Fine Art Courses

ARH501A Aesthetics I: Ancient to Neoclassicism (2 credits)

This class will cover over a thousand years of Western ideas of art and beauty. Beginning with the ideas of imitation extracted from Presocratic philosophy, we will move all the way to Lessings and Winckelmann’s views on Laocoon. Students will be challenged to connect ideas of art and beauty to the appearance and potential meanings accompanying works of art. Students will also be challenged to think critically about the purpose of art and beauty within the context of the aforementioned ideas. This is the first of a 2-course series in Aesthetics I.

ARH501B Aesthetics I: Ancient to Neoclassicism (2 credits)

This class will cover over a thousand years of Western ideas of art and beauty by way of Beginning with the ideas of imitation extracted from Presocratic philosophy, we will move all the way to Lessings and Winckelmann’s views on Laocoon. Students will be challenged to connect ideas of art and beauty to the appearance and potential meanings accompanying works of art. Students will also be challenged to think critically about the purpose of art and beauty within the context of the aforementioned ideas. This is the second course in the two-course series on Aesthetics I.

ARH611A Aesthetics II: Modern to Postmodernism (2 credits)

In this class, students will explore the evolution of ideas about art and beauty beginning during the Age of Enlightenment. We will begin with Immanuel Kant’s understanding of the sublime and beautiful before concluding with contemporary theorists. Students will be challenged to connect ideas of art and beauty to the appearance and potential meanings accompanying works of art. Students will also be challenged to think critically about the purpose of art and beauty within the context of the aforementioned ideas. This is the first course in the two-course series on Aesthetics II.

ARH611B Aesthetics II: Modern to Postmodernism (2 credits)

Students will explore the evolution of ideas about art and beauty beginning during the Age of Enlightenment. We will begin with Immanuel Kant’s understanding of the sublime and beautiful before concluding with contemporary theorists. Students will be challenged to connect ideas of art and beauty to the appearance and potential meanings accompanying works of art. Students will also be challenged to think critically about the purpose of art and beauty within the context of the aforementioned ideas. This is the second course in the two-course series on Aesthetics II.

ADR531R Advanced Figure Drawing I (4 credits)

This is the first of a three-course series in figure drawing. In this course, students will train their ability to accurately draw a human figure by continuing the long, western tradition of live figure drawing. Students will use progressive exercises and memorization techniques to progress their skill levels quickly. Models will be available for both short and long-pose studies so students can train their faculty for capturing both the spirit and accuracy of the figure. Students will also consider how to arrange figures for multi-figural compositions. Students must register for this course in two separate semesters, with 2 credits awarded each semester.

ADR533R Advanced Figure Drawing II (4 credits)

This is the second class of a three-class series in figure drawing. Students will continue to train their ability to accurately draw a human figure by continuing the long, western tradition of live figure drawing. Students will use progressive exercises and memorization techniques to progress their skill levels quickly. Models will be available for both short and long-pose studies so students can train their faculty for capturing both the spirit and accuracy of the figure. Students will also consider how to arrange figures for multi-figural compositions. Students must register for this course in two separate semesters with 2 credits awarded each semester.

ADR632R Advanced Figure Drawing III (4 credits)

This is the third class of a three-class series in figure drawing. This class is scheduled for two hour blocks two times per week. Students will continue to train their ability to accurately draw a human figure by continuing the long, western tradition of live figure drawing. Students will use progressive exercises and memorization techniques to progress their skill levels quickly. Models will be available for both short and long-pose studies so students can train their faculty for capturing both the spirit and accuracy of the figure. Students will also consider how to arrange figures for multi-figural compositions. Students will be expected to commit at least eight hours of outside class time per week completing homework assignments and in-class projects. (This course has to be repeated once with credits awarded.)

ADR532R Advanced Figure Painting I (6 credits)

This studio course helps students develop a command of techniques in multi-figure narrative painting. The focus of this course is to train the student’s ability to present stories and compose certain ideas or feelings. Students will learn to compose a large number of figures into a final painting that shows some type of action in a moment of a narrative. Emphasis will be placed on the ability to depict the interactions between the figures by gesture and expression. Students will take what they have learned in Nude Figure painting and further their understanding by combining figures with props and scenes. This will lay the foundation for future composition and creation. Students must register for this course in two separate semesters with 3 credits awarded each semester.

