Art

Projects selected by studio art faculty for the beginning student to work in a group in a specific field or topic. See course schedule for any current offerings.

Art and Public Engagement will introduce students to art making processes and strategies that develop a dialogue with the greater public.  This course will ask students to plan and execute public projects in a variety of media including: producing and disseminating printed materials; constructing performative sculptural objects; and live performance. Social Practice, activism, forms of resistance, community building, information gathering and sharing, and participatory art will be explored through lectures, demonstrations, and assignments. 

This course explores the use of digital processes in the service of making 2-D images and 3-D objects. Topics include digital image manipulation, vector graphics, 3-D printing, 3-D scanning, 3-D modeling and CNC milling. Students will be encouraged to build connections between these virtual tools and conventional media in an engaging and interdisciplinary studio practice. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

This course provides students with the opportunity to explore specific images or ideas in multiple media, employing both the material and intellectual processes of construction, deconstruction, fragmentation, synthesis, analysis, interpretation, and contextualization, while gaining an understanding of primary studio art concepts, including the principles of design, the visual elements, and creative problem solving strategies. Material Translations will offer students the opportunity to explore themes they may be already exploring in other academic classes through the lens of the visual arts, utilizing basic 2, 3, and 4-dimensional tools for image/idea articulation. Students will also gain an introduction to significant artists’ creative productions in their investigation of similar themes.

This course covers general concepts of 3-D making and leads students to create objects through hands-on experience with material processes. A variety of experimental methods will empower students to think fundamentally about creativity, design, material and space. Instruction will integrate the formal with the conceptual, and the technical with the experimental. This course seeks to make visible a variety of approaches to object making, especially those that reflect a contemporary sensitivity to and experience of materials.

This course introduces students to both traditional and digital methods of designing, printing, and disseminating prints and artists'92 books. With an emphasis on foundational design concepts and visual communication, students explore the relationship between text and image through broadsides, posters, and a variety of book structures. Students will create and analyze prints and books through hands-on studio work, group and individual critiques, and the study of the cultural and historical significance of prints and books.

This studio course will focus on providing students a strong foundation in various approaches to making abstract paintings and considering meaning in them. Students will become familiar with numerous techniques and variations of oil painting media, from gestural abstraction, hard edge painting, abstraction from the figure and landscape, and pure non-objective abstraction. A strong emphasis will also be placed on discovering how abstract painting functions in culture, both historically and in contemporary times. Students will work with painting concepts, skills, and materials with the use of oil paint and oil mediums. The course will explore color, spatial issues, form, paint handling, and idea development as it relates to abstraction. Group critiques involve articulation of terms and ideas.

Using cameras and scanners to gather images, students will explore composition and color. Assignments will emphasize framing and editing within traditional camera formats, with attention to the rule of thirds and the golden ratio. The gray scale and hue, saturation, and luminance will be addressed using image manipulation software. Weekly readings will address cultural consumption of photographic images. Images produced by students will be critiqued to consider how they are constructed and how they might be read. This class will be open to all Whitman students. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

This studio course uses the subject of the animal as the basis for an exploration of approaches in making visual art. Projects utilize a variety of materials and techniques, which may include traditional 2D and 3D, digital, and time-based methods. Readings, presentations, and discussions will allow students to integrate concepts from across the curriculum and will expose students to relevant issues regarding animals from many disciplinary perspectives, including the animal in historical and contemporary art. Students will get hands-on practice creating objects/images as alternative ways of generating knowledge, analyzing and understanding their subject, and engaging with research. In the process, students will learn foundational skills in art and design, including the principles of design, creative problem-solving, and the ability to critique/interpret meaning in visual art. This class is open to all Whitman students.

This course takes a look at the role of collage as an artistic medium, and its ability to enact conceptual transformation through fragmentation and juxtaposition. Students will engage with collage as a stand-alone medium, as well as carry collage methods across disciplines to explore: painting and mixed-media, digital collage, photomontage, collagraph printmaking and sculptural assemblage. Emphasis will be placed on collage being a powerful tool in connecting art and life, generating critical dialogue, and its relationship to our contemporary, capitalist society.

