DEPARTMENT OF ART

CHAIR: Martin Amorous

NAVIGATION:  Art Major BFA | Art Major BA | Art Minor | Course Descriptions

FACULTY: Amorous, Barker, Borcherding, Drumm, King, Lawler, Shipp, Wilt, Zonker

Throughout human history, artists have found ways to express beauty, emotion, and vision using many media. As technological advances were made, some artists continued to use traditional methods of expression but others expanded the dimensions of artistic expression using new methods of creativity. The Department of Art offers opportunities for creative students to explore and develop proficiencies in many traditional art forms, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, jewelry and photography. Students also may develop skills in graphic design and computer animation using state-of-the-art technology.

The Department of Art offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts with programs in Advertising and Graphic Design, Studio Art, and Photography and the Bachelor of Art with a program in Studio Art. The Department has extensive studio space, modern facilities, and two galleries to support the academic programs. In addition to a computer graphics laboratory for student use, advanced art students also can use the most technologically advanced animation equipment available at the Texas Research Institute for Environmental Studies, a University facility. Graduates with a degree in art will find employment in many industry or business settings or may have rewarding careers as self-employed artists.

Classes in the Department of Art are organized in two ways, depending on the subject matter of the course. Lecture classes meet for three clock hours per week for one semester. Combination lecture and studio classes meet for six clock hours per week. Art students should plan to budget their time for at least three clock hours per week of involvement for each semester hour credit.

Art majors are encouraged to participate in student exhibitions and other exhibits, programs, and lectures sponsored by the Department. Students must supply the necessary materials for their art projects in all studio classes.

Students interested in the Multimedia Authoring and Communication major should refer to the School of Public Communication.

Scholarships: Scholarships are available from both the department and the University to support a student's study.

Candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in Art including all residence and transferred work. BFA students must participate in a senior exhibition the semester of graduation, and submit a Vita and slides or portfolio of their work. The student and advisor establish which electives will be taken for the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art degree.

Art electives in the BFA curriculum may be chosen from all 400 level studio art courses. All 400 level art courses may be repeated for credit except Art History courses, and ART 494.

Not all art courses are offered each semester. Consult the Schedule of Classes and your advisor before registration.

A student considering graduate school after completing the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art degree should take 15 to 18 semester credit hours in the area of specialization: Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Sculpture, Ceramics, or Jewelry. BFA Studio Art students are encouraged to minor in Art History by taking two additional Advanced Art History courses.

* Students may complete a 48-hour major in Studio Art, in which case the 18-hour minor requirement does not apply. ART 271, 366, and (371 or 372) are required if the 48-hour major is chosen.

All-Level Certification

Students interested in All-Level Certification in Art should contact the department chair for information about courses leading to certification.

ART COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ART 160 INTRODUCTION TO THE VISUAL ARTS. [ARTS 1301] This entry-level course will introduce the visual elements of art, their nature, functions and relationships in Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Prerequisite: None. Credit 3.

ART 161 BASIC DESIGN I. [ARTS 1311] The study and application of two-dimensional design elements and principles using diverse media. Prerequisite: None. Credit 3.

ART 163 DRAWING. [ARTS 1316] Freehand drawing using various media. The illusion of volume and space through the use of perspective, line, and value is stressed. Prerequisite: None. Credit 3.

ART 164 LIFE DRAWING I. Drawing from the model in various media. Gesture drawing and figure structure are studied. Prerequisite: ART 163. Credit 3.

ART 234 ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN I. This entry-level course is the first in building the foundation for graphic design. The emphasis is on creative thinking and problem solving and the development of the designer's process. Each project builds upon the previous in depth and complexity of that process. The student is introduced to computer application of two-dimensional concepts and output. Prerequisite: None. Credit 3.

ART 260 PRE-RENAISSANCE ART HISTORY. [ARTS 1303] A survey of the major monuments of Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Textiles and Metalwork from the Paleolithic period through the Fourteenth Century. Prerequisite: None. Credit 3.

ART 265 BASIC DESIGN II. [ARTS 2311] Continuation of Basic Design I with emphasis on various compositional approaches and color organization using a variety of materials and media. Prerequisite: ART 161. Credit 3.

ART 269 LIFE DRAWING II. A continuation of ART 164. Prerequisite: ART 164. Credit 3.

ART 271 THREE-DIMENSIONAL DESIGN. [ARTS 1312] An introduction to elements of design and the principles of arrangement as applied to problems in the third dimension. Prerequisite: None. Credit 3.

ART 335 ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN II. This foundation course introduces an overview of history, principles, processes and terminology of typography. Type sensitivity is developed through a variety of means: classifying and identifying typefaces, designing typographic logotypes, as well as designing with type. The majority of work is created on the computer. Prerequisite: ART 234. Credit 3.

ART 336 ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN III. The techniques and processes print media are explored. The use of color is emphasized. Students will be exposed to historical and aesthetic issues. Prerequisite: ART 234. Credit 3.

ART 365 PAINTING I. An introduction to the materials and techniques of oil painting. Emphasis is placed on the observation of actual phenomena using still life, the figure, and landscape. Prerequisites: ART 163 and ART 265. Credit 3.

ART 366 PRINTMAKING. An introduction to the techniques and procedures of printmaking. The emphasis is on relief, serigraphy, and intaglio methods. Prerequisites: ART 163 and ART 265. Credit 3.

