Syllabus and Materials

ART230

Mercer County Community College

Kyle M. Stevenson, professor

Office: ET 124, email: stevensk@mccc.edu, or kylestevenson@yahoo.com

Office hours: TBA

Blog: http://www.professorkylestevensonpainting2.blogspot.com/

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This class works primarily on the following logic: If you can paint the figure realistically, you can paint anything. Nearly all the great masters up to and including those of the modern and contemporary era were grounded in the craft of perceptual/observational painting.   The human figure is the most perceptually complex subject in the universe because we are humans and therefore most attuned to it. It is therefore the most difficult subject, demanding the most control of any subject. So, if one can control paint well enough to paint perceptually, one can control the paint to do anything.

Course goals and objectives:

The student will continue to hone their skills as a painter.  The goal is gain control of the medium. The student will examine the possibilities of the use of imagery, style and symbol to develop content in their work.  The student will develop a greater understanding of painting as it relates to art history and criticism, ultimately building the skills needed to contribute to the same art history.

Evaluation

During each class we will have a nude model posing.  Regardless of the direction of your work outside of class, I will expect everyone to work realistically from the figure during class time, at least during the first half of the semester.  Throughout the term I will paint with you and show you different approaches and techniques to painting that will, as you build painting experience, demystify the craft of realistic painting.   At the end of the semester you will be required to show a folio of a number of in-class figure paintings, plus several out-of-class paintings at our Final Critique.  This allows the several bad painting days that we can all expect over the course of the semester.

Throughout the term you will be required to make 5 works outside of class.  These works will be designed to introduce you to a variety of approaches to art-making so that you may begin to formulate your own artistic direction.  They will be given as assignments with some leeway, but narrow enough to be graded using a common rubric (the first criterion on the rubric will ask: did this painter follow directions?).  I will make a post detailing each project at least two weeks before it is due, so you will have plenty of time to finish.

Late Projects

My policy for late projects is as follows:  you are allowed to hand in one project after it is due without penalty.  After that, any more late projects will simply not be accepted.  However, the time window to hand in those that is not infinite.  You have two class periods from the date and time it is due to hand it in; after that it will not be accepted.

50% of your final grade will be the average of the five outside of class project grades.  30% of your final grade will come from your folio of in-class paintings from the model (remember that I will be there to help you through each one).  10% of your final grade will come from your improvement throughout the course, your attitude to painting and class participation, and the remaining 10% will come from your art movement presentation.  If you take this class seriously and exhibit genuine effort, you will do just fine.

Attendance

You MUST come to class.  This class will meet only a few times throughout the term.  In order to get the most out of this course, you need to be in class for all of them.  Class is your time to work in an environment where you have access to me and your classmates.  Take advantage of this as it will greatly inform the time spent painting outside of class.  If you don’t, it will certainly be reflected in the quality of your work.

Because I’m a realist, I understand that there might be a time where you might not be able to attend class, whether from sickness or car trouble or family emergency.  Therefore, if you are part of the evening class, you’ll get one freebie absence before your final grade is adversely affected. If you are part of the morning class, you will get 2 freebie absences before your final grade is affected.  If you have more absences beyond your initial limit, your final grade will drop an entire letter grade after all other calculations have been determined, with an additional third of a letter grade for every absence beyond the penalizing one.  Arriving to class more than 20 minutes late or leaving more than 20 minutes early will count for half an absence each time, as will taking more than a 20 minute break in the middle of class.

Required Materials

This course is taught as an oil painting class.  As a result, you would get the most out of it by using oil paints.  However, I also have some wisdom regarding other painting media, particularly acrylic.  The only specific requirements for in class materials are:

-White and gray toned paper and backing to be used in the first class period

-black, white and red/brown (sanguine) conte crayon

- a number of appropriately primed supports on which to paint in class (this could be a canvas paper pad [also called canvasette], sized paper of similar dimensions, panels, stretched canvases, etc.)  At least three of these must be pre-toned medium green gray, and at least three of them must be pre-toned medium reddish brown (“pre-toned” means dry!) Size is completely up to you, However, the last couple of poses in class will be over a period of days and I’ll encourage you to paint much larger than you might be used to!  You are also responsible for any support materials for said supports.

-a dish to pass at Final Critique

At the beginning of each class ALWAYS have at least one support ready on which to paint.

 As you are already experienced painters, it is up to you decide exactly what materials you will need for your paintings.  I will certainly have suggestions and input regarding tools and technique.  Painting is potentially very expensive.  That being said, to make the best work you must be willing to invest in quality tools and materials, though “quality” does not necessarily mean “expensive.”  We’ll certainly talk about this in class.  The outside of class paintings will have one common requirement: they will have to be on a non-commercially produced support.  Here are also a few indispensable colors: titanium or flake white, ivory black, plus yellow ochre, and a prismatic orange, yellow, blue, and red.  All other colors are welcome, but you should have at least those listed.   

You must have a serious attitude toward drawing and painting throughout the course.

Finally, as we all come to this class with different experience, ability, and confidence, it is essential that you treat me, each other, this course and studio with respect.  Failing to do so will result in your dismissal from class.