01. Course Description

West Virginia Wesleyan College // School of Fine Arts & Humanities
Department of Art
Spring Term 2014 // Draw II & Adv Draw: Alternative Media // ART112  & ART325
Classroom: McCuskey Room 116
Section 1: Mon/Wed Noon-2:30
Professor: Ellen Mueller // Office: McCuskey Room 105
Office Hours: Tue/Thur, 2:30-5:00pm & by appointment
Email: mueller_e@wvwc.edu

– “An artist has got to be careful never to arrive at a place where (s)he thinks (s)he’s at somewhere. You always have to realize you’re in a state of becoming, and as long as you can stay in that realm, you’ll sorta be alright.” – Bob Dylan

COURSE DESCRIPTION

BRIEFLY: This course further develops observational drawing skills, figure drawing skills, and color drawing skills while growing conceptual prowess and material awareness. Students will engage with Adobe Illustrator, cut vinyl, embroidery, plastics, and spray paint stencils as they reacquaint themselves with the practice of learning how to learn new media. This process will cause us to slow down and consciously think about every line and mark. It will make us pay closer attention to composition and detail that would have otherwise felt routine or comfortable with traditional media. We will encounter frustrations as we deal with unexpected road-blocks, and create work-arounds that fit within our timeline. These are important skills to practice as you will do the same when you leave academia and enter the world of professional practice.

EXPANDED:
Students will gain basic knowledge, vocabulary and understanding of a wide range of materials and processes such as Adobe Illustrator, cut vinyl, embroidery, plastics, and spray paint stencils, etc.

Through sketchbook assignments, students will practice the skills of seeing, analyzing, replicating, combining, and morphing drawing practices.

Via the development of discussion questions and the participation in group discussion, students will become more knowledgable and articulate in regard to alternative drawing media.

Students will develop a cursory understanding of their own sources and influences by brainstorming, researching and presenting their findings on the subject.

Students will gain increased ability to critically analyze each other’s work as well as their own through the practice of group and self critique.

Students will continue to practice identifying, utilizing, and analyzing the elements and principles of design.

Students will refine their skills in experimenting with unfamiliar media.

Students will gain enhanced fluency in visual language and the ability to use that language, both written and oral, in their personal drawing practice and in public critique.

Students will strengthen their ability to form creative ideas through conceptual assignments.

Students will strengthen awareness of the historical context of drawing by reading about and reporting on both historical and contemporary artists as frames of reference for their practice.

Students will practice time-management skills, self-discipline, and critical decision making to complete all work in a timely fashion, even faced with unexpected or unpredictable roadblocks.

Students will continue to learn the professional practices of an artist in terms of documenting their work by practicing taking professional-quality photos and scans of their drawings, andturning in a documentation disk of all their drawing work at the end of the semester.

Students will also prepare for and complete an exhibition of their work in a gallery setting.