Aims & Outcomes. The aim of this course is to introduce you to the basics of painting, principally using water-based media.

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1 ASPT 1300 Introduction to Studio Painting Professor Michael Corris / Division of Art / Meadows School of the Arts / SMU ( or The Ethos of the Course. Every person is a special kind of artist. Ad Reinhardt (American painter, ) Aims & Outcomes. The aim of this course is to introduce you to the basics of painting, principally using water-based media. You will become familiar with historical and contemporary techniques as employed by artists who have worked from the early 20 th century to the present in the area surrounding Taos. You will learn how to talk about painting, using accepted technical terms, and how to assess the quality of a painting, using criteria and concepts drawn from aesthetics, art theory, and the writings of painters. This course covers the basic techniques and processes of painting, including color mixing and color theory, preparing a painting ground, using paper and canvas, and a range of historical and contemporary painting techniques (a la prima Italian, literally at first try, meaning: wet-onwet painting; the monotype the technique for producing a single copy from a painted image, which is then reworked and revised as an original work of art; and stain painting on unprimed canvas). The studio practice is supported by an exploration of modes of representation in art realism, abstraction from nature, non-imagistic abstraction, and works that emphasize the material properties of paint and pigment. Throughout, we will learn from the example of artists who have lived and worked in and around Taos, including Georgia O Keefe, Ad Reinhardt, Agnes Martin, and Larry Bell. Studio-based instruction will explore the creation of still life compositions, figure studies, and interior architectural subjects. Taking advantage of the SMU-in-Taos campus structures, the vernacular architecture of the city of Taos, and our location in the picturesque New Mexican countryside, we will explore directly the subjects of architecture and landscape. This course will provide you with the basic technical and conceptual tools to create and assess a work of art produced using the medium of painting, in a range of genres (still life, landscape, and so on). Through this work, you will exercise manual skills, apply creative concepts, and make aesthetic judgments relative to your own work and the work of your peers. 1

2 A portion of the coursework is designed with the aim to assist you in your development as an independent learner. Through these open-ended briefs, you will enjoy the freedom to develop and interpret themes employing subject matter and technique of your own choosing. The course will conclude with a group exhibition and critique, where you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the basic studio techniques of painting. Coursework Requirements. We will aim to complete a single work every two to three days. Some coursework will consist of exercises, such as color mixing, that can be completed within one day. Other items of coursework will be more complex in nature and take a proportionately longer period of time to complete. You will be expected to complete all coursework and participate in studio discussions, field trips, critiques, and the final group exhibition. Good painting comes to those who work hard, develop effective and safe studio habits, and are not afraid to take risks. Studio lean-up and maintenance is part of the experience of being a painter and an artist, so this too, will form a portion of your final grade. A journal/diary recording your thoughts on painting, art, sketches of ideas, etc. is required for this class, and it must be available for inspection at the final exhibition/critique. Attendance. Class attendance and punctuality is required, particularly since this is a condensed and intensive experience over a period of roughly two weeks. More than one (1) unexcused absence will negatively affect your grade, each absence thereafter leading to a drop of one letter grade. Four (4) absences will result in a failure. Electronic Devices and Other Guidelines for Best Studio Practice. In general, no cell phones should be in use during instruction. During free working periods, or at other times at the discretion of the instructor, you may use headphones or ear buds to listen to music while you are working. The studio is a smoke-free zone and no eating is permitted. Drinks in covered containers only are permitted. You should wear an apron or clothing that you won t mind getting soiled; always wear gloves when working with paints or dry pigments. You can learn about the hazards of studio practice by consulting one of the following widely used reference guides for artists, Ralph Mayer s Handbook of Materials and Techniques or Margaret Krug, An Artist s Handbook: Materials and Techniques. Materials. You should plan ahead, order your materials well in advance, and come to the first session prepared with the following materials. Anything that you can t source in Dallas or that you have neglected to purchase can be found, at slightly higher cost at Taos best art supply store: Taos Art Supply, 208 Ranchitos Road, Taos, NM

