 1.5" margins; 2. state your position and present your evidence--support your statement; and 3. be prepared for the discussions to follow--small groups and individuals will represent differing points of view.   VISUAL ART GRADING CRITERIA:   All visual artwork will be evaluated in terms of: l. imagination, enthusiasm, and risk taking; 2. clarity of concept, organization; 3. timely participation (come to class, turn in work on time, and participate in discussions); and 4. quality of execution (craftsmanship and thoroughness) and the ability to be self-correcting.     PARTICIPATION -- ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY   This course requires full attendance. Visual concepts are often only understood after sharing, comparing, questioning, revising and synthesizing, as well as listening. A tardy or absent student diminishes the overall quality of the class. Three tardies will equal one unexcused absence. Three unexcused absences will lower the final grade.   PLEASE TURN OFF ALL ELECTRONICS--CELLPHONES, BEEPERS AND PAGERS BEFORE ENTERING THE CLASSROOM.     SUPPLIES: viewfinder--1 1/2" x 2" interior opening OR digital camera bristol board pad (rough surface--if available), approximately 9" x 11" Prismacolor or Spectracolor colored pencils soft pencil Kohinoor soft white vinyl eraser X-acto knife, # 11 and packet of #11 blades ruler glue stick scissors additional materials to be announced later (for "box" see item #1 and for mask -- see item #9) back to top

Week One: Syllabus & the Big Picture     Visual Perception setting the context: the perceptual experience I, the observer, and the "stuff" out there gestalt visual illusions   Representations/depictions/correspondences setting the context: the the "stuff" out there depicted                   back to top

great debate 1. Look through your viewfinder and capture images of a day in the life of yourself. Create 10 thumbnails sketches or photos of objects you come in contact with--home, school, work, leisure. Use a variety of framed points of view--worm's or bird's eye points of view and select tipped/tilted framing or parallel-to-the-horizon framing. These should be done quickly. great debate All debate position papers should be typed, double-spaced, 3/4 to 1+ pages long. State your position and present your evidence--support your statement. Discussions will follow--small groups and individuals will represent opposing points of view. We will arbitrarily divide up the class to cover these 4 points of view: a) worm's eye vs. bird's eye point of view --how is meaning created from this point of view? and b) tipped or tilted framing vs. parallel-to-the-horizon framing --how is meaning created from this point of view?

if you want to get a head start on your readings here are some of them: 3, pp. 23-26, 28-29, 44-77 Art Basics, p. 15

Week Two: The Cultural Image--Nature/Culture   How do we look at visual culture? Am I a feral child? The Innocent Eye Test The Innocent Eye Test, 1981 -- Mark Tansey     Representations/depictions Treason of Images   Treason of Images, 1928-9 -- Rene Magritte       Captain Cook and the Visual Depiction of Hawai'i   back to top

great debate 2. Innocent eye vs. Sophisticated eye   Answer the Innocent Eye Test questions

Innocent Eye Test questions in packet

Abstract Drawing

Week Five: Cinematography & Film     Casablanca and "Play it again, Sam."   Casablanca, 1943 -- Michael Curtiz   Casablanca, 1943 -- Michael Curtiz   back to top

great debate 4 & 5. A. Reflect on the Casablanca questions and write on 1 question. B. Create a value drawing of 1 shot related to your question--do not copy from the xerox images. (Please see separate handout.) This is a study in light and value--aim for chiaroscuro (highlight and shadow) using black pencil only--do not use lines. C. Sketch a plan view, diagramming the lighting, set and actors.

refer to the questions in your packet

Week Six:   Casablanca discussion Carrotblanca film genres   back to top

EC--light in film Select 1 of the 100 classic films. Write a 1 paragraph synopsis and create a value drawing of a crucial shot.

list located in your packet

SPACE   Week Seven: Getting to the Roots -- Western Euro-centric Space and Visual Display SHIFT -- thinking about self and the world as expressed in visual depictions   Rendering Perspective -- The Illusion of 3-Dimensional Space on a 2-Dimensional Picture Plane   space a 2-D perspective our visual spatial cultural legacy -- 500 years of European Renaissance video: The Day the Universe Changed -- "Point of View" The Holy Trinity, 1425 -- Masaccio

Global Art History Archive 4 American Gothic                   Global Art History Archive 5 The Holy Trinity   EC create a perspective drawing

Art Basics p. 15           3, 23-26 -pp. 28-29 -pp. 44-77 -another culture but same time frame

Week Ten: The Postmodern Frame--Art in Our Own Times   SHIFT--thinking about self and the world as expressed in visual depictions   Postmodern Architecture Charles Moore, Frank Gehry, etc. and the pomo Piazza d'Italia Piazza d'Italia, 1978-79 -- Charles Moore, et. al.   back to top

6, pp. 160-164

Week Eleven:       back to top

EC Select an historical or contemporary artwork from The Humanistic Tradition and place it in its cultural context.

Week Twelve:      The Postmodern Frame--Art in Our Own Times--Pluralism   Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Economic Class contemporary visual culture Jacob Lawrence and Robert Colescott Barbara Kruger and the Guerrilla Girls high culture & low culture our own contemporary context and pop art Nancy Drew   back to top

6, pp. 93-119

Week Thirteen: Aesthetics--How Might We Judge Beauty?   "Beauty, Ugliness, and Aesthetic Experience" back to top

great debate EC Beauty and Ugliness--Select 1 "Beauty..." case study--state the different positions and support your preferred position and why.

Puzzles handouts

TIME Week Thirteen: Time and Motion--The Movies--The 4th Dimension   the dynamic image implied movement Mark Tansey, Saul Steinberg, etc. comics, storyboarding and continuity apparent movement the framed and filmed and edited image "What's up Doc?"--animation actual movement back to top

Global Art History Archive 9 Take One     Global Art History Archive 10 How Green Was My Valley

6, pp. 12, 55, 62-63, 79, 105, 140, 142, 151, 160

Week Fourteen: Film Time and Movement             back to top

great debate 10. Film Editing--Select another classic film and create a 20 shot storyboard. (Please see separate handout.)

6, pp. 5-12, 80-81, 144, 153-157