Art History

A survey of the chronological development of Western art from the Stone Age to the Gothic Period with emphasis on the cultural, political, and social factors that influenced this evolution. This includes: Near-Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic art and architecture.

MATH 21 or 54 recommended

See the full list: IGETC Area 2 Course

This introductory course in rhetoric emphasizes clear, effective written communication and preparation of the research paper.

This course provides an exploration of intellectual, psychological, social and physical factors that impact lifelong learning, well-being and success. Topics include motivation and self-efficacy; critical thinking, academic integrity and active study strategies; health issues and lifestyle choices; relating to others as a global citizen; written and oral communication; time management; career exploration; and educational planning.

Required for CSU; Elective for UC

See the full list: IGETC Area 1C Course

This course is a survey of the chronological development of Western art from the Renaissance to the contemporary with emphasis on the cultural, political, and social factors that influenced this evolution. This includes: Italian and Northern Renaissance,Mannerism, 15th Century Flemish, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, impressionism and Post Impressionism and the major movements of the 20th century. painting.

This course helps students to develop their critical thinking and writing skills beyond the level achieved in English 1. The course emphasizes the application of logical reasoning, analysis, and strategies of argumentation in critical thinking and writing, using literature (both fiction and non-fiction) and literary criticism as subject matter.

This fundamental course is focused on representational drawing and composition using various black and white media. Introduction to principles, elements, and practices of drawing, employing a wide range of subject matter and drawing media.  Focus on perceptually based drawing, observational skills, technical abilities, and creative responses to materials and subject matter.

This course surveys the art, architecture, and visual culture of Latin America from pre-history up until European contact. Art objects and monuments from select ancient civilizations of Mexico, Central America, and South America will be placed within their historical, cultural, social, and political contexts.

This course is an introductory survey of the art, architecture, and visual culture of Latin America from the colonial to the contemporary period. The course examines the introduction and adaption of European artistic models in the Americas as well as the transformation of American art as a result of the conquest, analyzing a variety of materials and media including urban planning, religious and secular architecture, painting, sculpture, manuscript drawings and prints from the colonial period (1492-1820). Students examine the role of Latin American artists in building independent nations in the 19th c. and engaging with issues of race, gender, new technologies, politics, and globalization in the 20th and 21st centuries.

This course covers the historical development of Mexican art from its Pre-Colombian past to the present with a review of painting, sculpture, architecture, and their social, political, religious, and economic relevance.

This course is a survey of the chronological development of Asian art from earliest times to present times with emphasis on the cultural, political, and social factors which influenced this evolution. The course includes the art of India, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

History and appreciation of the arts of Africa and The African Diaspora. Examines the continent of Africa within historical, cultural, religious, socio-political, and aesthetic contexts, the impact of African art in Europe and the Americas, and contemporary African art.

This is an introductory course in the theory and application of the elements of 2-dimensional design which includes line, value, form, light logic, positive and negative space, pattern, texture, perspective, composition and color theory. Required for all art majors.

This course is an introduction to historical references, conceptual ideas, and hands on applications related to three-dimensional design. Students in this class will look at spatial composition, along with organizing principles and elements of design as they apply to space and form.  Students are invited to experiment with new materials, cutting edge technology, and critical dialogues in order to develop their own visual vocabulary for creative expression. The class will have regular lectures, practices with work space organization for exhibitions, and a sense of play in the use of materials for non-representational three-dimensional studio projects.  This course is spirited and experimental.

This course focuses on study of the human figure through drawing utilizing observation, anatomy, and spatial structure. Beginning with proportions, volumes and gesture, drawing from the live model with class demonstrations the students will learn to identify the main landmarks of the body, the skeletal structure and the muscles of the human body. The lecture portion of the course will focus on Descriptive Anatomy directed toward artistic purposes and connected theoretical concepts, the studio portion of the course is focused toward the practical application of these notions and concepts making them directly relevant to the students that will start immediately applying them toward the practice of drawing the human figure. Various drawing techniques will also be practiced in the Studio portion of the course.

