Courses in Art
A ART 105 Beginning Drawing (3)
Drawing encompasses all the visual disciplines; it will be taught as a way of thinking and planning for other fields of creative endeavor. Drawing is a way of seeing, thinking, and feeling through making marks. Students will be exposed to objective drawing techniques with an emphasis on two-dimensional design.
A ART 110 Two-Dimensional Design (3)
The principles of two-dimensional design and composition intended primarily as a preparatory course for all other courses concerned with the two-dimensional approach.
A ART 115 Three-Dimensional Design (3)
A problem-solving introduction to the principles and elements of three-dimensional design. Demonstrations and implementations of equipment, methods and materials encourage students to develop their interpretive and technical facility, while solving problems that deal with form, space, structure, scale and volume.
A ART 205 Life Drawing (3)
A studio course for students with one semester of drawing experience. This course offers extended opportunities to draw the human figure. Emphasis will be placed on the underlying conceptual structures of perceptual relationships. Students will be asked to master the description of bodily forms deployed in a coherent pictorial space. Prerequisite(s): A ART 105.
T ART 210 Experiments in Visual Thinking (3)
Experiments in Visual Thinking is an idea-oriented course in which students learn how to think and communicate visually. Through individual and group projects, students will work toward developing an expanded visual vocabulary while learning how to visually convey their ideas and interests. Rather than start a project by determining the discipline to work within (painting, game design, landscape architecture...), we will begin each assignment by exploring a list of interests, issues, and concerns that are both relevant to the student and the contemporary world: the self, the environment, network culture, globalization, just to name a few. Each student will be asked to translate the topic into a visual outcome. Through a continual exchange of technical and conceptual feedback, each student will create a series of finished projects that illustrate their ability to think visually and act upon that thinking.
Class time will be devoted to lectures, class discussions, presentations, demonstrations, work time, and critique. Equally, this course will explore the expanded role of a visually creative person in the 21st century, not only focusing on the traditional role of creator, but also on the contemporary roles of facilitator, manager, and collaborator. Open to Honors College students only.
A ART 220 Beginning Sculpture (3)
Modeling in clay from the figure. Projects include building armatures, modeling portrait heads, doing full figure studies and making a waste mold. Prerequisite(s): A ART 115 or permission of instructor.
A ART 230 Beginning Painting (3)
An introduction to the language of painting through studio practice. Students will work toward mastering the skills of color mixing as they apply to painting from life. This course stresses the discipline of perceiving the optical effects of light and color in nature and translating them into a pictorial space. Prerequisite(s): A ART 205 or permission of instructor.
A ART 240 Contemporary Etching (3)
In this class, students will be introduced to etching as both a historical and contemporary medium of expression. Projects will explore drawing and printing with line, tone, and texture via the traditional techniques of hard and soft ground etching, drypoint, and aquatint. Additionally, students will learn to integrate digital imaging in the creation of their intaglio prints. Assignments will address issues of representation, abstraction, cultural critique, and personal expression. Prerequisite(s): A ART 105 or permission of instructor.
A ART 242 Contemporary Lithography (3)
A studio course where students will be introduced to lithographic printmaking processes that integrate painterly and photographic image-making. Students will be introduced to historical information about the techniques, especially as this relates to the dialogues between printmaking and other art processes at various times and in different contexts. Key to this dialogue will be the questions, “Why prints and multiples?” Assignments will engage the student in experimentation with both ideas and materials. Prerequisite(s): A ART 105 or permission of instructor.
A ART 244 Beginning Photography and Digital Imaging (3)
An introduction to Photography as fine art; covers traditional chemical-based black and white as well as digital techniques and image- making skills. The convergence of traditional photography and digital media is explored through hands-on projects and readings designed to increase students' aesthetic and technical vocabulary. Students are also introduced weekly to the work of significant contemporary artists who work with photography. Prerequisite(s): A ART 105 or permission of instructor.