ADR534R Advanced Figure Painting II (6 credits)

This is the second course of a 2-sequence course. In this advanced course, students will continue improving their oil painting techniques and artistic level and expand their horizon from themed multi-figure, narrative painting to free creation. Students will elevate their artistic creativity by reflecting their inner world and casting it into the outer world. Students must register for this course in two separate semesters with 3 credits awarded each semester.

ADR633R Advanced Figure Painting III (6 credits)

ADR521 Painting Material and Techniques (1 credit)

In this class students will explore the current conservation science for constructing oil paintings. Students will learn about the different supports, grounds, pigments, solvents, and mediums used to create oil paintings from the ground up. Students will also learn proper methods, processes, and caveats for increasing the longevity of oil paintings.

ADR641R Composition and Design (4 credits)

In this class, students will explore the different ways a picture can be composed to guide the viewers' eyes. Students will consider how underlying armatures, value and contrast, color, and size can create points of interest. Students will also consider how different studies e.g., figurative, landscape, environmental, and object studies can be composed into a single image. Students must register for this course in two separate semesters with 2 credits awarded each semester.

ART641R Group Critique Seminar I (2 credits)

This class will be centered around weekly visits from outside artists and/or weekly group critiques. Students will be required to attend, take notes, and ask questions for scheduled visiting artist’s demonstrations, lectures, and/or seminars. Students will also be required to participate in department-wide critiques. Students will both critique the work of their classmates and provide work to be critiqued by their classmates, faculty, and visiting artists. Outside of class, students will be required to spend at least two hours a week considering the lessons learned from visiting artists and group critiques and applying them to the development of their thesis. Students must register for this course in two separate semesters with 1 credit awarded each semester.

ART741R Group Critique Seminar II (2 credits)

ART742R Group Critique Seminar III (2 credits)

ART661 Professional Development I: Thesis Research (2 credits)

In this class, students will learn the essentials of marketing themselves as professional artists. They will make a professional portfolio that will include: an artist’s biography, artist’s statement, artist’s portfolio, business cards, resume, and announcements. Students will also learn how to search out locations to show their work and how to pitch their work to prospective clients.

ART761 Professional Development II: Representation and Exhibitions (2 credits)

This is the second in the two-course series on Professional Development. Students will meet with professors once a week to discuss their goals and progress. Outside of class, students are expected to commit four to six hours per week taking the research and portfolio gathered from Professional Development I and attempting to gain gallery/museum representation to exhibit their art professionally.

FOC751R Self-Directed Study I (2 credits)

The first part of a two-year course is designed to facilitate independent art creation. The first year encourages students to explore ideas and topics of entirely their own interest. A student will be assigned a senior member of the faculty to mentor them through the process of transforming the inspiration of an idea into a completed work of art. Students will be required to create a series of sketches and studies which will be used to inform the final piece. Students will also be required to gather reference material from a variety of sources, such as drawings and paintings from life, 3D software, photography perspectival, and sculptural models. The semester will end with a formal presentation to faculty and fellow students outlining the students research and artistic progress. Students must register for this course in two separate semesters with 1 credit awarded each semester.

FOC781R Self-Directed Study II (2 credits)

The second part of a two-year course designed to facilitate independent art creation. The second year requires students to compose a series of paintings based on their research from year one. A student will be assigned a senior member of the faculty to mentor them through the process of combining reference materials into a complete and cohesive work of art. Students will be required to create a series of sketches and studies which will be used to inform the final piece. Students will also be required to gather reference material from a variety of sources, such as drawings and paintings from life, 3D software, photography perspectival, and sculptural models. The semester will end with a formal presentation to faculty and fellow students outlining the students research and artistic progress. Students must register for this course in two separate semesters with 2 credits awarded each semester.

ARH673 Chinese Painting Culture (2 credits)

In this class, the student is introduced to the history of Chinese painting (and to a lesser extent calligraphy) from its earliest beginnings in the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras to the 19th century, with brief commentary on more recent artists and artworks. The focus is on the development of format, style, subject matter, technique, etc. and how these are to be understood within the history of Chinese art and material culture. Archaeologically recovered material as well as works which have survived in other ways will be introduced and analyzed. Representative masterworks in collections within and without China will be highlighted with particular attention paid to works which the student might be likely to see in East Coast museums.

ADR571 Tempera Painting (2 credits)

This class exposes students to the classical tradition of tempera painting. Students will learn how to create tempera paint and prepare surfaces specifically for tempera. Students will also learn certain processes— such as verdaccio underpainting and gilding with gold leaf—traditionally used in tempera painting.