Drawing from the human figure is an enjoyable and powerful exploration into the cultural context of one’s own world. This course provides intermediate instruction in drawing the human figure from the live model for students building a portfolio of figure drawings. This course builds on ART 21A, and focuses on more in depth study of the human figure through drawing. A broader range of materials will be introduced, including the use of color with continued emphasis on observation, anatomy, and spatial structure.

This will be an introduction to the formal and spatial concepts, principles and techniques in sculpture. Various methods and mediums will be employed with attention to creative self-expression and historical context.

Students will continue to explore sculptural materials and techniques and how different materials can be used for various art problems. Focus will be on individual growth and direction, emphasizing aesthetic and conceptual considerations.

This course offers the advanced sculpture student the opportunity to further explore materials, tools, processes and techniques in conjunction with their individual conceptual and theoretical framework. Students will develop greater strength and abilities in articulating and investigating the significance of their own work and the work of other artists.

This course is designed to teach students basic ceramic design, materials, terminology, and construction methods, with an emphasis on building ceramic forms by hand with pinch, coil, and slab techniques. The course introduces students to the history of ceramics in a variety of cultural contexts, from ancient to contemporary. Students will have the opportunity to develop unique sculptural and functional ceramic objects with a wide variety of construction and decoration techniques.

This is a ceramic design and construction course using basic hand building methods such as slab, coil, and molding combined with advanced building techniques. This course investigates traditional ways of hand building with contemporary concepts. Awareness of three-dimensional form, concept, and surface design are heightened by individual and group critiques. The students work towards a more individual statement by further experimentation with a variety of clay bodies, glazes, and firing techniques.

Emphasizes advanced concepts in wheel throwing and in wheel throwing and creating sculptural forms in a variety of methods. Students will increase knowledge of glaze and firing technology. See counselor regarding transfer credit limitations.

This non-laboratory course is an introduction to digital photography including understanding the use of an interchangeable-lens camera, lenses and basic photographic equipment. The course will address creative considerations and aesthetic principles as they relate to composition, space, exposure, motion, light and color. Technological considerations, digital asset management, and editing software will be introduced.

This studio course focuses on research based design principles and their application in real world scenarios. Critical design thinking is considered in the context of the arts, mass media, social sciences, ecology, architecture, and interactive systems.

This class is an introduction to fundamental concepts, practices, and theories of digital art production. Hands on project based assignments focus on the use of technology to create art through various digital media input and output methods.

This course covers calligraphy, including hand written letter forms and type faces, styles, proportion, lay-out and spacing as applied in personal correspondence, advertising, layouts and brochures.

This course explores jewelry design and silversmith as an art form and includes both fabricating and lost-wax casting techniques. See counselor regarding transfer credit limitations.

This course is a continuation of jewelry fabrication and casting, emphasizing the expressive use of non-ferrous metal construction techniques including chain making, surface embellishments, alternative casting, and hollow container construction.

This course emphasizes color with the compositional aspects of drawing, advanced integration of basic drawing principles, and the development of individual expression. Exploration of artistic concepts, styles, and creative expression related to more complex subject matter and concepts using a variety of drawing mediums, techniques, and methodologies. Students in this course will build on fundamental drawing skills to develop personalized approaches to content and materials in exercises covering multiple historical and contemporary approaches to drawing.

This course offers the opportunity to explore digital drawing techniques from a fine art perspective. Students are introduced to the elements of drawing and composition on the Macintosh using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Instruction focuses on the basic functions of both programs, including learning to use the Wacom drawing tablet and scanning techniques. Through class assignments students explore the basic elements of drawing, line, shape, value, texture, and color along with their role in spatial development. Projects are designed to encourage fluency in drawing by emphasizing a variety of digital techniques that combine hand drawn images and concepts, with drawings produced on the computer. The emphasis is on learning to creatively express their ideas with drawing. Prerequisite: none

This is an introductory course to water media painting with emphasis on watercolor technique, composition and formal theory. A spectrum of wash, glaze, and gouache techniques are explored using principles of color theory, composition, and space building concepts. See counselor regarding transfer credit limitations.

