CUB 007
Spring 2025 office hours:
M/W 11:45-12 noon in CUB 001 or 007, 12noon - 12:45 Parcells 408
T/TH 3:14 - 4pm in CUB 010 or 007
by appointment, or send email for Zoom link
If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.
Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.
If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.
As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc
Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016
Students who wish to withdraw from a class must:
The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students. If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .
ARTS-1316-003 Drawing I
A foundation studio course exploring drawing with emphasis on descriptive, expressive and conceptual approaches. Students will learn to see and interpret a variety of subjects while using diverse materials and techniques. Course work will facilitate a dialogue in which students will engage in critical analysis and begin to develop their understanding of drawing as a discipline.
Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website
(3 sem hrs; 2 lec, 4 lab)
On Campus Course
Required text:
Bert Dodson, Keys to Drawing, (Cincinnati, Ohio: North Light Books) 1985
ISBN-10: 0-89134-337-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-89134-337-0
In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .
If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".
CRITIQUES: Critique allows all class members to discuss design and conceptual issues and evaluate the effectiveness of each project. This part of our classroom activities is crucial to the creative and technical learning process, giving us an opportunity to share insights. (reminder: you will also be filling out peer evaluations for each other’s work, which will constitute part of your grade.)
CRITIQUE ABSENCES, LATE and MAKE-UP WORK: Because in-class work is often a response to a specific prompt or set-up, it is difficult to “make up”. I will grade drawings directly after critique, taking into account peer evaluations as well. Grades for work turned in after critique will lose 2 points for each day they are late.
In addition to the requirement to be in class for demonstration, lecture and work time, your presence is a source of insight and learning for all class members. The impact of your full participation cannot be overestimated.
CIVILITY: Disruptions and/or any behavior that the instructor considers inappropriate will not be tolerated and will result in dismissal from the class. The key word in our interactions is RESPECT. Every student is expected to be involved and engaged with other students and the instructor.
For this reason, NO HEADPHONES OR PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES ALLOWED.
I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CONFISCATE YOUR CELL PHONE UNTIL THE END OF CLASS.
GRADING POLICY: You can access your grades and send emails through AC CONNECT
Sustained Drawings: 40%
“Quick Draws”: 10%
Core Project: 20%
Peer review responses: 10%
Vocabulary quizzes: 10%
Participation and Attendance: 10%
Additional grading information: Because art is more subjective than many other fields, it is important to understand some of the broad areas of the assessment of artworks. The three typical areas of assessment for any project are:
Each of these areas of assessment is worth up to 4 points, for a maximum score of 12 points per project.
Areas of assessment will vary slightly according to the requirements of each project.
For Sustained Drawings, all class members will fill out a rubric for every other member of class. The classes’ total score for each student project will be worth half of the final score, and my assessment will be worth half. You will then receive that packet of rubrics with comments from your peers and from me – please use these comments for improvement and insight. Caveat: I reserve the right to adjust grades as needed.
A = EXCELLENT (4 points per area of assessment)
B = GOOD (3 points per area of assessment)
C = AVERAGE or ADEQUATE (2 points per area of assessment)
D = POOR (1 point per area of assessment)
F = FAIL (0 points per area of assessment)
GRADING SCHEMA: 12 points = 100%
87.5% and less than 100% = A
70.83 and less than 87.5% = B
50% and less than 70.83% = C
29.17% and less than 50% = D
0 and less than 29.17% = F
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is CRITICAL to your success in this course. Please note that Amarillo College allows only 2 absences for any reason, with the consequences of missing additional classes to be determined at the discretion of the instructor.
Class Attendance and Participation Grade
Your attendance and participation grade will begin at 12 points, and is worth 10% of your overall course grade.