A critical mass of professional and amateur artists, engineers, crafters, programmers, and entrepreneurs is redefining how things are "made" in contemporary culture. The community of "Makers" thrives on democratic educational practices and hands on, socially oriented experiences that have a measurable cultural impact. This interdisciplinary arts studio/laboratory provides a gentle introduction to contemporary tools, techniques, and philosophies used by the "Maker" community to realize ambitious creative projects. 3-D printing, laser cutting and tangible computing with Arduino micro controllers will provide a base of knowledge and skills upon which students will expand in several group projects. Students at all levels of experience are encouraged to register. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

This course introduces students to basic techniques of drawing and equips them with a foundation of mechanical, perceptual, and conceptual skills. Students will engage in classroom studio work, out of class projects, and critique. This course covers a variety of traditional and non-traditional materials and multiple approaches in drawing through the use of the figure, landscape, and/or still life as a point of departure. Students with little or no background in visual art are encouraged to participate along with those who may have significant experience. Two two-hour studio sessions per week.

This course equips students with a technical and conceptual foundation in drawing through the lens of comics. Students will engage in hands-on studio work, out-of-class projects, and critique, while studying examples of comics and engaging in comics-based drawing practices. As with traditional beginning drawing, this course emphasizes observational approaches in order to develop perception and mechanical skills. Students will employ a variety of materials and use still life, landscape, and the figure as starting points for their work. Students with little or no background in visual art are encouraged, along with those who may have significant knowledge and experience. Knowledge of comics is not necessary. This course follows the same learning goals as traditional beginning drawing, so students cannot take both Art 115 and 116 for credit. May be taken as credit toward the Film and Media Studies major or minor. Two two-hour studio sessions per week.

Traditional Wet Lab. Provides a working knowledge of the mechanics of the camera and the basic skills necessary to develop black and white film and print fine art photographs. Assignments and classroom critiques also will consider various issues in photography such as composition, point of view, documentation, and the relationship of the subject and viewer. In addition to weekly assignments, students will participate in a group show of their works. Two two-hour sessions per week.

Fine Art Digital Printing. Images will be gathered using cameras and scanners. Aspects of Lightroom and Photoshop will be used to produce fine art digital prints. Assignments and classroom critiques will consider various issues in photography such as composition, point of view, documentation, and the relationship of the subject and viewer. In addition, students will participate in a group show of their works. Two two-hour studio sessions per week.

This course is an introduction to contemporary ceramic studio art practices. The course will concentrate on how to communicate concepts within widely varied ceramic processes. Emphasis will be on analysis and interpretation of these concepts within broad global, historical and current cultural contexts as well as a focus on creative problem solving skills, visual literacy, and abstract thinking abilities.  We will explore a wide variety of approaches to complex spatial constructs with an emphasis on experimentation, cross-curricular and interdisciplinary thinking. Two two-hour sessions per week.

This course acquaints students with a set of materials, texts, and critical discourses that articulate the historical and contemporary concerns of sculpture. Guided by formal and conceptual considerations, students generate sculptural objects and installations in a variety of media. Lectures, readings, discussions and critiques surround and foster the hands-on making process.

Beginning Painting focuses on providing students a strong foundation of painting concepts, skills, and materials with the use of oil paint and oil mediums. These courses explore color, form, paint handling and emphasize image content, visual language, and idea development. A diverse range of approaches to creating paintings is offered. Group critiques involve articulation of terms and ideas.

Beginning Printmaking provides students with a basic understanding of the processes, concepts, and issues that inform contemporary printmaking. Students develop a broad range of both traditional and digital printmaking skills alongside an awareness of print media’s historical and cultural significance. Students create and analyze prints through hands-on studio work, group and individual critiques, and examination of prints from a variety of cultural, conceptual, and historical standpoints. As the semester progresses, students will gain experience in the creative and expressive possibilities of the printed image in contemporary artistic practice.

