Courses

All courses carry 3 credits unless otherwise specified.

501 Advanced Drawing
Investigation and development of various techniques and media. Emphasis on figure drawing.

502 Advanced Drawing Problems
Advanced work in traditional and contemporary drawing media. Independent exploration of graphic problems. Solutions to problems sought in relation to student’s personal objectives.

(Art Ed) 501 Student Teaching Practicum N-9
Art Education student teaching in grades K-9. Taken in conjunction with ART 761. Prerequisites: Art Education major, ART 510, 512, 515 or 516, and consent of instructor. Credit, 3-12.

(Art Ed) 502 Student Teaching Practicum 5-12
Art Education student teaching in grades 5-12. Taken in conjunction with ART 761. Prerequisites: Art Education major, ART 510, 512, 515 or 516, and consent of instructor. Credit, 3-12.

510 Visual Arts and Human Development I
(1st sem)
Visual arts as they relate to the development of the individual. The nature of art, artistic and concept development, art and psychology, integrated arts, art appreciation and criticism, and lesson planning. Field experiences, workshops, and readings. Prerequisite: Art Education major or consent of instructor.

512 Visual Arts and Human Development II
(2nd sem)
May be taken prior to ART 510. Visual arts as they relate to the development of the individual. Presentations, workshops, current literature in the field. Topics include: grading and evaluation, discipline, special needs students, art therapy, ordering of supplies, budgets, and lesson planning. Prerequisite: Art Education major or consent of instructor.

515 Advanced Problems in Art Education K-9
(1st sem)
Three components: curriculum development, special needs students, and pre-practicum to be arranged in area schools. Prerequisites: Art Education major, completion of ART 510 and 512; or consent of instructor.

516 Advanced Problems in Art Education 5-12
(2nd sem)
Three components: curriculum development, special needs students, and pre-practicum to be arranged in area schools. Prerequisites: Art Education major, completion of ART 510 and 512; or consent of instructor.

520 Painting I—Representation I
Basic practice and theory of painting developed through the study of traditional and contemporary procedures used in the development of pictorial form. Emphasis on still life, landscape, and the human figure. Materials: oil and aqueous media.

521 Painting—Aqueous Media
Basic practice and theory of painting developed through the study of traditional and contemporary procedures used in the development of pictorial form. Emphasis on still life, landscape, and the human figure. Materials: aqueous media.

522 Painting - Intermediate
Thematic development based upon the study of objects, the environment, the human figure, and non-objective vocabularies. Related contemporary and historical issues included. Group and individual critiques used to develop continuity of work.

523 Painting - Advanced Materials and Techniques
Study of formal and informal painting procedures. Focus on development of form as content. Information provided regarding painting processes and associated materials. Related contemporary and historical theoretical issues included. Prerequisites: ART 521, 522, or consent of instructor.

540 Printmaking: Relief I
Techniques and aesthetic considerations of the woodblock print and related media. Emphasis on drawing and on understanding technical procedures.

541 Printmaking: Intaglio I
Techniques and aesthetic considerations of techniques, engraving, aquatint, and related media. Emphasis on drawing and on understanding technical procedures.

542 Printmaking: Lithography I
Techniques and aesthetic considerations of making lithographs. Emphasis on drawing and on understanding technical procedures.

543 Printmaking: Monotype

The focus of this class is on the immediacy of the monotype, a crossover discipline combining skills of drawing, painting, and printmaking in independent projects involving a sustained inquiry into self selected themes.

560 3-D Studies/Clay Sculpture — Figure
Focus on representing the human figure using clay as the primary material. Introduction to building techniques in clay. Focus on observation and elements of three-dimensional form.

561 3-D Studies/Wood Sculpture
Three-dimensional form through a sequence of assignments stressing visual design principles. Projects primarily in wood, using woodshop equipment and power tools.

563 3-D Studies/Metal Sculpture—Welding
Primary emphasis on constructivist methods using electric and oxy-acetylene welding.