A ART 250 Introduction to Digital Imaging (3)
An introduction to the technical and theoretical issues of the computer in the visual arts. The convergence of photography and digital media is explored through hands-on projects and readings designed to increase students’ aesthetic and technical vocabulary. Topics covered include basic scanning and manipulation of photographic imagery through raster-based graphics programs, and fine art digital printmaking, as well as an introduction to web graphics. Prerequisite(s): A ART 244 or one studio art course and permission of instructor.
A ART 280 (= A ARH 283) History and Practice of Video Art I (3)
This course will focus on the history of video art and the history of performance in video surveying the period between the late 50’s until the early 1970’s. Screenings, readings, and studio exercises will be three equally important components in the course study. Students will be required to develop concepts for video artworks on a weekly basis. These artworks will be presented as a finished piece of a conceptual idea that will be presented, critiqued, and discussed during scheduled course hours. Students will also be required to write periodic short essays regarding required course readings. Prerequisite(s): A ART 250 or A ARH 171 or permission of instructor.
A ART 281 (= A ARH 268) History and Practice of Video Art II (3)
This course is a continuation of Part I and will focus on the history of video art and the history of performance in video surveying the period between the late 70’s until the present. Screenings, readings, and studio exercises will be three equally important components in the course study. Students will be required to develop concepts for video artworks on a weekly basis. These artworks will be presented as a finished piece or a conceptual idea that will be presented, critiqued, and discussed during scheduled course hours. Students will also be required to write periodic short essays regarding required course readings. Prerequisite(s): A ARH 267 or A ART 280.
A ART 282 Introduction to Video Postproduction (3)
An introduction to the technical and theoretical issues of the computer in the visual arts with a focus on digital video. Digital video post-production is explored through hands-on projects and readings designed to increase students’ aesthetic and technical vocabulary. Topics covered include basic non-linear editing with Final Cut Express/Pro, including graphics, titles, effects, importing/exporting, and sound editing. Also covered will be the preparation and creation of DVDs with iDVD and DVD Studio Pro.
A ART 298 Topics in Art (3)
Introductory study of a special topic in fine arts not otherwise covered in the curriculum. May be repeated for credit when the topic varies.
A ART 300 Art and Psychology (3)
This course explores the influence of 20th century psychological thought on the contemporary creative process. We will investigate the works of art and explore creative processes that are directly related to the mapping of the modern psyche. Readings will include writings by both artists and psychologists, including texts by Freud, Lacan, Jung, Breton, Miro, etc. Students will be expected to make class presentations and produce visual projects. Prerequisite(s): A ARH 170, 171 and A ART 205. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 305 Intermediate Drawing (3)
A studio course for students with two semesters of drawing experience. This course offers extended opportunities to draw from life combined with an awareness of various pictorial traditions and procedures. The development of a personal direction is strongly encouraged through challenging projects. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 205.
A ART 310 Studio Experiments in Visual Thinking (3)
An idea-oriented course designed to help students solve visual and artistic problems through invention and interpretation. Emphasis will be placed on imagination and experimentation with alternative and traditional materials, and students will work toward developing an expanded, personal, visual vocabulary. May be repeated once for credit. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 320 Intermediate Sculpture (3)
An exploration of traditional and nontraditional materials, processes and concepts of sculpture with an emphasis on fabrication, assemblage and installation ideas and actualization of finished sculptural pieces. Prerequisite(s): A ART 115.
A ART 321 Sculpture Fabrication Techniques (3)
A sequence of workshops and demonstrations exploring fabrication, additive processes and assembly techniques used in sculpture. Instruction is given on the materials and techniques used to cut, form and join aluminum, steel, wood and plastics. The student will become conversant with oxy-acetylene and electric welding (stick, MIG and TIG) equipment; woodworking tools, mechanical fasteners and industrial materials. Prerequisite(s): A ART 115 or permission of the instructor.
