Concentrations
Animation: M-F, AM
Anything can and does happen in animated films. Students produce storyboards and their own animations using hand drawings, computers, and several other tools and techniques. Specialized equipment is available at the University for instantaneous feedback as you work. Macintosh® computers are used to output two-dimensional computer animation. Students begin by working with simple tools and techniques (such as the Zoetrope, a 19th century toy) and learn the concepts of cycles, movement, and transformation. The goal of this workshop is to help students create their own stories and draw their own characters, then move through the story in real-time to bring the characters’ personalities to life on the screen.
Black and White Photography I,Basic Fundamentals for Beginners: MWF, AM or PM
First-time photographers develop technical skills in all basic camera and darkroom techniques including: shooting, printing, and developing film. Basic aesthetic issues including composition and image size will be addressed. Students will learn to create images that communicate “universally.” Students must come prepared for the first day of class with their own 35mm SLR camera with light meter and manual capabilities. No prior darkroom experience is required.
Black and White Photography II, Advanced: MWF, AM or PM
Geared towards the more experienced student photographer, this course will emphasize the further development of skills in order to create work that is cohesive and professional in presentation. Students will fine-tune black and white printing skills as they complete assignments that are self-driven, focusing on individual aesthetic and expressive sensibilities. Students must come prepared for the first day of class with their own 35mm SLR camera with light meter and manual capabilities. Prior darkroom experience is required.
Clay Studio: MWF, AM
Explore different types of clays and building techniques by making functional and/or sculptural ceramic works. Tile making, coil building, throwing, and clay slab construction will be covered. Students have the opportunity to work with a variety of materials including porcelain, dark stoneware, slips, under glazes, and glazes.
Color Photography: MWF, PM
This course will expose the experienced student-photographer to the fundamentals of negative-based color photography. Topics covered will include color theory, color balancing, film and paper characteristics, and the final presentation of the students’ printed images. Color photography is treated as both a technical and expressive medium. Students must come prepared for the first day of class with their own 35mm manual focus SLR camera and be proficient using it and black and white darkroom processes.
Comic Book Illustration: MWF, AM
Working in a variety of media, students complete a series of projects toward the development of an original comic book spread as they discover the exciting and continually evolving world of comic book illustration. Emphasis will be placed on the stages of developing the comic book from dummy design to finished art. Students will be exposed to the process of comic book design including developing original characters within the context of a storyline.
Digital Filmmaking: M-F, AM
This program prepares students to create personal and expressive short original works. Students come in contact with all phases of production and post-production, from creating a storyboard, shooting scenes, and editing, to the final presentation of their work. Students gain an appreciation for the importance of careful planning, organization, and scheduling. Hands-on exercises, both in and outside of class, as well as lectures, demonstrations, and video screenings, give students a context for video and film history. Students learn the technology of the industry by using digital video equipment, and will edit on Macintosh® computers as they work independently and create their own personal filmic vision. Students in this class are encouraged to bring their own mini DV-digital video cameras if they own one.
Fabric Printing: MWF, AM
In this course, the interlocking repeat pattern used by professional textile designers in both the fashion and interior design worlds will be examined. Students will experiment with various fabrics while exploring the technique of silk screening and will design and print at least one original pattern. Students will have the opportunity to explore collage and repetitive imagery and discover how they can be manipulated to create highly original works of art and design.
Figure Painting: MWF, AM
Students with prior drawing and/or painting experience will have the opportunity to work on paintings of the nude figure in multiple sessions. Working in oils, students study the figure as they explore composition, balance, proportion, scale and shape. Technical aspects of painting such as value and color, form, and style will be addressed. Students will also learn about the history of the nude in painting and drawing.
Figure Sculpture: MWF, PM
Heightened awareness is developed as students explore the human figure three-dimensionally. Students work from nude models to strengthen three-dimensional perception and composition, while building a foundation for their own style of creative expression. A small-scale clay figure on an armature and a clay bust portrait are two of the projects students complete.
Game Design: MWF, AM
Students will learn new programs and skills to create their own game and/or computer information using a variety of integrated images, sounds, text, video, and animation. Students will set their own goals and will present their completed projects to their peers. Students learn the inner workings of Macromedia Director, an industry standard for multimedia design, as well as the basic concepts of information design, storyboarding, and flowcharting.
Graphic Design: MWF, AM or PM
Students learn basic design principles, composition, and the visual language of communication. Experimenting with letterforms, space and composition, students will master visual knowledge integral to the design process. Projects may include posters, package design, and tee-shirt design. Students will work in both a studio as well as in a computer lab using applications such as Photoshop®, Illustrator®, and InDesign®.
How to Write a Script: MWF, AM
This course is designed for the movie and television writers of tomorrow. By learning how to work with ideas, plot, conflict, action, humor and format, writers will discover the tools needed to create an intriguing personal or collaborative project while also making it well-written. Each student will complete a short screenplay, and will work with peers on the creation of an original episode of their favorite TV series.