574 Animation Fundamentals

With studio. Introduction to methods and techniques of animation, as well as history of experimental film. Hands-on work with object, sand, line, and clay animation, among others. Basic audio and video skills. Students develop projects of their own design resulting in a fully edited videotape of their work. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

575 Digital Media: Still Image
Explores the creative possibilities of digital image creation and manipulation.  Through demonstrations, creative technical assignments, students explore the digital workflow in independent projects involving sustained inquiry into self selected themes.

580 3-D Studies/Ceramics—Handbuilding
Introduction to all basic methods of handbuilding and decorating techniques. Focus on both vessel tradition and ceramic sculpture. Introduction to glazes, slips, and firing. Overview of ceramic historical traditions.

581 3-D Studies/Ceramics—Wheelthrowing
Emphasis on multiples and ceramic surface solutions. Personal solutions to assignments highly encouraged. Introduction to temperature glaze, slips, and clay making. Overview of contemporary ceramic history.

582 3-D Studies/Ceramics—Moldmaking
Introduction to plaster moldmaking for use in slip, paper, and metal casting. The use of slip casting and the making of slip and press molds. Emphasis on modular units, multiples, and production.

583 3-D Studies/Ceramics—Advanced Throwing
Emphasis on further development of advanced throwing techniques; uses on- and off-wheel methods of building. Glaze making and firing instruction.

597B Special Topics—Color Theory
Introduction to the use of color in art and design; emphasis on the visual effects of colors due to context. Various color phenomena isolated and studied independently. Review of major color order systems.

597D Special Topics—Computing in the Fine Arts
Historical overview of the development of computing in the arts. Major types of graphics and imaging devices surveyed. Projects include hands-on experience with a computer graphics system to create both graphic output and programs. Prerequisite: completion of Art Foundations courses or consent of instructor.

597N Special Topics—Photography I
Introduction to photographic materials and processes. Emphasis on acquiring technical skills. Involves the balance between self-inquiry and the importance of process and materials as vehicles of meaning. Critiques and slide presentations employed to examine photography from both a personal point of view and its wider cultural context.

597P Special Topics—Photography II
In-depth exploration of techniques and materials, including: zone system, large format, non-silver processes. Slide lectures, discussions, and readings. Prerequisite: ART 597M or consent of instructor.

597R Introduction to Visual Culture
Visual culture can be roughly defined as material artifacts, buildings and images, plus time-based media and performances, produced by human labor and imagination. These serve practical functions, aesthetic, symbolic, ritualistic or ideological ends, and, to a significant extent, address the sense of sight. Visual Culture Studies draws from a number of multi-disciplinary fields such as Cultural, Media and Performance Studies. In this course, we will touch upon discourses within these fields, including semiotics, structuralism, post-structuralism, feminism, political economy, post-colonialism, psychoanalytic and queer theory. Class time will be dedicated to lectures, discussions, film and video screenings.

601 Graduate Drawing
Emphasis on individual thematic development. Discussion of contemporary issues in the visual arts; active involvement in group- and self-criticism. Strongly recommended for all first-semester students; others encouraged.

640 Printmaking: Relief II
Advanced study of materials, techniques, and aesthetic considerations relevant to relief printmaking.

641 Printmaking: Intaglio II
Advanced study of materials, techniques, and aesthetic considerations relevant to etching, engraving and aquatint.

642 Printmaking: Lithography II
Advanced study of lithography. Emphasis on concepts and techniques of color lithography.

645 Digital Media: Printmaking
This class explores digital image manipulation using the printmaking technique of Photopolymer Gravure within the context of contemporary art practice.  Independent projects will be assigned involving a sustained inquiry in to self-selected themes.

646 Digital Media: Printmaking Offset Lithography
Through demonstration, technical assignments, the possibilities of digital image creation and manipulation using Photoshop, and the photolithographic process is explored in independent projects involving sustained inquiry into self selected themes.

647 Digital Media: Silkscreen
Through demonstrations, technical assignments, the possibilities of digital image creation and manipulation using photo Silkscreen process is explored in independent projects involving sustained inquiry into self selected themes.