A ART 322 Sculpture Casting Techniques (3)
A sequence of workshops exploring techniques of learning to make molds in plaster, flexible rubber and classic investment, used in casting ceramic, wax, plaster, concrete, plastic resins, aluminum, bronze and other materials involved in generating sculpture. Prerequisite(s): A ART 115 or permission of the instructor.
A ART 330 Intermediate Painting (3)
A studio course for students with one semester of oil painting experience. This course offers extended opportunities to paint from life combined with an awareness of various pictorial traditions and procedures. The development of a personal direction is strongly encouraged through challenging projects. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 205 and 230.
A ART 331 Painting in Water-Based Media (3)
A studio course for students with two semesters of drawing experience. An introduction to the language of painting through the use of a variety of water-based media (ink, gouache, watercolor, egg tempera). Students will be asked to master several media-related procedures and develop coherent pictorial constructions. Prerequisite(s): A ART 205.
A ART 335 Color Theory and Pictorial Tradition (3)
In this combined studio/lecture course, students will examine a range of color theories and their application to specific works of art. Emphasis will be on the expressive role of color in various pictorial traditions. Students will be given an extensive vocabulary of color concepts and related studio exercises. Prerequisite(s): A ART 110. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 340 Contemporary Etching II (3)
A studio course for students with one semester of etching experience. Students will create images on and of paper with more complex intaglio and digital printmaking techniques, including multi-plat color printing. Projects will emphasize individual direction, ambition, research, and personal expression. Prerequisite(s): A ART 240 or permission of instructor.
A ART 341 Concept and Process in Printmaking (3)
Through the media of etching and digital printmaking, students will learn to invent and manipulate image-making systems and tools in order to make art. Conceptual art history and practices will be introduced, including the use of chance operations; the integration of text and image; and printmaking as a documentation of performance art. Studio projects will also explore the nature and potential of printmaking materials and surfaces, and the possibilities of printing on non-traditional substrates. Prerequisite(s): A ART 240, 242, 250, or permission of instructor.
A ART 342 Contemporary Lithography II (3)
A studio course for students with one semester of lithography experience. Students will create images on and of paper, including print-based installations and sculptural prints. Projects will emphasize individual direction, ambition, research, and personal expression. Prerequisite(s): A ART 240 or permission of instructor.
A ART 343 Post-Pop Printmaking (3)
An exploration of the manual tools of printmaking and the digital tools of drawing and design software to create visual appeal through composition, abstraction, pattern, and color. Students will be introduced to social and historical contexts for the graphic arts, as they relate to both the fine arts and cultural resistance movements. Studio projects will emphasize the investigation of the concepts of the artist as shopper, consumer, and as brand creator. Prerequisite(s): A ART 240, 242, 250, or permission of instructor.
A ART 344 Intermediate Photography and Digital Imaging (3)
In-depth investigation of traditional chemical-based black and white as well as digital techniques and image-making skills, with an emphasis on the archival fine-art print. The convergence of traditional photography and digital media is explored through hands-on projects and readings designed to increase students' aesthetic and technical vocabulary. Students are also introduced to the work of significant contemporary artists who work with photography and work with increased independence on the development of their portfolio. Prerequisite(s): A ART 244 or permission of instructor.
A ART 345 The Monotype (3)
Studio experience in most processes in the making of monotypes. Emphasis is on water-based, nontoxic materials. Prerequisite(s): A ART 105 or permission of instructor.
A ART 346 Introductory Film Production (3)
Seeing and thinking in cinematic terms, with an introduction to the process and equipment with which the filmmaker works. Cameras, lenses, film emulsions and editing procedures are studied in the making of short silent films. Prerequisite(s): A ARH 260, or A COM 238 and permission of instructor. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 347 Non-silver Photography (3)
Exploration of the various methods of applying light-sensitive emulsions to materials (cloth, paper) and printing from them rather than from the traditional silver-based photographic paper. This method enables the student to work in a more painterly printmaking manner. Prerequisite(s): A ART 344.
