Painting 1 Arts 2316-0100
Course #: 76401
TTh 9 am – 1 pm – Second Start
Core Curriculum Course Credit: 3 credits (2 lab/4 studio)
Instructor: Beth Secor (aka Mary)
Room: FAC205
Contact: mary.secor@hccs.edu
Phone: Fine Arts Office 713-718-6600
Course Description: Painting One is a foundation course in acrylic painting techniques. This
studio course explores painting media with an emphasis on color, composition, subject matter and
technique.
Prerequisites: None. Recommended, but not required, is Drawing I.
Course Purpose This course presents students with the basic techniques and concepts that are
common to the acrylic medium. Students in Painting I will be exposed to both contemporary and
historical issues in the field of painting, both subjectively and technically. This course will examine the
interdependence of medium and image.
Core Competencies: This course fulfills the following core intellectual competencies: reading,
writing, speaking, listening, critical thinking and computer literacy. A variety of teaching and testing
methods are used to assess these competencies.
Description of Course Content::Painting I is a course that provides students with a solid
foundation of painting techniques. A working knowledge of gesso, mediums, paint, tools, and a
variety of supports will be explored. Using appropriate terminology, students of Painting I will learn
to discuss their work, as well as that of their peers. A wide variety of subjects will be explored.
Course Outcomes: At the completion of this course students should be able to:
 Identify, define, and understand the formal elements of art and the principles of design;
 Demonstrate and ability to produce and present finished works of exhibition quality;
 Produce and critique projects that coordinate descriptive and expressive possibilities of course
media;
 Select and verify course media and techniques in completed projects
Textbook Information Required: None
Lab Requirements: This course meets for 4 hours a day in a 1 hour lecture and 3 hour lab format.
Students can expect pay for their own art supplies -- cost approximately $150 during the course of the
semester.
School Policies and Instructor Policies on Attendance:
 A student may be dropped from a course for absenteeism after the student has
accumulated in excess of 12.5 % of the class hours or 12 hours of instruction (the
equivalent of three second start classes.)
 Students are expected to attend class regularly. Painting is a performance-based class &
interaction with the instructor & other students in the class cannot be duplicated outside of
class. Students who miss class or are habitually late to class are putting themselves at a
disadvantage. Attendance is taken daily. Three tardies of 15 minutes or more will be
counted as one full absence. Students who use habitually break the no cellphone
policy will be asked to leave and will be counted absent for the day. Students who
continue to be disruptive after being asked to desist, will be asked to leave and
will be counted absent for the day.
 Students are responsible for materials covered during their absence. No late work accepted,
unless previously agreed upon by the instructor.
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It is the student’s responsibility to consult with instructors for handouts, or changes in
calendar.
It is the student’s responsibility to drop a course for non-attendance. Failure to do so could
result in the grade earned (F).
Please be aware of the April 9th deadline for administrative or student initiated withdrawals.
After that students will receive the grade that they earned.
Withdrawals: Be certain that you understand HCCC policies about dropping a course) It is
your responsibility to officially withdraw from a class. When considering withdrawal from a
course, remember that:
No grade is given & your transcript reflects no record of course if you withdraw before the
Official Date of Record (February 21, 2012);
A “W” (indicating withdrawal) on your transcript if you drop a course after the Official Date of
Record & before the final deadline;
The final deadline to drop classes is April 9th, 2012. After this date students will receive the
grade they earned. SEE NOTE ABOVE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING DROPPED
FOR EXCESSIVE ABSENTEEISM.
A “W” could have a detrimental effect on financial aid, scholarships, or visas. It is the
responsibility of each student to understand the circumstances.
If you stop attending class, and do not drop the class, you will receive the grade of FX.
Please communicate! If you cannot attend class, and know ahead of time, let me know. If you are
sick email me that day or call and leave a message in the art office.
Incompletes: The grade of “I” (incomplete) is conditional & rarely given. A student receiving an “I”
must arrange with the instructor to complete the course work within six months of the end of the
incomplete term. After the deadline, the “I” becomes an “F”. After completion of the course work, the
grade will be entered as I/grade on the student transcript. All “I’s” must be changed to grades prior to
graduation.
Disability Disclaimer: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning,
psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the
Disability Services Office at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the
accommodations request by the Disability Support Services Office.
Additional Instructor Guidelines and Policies
Disruptive Behavior or Derogatory speech
Disruptive behavior is not tolerated.
Disruptive behavior includes talking during lectures, talking out of turn during critiques,
unnecessarily distracting other students working on projects, loudly talking.
If you are repeatedly disruptive you will be asked to leave.
Anyone using derogatory speech against another person based on their gender, race, sexual
preferences, nationality, religion, culture, etc. will be asked to leave the class as well.
Attendance is mandatory. You are allowed no more than three absences. This is a studio
class, and attendance is required. Attendance is taken daily. You are responsible for making
up missed work, instruction, and assignments.
Drawing is a performance-based class and interaction with the instructor and other students in the
class cannot be duplicated outside of class. Students who miss class are putting themselves at a
disadvantage. If you miss class, you will also miss out on much needed work time required to finish
assignments.
Please come to class on time. I give instructions and demonstrations at the beginning of class, and if
you are late, you will miss out on very important information that is vital to the success of your
projects and over all grade. On days when we go on field trips, if you are late, you will not be able to
find out how to get to where we are going. Many projects are based on images we see while on field
trips.
