Art Foundations, Part 1

Week 1: Defining Art; Earliest Art
Week 2: Elements and Principles of Design; Art Criticism
Week 3: Greek and Roman Art
Week 4: The Human Figure
Week 5: Definitions of Beauty
Week 6: Celtic Knots and Illuminated Lettering
Week 7: The Feldman Model of Criticism
Week 8: Color Theory
Week 9: Interpreting Art and Beauty
Week 10: Invention
Week 11: One-Point and Two-Point Perspective
Week 12: Art Restoration
Week 13: Baroque Art
Week 14: Inspired Art
Week 15: Art in Your Life
Week 16: Final Exam

• View Syllabus

Required Art Materials

Purchasing art supplies can sometimes be overwhelming. As you will find, you will have many different options and products to select from. The following are a few tips to help you when purchasing art supplies.

• Paper—For this course you will need drawing paper. We recommend 9 × 12-inch white painting paper, but standard 8.5 × 11 or A4 paper should be fine. Drawing paper has a rougher grain which makes it slightly thicker than regular paper. This allows you to erase your marks without tearing your paper. Painting paper has a completely different texture, which varies depending on the type of paint you choose to use. If you foresee yourself using both watercolor and acrylic paints, I suggest buying multi-purpose paper that can be used for several different types of paints. Both drawing and painting paper can be bought in pads.

• Drawing Pencils—There are many different types of drawing pencils. What makes each pencil different is the softness or hardness of its lead. For example, an 8B pencil has a very soft lead, which easily leaves a thick, dark mark. On the other hand, a 2H pencil has a very hard lead, which leaves a thinner, lighter mark. The only pencil you will be required to use in this course is a basic number 2 pencil. However, if you would like to experiment with different types of pencil you may want to purchase a drawing pencil set. Depending on the brand, these can be relatively inexpensive.

• Erasers—A kneaded eraser is a grey elastic eraser that can easily change shape as you pull at it. Some people find this eraser difficult to work with, so you may want to purchase a standard white drawing eraser.

• Black Drawing Pen—A few assignments will require the use of a black drawing pen. Just like drawing pencils, drawing pens come in different thicknesses. The thickness of the pen you purchase is up to you, but I suggest buying a pen with a relatively thin tip.

• Watercolor Paints—It’s probably safe to say that you’ve used watercolor paints at some point in your life. Watercolor paints come in many different forms. The two most popular forms are on a pallet and in tubes. Whatever form of watercolor you choose, remember to always add water to your paint! The amount of water you add will determine how dark or light your paint is.

• Acrylic Paints—Acrylic paints are thicker and dry faster than most paints. Because they dry so fast, they can be difficult to blend. They can be found in many different colors, and are often sold for a relatively cheap price by the tube. If you choose to use acrylic paints, it is a good idea to buy the most basic colors (red, blue, purple, yellow, and green) as well as a tube of white and black.

• Paint Pallet—Mixing your paints will require the use of a paint pallet. These come in a few different forms and are all relatively cheap. The most basic pallet is a white plastic pallet that can be rinsed off after each use. The second kind is a pad of pallet paper. You mix your paints on the paper, just like a regular pallet, but then you throw away your paper after each use.

• Paintbrushes—The type of paint you choose to use will determine the type of paintbrush you use. While there are multipurpose paint brushes, there are also paint brushes specifically designed to use with specific paints such as watercolor, oil, or acrylic paints. Paint brushes are also sold in sets, which you may find most beneficial for this course.

• Chalk Pastels—There are two different types of pastels used in art: oil pastels and chalk pastels. In this course you will need to purchase chalk pastels, which are also sometimes referred to as charcoal or soft pastels. These are softer than oil pastels and can sometimes be a little messy. There are many different brands of chalk pastels which drastically range in price. You are only required to use your pastels for one assignment, so don’t feel the need to spend a lot of money on them.

• Fixative—Fixative is used to spray your pastel projects to keep them from smudging. Fixative is very strong and toxic, so be sure to spray it either outside or in a very well ventilated area. It is also a good idea to keep your fixative out of the reach of small children. If you decide not to purchase fixative, aerosol hairspray will work just as well.

• Camera—Any simple camera will do. You will be taking photographs and using them to draw new images.