A ART 348 Color Photography (3)
Utilization of traditional film transparency and negative materials, as well as advanced digital workflow in color photography with emphasis on digital color printing. Students are also introduced to the work of significant contemporary artists who work with color photography. Prerequisite(s): A ART 344 and permission of instructor. A ART 110 recommended.
A ART 349 Artists’ Books/Narrative (3)
Theory, form, and practice of making images in sequence, with an emphasis on the timing and spacing of visual narrative. The structure of the artists’ book will be explored, and will include an introduction to basic hand bookbinding techniques. Projects will involve the creation of editioned multiples and one-of-a-kind hand-made book objects. Prerequisite(s): A ART 240, 242, 250, 348, or permission of instructor.
A ART 350 Intermediate Digital Imaging (3)
An intensive exploration into the uses of the computer in the fine arts. This course builds on concepts introduced in A ART 250. Emphasis is placed on correlating technical concerns with theoretical, conceptual, and aesthetic content. Students are expected to develop a portfolio through challenging projects. Prerequisite(s) A ART 250 and permission of the instructor. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 372 (= A MUS 372 & A THR 372) Sound Design and Multimedia (1)
Theory and techniques of how sound and music are composed for use in multi-media fields, including Theatre, the World-Wide Web, installation art, CD-ROM, and video. Students will work on original projects in their respective disciplines. The focus of this course will vary. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 325 and 426 or A THR 426 and/or permission of instructor. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 381 Advanced Video Postproduction (3)
A continuation of introduction to Video PP, this course focuses on the technical and theoretical issues of the computer in the visual arts with a focus on digital video. Digital video post-production is explored through hands-on projects and readings designed to increase students’ aesthetic and technical vocabulary. Topics covered include advanced non-linear editing techniques with Final Cut Pro with an emphasis on long form narrative videos and effect-based art videos, including techniques like keying and compositing with an introduction to the post-production program After Effects. Prerequisite(s): A ART 282. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 382 (= A ARH 369) Experimental Film and Video (3)
This course is an introduction to the elements, structure, and history of experimental film and video art. Experimental film and Video Art share similarities in their fundamental historical development but adopt very different approaches in style, form, and media. This course will follow each development through screenings and discussions relating to film and video beginning in the 1920’s to the present. Prerequisite(s): A ARH 260 or 267 or A ART 280. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 390 Topics in Printmaking (3)
Special projects in print processes ranging from relief printing to color viscosity etching. May be repeated for credit when topic varies (up to 12 credits). Prerequisite(s): A ART 240 or 242.
A ART 405 Advanced Drawing (3)
A studio course for students with two or three semesters of drawing experience. Individual attention is combined with technical and formal criticism in the development of a personal visual idiom. In this course, stress will be placed on how the history of drawing helps to reveal a student’s potential. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 305.
A ART 420 Advanced Sculpture (3)
A focus on contemporary concerns and attitudes in three-dimensional work and media requiring an application of concepts and experience learned and acquired in prerequisite courses and through research, which results in finished sculptures. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 320 and 321, or permission of instructor.
A ART 421 Topics in Sculpture (3)
Further exploration of sculptural concepts with a focus on individual problems, covering a wide range of media, methods and techniques. An emphasis is on the development, interpretation, realization and presentation of one’s ideas. May be repeated for credit when topic varies (up to 12 credits). Prerequisite(s): A ART 320 and 321, or permission of instructor.
