Course Description
Introduction to acrylic paint and basic studio practice and theory in abstract painting. Students study the impulse toward abstraction in modernism and build upon various drawing and painting strategies and techniques to explore abstraction as an idea and artistic practice.
Athena Title
Paint Strat and Abstr
Prerequisite
ARST 2100
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Using acrylic paint as the primary medium, students work through a wide range of visual strategies to imagery, surface, scale, and shape as investigating color and light concepts, compositional space and structural problems, and paint as a vehicle for personal expression. Assignments are organized thematically with references to direct observation, memory, research, photography, film and video, literature, anecdote, the creative imagination and established abstract iconographies in various arts traditions. Readings in art criticism and theory, as well as exposure to contemporary artists, are addressed in the context of studio art production. Visual lectures covering historical and contemporary abstraction, research, responsive writing, and field trips round out the course. Upon completion of the course, students will have a record of investigation into the fundamental concepts and practice of abstraction, will utilize experimental and intuitive approaches to a variety of subject matter, including conceptual approaches to painting, will have a basic understanding of the historical, theoretical and conceptual development of abstraction and modern painting history, and will have developed technical competence in acrylic painting media and painting vocabulary. Through individual and group critique, students will think critically, identifying and analyzing the technical qualities, formal elements, conceptual choice of their own and other's work in painting, working with dialogue that is stylistically appropriate and mature.
Topical Outline
Students develop fundamental painting skills with a focus on studio practice within the broad context of abstraction. The first part of the semester's projects will deal with the historic and social aspects of twentieth century painting. Later, students will be updating various visual strategies of mid-century American abstraction and progress towards re- contextualizing the numerous stylistic manifestations that were reactionary toward it. Discussions will center on modernist and post-modern aesthetics and imagery. The assignments in this course are structured with an emphasis on painterly expression, the fundamental principles of design, composition, color, personal expression and the establishment of good craftsmanship. Issues of what to paint and why are explored through both private and group critique.
Syllabus
Public CV