Art 101 Syllabus

Day and Night ​by M. C. Escher, 1938

Introduction to 2D Design, Summer 2018

Art 101​, 6/11-7/26/2018, 8 -11:35 am Monday-Thursday
Room:​ 752
Instructor​: Jennifer Donovan
Email​:​ ​jdonovan@swccd.edu
I​nstructor Contact Information
Instructor​: Jennifer Donovan
Email​: Canvas Inbox (preferred method of contact) or jdonovan@swccd.edu
Canvas Login: ​MyS​WC or​ ​Canvas Login at ​https://swccd.instructure.com

Office Hours and Response Time

I am available to meet both before and after class on an as need basis. Please email
me to schedule a meeting. I will respond to your email within 24 hours, M-Th. If you do
not get a response after 24 hours, please resend.

Required Materials
1. SWC email account
2. All of the materials required for this course will be included in the supply kit
offered through ​Blick Art​, which costs ​$85.11​ (​including tax), a Blick
representative will be in class on ​Tuesday, 6/12 ​to​ ​sell kits to students.​ ​Any
additional supplies or texts will be provided by your instructor. You may pay in
advance by phone, or bring cash (exact change) or a credit card on Monday. You
may also go to the store to purchase it. ​If you have to delay the purchase please
see me. If you already have many of the supplies, check with me to see if it
would be less costly to buy the items separately.

BLICK ART: ​1844 India St., San Diego, CA 92101. Phone: (619) 687-0050.
They are open M-F 9am-8pm, Sat 9am-7pm and Sun 11am-6pm. The store is 3
blocks from the County Center/Little Italy (green line) trolley station. If additional
materials are needed, you will be notified in advance.

3. Google Docs, Microsoft Word—Get Office 365 free with your SWC email
address!—or another word processing program

Course Description
This course provides a general introduction to modes and techniques for expression in
two-dimensional space and image making. It will You will learn to orchestrate
relationships of material and process with form and presentation. 2D design asks us to

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experience a physical thing, an image, in a way that may suggest a feeling, embody an
idea, elicit an intuition, and represent something else altogether.

Throughout the course we will deal directly with processes that make up the foundations
of our visual world; representation, structure, perception, spatial interaction,
manufacturing, conceptual and visual elements, such as line, shape and form, space,
texture, color; and principles such as repetition, variety, rhythm, balance, emphasis,
economy, etc.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon the successful completion of this course (a “C” or “CR/Pass”) students will be able
to:

1. Identify and analyze the fundamental principles of creative expression and visual
communication, including the steps in the design process and the theories of
perception.
2. Demonstrate their understanding of the visual elements and principles of
two-dimensional design through original works.
3. Demonstrate synthesized critical thinking making skills through the application of
media-specific techniques and communication of concepts through original
works.
4. Analyze the relevance and influence of design through social, cultural, and
political economic contexts and belief systems.
5. Evaluate and discuss their own creative expressions, as well as those of their
classmates.

Attendance and Participation

Regular attendance and class participation is vital in a studio class. Students are
expected to come to class on time, ready to work and with all necessary supplies and
materials. If you are more than 10 minutes late, or if you leave before I declare class
officially over, I will count you absent (but you may still participate in the class).​ ​After 3
unexcused absences a student may be dropped from the class​. ​However, if you
choose to drop the course you will need to do so officially through Admissions and then
notify your instructor.

The only qualifying excused absences are: family emergencies, established religious

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holidays and illness with a doctor's note indicating that you needed to stay home on that
particular class day. Even for excused absences you will be expected to make up class
time.

Assignments
This course will consist of 10 different projects, most of which will be based on the same
image, meant to introduce you to diverse aspects of 2D design elements, principles,
materials and methods. As this is a survey style course you will be met with many
divergent challenges. All the projects will be graded individually and then together as a
portfolio. Students are also required to write a visual analysis of an artwork they saw
during this semester in an art museum outside of class time​.

Grading
Each student's final grade is calculated by the percentage of total points possible
earned by that student, using a standard scale: 90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79=C,
60-69%=D, 0-59%=F. The instructor reserves the right to add/change/delete points
during the semester.
Assignment Points % of Total
40% Projects (200 points)
20% Homework (100 points)
15% Final Portfolio (75 points)
15% Movie Quizzes (75 points)
10% Museum Paper (50 points)
Total Points Possible 500

Project Evaluation
Each project will have a different process and time span. You will be graded based on
the following factors:

● Cleanliness and Presentation:​ ​Is the presentation of the image thoughtful?