A ART 426 (= A MUS 426 & A THR 426) Studio Work in Electronic Music and Media (3)
This course will provide students with basic studio techniques for field recording, digital audio editing, signal processing, and composition. Projects will reflect a variety of aesthetic approaches and disciplines from the experimental tradition in Electronic Music to sound art, multimedia applications, and related fields. Only one version of A ART 426 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 325 or equivalent and/or permission of instructor. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 427 (= A MUS 427 & A THR 427) Seminar in Electronic Music and Media (3)
This course is an advanced seminar in sound design, audio art, electronic musical composition, and related fields, with an emphasis on evaluation and discussion of creative studio work produced by students. A continuation of studies initiated in A MUS/A ART 426, with a focus on advanced techniques and aesthetics. Only one version of A ART 427 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 426. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 428 (= A MUS 428 & A THR 428) Sound Design and Multimedia (3)
Theory and techniques of how sound and music are composed for use in multi-media fields, including Theatre, the World Wide Web, installation art, CD-ROM, and video. Students will work on original projects in their respective disciplines. The focus of this course will vary. Only one version of A ART 428 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 426 or equivalent. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 429 (= A MUS 429 & A THR 429) Live Electronic Performance (3)
A survey of the history, techniques, and aesthetics of live electronic music and sound installation art, beginning in the 1960s. The course will include instruction in interactive and other forms of performance practice, as well as techniques for live sound production. Students will perform and "tech" original works and re-creations of historical works. May be repeated for a total of 12 credits. Prerequisite(s): A ART 426 or equivalent. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 430 Advanced Painting (3)
A studio course for students with two or three semesters of oil painting experience. Individual attention is combined with technical and formal criticism in the development of a personal visual idiom. In this course, stress will be placed on how the history of painting helps to reveal a student’s potential. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 330.
A ART 434 Topics in Drawing (3)
A studio course for students with at least two semesters of drawing experience. In depth study of selected topics in drawing not otherwise covered in the curriculum. Students will be guided through several pictorial models and procedures, seeking both mastery and a pictorial persona. May be repeated for credit when topic varies (up to 12 credits). Prerequisite(s): A ART 205.
A ART 435 Topics in Painting (3)
A studio course for students with two or three semesters of oil painting experience. In-depth study of selected topics in painting not otherwise covered in the curriculum. Students will be guided through a variety of pictorial paradigms, seeking both mastery and a pictorial persona. May be repeated for credit when topic varies (up to 12 credits). Prerequisite(s): A ART 330.
A ART 440 Advanced Etching (3)
Studio course with concentration on advanced etching techniques including photo work. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 340.
A ART 442 Advanced Lithography (3)
Advanced course in lithography. Emphasis on color and stone process. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 342.
A ART 444 Advanced Photography and Digital Imaging (3)
Advanced work in fine art photography; covers traditional chemical-based black and white as well as digital techniques and image-making skills, including web, CD-ROM and DVD design. Installation and presentation techniques are investigated in preparation for work beyond graduation. The convergence of traditional photography and digital media is explored through hands-on projects and readings designed to increase students' aesthetic and technical vocabulary. Students are also introduced weekly to the work of significant contemporary artists who work with photography, and are expected to work independently on the development of their portfolio. May be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite(s): A ART 344 or permission of instructor.
A ART 445 Advanced Monotype (3)
Continuation of A ART 345. Emphasis will be on individual approaches to ideas and various print techniques. Prerequisite(s): A ART 345.
A ART 446 Topics in Photography (3)
Expansion of camera skills and photographic techniques. Individual interests and abilities play a major role in established course content. May be repeated for credit when topic varies (up to 12 credits). Prerequisite(s): A ART 344.