3 I strongly advise you to purchase your supplies in advance using the online site of Dick Blick Art Supplies ( or Utrecht Art Supplies ( arts & crafts shops like Michael s or Hobby Lobby, as their range of products is narrower and their prices will be higher than online suppliers.\ Acrylic Artist s Paint: Recommended brand and colors: Aquatec, Liquitex, Windsor Newton, Golden Fluid Acrylics (more expensive), Atelier Interactive (from Utrecht Art Supplies) or the Blick proprietary studio acrylics, found at: Colors: 120 or 250ml tubes (or squeeze bottles in the case of Golden Fluid Acrylics) to start: burnt sienna, raw sienna, raw umber, burnt umber, cadmium red deep, cadmium red light, cadmium red medium, cadmium yellow light, cobalt blue, green light permanent, hooker s green, ivory black, Naples yellow, primary blue (or ultramarine blue), and titanium white (250 or 500ml tube). Some brands will have a wider selection of colors, so chose based on the color charts provided online. Transfer paper, 8-1/2 x 11 inches, 6 sheets (also known as carbon paper: you may be able to find this at a stationary store. If not, go online.) Nitrile Gloves: essential supply for safe studio practice! Enough for two weeks worth of work. Brayer, 6 inch: Bristol Pad, 14 x 17 inches, for example: series-bristol-pads/ Acetate Pad (11 x 14 inches or 14 x 17 inches): Canvas (cotton duck, raw) (this will be supplied by the instructor) Sketchbook (9 x 12 inches min., wire bound): Brushes: recommend 5, in this set: Other Brushes: An inexpensive, 2-inch wide, water-based paintbrush (at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) Acrylic Flow Release Medium: Golden brand, 8 oz., used to increase the flow or liquidity of the paint: Acrylic Retarder: Golden brand, 8 oz., used to decrease the drying time of the paint: Palette knife: Richeson Plastic Painting Knives (set of 5): Paper towels Disposable Palette Paper Pad: 9 x 12inch, 3

4 Pencils (HB, 2B), Kneaded eraser, 2 sheets of medium-grade sandpaper, and a pencil sharpener or pocketknife. Push pins, or similar tacks Masking tape (beige or blue, one roll) Ruler (12-inch minimum, metal or wood with metal edge) Plastic triangle ( º) Thumb drive (for storing digital images) Carry case for paints, brushes, medium, and palette knives (an Art Bin, or a small toolbox, or backpack): here s an Art Bin: Optional Materials Colored pencils (assortment of 12), for color sketching Colored markers (Sharpies are good, fine tip, assortment of colors), for color sketching Container for water with a screw cap (one liter/quart capacity, for outdoor painting work; any plastic container will do) Course Calendar Week 1 We will cover the following topics during the first week. At the end of this week, we will conduct a group studio critique. What is a painting? Screening of Gerhard Richter Painting and discussion of selected writings by artists on the art of painting. Working with color: the basics of color mixing and application, using acrylic pigments. Chiarascuro: the treatment of light and shade in painting and drawing. We will explore this painting technique through still life composition and with the use of a minimal palette. Abstraction from nature: studio interiors. The representation of the artist s studio is a significant genre of painting in Western art. We will produce our own, using our own Art Barn as model. Palette knife techniques and a wider color selection will be introduced. Field Trip: Harwood Museum of Art, Taos. 4

5 Week 2 The monotype technique, employing a variety of subject matter Abstraction from nature Stain painting: exploring the techniques of Helen Frankenthaler Use the painting technique(s) and subject matter of your choice for the creation of (1) a small study (9 x 12 inches) and (2) a larger work (14 x 17 inches, or larger if on unstretched canvas). Final group exhibition and critique of work produced in this course, alongside your artist s journal/sketch book. With the permission of the students, this exhibition will be open to view by the SMU-in-Taos community. Assessment & Grades. Each project will be assessed individually based on a number of criteria: (1) fulfillment of the assignment (15%), (2) technical proficiency (depending on the assignment, it will range from 50-60%), and (3) creativity (depending on the assignment, it will range from 20 50%). Work submitted after deadline will be penalized by 10% for every day it is late. Dangerous or sloppy studio practice (failure to observe studio guidelines or to clean up) will not go unnoticed. Your final grade will be calculated on the basis of your coursework (the assignments), plus (1) your participation in critiques and discussions (10%), (2) the submission of your sketchbook/journal (10%), and (3) attendance (see notes, above, on this factor). Letter grades (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, W, or I) will be assigned based on the sums of scores of the relevant factors, above. Your improvement over time will figure in your final grade. Those who have a slow start may improve their grades with hard work and a demonstrated mastery of the course content. 5