PAINTING I
ART 270
Fall 2011
Professor: Randy Edmonson
Office: 222 North wing of Bedford
Office Phone: 395-2287
Email: edmonsonrw@longwood.edu
Office Hours
M-W 10 11 am
T-TH 2:30-3 pm
and by appointment
Art 270 Painting: Acrylic and Water-Based Media. Fundamentals of painting involved in subject
matter, composition, and materials through the use of acrylics and watercolor. Investigation into the
background of contemporary painting. Emphasis on individual growth. 3 credits.
This course is designed to acquaint the student with the fundamentals of painting through the use of
acrylics and watercolors.
Through class lectures, demonstrations, experimentation and completion of assigned projects, the
student will be expected to gain a basic understanding of color theory, composition and choice of subject
matter, as well as practical experience in preparation and use of materials.
The ability to communicate verbally about the individual's work and the work of others will be emphasized
through class critiques and individual discussions with the instructor. Students will discuss, compare and
contrast the work of artists from many centuries and many locations.
Students will expand their cultural frame of reference by attending campus art events.
Objectives:
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To build a visual and verbal vocabulary of terms and forms common to all arts expression through
a series of lectures, assigned readings and completion of assigned projects.
To understand traditional and contemporary use of two-dimensional space.
To explore a variety of water-based media, materials and techniques.
To acquire and sharpen the ability to see, critique, perceive, record, analyze, interpret and
evaluate.
To grow as an expressive human being.
To understand the role of the artist and the consumer of the arts in our society.
To respect the contributions of other artists; to respect the gifts and abilities that we all share; to
respect and value the unique qualities we have.
To view the historical development of painting.
Text: There is no text for this course. There may be reading and research assignments.
NOTE: IF YOU CANNOT BE IN CLASS ON THE DATE A PROJECT IS DUE, I WILL EXPECT YOU TO
TURN IT IN EARLY OR HAVE A FRIEND OR CLASSMATE TURN IT IN FOR YOU.
Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend all classes. Students are expected to be on time
and to work the entire class period. Failure to attend class regularly impairs academic performance.
Absences are disruptive to the educational process for others. This is especially true when absences
cause interruptions for clarification of material previously covered, failure to assume assigned
responsibilities for class presentations, or failure to adjust to changes in assigned material or due dates.
It is the responsibility of each instructor to give students a copy of his or her attendance policy in the
course syllabus.
Instructors may assign a grade of “O” or “F” on work missed because of unexcused absences.
Instructors have the right to lower a student’s course grade, but no more than one letter grade, if the
student misses 10 percent of the scheduled class meeting times for unexcused absences.
Instructors have the right to assign a course grade of “F” when the student has missed a total (excused
and unexcused) of 25 percent of the scheduled class meeting times.
Students must assume full responsibility for any loss incurred because of absence, whether excused or
unexcused. Instructors should permit students to make up work when the absence is excused. Excused
absences are those resulting from the student’s participation in a college-sponsored activity, from
recognizable emergencies, or from serious illness. Faculty may require documentation for excused
absences in their attendance policy. Student Health Services can provide documentation only for
students hospitalized locally or absent at the direction of Student Health Services personnel.
Critiques of completed paintings and paintings-in-progress will be held several times during the semester.
All students will be expected to actively participate in these critiques.
All work completed during the semester should be available for a final review and grading at the end of
the semester. Paintings will be graded on quality, creative use of materials, craftsmanship, response in
class and improvement.
Honor Code:
All students are expected to abide by the Longwood Honor Code which states:
“I, _________________having a clear understanding of the basis and spirit of the Honor
Code created and accepted by the student body of Longwood College, Farmville,
Virginia, pledge myself to govern my college life according to its standards and to accept
my responsibility for helping others to do so, and with sensitive regard for my college, to
live by the Honor Code at all times and to see that others do likewise.”
Health and Safety: Every effort will be made to provide a safe environment in which to work. The
student is required to wear shoes while working in Bedford Building. No tobacco use, eating or drinking is
allowed in the painting studio. If you need to be involved in one of these activities, please do so outside
of the classroom in a designated area.
My office hours are listed. If you are having difficulties with the course that are not being solved during
the class sessions, please make an appointment to see me as soon as possible.
Any student who feels that s/he may need an accommodations based on the impact of a physical,
psychological, medical, or learning disability should contact Dr. Sally Scott at the Office for Disability
Services (103 Graham Building, 395-2391) to register for services
Supplies: A $60 lab fee will cover some of the supplies needed for this class. However, students will be
required to furnish most materials. Any student enrolled in an art class requiring a lab fee after the "add
period" must pay this fee. Students will be billed and lab fees are payable at Cashiering and Student
Accounts.
Waiver of this fee requires a form filled out by the instructor and forwarded to the Art Department
secretary prior to the end of "add period". This rule will be strictly enforced and there will be no
exceptions.
Grading
All grades will be determined by the student’s demonstrated abilities during the course. Emphasis will be
placed on consistent hard work, improvement and craftsmanship in the handling of materials and
techniques. No work will be accepted late. If you are going to be absent on the date a project is due, hand
it in early or have a classmate hand it in for you.
Important Dates:
Aug. 22: First day of class
Sept. 5: No class. Labor Day
Oct. 10-11 Fall Break
Oct. 12 No class (Fall senior assessments)
Nov. 23-25 Thanksgiving break
Nov. 30: Last class meeting
Bibliography:
Blake, Wendon
Chaet, Bernard
Goldstein, Nathan
Gottsegen, Mark
Complete Guide to Acrylic Painting, Watson Guptill, 1971
An Artist's Notebook: Techniques and Materials, Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1979
Painting; Visual and Technical Fundamentals, Prentice Hall, Inc., 1979
A Manual of Painting Materials and Techniques, Harper & Rowe, 1987