Art

Course Descriptions

You will find a wide variety of art courses offered at Western, as listed below:  Please check the College Catalog for additional course descriptions not listed below.  To check course availability, please check the College Class Schedule.

ART 1000
General Art
This is an art experience for non-art majors. It offers a basic introduction to the history of art and design and an acquaintance with the field of applied arts through slide lecture, discussion and film. It develops an awareness of mediums and techniques based on studio experimentation and instructor demonstrations. It provides the student a comprehensive survey of both fine and applied arts that contribute to the visual arts culture past and present. Prerequisite: None

ART 1005
DRAWING I
This course is designed to teach an understanding of basic drawing techniques and mediums utilizing direct visual experience. Drawing is introduced as the complete graphic experience. It involves experimentation with a variety of drawing mediums to discover and develop line, value, shape/form, texture, and space.
Prerequisite: None

ART 1030
Intro to Art:
This class is an introduction to the aesthetics and techniques of art making, within a particular process. It is a hands-on studio introduction geared to persons without previous experience, but who have curiosity about the technique and aesthetics of one of a variety of areas. It prepares the non-art major for beginning level art course work. It will transfer as an elective for all majors to Western’s degree as an elective. The class is a six-week block of three consecutive hours per week. This class may be offered in drawing, painting, ceramics or photography. Does not satisfy the Applied Arts requirement.
Prerequisite: None

ART 1110
Design: 2D
Basic design elements are necessary ingredients to visual literacy and mature art forms in all areas of artistic expression from interior design, clothing design, architecture, and ceramics to the pure, fine arts of sculpture and painting, to name only a few.
Prerequisite: None

ART 1120
Design: 3D
A course designed for experimentation in three dimensional expression.
Prerequisite: None

ART 1130
Design: Color
Advanced design encourages the creative process while exploring the basics of color and texture. Precision aids in presentation is a must. “An artist or creative person must be a dreamer, a realist, and a skilled worker.” Prerequisite: ART 1110

ART 1150
Photography I (Beginning)
An introduction to the art of photography with emphasis on creative thinking, visual aesthetics, and technical proficiency as they relate to the understanding and production of quality black and white photographs.
Prerequisite: None

ART 1160
Photography II (Intermediate)
Course concentrates on developing advanced technical and aesthetic skills in the serious black and white pictorial photographer. Instruction includes zone system theory, fine black and white printing, archival processing, introduction to large format photography, and emphasis on design and print content.
Prerequisites: ART 1150 or Instructor Permission

ART 1176
Nontraditional Photography
Instruction centers on the history of photography and the production of fine prints by nontraditional methods. Study and application of the following processes are included: cyanotype, gumbichromate, hand-coloring, the rayogram, and electrostatic prints.
Prerequisites: ART 1150 or Instructor Permission, ART 1110 (may be concurrently enrolled)

ART 1178
Digital Imaging I
An in-depth introduction to the world of digital photography and computer imaging with
emphasis on developing student understanding and skills with digital image capture and
scanning, image manipulation using software, as well as digital storage and transmission.
Prerequisites: ART 1150, ART 1110 (may be concurrently enrolled

ART 1250
Water Based Media I
This studio course serves to introduce the beginning student to color and technique of both transparent and opaque water medium, as well as to encourage the more experienced student in technique and style development. Prerequisite: None

ART 1310
Sculpture I
A course designed for experimentation in three dimensional expression.
Prerequisite: None

ART 2005
DRAWING II
A continuation of ART 1005 Drawing I. The student is offered the opportunity to advance his/ her skill in the technical application of various drawing mediums including color. Freedom of exploration is permitted and experimentation is encouraged.
Prerequisites: ART 1005 & 2210

ART 2010, 2020
Art History I & II
A comprehensive review of the divergent expressions of Western mankind. First Semester: Paleolithic society through the High Renaissance of Italy (30,000 B.C. - 1570 A.D.) Second Semester: following just after the High Renaissance in Italy into contemporary civilization. It is a means through which one may become visually literate, a necessary facet of education and existence in general.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 or Instructor Permission

ART 2050
Life Drawing I
Life drawing is a specialized area of drawing for the advanced student. The human form is the source of creative inspiration in exploring the problems of various drawing mediums and techniques. The student experiments with the mediums of conté, charcoal, litho, graphite and paint, using color restrictively, while learning the techniques of contour, gesture, background space manipulation and motion. Slide presentations on the work of artists, past and contemporary, stimulate an awareness of the human form as creative design. Prerequisite: ART 2005

ART 2090
Printmaking I
This is a basic, investigative, experimental course in which the process and properties of several Intaglio methods are explored. They include line etch, aquatint, soft-ground etch and relief work. The print is the “finished” product of most drawing mediums.
Prerequisites: ART 1005 or Instructor Permission Studio/Lecture/Laboratory

ART 2095
Printmaking II: Intaglio
This course is a continuation of ART 2090, offering students the opportunity of advanced study and experimentation in Intaglio and relief processes with emphasis on individual creative growth.
Prerequisites: ART 1250 and ART 2090