In this advanced watercolor class students will further their knowledge and research about the principles, and practices of painting with watercolor. There is a focus on exploration of watercolor materials, perceptual skills and color theory, paint mixing and technique, as well as creative responses to materials and subject matter.

This course will focus on the basics of drawing and painting with Acrylics and Mixed Media. Acrylics are a fast drying medium that is ideally suited for the beginning art student interested in the Commercial Arts as well as the Fine Arts. Students will develop skills in conceptual and observational painting through still life and assignments geared toward illustration. Assignments are based on typical areas of concentration found in the field, including conceptual, decorative, surreal, editorial, design, narrative, portrait, realistic and on the practical aspect of a career in illustration.

This is an introductory course in oil painting. This course will emphasize building a foundation for executing and understanding paintings with coursework focusing on the use and application of painting materials, perceptual skills, composition, and theory.

This course is an intermediate course in painting with a variety of types of subject matter. This course will emphasize the further use of oil or acrylic paint.

This course will focus on painting the live model from direct observation. Students may work in oil or acrylic paint for the course. The course will also focus on understanding and developing pictorial strategies through composition and analysis. Over the course of the semester, each student produces two major figurative paintings and at least five smaller works.

This course is an interdisciplinary studio course that explores art practices and issues underlying contemporary fine art activity with an emphasis on the influence of modern and postmodern perspectives. The nature, origins, methods, and implications of various art movements and genre are examined and the dissolution of traditional boundaries between media categories are explored. Topics include the relationship between art and technology, new media, film and video, performance, site-specificity, intertextuality, self-reflexive media, and the influence of philosophy and critical theory on contemporary art. Portfolio development for transfer is emphasized.

A studio course in which students further explore various options for postmodern art-making through studio practice, readings, and lecture/discussions. This course is structured to support each student in the development of a personal visual portfolio of artworks with an emphasis on the integration and application of formal visual concerns as well as content in their work. The nature, origins, methods and implications of various art methodologies and genres will be further examined and the dissolution of traditional boundaries between art media categories will be explored.

This course introduces the use of the airbrush in fine art, design, and illustration, including exercises in freehand air painting, masks, and stencils.

Sculpturing the human figure in clay is studied. Emphasis is on relief and full figure over an armature, using live models. See counselor regarding transfer credit limitations.

This continuation of Art 41A utilizes problems in figure composition, individual interpretation of the figure, and exploration of various media. See counselor regarding transfer credit limitations.

The course explores form and function utilizing free blown and poured glass, glass construction and glass in combination with other materials, emphasizing design, construction techniques and proficiency in the art of off-hand glassblowing.

The course further explores form based on techniques acquired in Art 43A. Advanced techniques such as slumping, fusing, molds, casting, surface decoration and coloring are covered.

This is an introductory course in printmaking media and techniques including linocut, multi-block woodcut, and etching processes. See counselor regarding transfer limitations.

An introduction to the digital printing process demonstrating how to make great ink jet prints that share the experimental and handmade qualities of traditional fine art print technology. This is an introductory course for students who would like to experiment with ink jet printing and discover how to use this print process in their own artwork. Class projects include experimenting with a variety of paper, fabric, fine art media, scanning techniques, learning to print in a color managed workflow, device calibration, paper/printer profiling, and basic image editing in Photoshop. Artworks printed in class are based on artwork produced in other art classes or disciplines and then printed on Epson printers - 1280, 2200, 4000 & 1000. A special emphasis on fine art portfolio development for transfer as well as documentation of art works related to contemporary art practice will be encouraged.

This course is an intense study of etching techniques using multicolor and black and white processes. Traditional methods of metal etching are also combined with computer generated images and non-toxic photographic techniques.

This is an advanced course in traditional etching processes and introduction of contemporary techniques with emphasis on multicolor and black and white processes. See counselor regarding transfer credit limitations.

This is an introductory studio course in screen-printing techniques, including hand cut painted stencil application as well as an introduction to photo stencil techniques. See counselor regarding transfer credit limitations.

This course is a study of lithographic processes, past and current techniques, as well as black and white and multicolor processes. See counselor regarding transfer credit limitations.