Syllabus

Foundation Design Art 1110 Fall 2024

Prof. Elizabeth Albert

TF 12:15 - 3:05 Mezz B

Contact Info: alberte@stjohns.edu; 646-373-1517

Office Hours: TF 11:00-12:00; W 9:30am-10:30am or by appointment

Course Description

A conscious approach to two-dimensional design is an integral part of all artistic development. Foundation Design is an introductory studio course where students will investigate the nature of two dimensional design and visual problem solving. The formal elements of visual language (i.e. line, shape, value, texture, color) and the principles of composition will be the focus of a series of projects. Most projects will have multiple phases and allow students to explore the uses of a variety of wet and dry media. Emphasis will be placed on the development of analytical and critical problem solving implemented through practice, critique, and the study of traditional and contemporary art.

Course Requirements

Focused application to projects (both in-class and homework)
Active participation in group critiques
Successful completion of each phase of all projects by the due date
Appropriate presentation of completed work
Regular attendance

Grading Policy and Breakdown

Grades reflect concept, planning, technical execution, and effort. Final grades are based on an average of the following: 50% for assignments (class work and homework); 15% each for the mid-term and final project; 20% for class participation: verbal participation during critiques, attendance, punctuality, observation of due dates, and studio responsibilities.

Please note that grading for this course is based on the following equivalents:

A+ = 97-100

A = 93-96.9

A- = 90-92.9

B+ = 87-89.9

B = 83-86.9

B- = 80-82.9

C+ = 77-79.9

C = 73-76.9

C- = 70-72.9

D+ = 67-69.9

D = 63-66.9

D- = 60-62.9

F = 0-59.9

Attendance Policy for Studio classes

Attendance to all classes is required. The Department of Art and Design has an attendance

policy that reads as follows: 2 unexcused absences results in the subtraction of 1/2 a letter

grade; 4 unexcused absences results in the subtraction of 1 full letter grade; and 6 unexcused

absence will result in automatic failure of the course.

Course Expectations / Conduct

Conduct: It is expected that all students come prepared to class at all times and consistently behave in a professional manner. Respect and common courtesy towards one another is expected. Students are responsible for treating the equipment they use and/or borrow with extreme care. Cell phone use is not allowed unless students are under an emergency “watch”.

Work Load: The Department of Art and Design requires each studio class to assign/expect at least 6 hours of outside class work per week from all BFA students.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

St. John’s University complies with the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and offers accommodations to students with disabilities. If you are in need of accommodation, please contact me to discuss this as soon as possible. All information will be held in the strictest confidence.

Units of Instruction

Two-Dimensional Design Elements
1. Line
2. Shape
3. Texture
4. Value

Basic Compositional Strategies
1. Unity and Variety
2. Weight and Gravity
3. Balance
4. Scale and Proportion
5. Emphasis

Illusions of Space
1. Perspective
2. Figure Ground
3. Layered Space
4. Expressive uses of Space

Creativity Strategies
1. Receptivity
2. Sources of ideas
3. Curiosity
4. Expanded Reference Points
5. Making Connections
6. Realization in visual form

Problem Solving
1. Convergent and Divergent thinking
2. Brainstorming
3. Research
4. Variation on a theme
5. Metaphorical thinking
6. Interdisciplinary thinking

Supplies / Materials / Books Required

The list of required supplies can be found here:

https://elizabetalbert.wixsite.com/foundationdesign/materials

Assessment Procedure

Individual critique to assess development and progress of each project
Group critique upon completion of each project or each phase of each project
Group or individual; critique of each homework assignment
Group critique of midterm exam project
Group critique of final exam project
Selection for exhibition of class work
End of semester Portfolio Review
Recommended submissions to the student show

Bibliography & Resources

Arnheim, Rudolf. Art and Visual Perception. University of California Press. 1964.

Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London: British Broadcasting Corporation, 1987.

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.

Gombrich, E.H. Art and Illusion. Oxford, England: Phaidon, 1977.

Gombrich, E.H. The Sense of Order: A Study in the Psychology of the Decorative Arts. Oxford, England: Phaidon, 1994.

Herman, Amy. Visual Intelligence: Sharpen Your Perception, Change Your Life. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016

Hoffman, Donald D. Visual Intelligence: How We Create What We See. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1998.

Lupton, Ellen and Jennifer Cole Phillips. Graphic Design: The New Basics 2nd Ed. Princeton NJ: Princeton Architectural Press, 2015.

Martinez, Benjamin; and Jacqueline Block. Visual Forces: An Introduction to Design. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995.

Myers, Jack Fredrick. The Language of Visual Art: Perception as a Basis for Design. Orlando FL: Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1989.

Robertson, Jean and Craig McDaniel. Themes of Contemporary Art: Visual Art after 1980. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.

Rogers, Brian. Perception: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2017.

Stewart, Mary. Launching the Imagination, 6 edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2018.

Stokstad, Marilyn and Michael Cothren. Art History 6th edition. London: Laurence King, 2017.