This course serves as an introduction to new artistic possibilities in today’s networked digital environment. Through exploratory practice students will gain familiarity with a range of topics such as internet culture, basic programming, and visual and audio re-mix. Other topics may include data visualization, performance art, and interactivity. Emphasis is placed on personally and socially meaningful experimentation. Instruction includes theme-based discussions and readings, video screenings, demonstration of software and hardware, and a series of assigned arts-based problems. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

Projects selected by studio art faculty for the intermediate student to work in a group in a specific field or topic. See course schedule for any current offerings.

In this course, students build on their drawing skills from the beginning level to engage with broader conceptual concerns in drawing and situate drawing within contemporary art practice. This course encourages the development of personal expressive voice and idea generation through experimentation and process, studying other artists, technical refinement, and critique. Students will utilize a range of drawing approaches (including expanded definitions of drawing), and a variety of traditional and non-traditional materials. Two two-hour studio sessions per week.

Intermediate-level self-directed independent study under guidance and supervision from a participating faculty member within the areas of printmaking, ceramics, drawing, painting, new media, photography, sculpture, or other studio art practices. Course may be arranged on a case-by-case basis, and interested students should contact the faculty member directly to discuss availability. Prerequisites: the beginning course in the area that the independent study is proposed, and consent of supervising instructor. 

Traditional Wet Lab Photography will be further explored. Using a variety of film types, we will explore 35mm, medium format, and 4x5 photography. Film will be processed by hand and prints will be made on traditional silver gelatin paper. Assignments and classroom critiques will consider and experiment with various issues in photography. In addition to weekly assignments, students will participate in a group show of their works. Two two-hour sessions per week. Offered every other year. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

Fine Art Digital Printing will be further explored. Images will be gathered using cameras and scanners. Darkroom aspects of Photoshop will be used to creatively manipulate images so that fine art digital prints can be produced. In addition to weekly assignments and critiques, students will participate in a group show of their works. Two two-hour sessions per week. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

Art 230 is a continuation of Art 130. A series of concept driven challenges are presented intended to explore the relationship between ceramic studio art processes and current cultural contexts. The course will build on the visual, spatial and interpretive skills gained in Art 130. A wider range of ceramic processes and practices will be explored which will include mold making and digital approaches to creating forms. The goal of the course is to create current, culturally and personally relevant communication while incorporating interdisciplinary materials and practices. Two two-hour sessions per week.

This course builds upon previous foundational experience with sculptural materials and design, placing greater emphasis on the ideas that shape the way objects and spaces are made, interpreted and valued. Exploration into the non-traditional formats of installation, performance, video, collaboration and social practice further situates student work within the landscape of contemporary sculptural practice.

Designed to follow Beginning Painting for students to develop further experience in painting. Painting techniques in oil paint, and oil mediums. The course continues to develop skills from beginning painting, and introduces students to development of personal style and imagery. Students are encouraged to engage with an awareness of historical and contemporary approaches to painting. Group critiques and discussions involve articulation of terms and ideas.

Intermediate Printmaking provides students with a deeper understanding of the processes, concepts, and issues that inform contemporary printmaking. Working with a variety of print methods, we consider how the print can be incorporated into a diverse studio practice. As the semester progresses, the class focuses on both technical and conceptual issues in print. Students will gain experience in the creative and expressive possibilities of printmaking and develop a personal vocabulary with the media.

This course builds and expands on themes and skills developed in the Beginning New Media course. Topics covered may include online identity, web design, 3-D printing, game design, and installation art. In this interdisciplinary class, emphasis is placed on personally and socially meaningful experimentation. Instruction includes theme-based discussions and readings in contemporary art, video screenings, demonstration of software and hardware, and a series of assigned arts-based problems. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

Projects selected by studio art faculty for the advanced student to work in a group in a specific field or topic. See course schedule for any current offerings.