ART 2120
Graphic Design I
This course introduces the fundamentals of graphic design to students interested in desktop publishing. Students learn to use type, layout and other design elements to produce effective ads, brochures, newsletters and other documents on personal computers. Adobe PageMaker is used to design visually-appealing and communicative artwork for print.
Prerequisites: Basic Computer Competency Windows or Mac Environment May not receive graduation credit for both ART 2120 and COMM 2300. (Crosslists with Comm 2300)

ART 2130
Graphic Design II
This course builds on the fundamental design principles and practices introduced in Graphic Design I. The purpose of this course is to develop confidence and competence in creating computer generated art based on sound design principles, strong original concepts, and polished execution. In completing five art projects, students are encouraged to take risks, to develop their own voices as designers, and to build on software, art technique, and presentation skills. May not receive graduation credit for both ART 2130 and COMM 2330. (Crosslists with COMM 2330)
Prerequisite: ART 2120 or COMM 2300 or Instructor Permission

ART 2150
Color Photography I
An in-depth introduction to color photography with emphasis on understanding the theory, aesthetics, and technical attributes of making color photography using a variety of both color positive and negative film and print materials. Prerequisites: ART 1150 or Instructor Permission, ART 1110 (may be concurrently enrolled) )

ART 2175
Photography Studio
An advanced photography course for students who wish to continue their personal growth on an individualized basis in a particular specialized area of photography. Each student, with the aid of an instructor, outlines a detailed course of study which will be pursued individually during the course. The number of credit hours registered for will determine work quantity, requirements and basic guidelines for satisfactory completion of project and course. May be repeated for a maximum of six credit hours.
Prerequisites: ART 1150 and one of the following: ART 1160, 1174, 2170, ART 2175 (may be concurrently enrolled)

ART 2210
Painting I
A course designed for the beginning painter who wants to learn an understanding of the techniques of oil painting.
Prerequisite: None

ART 2220
Painting II
A continuation of ART 2210 Painting I. The student is offered the opportunity to advance his/her skills. Freedom of exploration is permitted and experimentation of techniques is encouraged.
Prerequisite: ART 2210

ART 2230
Painting III
This course emphasizes further development of style and technique of the individual’s talents while developing a knowledge of style and technique within the history of art. Exploration of technique will occur through content exploration.
Prerequisites: ART 2210 and 2220, or Instructor Permission

Ceramics courses may be taken a maximum of 2 times for credit. When all classes have been taken twice, the students may opt for noncredit classes. Courses count for graduation only one time each.

ART 2410
Ceramics I
An introduction to basic ceramics skills - throwing, trimming and glazing hand-built ceramics. Claymaking and kiln firing included. Aesthetic content & problem solving introduced.
Prerequisite: None

ART 2420
Ceramics II
Advanced throwing at the wheel, hand building and glazing techniques. Kiln design and operation. Continued development of aesthetic content and problem solving.
Prerequisite: ART 2410

ART 2430
Ceramics III
Students will complete progressively more complex projects on the wheel, building by hand, firing the kiln, and more intricate glaze compositions, by building on techniques learned in previous pottery classes.
Prerequisites: ART 2420, ART 1110 (may be concurrently enrolled)

ART 2440
Ceramics IV
Expand the student’s knowledge of clay. To know the true meaning of earth, water and fire, which are the basic elements of this craft and part of man’s life since earliest times. This class will expand the knowledge of the advanced potter to allow them to grow so they understand both the technical processes as well as the aesthetic ways of pottery.
Prerequisites: ART 2430, ART 1110 (may be concurrently enrolled)

ART 2445
Ceramics Studio
This is an advanced course for students (each student will be at a different level of skill) who wish to continue their personal growth on an individualized basis in a particular area of clay. This would include hand-build, wheel-thrown, vessel or sculptural forms. Each student, with instructor input, will outline a detailed course of study to be pursued individually. The number of credit hours registered for will determine work quality, requirements and guidelines for satisfactory completion of the course.
Prerequisites: ART 1110, 2410, 2420. Art 2420 and 1110 (may be concurrent enrollment) )

ART 2479-2488
Special Projects in Art:
Special Projects coursework provides a format for advanced exploration of the arts within a number of specialties of applied design, 2D and 3D, often in a condensed format and under the instruction of a guest artist. These courses are to allow the student a workshop experience beyond the art foundation program.

ART 2495
Workshops in ART:
These workshops will offer an intensive exploration of various methods of approach. The course of study will vary according to visiting artists. The ideas and philosophies will be reinforced and developed through lecture/technical information, discussion, demonstration, and studio participation. May be taken up to three times for credit. Prerequisite: None

ART 2500
Art Portfolio
This course will provide students with the opportunity to prepare a comprehensive Portfolio which may help them transfer to another college or gain employment. In this course students will gather documentation of their abilities to demonstrate the WWCC Goals for Student Success. Students will also complete a project in their primary area of emphasis with a final presentation juried by the faculty within the selected discipline.
Prerequisite: Must have completed 45 credit hours toward an AFA degree