Syllabus and Materials List

ART 105 Two Dimensional Design@ Mercer County Community College
Kyle M. Stevenson, professor

Room: FA120

Office: ET 124, WWC

stevensk@mccc.edu and/or kylestevenson@yahoo.com

Course Blog: professorkylestevenson2d.blogspot.com

Introduction:
ART 105 addresses the essential concepts and language associated with two-dimensional design. It is upon a foundation of these visual concepts that good art can be built.  With exercises, projects, and demonstrations I will teach you to work your specific interests into compelling art projects.  You will finish this course able to develop your own visual ideas and know that the elements of design are essential to seeing and communicating in a dynamic and compelling way.

Course Goals and Objectives:

• Complete all assignments and exercises on time and in a professional manner.
• Improve your current skill level and confidence in interpreting and employing specific design elements.
• Comprehend and utilize the basic techniques, vocabulary and concepts associated with design.
• Develop the ability to communicate your individual ideas into two-dimensional images that use core design concepts (see list below).

Approaches and Concepts to be Covered:

Line                                         Scale                                                   Emphasis                  
Repetition                              Proportion/Perspective                    Foreshortening
Balance                                  Illusion of Space + Time                  Value/Tonal control

Color                                      Optical Mixing                                   Collage

Text                                        Bookmaking                                      Painting


This course is deliberately weighted to meet the needs of Art Majors and related disciplines.  I do realize that there is a diversity of students (majors) enrolled in this course.  Because this is an introductory class, we will be using the most fundamental concepts of the medium, so I will expect everyone to be on the same page as we work through a number of exercises and studies.  It is natural to have a range of skill levels in every class and hopefully you will all gain as much from each other as you will from my course instruction.  Good Luck.

 

EVALUATION PROCEDURES

At assigned intervals the student will present a project for critique.  This work will be his/her personal solution to a particular design problem.  Approximately 8 projects will be completed in class over the course of the semester including the Final.  In addition, the student will be regularly assigned homework and readings to be done outside of class.  This work will receive a letter grade based on the following criteria:

·         Following directions (using assigned subject matter and/or assigned media).

·         Time and Effort (the appropriate amount of effort was put forth)

·         Professionalism (neatness, technical skills, and clean work.)

·         Imagination and Interpretation of assignment.

NOTE: Respect for the due dates is mandatory.  Late work will not be accepted. 

ATTENDANCE:

More than one unexcused absence will impact negatively on the student’s final grade.  Each unexcused absence thereafter will result in the drop one third of a letter grade (i.e. B drops to B-).  If you come to work sessions unprepared (without the assigned supplies) you will be counted as absent or late, depending on the degree of unpreparedness. In addition, arriving to class late or leaving early will count as half an absence each time.

GRADING AND RETURNING ASSIGNMENTS:

I will make every effort to return each project or quiz within one week of its submission.  A numeric value that translates into a single letter grade will be given for each assignment (A-F with +/-). At the discretion of the instructor, a mid-term portfolio check may be required.  Please see the following page for a break down and explanation of the grading I use to evaluate your skills.

 

FINAL EVALUATION OCCURS DURING THE LAST WEEK OF THE TERM

This course outline is a tool for the instructor.  Its objective is to produce good visual thinking along with manual skills.  Although visual outcomes are defined, the means for achieving these outcomes are varied. This course outline encourages instructor initiatives.  The right to add or delete projects, to modify them and/or re-sequence the order of projects is discretionary.  In order to facilitate good learning outcomes, the instructor may also wish to adjust lecture/critique components to fit the needs of his her particular class.

PERCENTAGE OF FINAL GRADE:

50%    = (avg.) weekly class projects

20%    = Final Project

10%    = (avg.) vocabulary/reading quiz grades

10%    = Artist Presentation

10%    = Overall Attendance and Daily participation

100%  = Final Grade (A-F)

Materials List

Text: Pipes, Alan Introduction to Design, Prentice Hall (any edition)

Supplies needed:

·         Graphite pencils Pack of 4 Graphic or Soft Sketching Pencils (HB, 2B, 4B, 6B)

·         Design brand Ebony drawing pencils Pack of 2

·         Variety of erasers(white plastic; gray kneaded, pink gum)

·         Black inking pens 1 Micron 04 pen, 1 Fine Point Sharpie, 1 Prisma-Color Marker(2 sided Fine/Broad)

·         French curve with inking edge 10 ½ inking edge

·         Metal ruler: 18” or 24”

·         Circle templates with large and small circles up to 2” in diameter

·         Triangle with 12” inking edge

·         Sketchbook 8”x10” to 11”x14”

·         Pad of Bristol paper 14” x 17” pad (more as needed)

·         Canson Mi'tientes brand or Utrecht Miliani brand individual sheets of paper 19x25; 1 sheet of white, black, and gray

·         Tracing paper as needed

·         Illustration board as needed (Hot Press) comes in packs of 2 (15”x20”) or 1 (20”x 30” to cut into 2 pieces) will probably need at least 4 packs

·         Cheap water color paper for color swatches (feel free to share a pad)

·         Disposable palette pad

·         Brushes—long handled bristle brushes (round: #1 or 2, #4 or 5, flats: #3 or 4,#7 or 8)

·         Oil Paint—one small tube for each of the following colors: ivory black, titanium white, cobalt blue (hue), cadmium red medium (hue), cadmium yellow light (hue)

·         Small bottle of Liquin

·         Plastic palette knife

·         Small bottle of Turpenoid or odorless mineral spirits

·         Small metal cup

·         Scissors

·         Xacto knife

·         Glue stick(s)

·         Rubber Cement

·         Hole punch (a single hand held punch, don’t get a 3 hole punch)

·         White-Out

·         Tackle box or Artbin in which to carry all your supplies

·         Portfolio large enough to comfortably fit 18x24 paper