In this class, students will be introduced to the nature, vocabulary, media and history of the visual arts, illustrated by examples drawn from many cultures, both Western and non-Western and across many centuries. We will begin with a general overview of the subject, including basic concepts and themes that shed light on the continuity of the artistic enterprise across the span of human experience. We will study the visual elements from which art is made, including how artists use these elements and how the artists' use of visual elements affects our experience of looking at art. We will examine both two-dimensional and three-dimensional media including drawing, painting, printmaking, camera and computer arts, graphic design, sculpture, installation, crafts and architecture. Selected works will be examined in context, including the history of the time and place in which they were created, as well as their function, patronage, and the character and intent of individual artists.

This course introduces the student to the concepts, tools, and techniques of microcomputer-based, two-dimensional graphics and animation. Students use microcomputer painting software to create visual effects and still images, and they use animation software to produce the illusion of movement. Students are taught design fundamentals, as well as the essentials of color theory, and they explore the differences between pigment color and light color.