Art Degrees Online

The field of illustration is one of the most demanding occupations of the visual arts. The artist-illustrator must think both of the conceptual nature of the image being presented and of the range of technical possibilities dealing with the reproduction of the art. An understanding of the relationship among the illustrator and the art director, editor, author, and production personnel is an essential element in the cultivation of the complete illustrator.

The illustration student concentrates upon drawing, painting, and design. A high degree of facility in these skills must be achieved before moving on to the consideration of specific illustration problems, and it is encouraged throughout the program. The specialized courses deal with various aspects of the field: general illustration, editorial illustration, book illustration, typography, reproduction, graphics, perspective, with specialties in these categories such as the writing, designing, illustration, and production of children’s books. Job opportunities in illustration are varied and substantial. Large greeting card firms, for example, employ illustrators in staff positions and maintain entry-level training programs for the inexperienced graduate with a major in illustration. Other staff positions exist in publishing houses creating books, magazines, and newspapers. Beyond the salaried staff illustrator is the freelancer who markets skills on an individual, contractual-assignment basis creating paperback book covers; institutional advertisements; book jackets; postage stamps and a myriad of philatelic materials; textual illustrations for periodicals, books, and newspapers; corporate reports; TV commercials; and publications of every description including retail catalogs, advertising brochures, and “how-to-do-it” manuals.

The beginning role of Paier Illustration graduates will depend upon the nature and size of the organization that they join, or the nature of their free-lance work. Important also to their advancement will be the professional contacts that they establish in the commercial and fine arts fields.

Requirements for a Minor in Studio Art

A minor in studio art consists of a minimum of six courses distributed as follows:
Beginning, intermediate and advanced level courses in one of these areas of concentration: drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, two-dimensional design.
An additional introductory-level course in an area other than the chosen concentration.
Two courses chosen in consultation with a faculty adviser. One of these courses must be at the advanced 300-400 level, and may or may not be in the area of concentration.
For the minor in studio art, transfer students may transfer two courses equivalent to courses offered in the studio program.

The curriculum in studio art offers both a major (leading to a BA in art) and a minor. It also provides experiences for the liberal arts student who wishes to explore studio practices through elective courses.

The studio program consists of five areas of concentration: drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and graphic design. It is supported by a generous endowment: the Elsie Benensohn Rosefsky Visiting Artists Series.

The studio program is enhanced by events and activities in the Rosefsky Studio Art Gallery, which presents an ongoing series of exhibitions, including visiting artists, alumni artists, solo shows, lectures and seminars. It is also supported by the Art Student Co-op, a student-organized and operated source for art supplies.

For beginning and intermediate courses, the quality of work determines whether the student may repeat a course for further development. The decision for such action is a result of mutual consent of the student and the instructor. A repeated course receives credit and fulfills the major requirements.

Art majors and minors must declare an area of concentration and choose an appropriate adviser from among the faculty.

All courses used to satisfy departmental requirements must be taken under the normal grading option.

Beginning drawing is a prerequisite for the beginning courses in graphic design and printmaking, and recommended for all others.

Students must be in residence their last semester.

The studio art curriculum provides experiences for the liberal arts student who wishes to explore studio practices as an elective as well as offering a 10 course, 40-credit-hour program leading to the BA Degree or a 6 course, 24-credit-hour minor. The Studio Art Program consists of five areas of concentration: Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, and Graphic Design and is supported by a generous endowment: the Elsie Benensohn Rosefsky Visiting Artists Series.

The studio program is enhanced by events and activities in the Rosefsky Studio Art Gallery, which presents an ongoing series of exhibitions including visiting and alumni artists as well as lectures and seminars.

The studio program is also supported by the Art Student Co-op, a
student-organized and operated source for art supplies.

PAINTING
Students who choose painting as their concentration begin by strengthening their powers of observation while exploring the many ways which painting can capture perception. Materials and methods are explored as relationships between form and content are developed. Students become familiar with the theory and practice of painting through extensive studio exploration, visiting artists, readings on contemporary issues and working with experienced faculty, who are accomplished within their fields. Students are exposed to contemporary issues in painting, and explore the relationship between painting and drawing and other media such as video and photography.

The advanced drawing/painting students are challenged to create bodies of work for exhibition in the community and will learn about the broad range of professional opportunities to pursue—from maintaining a studio practice, working in set design, creating public murals, working on commissions, illustrating, teaching, and preparing to exhibit and sell their work.

Three minors are available through the art studio program:
Art Studio

Requires 18 hours in art studio including:
ARTS 101, Design and Color (3)
ARTS 106, Creative Drawing (3)
Four additional studio courses, two of which must be in the same area (i.e., drawing, painting, design, photography, or ceramics).
Photography

Requires 18 hours including:
ARTS 220, Photography Studio I (3)
ARTS 320, Photography Studio II (3)
ARTS 322, Photography: Color Studio (3)
ARTS 325, Creative Photography (3) or ARTS 365D, Black and White Photography Studio (3)
ARTS 365E, Color Studio (3) or ARTS 365K, Creative Photography
An elective, either ARTS 399, Independent Study in Art Studio (3) or ARTH102, Art History II (3)
Pre-Architecture

Requires 18 hours including:
ARTS 302, 303, Architecture and City Design I, II (3, 3)
ARTH 101, Art History I (3)
ARTH 102, Art History II (3)
ARTS 106, Creative Drawing (3)
One approved elective.

The Fine Arts Department offers graduate courses leading to the Master of Fine Arts Degree (MFA). The program is in studio art and its areas of specialization are:
Drawing
Painting
Sculpture (including ceramic sculpture)
Computer Imaging

The MFA degree is intended to lead students to a thorough mastery of both material and conceptual skills, and is used as a guarantee of professional competence in the visual arts. It is accepted as the final degree in studio art, and is now generally required for those intending to teach in this field at university level. It implies professional mastery of at least one medium, as well as a thorough grounding in art history, and an understanding of contemporary critical issues. It provides the time and circumstances to develop one’s work in individual directions and also requires the successful completion, exhibition and defence of a coherent body of work in a comprehensive solo exhibition. The seminar course includes the writing of a major research paper in the first year, while the thesis exhibition will be accompanied by an extended artist’s statement. As it serves as a requirement for teaching art, a supervised opportunity to learn to teach will be provided.

The major in studio art gives a thorough education in the traditions of twentieth-century drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture. In addition to extensive studio courses, the major covers the history of art and its role in contemporary society.

The introductory two-term sequence, called Theory and Techniques of Studio Art, focuses on developing the fundamentals of visual language. The major culminates in Open Studio and the Senior Show, immersing the student in building and exhibiting a body of work.

The minors in ceramics, painting, photography, sculpture and printmaking each have a strong foundation in the basic requirements of an art major, as well as in-depth experiences in one of the department’s program areas, ensuring that each student has a broad understanding of the visual language and is able to articulate visual ideas.