Industrial Design: MWF, PM
Students who are interested in creating innovative design solutions for the products we use every day will have an opportunity to explore the profession of Industrial Design. This course exposes students to the unique process that industrial designers use to develop concepts and fabricate products. This is accomplished through readings, films, presentations, and project assignments. Students will work in a traditional studio as they sketch their ideas, draft, and create models of them.
Jewelry and Small Metals: MWF, AM or PM
Students will learn the basics of jewelry design and metalsmithing by using various metals techniques such as sawing, piercing, soldering, riveting, and finishing. In this course, students will create unique jewelry or small sculptural compositions in silver, bronze, brass, and copper.
Painting: MWF, AM or PM
In this class, students explore the study of color, surface, and composition using oil paints and working from still life and nude models. Color theory and paint mixing techniques will be addressed as students learn the fundamentals of painting. While prior drawing experience is required, no previous experience in painting is required.
Poetry: MWF, PM
Students learn to express themselves through the art of the poem as they journey through the creative process from inspiration to draft to final product. Exploring different styles and forms in poetry, student writers will experiment with imagery, metaphor, structure, voice and tone, as well as explore narrative and lyric poetry, formal and free verse. A workshop component will suggest ways in which to change and polish the exercises and turn them into finished works.
Printmaking: MWF, AM
Students work in a variety of printed, hand-drawn, and collaged materials to explore the adaptability of various printmaking methods. Students will work in oil and water-based inks and will explore techniques, which may include monoprinting, pressure printing, stencils and relief printing. Students will create one-of-a-kind prints, as well as a collection of limited edition prints that will be shared with the entire class.
Screen Directing: M-F, PM
This course will focus on the complex role of the director and his/her job of taking an idea from paper to the screen. Students learn dominant shooting styles used by narrative filmmakers and analyze directing techniques from a wide variety of mainstream and indie directors including Alfred Hitchcock, Spike Lee, and David Lynch. Classes take the form of production workshops where students put their new skills and concepts into action and experience the roles of screenwriter, camera operator, acting coach, and editor. This course is designed for students who desire to and are capable of working closely and collaboratively with other students to complete a shared project that will be screened publicly. Cameras will be provided.
Screen Printing: MWF, PM
Students will learn the basics of screen printing by utilizing photo-emulsion as stencil material for layering colors and images onto a variety of papers or fabrics. Students can print their own hand-drawn images or use photographic or digital images to create their compositions Students will print an edition to be shared with the class as well as the possibility of one-of-a-kind experimental prints or T-shirts.
Sculpture: MWF, PM
This class will focus on the use of natural and man-made found objects as well as traditional and non-traditional materials to create large-scale objects and environments. The emphasis will be on idea generation and the process of realizing a three-dimensional form or installation. Experimenting with different media and exploring new ideas will be encouraged to challenge students’ notions of what art is and what it can be. An important part of the course will be the selection and manipulation of materials to best express ideas. Group discussion and critique will be emphasized.
Wearable Art: MWF, AM or PM
In this introductory fiber studio, students gain a sound comprehension of costume fundamentals, which include hand and machine sewing, millinery, and flat pattern design. Students will explore the garment as an expressive tool through a progression of assignments with a conceptual and cultural emphasis on costume and performance. Experimentation will be emphasized as students apply a variety of traditional and unconventional materials and techniques to the task of adorning the human body.
Electives
Art History – Field Trips: T&Th, PM
Autobiographical Art: T&Th, PM
Many major artists have worked in autobiographical art, such as Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, and Andy Warhol, drawing upon their personal experience and selves to create art works. By directing their attention to their own lives, students discover new ideas and inspiration. In this course, students explore art that is about images of themselves, their identities, and their history that may take the form of sculpture, performance, installation, assemblage, costume, or video.
Collage: T&Th, AM or PM
Students work with found objects, paper, and painted papers to create one-of-a-kind collages. Using paste techniques layered with drawings, prints, and painting, students will explore observational techniques as well as develop images from their imaginations to create small- and large-scale works. Students will work in wet and dry media as they explore color, composition, line and form.
Comic Character Design: T&Th, PM
This course allows students to create and design their own comic character in terms of image as well as concept. Working from the imagination and using a variety of media, characters will be developed through a series of thumbnail sketches that will evolve into a finished and highly rendered image. The characters developed for this class can be used in children’s books, animation, computer animation, comic books, cartoons, or graphic novels.
Creative Writing: T&Th, PM
Express yourself through the art of the written word. Learn how to develop your own style as a writer as you journey through the creative process from inspiration to presentation. Student writers will study the basic strategies of writing dialogue, creating settings, developing scenes and characters, and more. The emphasis will be on generating new material, in-class discussions, and revision. By the end of the course, students will have several new pieces which can evolve into creative portfolios.
Digital Design: T&Th, AM
More and more we interact with the world around us through digital interfaces, websites, cell phones, and video games, which communicate using digital design techniques. This course will give an introduction to this world focusing on 2D design and digital image making. Students will work with Adobe Photoshop®, and Illustrator® to create original works for various digital projects of their choosing.