A ART 447 Advanced Film Production (3)
This course builds on filmmaking skills acquired in Introductory Film Production. Students explore cinematic narrative structures, styles of editing, and setting the mise en scène. Students will make a fictional work on film or videotape that focuses on their own life experience. Prerequisite(s): A ART 346. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 450 Advanced Digital Imaging (3)
An exploration of some of the more sophisticated concepts, processes, and software involved in digital fine art. Students develop self-directed projects that reflect not only a technical proficiency with the media explored, but a thoughtfully developed conceptual thread. Weekly readings in current digital media theory and criticism provide insight into the work of emerging artists, and a wide range of techniques, media, and software are covered, including: advanced 2-D image manipulation, web graphics, and high-resolution fine art printmaking, as well as introductions to interactive multimedia and digital video. Emphasis is placed on finding the most appropriate solutions for each student’s individual project. Prerequisite(s): A ART 250 or permission of instructor. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 481 Video Installation (3)
A studio course on the basics of video installation. Students must have prior knowledge of video art practice and sculpture. The course will survey the development of video as an element in 3D installation through videos, exhibitions, and readings. Students will create small scale video installations as exercises in the course. The course will emphasize the use of public space and existing architecture as backdrop or element in the creation of video installations. The final project will involve a group site-specific installation incorporating a public space in the Albany area. Prerequisite(s): A ART 220, A ART 280, or A ARH 267. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 490 Internship in Studio Art (1-6)
Designed for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in the arts. Students work with art professionals for one semester. Internships may include the Times Union Photography Department, the Center for Photography at Woodstock, or assisting professional artists. Students complete an academic component consisting of required meetings with the faculty supervisor in the area of focus, and may involve a journal and portfolio. Art majors may use three credits toward course requirements above the 300 level. Internships are open only to qualified juniors and seniors who have an overall grade point average of 2.50 or higher. Consent for the internship must be obtained in the preceding semester by the submission of a plan of intent and a signed contract with a professional organization or individual artist. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing, 2.50 or higher GPA, and permission of instructor.
A ART 491 Senior Studio (3)
In this course, which is designed primarily for 60-credit art majors, graduation seniors will have the opportunity to work on a final project in their concentration for the senior art exhibition. Taught in the spring semester, Senior Studio will replicate the experience of a working artist who has to prepare and create artwork for an upcoming exhibition, taking into account the placement and display of their artwork in the exhibition space. Bringing together art majors from all five studio areas of concentration (digital media, painting and drawing, photography, printmaking, and sculpture), students in the class will be expected to work together in the staging of their senior art exhibition. While working on the exhibition and their artwork for the exhibition, students in Senior Studio will learn how to prepare for a career in the arts. Information concerning various art opportunities, documentation and dissemination of one’s artwork, how to research and apply for graduate art school, and what creative fields are available for their specific skill set will be covered in this course. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor.
A ART 492 Internship in Art Museum Management and Operation (3–4)
Designed for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in Arts Management or the Gallery/Museum administrative field. Projects may include computer database, archival records retrieval and storage, media relations skills, collections management, and exhibition organization and documentation. A final project will be assigned. Internships are open only to qualified juniors and seniors who have an overall grade point average of 2.50 or higher. Prerequisite(s): interview by gallery administrative staff and permission of Art Department Chair. S/U graded. May not be offered in 2011-2012.
A ART 496 Mentor Tutorial (3)
A tutorial in which readings, discussions, visits to museums and galleries are assigned to build awareness of the relevant traditions supporting an Honors student’s development. This tutorial will also include consultation on graduate school applications and instruction on taking slides of works of art. Prerequisite(s): admission into the departmental Honors Program.
A ART 497 Independent Study (1–4)
Directed studio project in a selected art area. May be repeated with approval of department chair. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing and permission of instructor and department chair.
A ART 498 Honors Project I (3-6)
Studio project in a selected area of concentration. Topics and issues vary according to the needs and goals set by the students with their mentors. The goal of this project is to allow students adequate space and opportunity to cultivate a distinctive personal direction and generate a significant body of work to pursue graduate study. Students will attend appropriate MFA critiques. Prerequisite(s): admission into the departmental Honors Program and permission of instructor.
A ART 499 Honors Project II (3-6)
The continuation and completion of a studio project set forth in A ART 498. Upon completion of the project, the student will be required to make an oral defense of the work before the Honors Committee. Successful completion of the program earns an Honors Certificate in Art and a nomination for graduating with “Honors in Art” from the University. Students will attend appropriate MFA critiques. Prerequisite(s): A ART 498.