ART541 Advanced Color Theory (2 credits)

This class focuses on developing the ability to skillfully manipulate color to transmit meaningful ideas and emotions. Students will train their eyes to see the nuance in a color’s hue, value, and chroma. We will also train our sensitivity in judging color relationships and harmony to express meaning through color composition. Traditional, as well as digital tools, will be used to explore color principles, and strengthen your understanding of historical and contemporary color theories.

ART652 Advanced Anatomical Memorization (2 credits)

This course is the first part of the Anatomy Track sequence of courses as an elective choice. Students will train to commit anatomical structures to memory. Using drawing as a medium, students will focus on learning the large masses of the human figure and how those masses move in space. Only then will the limbs be studied for further degrees of expression.

ART531 Structural Anatomy (2 credits)

This course is the second part of the Anatomy Track sequence of courses offered as an elective choice. Students will build a 3-dimensional structural model in Plastalina. This process includes knowing and building the flat planes of the human figure. Having a tactile experience with building the human body from the inside out can help students internalize a deeper understanding of artistic anatomy.

ART532 Advanced Anatomy: Ecorche (2 credits)

This course is the third part of the Anatomy Track sequence of courses offered as an elective choice. This course focuses on the traditional method of learning anatomy from the French Academy. Students will build an Ecorche in Plastalina. This process includes knowing and building the entire skeleton, knowing and attaching individual muscles to the skeleton, and knowing how the skeleton and musculature affect the surface appearance of the body. Having a tactile experience with building the human body from the inside out can help students internalize a deeper understanding of artistic anatomy.

ART572 Illustration (2 credits)

Traditional illustration began with drawing, painting, and carving in a traditional medium. It’s an art form that manifests in a wide variety of techniques, such as: block illustration, charcoal illustration, and ink illustration helps students develop a command of techniques in illustration and equips students with the fundamental skills in storytelling through illustration by hand drawing. The focus of this course is to train the student’s ability to present stories and compose certain ideas or feelings. Students will learn from the “golden age of illustration” from before the 1880s until the early 20th-century.

ART671 Chinese Art Studio I (2 credits)

Chinese Flower-and-Bird painting is an ancient form of art along with other kinds of Chinese art. This form of art has one of the most oriental characteristics and Chinese culture flavor in world culture treasure houses. For thousands of years, Chinese Flower-and-Bird painting has left a large amount of valuable theoretical literature and classical masterpieces in aesthetic theories and painting techniques. All of these are worthwhile to learn, to explore, to promote.

This course is easy to learn, understand, and to get hands-on. This course is divided into two sections, Classic Appreciation, and Painting techniques. While the teaching content in the two sections intersects each other, this course focuses on both technical and cognitive skills. As for the way of presentation, this course should be, as far as possible, simple, and easy to understand. The instructor will choose the most typical and classic Flower-and-Bird painting and relatively common painting themes. Also, it will introduce different styles of Chinese painting, traditional art principles, interpretations of individual cases, analysis of masterpieces, technique demonstrations, interactive communication, and so on.

ART672 Chinese Art Studio II (2 credits)

Chinese painting is an aesthetic representation of Chinese culture. Chinese landscape painting is a typical representative of Chinese painting in the whole world. This is because landscape painting can best present the aesthetic personality and spiritual world of the Chinese nation, and it can also reveal the fundamental point of Chinese culture and its unique appearance. The thickness of history occupies an important position in the history of world culture.

This studio course helps students develop a command of techniques in Chinese landscape painting. The focus of this course is to train the student’s ability to grasp Chinese painting techniques and compose certain ideas or feelings for Chinese landscape painting.

ADR535R Advanced Landscape Painting (3 credits)

Landscape painting was formed in Europe in the 18th century. The focus of Western landscape painting is to “face nature, and sketch in the scenery.” In doing so, students can truly grasp the subtle colors of nature, and obtain a natural and intuitive impression of the landscape.

This studio course helps students cultivate a generalized ability in color sketching, improve their perception of color, and form a rigorous and objective color expression ability. By studying landscape art, students will gain a better appreciation of nature and the history of landscape painting. They will also learn to observe their own surroundings more clearly, and lay a solid foundation for future development.

This course plays a crucial role in the study of visual arts, linking techniques of the past and the future. By going into the mountains, rural areas, characteristic cities, and typical humanistic areas for on-the-spot sketching training, students can improve their ability to observe and perceive nature, cultivate their artistic sentiment, stimulate their creative inspiration, collect innovative materials, and enrich student experiences.

Fei Tian College