This course takes as its subject the tangled web of relations--aesthetic, ecologic, and political--at the center of the concept of the Anthropocene. An idea first pronounced by geologists but now embraced more broadly, the Anthropocene articulates the ways in which human activity (economic, material and behavioral), has achieved planetary scale and effect, resulting in changes to the earth and its climate. This course examines the methods, practices and discourses employed by artists to address this broad theme, and within it the following subjects: how climate change takes shape visually; how landscapes are culturally produced and ideologically situated; how representation of the natural world is situated vis-a-vis power relations. This is an advanced, studio art, practice-based seminar; all projects will be realized in various visual media, aligned with faculty areas of specialization and interest. This course is, at its heart, an interdisciplinary inquiry, using scientific understanding and cultural criticism to fuel artistic production. May be elected as Environmental Studies 314, but must be elected as Environmental Studies 314 to satisfy the interdisciplinary course requirement in environmental studies. 

This course further develops drawing skills with a stronger focus on individualized direction, concept-driven projects, and material exploration.  May be repeated for credit.

Advanced-level self-directed independent study under guidance and supervision from a participating faculty member within the areas of printmaking, ceramics, drawing, painting, new media, photography, sculpture, or other studio art practices. Course may be arranged on a case-by-case basis, and interested students should contact the faculty member directly to discuss availability.

Traditional Wet Lab Photography — Alternative Processes. Images will be gathered using film, scanner, or digital camera. Large format negatives will be produced on acetate, and contact prints will be made on paper treated with light-sensitive materials. In addition to weekly assignments, students will participate in a group show of their works. Two two-hour sessions per week. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

Fine Art Digital Printing will be further explored. Images will be gathered using cameras and scanners. Darkroom aspects of Photoshop will be used to manipulate the images so that fine art digital prints can be produced. Each student will create a portfolio of prints from a subject of their choice. Two two-hour sessions per week. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

Art 330 is a continuation of Art 230. A series of concept driven challenges are presented intended to explore the relationship of ceramic studio art processes to current cultural context, building on the visual, spatial and interpretive skills gained in Art 230. The emphasis of this course will be the development of a body of original work tailored to the student’s individual needs and directions. Two two-hour studio sessions per week.

This course demands greater focus and personal initiative in the generation of work that resonates with contemporary sculptural materials, themes and ideas. Students should be prepared to tackle bigger technical and conceptual challenges, in service of the development of a maturing artistic vision and voice.

Advanced Painting concentrates on the development of a personal direction and creating a cohesive series of work. Students are challenged to create work that maintains a broad awareness of historical, contemporary, and cultural issues. Cross-disciplinary directions are encouraged if appropriate to the student’s ideas, both in material use and/or content of work. Regular readings and group discussions are part of the course. May be repeated for credit.

This course builds upon the foundation developed in the Beginning and Intermediate courses and emphasizes an advanced technical and conceptual engagement with printmaking. Emphasis is placed on finding an individual studio direction through research, exploration of content, and ongoing critique. As the semester progress, students develop a personal vocabulary with the media and are encouraged to consider how the print can be incorporated into a diverse studio practice. May be repeated for credit.

This course continues the critical exploration of recent and emerging new media in the practice of fine art. Through lecture, discussion, demonstration, and practice, students advance their familiarity with a range of contemporary formats including video art, installation, digital sound, the Internet, conceptual, and/or performance actions. Emphasis is placed on creating meaning in art through the use of one or more new genre formats. Instruction includes the demonstration of sound, image, and archiving software, theme-based discussions in contemporary art, and film screenings. Students independently complete and present at least one larger-scale artwork in a new media format. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major.

Contemporary issues in visual art will be explored through readings, discussion, and critique of written and visual assignments. This course will emphasize preparation for the thesis exhibition and oral defense. It also will address strategies for furthering the creative process after the student leaves college. Two two-hour studio sessions per week.

Open only to senior studio art majors except those registered for Art 498. This course will meet twice a week during the spring semester (or final semester) of the senior year. Devoted to the preparation of a cohesive body of original work for the Senior Thesis Exhibition, a written artist statement, and an oral defense of the work will be required. Two two-hour studio sessions per week.

Designed to further independent investigation leading to the preparation of a project in the studio arts. Required of and limited to senior honors candidates in studio art.