ART 370 RENAISSANCE THROUGH ROCOCO ART HISTORY. A survey of the major monuments of Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Textiles and Metalwork from the Renaissance through the Twentieth-Century. Credit 3.

ART 371 CERAMICS. An introduction to ceramics. Clay will be explored through a variety of basic hand building techniques. Ceramic surfaces including slips and glazes will be employed. Students will use various kiln firing techniques and clay bodies. Prerequisite: None Credit 3.

ART 372 WHEEL THROWING I. This course is designed to teach students the basic skills involved in the wheel throwing process. Technical skills are stressed through the use of specific tools and materials. Students will become familiar with basic clay and glaze materials, glaze decorating techniques and information pertaining to the kiln firing process. Instruction will center around demonstrations, slide presentations, individual and group critiques. Prerequisite: None. Credit 3.

ART 373 COLLAGE. A class which follows the precepts of the twentieth century art form of using and exploring the juxtaposition and layering of a variety of materials and images. The dynamics of composition and a further investigation of the use of color and inherent capabilities of contrasting images and textures will be studied. Students will use a variety of materials including the found object, discarded papers,
invented textures and painted surfaces to create their imagery. Prerequisite: ART 265. Credit 3.

ART 374 MATERIALS & TECHNIQUES. This course will be an introduction to sculptural form through projects involving woodworking, welding and casting. Lectures and demonstrations will be given on tools, materials and safety procedures. Prerequisite: ART 271. Credit 3.

ART 375 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER ANIMATION. This course provides the student with an overview of the History of Animation, specifically, digital animation. Students will learn the basic concepts of 3-D modeling, texture mapping, lighting and animating using key frames and behavior physics. 2-D animation using onion-skin techniques and the use of story-boards will also be explored. Prerequisite: ART 234. Credit 3.

ART 431 ILLUSTRATION. This course promotes the inventive and individual solutions to illustrational problems, explores relationships of the image to the text and develops individual skill level using a variety of media, including the computer. Creating a portfolio is a goal. Prerequisites: ART 265 and ART 269. Credit 3.

ART 432 ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN IV. Publication design problems are presented as they relate to a specific corporation/product. Typical projects include corporate identity systems and ad campaigns. Production methods using color photocopiers, computers, and traditional media are individually explored to produce presentation quality mockups. Prerequisite: ART 234. Credit 3.

ART 434 ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN V. An internship in an approved field and an intense portfolio review. Prerequisite: ART 234, ART 335, ART 336, ART 432. Credit 3.

ART 463 ADVANCED DRAWING. Drawing problems with emphasis on the development of personal expressive techniques. Prerequisite: ART 269. Credit 3.

ART 465 ADVANCED PAINTING. Exploration of traditional painting processes and concepts along with the introduction of non-traditional techniques and materials. Emphasis is placed on skill development and individual exploration of ideas. Prerequisite: ART 365. Credit 3.

ART 466 PAINTING IN AQUAMEDIA. The focus is on transparent watercolor. Landscape, still life, and the figure are emphasized, along with experimentation. Prerequisites: ART 365. Credit 3.

ART 467 JEWELRY. A study of techniques and materials needed to design and create jewelry. Design and craftsmanship skills are emphasized. Prerequisite: ART 265. Credit 3.

ART 468 CASTING. The Casting course will cover the methods and procedures of centrifugal casting, vacuum casting, steam casting, gravity pour casting and sand casting. The difference in spruing the models (wax, wood, plastic or forms found in nature) for each of these methods will be studied. Prerequisite: ART 265 and ART 271. Credit 3.

ART 471 HISTORY OF AMERICAN ART. A history of American Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, from the colonial period to the present. Credit 3.

ART 474 HISTORY OF THE NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH CENTURY ART. A survey of major artistic movements and artists working in painting, sculpture and architecture. Credit 3.

ART 478 CRITICISM AND THEORY IN THE VISUAL ARTS. The study of historical and contemporary aspects of major thinking and writing concerning the visual arts. Prerequisites: ART 160 and one of the following: ART 260, 370, or 471. Credit 3.

ART 480 ADVANCED CERAMICS. A continued exploration of ceramics. Individual direction of each student will determine type of clay, ceramic surface and firing process to be used. Further research into clay and glaze chemistry and the history of ceramics. Prerequisite: ART 371 or ART 372. Credit 3.

ART 481 WHEEL THROWING II. The student will continue to develop the technical skills involved in the wheel throwing process. Using the wheel as a tool to make sculptural as well as functional objects will also be explored. Focus will be placed on students beginning to develop creatively as well as technically. Prerequisite: ART 371 & ART 372. Credit 3.

ART 482 SCULPTURE. The exploration of three-dimensional media through the proper use of tools, working processes, and a variety of materials. Emphasis placed on skill development and individual exploration of ideas. Prerequisite: ART 374. Credit 3.

ART 492 ADVANCED PRINTMAKING. Advanced problems in printmaking. Special procedures and problems involving further investigation of various printmaking media with an introduction to lithography. Prerequisite: ART 366. Credit 3.

ART 493 UNDERGRADUATE SEMINAR IN ART. An undergraduate seminar course concerning problems selected within an area of specialization. Prerequisites: 6 hours of credit in the area of investigation, with permission of the instructor and department chair. (This course may be taken for Academic Distinction credit. See Academic Distinction Program in this catalogue.) Variable credit.

ART 494 THE BUSINESS OF ART. Problems of the professional artist related to promotion, finance and law. Prerequisite: 30 hours of Art. Credit 3.