Digital Imaging: T&Th, PM
This course is for the student interested in making and altering images through the computer for design or multimedia purposes. Students will explore image making through scanning and the use of digital cameras to import images into the computer. Then, students will manipulate and alter their images or photographs through computer programs such as Photoshop®. Discussions regarding how to output images, load them into other computer programs, and prepare them for the Web will be addressed. Students do not need their own digital camera, but are encouraged to bring one if they have one.
Digital Photography for Photographers: T&Th, AM
This course is for the photographer who wants to transfer their darkroom and color lab skills into the digital realm. Students will explore photography using a digital camera and will learn about output options using computer programs on the Macintosh such as Photoshop® to print their images. In addition to working in a studio and a computer lab, students will take field trips to local digital art galleries and art institutions for source materials. Students do not need their own digital camera but are encouraged to bring one if they have one.
Drawing I Basic: T&Th, AM or PM
If you have not yet had formal training in drawing, here is the place to start. Drawing is a fundamental foundation for all fine arts, crafts and design areas. Course objectives include honing observation skills while working mostly from still life, models, and/or landscapes. Students will work with media such as charcoal, pencil and ink. Basic skills such as perspective, composition, light and shadow, and tonal variations will be explored.
Drawing II Intermediate: T&Th, AM or PM
This class is for the student with some drawing experience who wishes to improve their perception and drafting skills. Working with line and tone as well as color, students will explore issues of structure, space and light with emphasis on design and composition. Students will work from still life, the urban landscape, and nude models while experimenting with a variety of mediums including pencil, charcoal, and conte crayon. Prior drawing experience is required.
Drawing III Advanced: T&Th, AM or PM
This class is for the experienced artist with strong drawing skills who wishes to develop their perception abilities even more. Working with line and tone as well as color, students will explore issues of structure, space and light with emphasis on design and composition. Students will work from still life, the urban landscape, and nude models while experimenting with a variety of materials including pencil, charcoal, and color media. Prior drawing experience is required.
Experimental Photography: T&Th, AM or PM
Open to experienced photographers and beginners alike, this course introduces students to experimental photo processes as well as non-traditional ways to consider the photographic image. The class uses a variety of films and cameras while pushing the boundaries of how one views the world. Students will explore processes such as Polaroid® transfers and pinhole cameras through assignments that will take them to unusual shooting locations under unique circumstances. Students must have a 35mm automatic and/or manual camera.
Figure Drawing: T&Th, AM or PM
This course will allow students to focus exclusively on the challenges of drawing from the nude. Students will develop drawing and visual skills while working from the skeleton as well as clothed and nude models. Students will learn basic anatomy, gesture, structure, proportion, line, and tone. Prior drawing experience is required.
Film Criticism: T&Th, PM
This class is for the future director and film critic alike. Screening a variety of films in a variety of venues both on campus and off, students will enhance their understanding of film. Looking at filmic conventions including camera position and angle, lighting, shot duration and sequencing, students develop a vocabulary they will use as they work collaboratively to publish a blog chronicling their adventures in watching movies. Popcorn will be provided.
Performance Art: T&Th, AM
Explore this exciting and rapidly evolving genre of art. In this cross-disciplinary course, students create their own performance works using fusions of digital video, costume, wearable art, motion, lighting, and sound. Beginning with simple explorations involving shadows, students will proceed to use audio, costume, and video. Throughout the course, a series of exercises and improvisations will be used to promote concentration, presence, and confidence. Students are encouraged to bring in their favorite music for the warm-up improvisations. The workshop concludes with a performance of student work.
Photography, A Blog of Now and Then: T&Th, PM
This course will focus on both the history of photography and contemporary photo practices. Students will visit artists’ studios and attend exhibitions at various museums and galleries in Philadelphia as they look at and discuss important photographic styles and movements since the camera’s inception. Students will participate in the creation of an online blog based on course activities that will include their own photography.
The Print and the Book: T&Th, AM
Combining hand-printing techniques, monoprinting, transfers, and collage, students will produce original artwork to create their own projects using original imagery, found images, and creative writing or found text. Students will then use basic bookbinding structures to develop their own individual artist’s book and/or journals.
Screen Printing: T&Th, PM
Students will learn the basics of screen printing by utilizing photo-emulsion as stencil material for layering colors and images onto a variety of papers or fabrics. Students can print their own hand-drawn images or use photographic or digital images to create their compositions Students will print an edition to be shared with the class as well as the possibility of one-of-a-kind experimental prints or T-shirts.
Watercolor Painting: T&Th, AM
Students will learn the delicate art of watercolor painting through basic exercises, still life, and figure painting. Students will learn how brushstroke, treatment, and color layering can alter the appearance of the paint and change the space within the picture. Students will learn methods such as washed, wet-into-wet, wet-into-dry, and experimental techniques.
Weaving: T&Th, AM
In this course, students will explore the phenomena of woven and non-woven textiles through the process of weaving. Through the use of traditional yarns and non-traditional materials, students will develop a series of original mixed media textile projects. In addition to a variety of weaving methods, basic dyeing skills will be introduced for different color effect.