The Foundation year is required for all art majors. Art majors engage in a first year Foundations program in which they take, along with their General Education requirements:
- Drawing: Visual Thinking I
- Drawing: Visual Thinking II
- Integrated Design I: Space and Form
- Integrated Design II: Forces
- Art Seminar
In addition to preparing art majors for their course of study, the Foundations area administers several sections of “Introduction to Drawing and Design” which are open to students from any major on campus.
Drawing Overview:
Drawing is an expansive yearlong course in two parts: Visual Thinking I and II. The two semesters provide a sequence that introduces diverse approaches to established and emerging practices in drawing. In Drawing: Visual Thinking I, the basics of perception is covered to train the hand and eye in explorations of line, form and space. In Drawing: Visual Thinking II, content is explored more rigorously through increased material exploration and digital experimentation. This two-part course establishes an ongoing approach to the use of drawing to initiate experiences that connect two-dimensional, three-dimensional and time-based art forms.
Integrated Design I:
Design I explores how images work, how they are constructed and what they mean. The course provides a sequence of projects that investigates the usage of images through traditional and emerging media. Studio practice grounds color theory and two-dimensional composition through consideration of content, context and audience.
Integrated Design II:
Design II explores three-dimensional and time-based work. Projects utilize traditional sculpture media and digital technology to explore contemporary understandings of form, structure, space, time, materiality, site and performance.
Art Seminar:
Art Seminar provides an opportunity for Art Majors to explore issues and questions in the contemporary arts. It has been created as an open forum for ongoing discussion of contemporary culture.
Art Seminar coincides with the Art Department Lecture Series where visiting artists, designers, and critics present their current work and issues in their fields. Other class meetings include discussions, presentations and videos providing a context for contemporary art movements.