Have you erased extra marks or remounted the image for a cleaner
presentation?
● Followed Instructions:​ ​Have you carefully read through and attended to each
instruction for the project? Is your paper the right size? Are you using the correct
technique? Are you using the correct materials?

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 ● Resolved Problem:​ ​How you attempt to orchestrate the many aspects of a
project with each other. If you ran into difficulties, were you able to resolve them
within the projects guidelines?
● Use of Materials:​ ​How well you have familiarized yourself with your materials as
instruments and the range of experimentation acquired for the guidelines of each
project.
● Attention to Detail:​ ​Apart from following directions, have you considered every
aspect of the image? Are the colors, the composition engaging? How well have
you mined the image for information? How well have you integrated concepts
from lecture into your practice?

Note:​ Experimentation is encouraged! Making good art takes time, thought, planning
and the allowance of some extra time for mistakes. Though we will be working on
projects in class, it is expected that you will spend time outside of class to develop and
complete projects​.

Projects
Each project are worth 10-15 points and will be mounted and centered on a 13” x 13”
sheet of white paper. To be considered on-time, they should be mounted and
presentable ​before​ class on the day that they are due, unless I have already specified
that class day as a wrap-up class. You will be required to keep all projects for the final
portfolio, they should be handled with extreme care so that they are presentable for the
portfolio.

Museum Paper
You will be required to write visual analysis of an artwork you saw during this
semester in an art museum outside of class time. We will go over the guidelines
for this papers in class, and they will be made available on the class website.
This assignment will be ​due on 7/26 by 11:59 pm​ and can be submitted during
class or online through Canvas. It is worth 10% of your grade.

Final Portfolio
Your final portfolio will include all of your projects from the semester and will be
due in class on 7/26 during​. This is an opportunity to re-do any projects that
received a less than favorable grade, as they will be graded a second time for the
portfolio, which is worth 20% of your grade​.

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 Homework
Homework will be assigned daily and is a required component of the course and
will primarily be assigned to advance projects. Homework assignments form 20%
of your grade for this class​.

Grade Rubrics
Grade rubrics will accompany each graded project and will offer students a
breakdown of why they received a particular grade as well as suggestion for
improving their work.

Extra Credit
Students may hand in extra credit projects throughout the semester if they feel
that their grade needs a boost, or if they find themselves particularly interested in
doing outside research/practice on topics that relate to class. Each extra credit
will count towards your grade in the area that needs it the most. All assignments
have to be of “B” quality or higher to count as extra credit. 10 extra credits would
take the place of one project.

Critiques
Class critiques are very important and will be held at the beginning of class on
the due date of each project. Presentational choices and craft shall be subject to
critique ​as part of the work​. Your participation in the groups critiques is important,
and required. If your work is not complete for the critique, your grade, on that
assignment, will be lowered by one full letter grade for each day it is late.
Museum Assignment
The Museum Assignment is due on the last day of class,​ ​7/26 by 11:59 pm​ ​and
is worth 20% of your overall grade. Students will visit an art museum and write a
visual analysis of an artwork that they saw during their visit. As part of the graded
assignment you will include a museum visit worksheet, a rough draft and a final
draft.

To receive a letter grade of "C" you must maintain regular attendance, complete
assignments and participate in class discussions and critiques. An "A" in this course will
require that you far exceed the minimum expectations for both quality and concept.
Your work should show a developed understanding of visual concepts, elements and

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techniques, excellent craftsmanship, exceptional creativity and the ability to discuss
your work and the work of others.

Academic Integrity
By enrolling in a distance education course, you agree that you are the person
accessing and completing the work for this course and will not share your CMS
username and password with others.
Any academic dishonesty such as plagiarism or cheating will result in severe penalties.
Plagiarism is the act of using another person's words or ideas as if they were your own.
Sources of quotations, paraphrases, and summaries must be properly documented
according to ​MLA format​. This applies to all writing, including discussions.
Plagiarism is considered academic theft because it is stealing someone else’s words or
ideas, but the plagiarizer robs himself or herself as well. This course will provide you
with the opportunity to improve your reading, thinking, and writing skills—don’t rob
yourself of that chance.
Unfortunately, I am very practiced at both identifying and locating the source of
plagiarized writing. Do not insult my intelligence by claiming someone else’s work is your
own. ​Plagiarized work will automatically receive a failing grade, and the plagiarizer
is also very likely to receive a failing grade for the course and/or face misconduct
charges (see​ ​Southwestern College Catalog​). When in doubt, ask first!

