Bard College Catalogue

Bard College Catalogue 2012-13

Studio Arts

http://studioarts.bard.edu

Faculty

Overview

Requirements

Facilities

Cybergraphics I
Art 100
An introduction to graphic creation using the computer as a compositional tool. The imaging potentials of a variety of graphic applications are discussed and demonstrated during the first half of the course; the second half focuses on individual projects. Basic computer skills are required; minimal ability in Adobe Photoshop or a comparable application is recommended.

Painting I
Art 101-102
For students who have had no experience with painting or need a brush-up. Lectures, demonstrations, exercises, and assigned projects provide a basis in the fundamentals of painting. Students explore color mixing and paint handling and review various compositions/color-organizing principles as they relate to painting.

Sculpture I
Art 105-106
This course introduces core ideas and practices of contemporary sculpture, and branches out into less traditional territories. The basic history of sculpture is studied through slides, emphasizing art made in the last 40 years. Some conventional sculpture-making practices—such as woodworking metalworking, and casting—are introduced; installation and some alternative forms are also studied. Ways to give life to ideas through physical forms are explored, along with the ways in which materials and existing objects can generate unexpected ideas.

Drawing I
Art 107-108
Drawing is the basis of visual intelligence. It enables us to envision and manipulate masses in space as light reveals them. This course examines perception, drawing from objects, the human figure, masterworks, and interior and exterior spaces. Students learn to critique each other’s work orally and in written form. Some drawings are made collaboratively and some explore scale, as assignments include drawings that are both very small and mural-sized.

Printmaking I
Art 109-110
An in-depth introduction to all the basic—and some advanced—processes of intaglio, from drypoint and etching to aquatint, wiping, and printing. The class looks at classic and contemporary uses of intaglio by artists, and students apply the learned skills to projects of their own choosing. Basic knowledge of visual language and drawing skills are required.

Cybergraphics II
Art 200
This course addresses advanced strategies for image creation and enhancement in graphics applications, using Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Maya, and Final Cut. Students create prints, text, and animation in the context of contemporary art issues, ranging from digital prints and process presentations to documentation.

Painting II
Art 202
Designed for students who are serious about painting, especially from life. Issues discussed in Painting I serve as building blocks for complex figurative compositions. The focus is on the figure, color relations, and how the sensation of color interacting across the plane can create light and space. Other recent 200-level themes include Seeing, Thinking, Imagining and the Painterly Print. Prerequisites: Art 101-102 and drawing experience.

Sculpture II: Compulsive Process
Art 206 
This course focuses on how an artist’s process and the qualities inherent in specific materials combine to create works of art. Students explore notions of collecting and archiving, communal and recycled materials, collaborative installation, digital tools, physical computing, and performance as process. Recent courses have also addressed the artist’s process, casting techniques, and contemporary sculpture.

Drawing II
Art 207, 208
Intended for the sophomore/junior level, these courses explore drawing materials ranging from traditional drawing media to collage and transfers. Color theory is examined and emphasized. Recent subjects explored include drawing from nature, mixed media, and the figure. Prerequisite: Art 101-102.

Printmaking II
Art 209
Through a series of short assignments in the first half of the semester, students are exposed to more advanced techniques—e.g., multiple-plate registration, printing in color, and the use of different papers—and are encouraged to experiment in order to expand on familiar techniques. Students then take on more ambitious projects. Other themes explored in recent level II courses include intaglio and print techniques that cross over into drawing, sculpture, and other media. Prerequisite: Art 109-110.

Cybergraphics III: Digital Graphics / Text
Art 300
Using computer software and digital printers, students examine various approaches to creating image/text combinations in the traditions of graphic novels, manga, and contemporary painting. Software instruction includes more complex strategies in Photoshop as well as ­introductions to Illustrator, Manga Studio, Poser, and Zaxwerks ProAnimator. Prerequisite: a basic understanding of Photoshop.

Painting III
Art 301
Intended for junior and senior studio art majors, as well as anyone who has completed Painting II, this course simultaneously expands students’ vocabulary for painting and helps them find their voice. Students explore alternative formats—e.g., shaped and multipaneled paintings—as well as alternative strategies to the static image and the juxtaposition of different styles and techniques.

Art in Conversation
Art 303
The class consists of two alternating parts. The first part takes place in New York City, where students visit galleries, museums, and studios. The second part is a seminar on campus in which students learn how to present and document their work and develop portfolios. They also become familiarized with the ins and outs of computer presentations, grant research, etc. Open to 10 students by permission of the instructor.

Light
Art 304
An examination of light as a medium in the production of artwork. In individual and cooperative projects, students look at techniques for generating luminous structures with conventional hardware, film, video, fire, and theatrical sources. Works by Flavin, Turrell, Boltanski, Richter, Paik, and Viola figure prominently, but the class also explores ancillary contributions by a variety of artists in several fields.

Sculpture III
Art 305
An advanced-level sculpture course that deals with all aspects of construction in a wide variety of materials, especially metals and plastics. Stu­dents address actual and illusionary movement, the dynamics of scale in relation to the body, light as transparency and reflection, and the communication of energy through the articulation of space. Open to eight qualified students.

Drawing III
Art 307, 308
These courses explore drawing in its traditional and experimental forms, from the observed to the imagined. The goal is to help ­students locate ideas essential to their art and to develop those ideas in the process of drawing. In addition to assignments, students are expected to develop independent drawing projects in con­sultation with the professor. Prerequisites: Art 107-108 and Art 207 or 208.

Printmaking III: Photogravure
Art 310
Photogravure, popularized in the 19th century, is a continuous­-tone photographic intaglio process. A copper plate is etched gradually from the deepest shadows to the brightest highlights, producing a much wider range of tones than any other photographic process. As beautiful as photogravure can be, it is a difficult process to understand and master; this course, therefore, requires a great commitment in time and independent planning. Prerequisite: prior photo experience or a solid printmaking background.

Art and the Uses of Photography
Art 316 / Photography 316
See Photography 316 for a course description.

Senior Seminar
Art 405-406
All studio arts majors engaged in Senior Projects meet for a weekly seminar/critique/discussion. The aim is to create a forum where students can exchange views and ideas. The seminar’s form and subject change from week to week but include writing assignments, group critiques, discussions of exhibitions on campus, and conversations with guest speakers.