The components of this grade are:
Additionally:
DRAWING 1 (ALL PROJECTS/PEER REVIEW/CRITIQUE DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Week Monday Wednesday
1
Jan. 17 Jan. 19 |
MLK Day; no class
|
Syllabus Introduction
Purchase textbook and supplies
|
2
Jan. 24 Jan. 26 |
Words to define will be bold and italicized
Introductory exercises/Sketchbook: Emphasis: right-brain shift Materials: graphite and pen
Homework/ Sketchbook: Read p. 10-19
draw examples from the text or your own |
Quick Draw: Organizational line drawing Emphasis: relational accuracy Materials: graphite, eraser
Quick Draw: Ellipses/Bottle study to be completed in class Emphasis: right-brain shift, observation Materials: graphite
Homework/Sketchbook: Read: p. 20-35; take notes
|
3
Jan. 31 Feb. 1 |
Sketchbook/Class: Exploratory line, Accent Line, Cross-Hatching and Chiaroscuro studies, “free” vs. “control” handwriting (and in combination) hard and soft edges Material Studies, p 63-67 Tonal bar/Value scale (graphite), p 60 Ellipses, p 144-145
Lecture/Demo, Sustained Drawing 1: “Four Techniques”
Homework/Sketchbook: Read p. 58-67; take notes
AND Read p. 70-100 (Proportion and Measurement)
|
Sustained Drawing: “Four Techniques” Beginning with compositional thumbnails
Homework/Sketchbook: Re-read p. 70-100 (Proportion and Measurement)
|
4
Feb. 6 Feb. 8 |
PEER REVIEW/CRITIQUE: “Four Ways”
Begin “Accuracy” Lecture and composition thumbnails
Homework/Sketchbook: Chapter 3 is the key reading for this drawing
|
Sustained Drawing: “Accuracy” work day w/ composition thumbnails in sketchbook Emphasis: accuracy and full expression of value scale, composition Materials: graphite, eraser
Homework/Sketchbook: Read Chapter 4, p. 102-127; take notes
|
5
Feb. 13 Feb. 15 |
WORK DAY
Turn in your sketchbook |
WORK DAY |
6
Feb. 20 Feb. 22 |
PEER REVIEW/CRITIQUE: Accuracy
Homework: Read: 40 – 57, “Copying an Artist’s Handwriting” |
Sustained Drawing(s): Continuous-Line (or “connected line”) drawings (one black and white; one color) Materials: Sharpie, colored media of your choice (I will provide several)
Homework/Sketchbook:
2-B, p. 57) |
7
Feb. 27 Mar. 1 |
Lecture/Demo/PP: Additive and Subtractive Drawing in Charcoal
Sketchbook/Class: willow and compressed charcoal tonal bar/value scale, composition thumbnails,
Quick Draw: Charcoal materials exploration and/or Expressive Charcoal study (ies)
Homework: make your objects |
Sustained Drawing: Subtractive Drawing “Origami” Emphasis: Lighting, value scale, composition Materials: willow and compressed charcoal, erasers
Homework: (you will need an object and a table lamp) Draw an object from your home 4 times, showing 4 different light sources (see p. 110)
|
8
Mar. 6 Mar. 8 |
Work day
Turn in your sketchbook |
PEER REVIEW/CRITIQUE: Subtractive Drawing:
|
9
Mar. 13 Mar. 15 |
SPRING |
BREAK |
10
Mar. 20 Mar. 22 |
Quick Draw: TBA |
Lecture/Demo on “Portrait” Drawing
Quick Draw: “Squint” portrait
Homework/Sketchbook: Re-read Chapters 3-4; take notes Read pp. 178-183 on COMPOSITION
Do 3 quick sketches from the photo |
11
Mar. 27 Mar. 29 |
Sustained drawing: “Portrait”: WORK DAY Emphasis: accuracy OR expressiveness and value scale Materials: graphite or charcoal
Homework/Sketchbook: Sketch a three-quarter view head (from photo or observation) see p 92 |
PEER REVIEW/CRITIQUE: Portrait
|
12 Apr. 3 Apr. 5
|
Sketchbook/Class: 3 thumbnail-size texture studies
Sustained drawing: “Texture” at Natural History Museum
Materials: graphite or colored pencils (Museum rules)
|
Sustained drawing: “Texture” - continued at Natural History Museum
Turn in your sketchbook |
13
Apr. 10 Apr. 12
|
Sustained drawing: “Texture” - continued at Natural History Museum |
PEER REVIEW/CRITIQUE: Texture
|
14
Apr. 17 Apr. 19 |
Announce Core Project and parameters
(Tuesday April 18 - Spring Fling)
|
Core Project work day
(Thursday, April 21 is the last day to withdraw from class) |
15
Apr. 24 Apr. 26 |
Core Project work day |
guest artist Kyle Schlessinger
Thursday, April 27 - Badgerama |
16
May 1 May 3 |
Core Project work day |
Core Project presentations |
17
May 8 May 10 |
FINALS WEEK (no studio classes) |
(commencement is Friday May 12 at 7pm) |
DEPARTMENTAL INFORMATION:
11/30/-1 12:00 AM
11/30/-1 12:00 AM