Helpful Resources
It is assumed that students entering this course are able to write college-level essays
and possess college-level grammar and punctuation skills. If any aspect of your writing
is not yet at this level, it is your responsibility to bridge the gap through the use of
helpful, free resources such as the following:
When you are on campus, I highly recommend that you visit the​ ​SWC Writing Center​,
located in room 420D in the​ ​Academic Success Center​. ​Tutoring, free handouts, and a
weekly workshop series are all available to you. The Writing Center also offers free
online tutoring—see their ​Online Writing Lab webpage​ ​for details.
You will find a wealth of resources at ​Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL)​.
When you have questions about Canvas and online learning at SWC, the ​Online
Learning Center​ is ready to assist you. For online information about student services,
visit the ​Student Services & Campus Resources​ area of the college website. The ​SWC

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Library ​can also be accessed online.
Also remember that I will be happy to meet with you on campus, answer emails, and
respond to your concerns in the Q&A discussion forum if you are having trouble with a
reading assignment, a concept, etc.—I'm here to help!

Students with Disabilities

If you have a learning disability, physical disability, or any other circumstance that needs
special accommodation, please discuss it with your instructor, in person or via email. I
want you to be successful and am happy to work with you! Here is additional
information provided by our college’s DSS office:
Southwestern College recommends that students with disabilities or specific learning
needs contact their professors during the first two weeks of class to discuss academic
accommodations. If a student believes that they may have a disability and would like
more information, they are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services (DSS) at
(619) 482-6512 (voice), (619) 207-4480 (video phone), or email at ​DSS@swccd.edu​.
Alternate forms of this syllabus and other course materials are available upon request.

Lab rules and collective studio duties requirements:

● Your participation in daily clean up is mandatory. Missed group clean up will

affect your class participation grade.
● You must clean up after yourself in the area where you have worked. This must
be taken care of after each work session whether it is during the class of after
class hours.
● Do not use lacquer thinners of toxic xatives indoors.
● Do not use any tools or equipment you are unfamiliar with unless you have
been instructed in their use​.
● Health and Safety Regulations:​ any improper handling of oil based inks,
turpentine, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, etc. may be fatal for your health, other
students and the environment. Therefore, it is necessary that you read health
and safety instructions before using certain materials and equipment.

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Required Course Materials
The following materials are either included in the kit or provided by the instructor.
❏ Sketch pad (Strathmore 24 sheets 80lb) 14” x 17”
❏ X-Acto knife
❏ Metal ruler 18” with cork backing
❏ Drafting tape (1/2” wide)
❏ Graphite pencils (7H and 4H)
❏ Black India ink (non-waterproof)
❏ Bamboo brush or pointed watercolor brush, large (#6)
❏ Koh-I-Nor Rapidograph Technical Pen, Black 1 pt
❏ Erasers (white plastic and kneaded)
❏ Pencil sharpener
❏ Metal palette knife, Large
❏ 3 White nylon (soft bristle) Paint brushes (round 8, flat 10 and a filbert 14)
❏ Acrylic paint, preferably Liquitex Basics, (Mars Black 120ml, Titanium
White 120ml, Cadmium Red Medium 250ml, Cadmium Yellow Light
250ml, Pthalo Blue 250ml)
❏ Painter’s palette with lid
❏ Transparent Vellum, 9” x 12”
❏ Vine charcoal
❏ Glue stick

Suggested Materials
Please include the following items in your supply box if you have them readily available.
They are not required, so you do not need to purchase them.
❏ Box to transport materials
❏ Scissors
❏ Tweezers
❏ Prismacolor pencils: Ultramarine blue #902, Lemon yellow #915, Crimson
red #924, White #938, Black #935
❏ Protractor with degrees (180 degrees)
❏ Apron, smock or baggy T-shirt to protect clothes (this can be left in the
classroom)
❏ Circle cutter (comparable to an Olfa or an X Acto circle cutter)