670 Graduate Forum
Series of lectures/presentations, panel discussions with guest speakers. Wide variety of topics relating to art. Alternate years, spring semester.

674 Computer Animation I
With studio. Principles and applications of computer animation in film, video, music and technology. Introduction to 2-D and 3-D animation programs. Skills acquired in preparation for production in second semester. Emphasis on professionalism and quality. Prerequisite: ART 597Q or consent of instructor.

675 Digital Media: Time Based
Explores experimental digital video and sound within the context of contemporary art practices in projects involving a sustained inquiry into self-selected themes.

684 Computer Animation II
With studio. Animation production using both 2-D and 3-D software, video and audio editing equipment. Includes a group project and a personal animation submitted on fully edited, individual videotape. Emphasis on professionalism and quality. Prerequisite: ART 674.

691A New York Professional Outreach Program
Introduction to the professional art system in New York City. Overnight trips. Visits to artist studios and art critics. Meetings with curators at nonprofit, alternative and museum spaces. On Friday nights: performance art, video screenings, art openings, underground films, dance events. Independent work from students’ studios discussed in critiques with class and instructor in Amherst.

696 Independent Study
Credit, 1-6.

697AA Special Topics - Introduction to Visual Culture
See 597R.

697C Special Topics—Photography III
Students submit a proposal outlining a semester-long project. An audio-visual presentation focusing on all the influences related to the project also required. Class time divided between critiques, discussions based on readings, presentations, and technical demonstrations. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

697NN Special Topics - Photograhy in the Expanded Field
In this course we will explore photographically derived images as device and strategy, potentially lending themselves to photo-sculpture, photo-text, photo-installation and photo-performance. Work discussed through readings, lectures, and visual presentations.

697Q Special Topics—Advanced Photography
Continues work begun in Photography III (ART 697M). Final presentation includes the development and consideration of forms in relation to content and issues of audience and location. Critiques, discussion of assigned readings, and slide lectures. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

697WS Special Topics - Graduate Teaching Workshop
Credit, 1Required for Teaching Assistants and Associates in Studio Arts. General discussion of educational principles and philosophy, art education theory and practice, lesson development, interpersonal relationships, classroom management, critiquing methods.

720A-D Painting
Graduate Painting majors only. Emphasis on independent studio work. Regular meetings with peers and Area Coordinator.

740A-D Printmaking
Graduate Printmaking majors only. Emphasis on independent studio work. Regular meetings with peers and Area Coordinator.

760A-D 3-D Studies/Sculpture
Graduate Sculpture majors only. Emphasis on independent studio work. Regular meetings with peers and Area Coordinator.

761 Seminar—Art Education
Seminar, lecture, discussion. Evaluation of student teaching experiences. Problems and procedures. Assigned readings. Participation required. Prerequisites: ART 510 and 512.

780A-D 3-D Studies/Ceramics
Graduate Ceramics majors only. Emphasis on independent studio work. Regular meetings with peers and Area Coordinator.

792K Supervision in Art Education (2nd sem)
Guided field work in supervision of undergraduate art education student teachers in the schools. Graduate Art Education majors only. Credit, 6.

792L Graduate Seminar in Art Education
Required for all students in the M.A. in Art Education Program. Current issues in art education. Readings, discussions, and lectures. Graduate Art Education majors only.

792M Research in Art Education
Research methodologies and problems in art education. Designing of a research problem/study and engaging in a pilot study for further research. Graduate Art Education majors only.

792N Independent Research Project in Art Education
An extensive research paper in art ed-ucation. Graduate Art Education majors only.

793B Seminar—Graduate Photography
Graduate Photography majors only. Emphasis on the development of a long-term project. Discussion, lectures, and critiques. Readings based on locating the project within contemporary visual practice. Weekly meetings with peers and Area Coordinator.

796 Independent Study
Credit, 1-6.

799 Master’s Thesis
Credit, 1-18.