IF YOU ARE TARDY or Miss Class, YOU RISK MISSING IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION, You also risk
being dropped from the class.
3.TURN OFF YOUR PHONE AND PUT IT AWAY BEFORE YOU COME INTO THIS
ROOM. Absolutely no cell phone allowed in this class room at all! That includes before,
during, and after class. No cell phone use allowed on fieldtrips! If you break this rule
more than once, you will be sent home and will be counted absent for the day.
Electronic Music Devices are allowed during work periods, when I am not giving
instruction.
4. Attendance alone will not get you an A.
You must work hard, take risks, and accept constructive criticism. No matter how well you draw, you
must show a willingness to learn and improve. If you try to get by with the least amount of effort, you
will not receive and A, and you probably will not receive a B.
This class is centered on you and the studio. Expect to work in class and out of class. Painting in class
is the major emphasis but is not the only effort required of you. Painting outside of class will be
required. If this is not what you had in mind you may want to reconsider taking this
course.
5. Come to class prepared. Bring your supplies EVERY DAY. You may leave your canvases and
supplies in your lockers. See grading criteria for those that come to class unprepared.
6. No late projects accepted. Attend Critiques- they are part of your grade.
7. No food allowed.
8. Wear comfortable clothes to class. If you spend too much time worried about getting
your clothes dirty, you won’t be able to concentrate on your class work.
8. All students must participate in the student show. Failing to do so will affect your
class participation grade.
9. All students must clean up after themselves at the end of each day. Failure to do so
can affect your overall grade.
Major Grades
Participation – 10% - did you come to class, did you come to class on time, and stay throughout
duration of class, did you not allotted break, did you work through out class, did you not disrupt the
class or use your cell phone
Critique Participation: 10%- did you actively and intelligently participate in critiques
Field trip, student show, and mandatory daily and final clean up participation 10 %
Exercise participation – 10% (gray and color skills, texture, tape)
Black and White Assignment– 12.5%
Still Life Assignment – 12.5%
Abstract– 12.5%
Portrait assignment – 12.5%
Progress 10%
Grading Rubric for individual assignments
90- 100%
A
80 – 89%
70-79%
60 – 69%
Below 60%
B
C
D
F
Exceptionally fine work; superior in presentation, visual observation,
comprehension and participation
Above average work, superior in one or two areas
Average work; good; unexceptional participation
below average work; noticeably weak with minimal participation
Clearly deficient in presentation, style, and content with a lack of participation
Instructor Grading criteria
Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
 Adherence to all specific assignment guidelines/content requirements
 Adherence to deadlines
 Level of technical difficulty attempted and achieved. More sophisticated work may receive
higher scores
 Creativity and Originality: Solving the assignments in imaginative and unique ways may lead
to a higher score
 Strength of Design
 Response to and use of critical suggestions in an effective matter
 Completion of work
CRITIQUES
Critiques help you verbally access your own work and the work of others, in terms of both form and
content. A critique is an oral or written discussion strategy used to analyze, describe and interpret
works of art. It is difficult to be objective about our own work, so it helps to have the insight of others.
You can learn just as much during a critique about how to improve your work as you do when you are
in class drawing.
During critiques you are not cruel about the work of others, but you are analytical and honest. When
we talk about the work of others, we don’t use words like beautiful and ugly. We don’t say I don’t
know or I like this or I don’t like this, or I hate this or love this.
2012 Spring HCCC Painting Second Start Tentative Calendar – this is subject to change at
the instructor’s discretion.
February 14 - orientation
February 16 – purchase supplies, return to class, gray scales, color scales
February 21 – color studies, blending, Review of perspective, volume and space
February 23 –Project one – Black and White
February 28 – Project one – black and white
March 1 – Black and white
March 6 –Begin color still life,, glazing undercoat still life
March 8 – Color still life
March 13 and 15 Spring Break
March 20 – Color still life
March 22 Slide presentation on Abstract works, Field trip to MFA to see Major Paintings by Jule
Olitski and to Menil to see Richard Serra
March 27 Color Still Life
March 29 – Color still life critique
April 3 – Abstract project with texture/ tape
April 5 - Abstract
April 10 – Abstract – turn in work for student show (possibly Thursday before)
April 12 – Abstract
April 17 – Abstract critique/ portrait slide presentation
April 19 - Portrait
April 24 - Portrait
April 26 - Portrait
May 1 – Portrait
May 3 – mandatory clean up/ Final critique
Painting One Supply List
You will spend approximately $150 on supplies
Some things you must have by the second day of class, others will be needed later on in the semester. I
will let you know in class during orientation.
Canvas
 1 12” x 12” Strathmore acrylic canvas pad (At Texas Art Supply, about $10 - $12)
 2 small stretched canvases, size options 8” x 10, 9” x 12 or 11” x 14 - no larger (these cost
anywhere from $5-$8)
 1 canvas 16” x 20” (about $10)
 1 sheet of 140lb cold press watercolor paper – anywhere from $3 - $7, depending on the brand
 1 large stretched canvas at least 24” x 30” – about $19
Acrylic Paints (not oils) DO NOT BUY STUDENT GRADE OR BASIC PAINT. NOT ENOUGH
PIGMENT, WASTE OF MONEY Buy these paints to begin with, and if you want other colors during
the semester, get those as the need arises or if you want to expand your palette. Most colors can be
mixed from this selection. Brands I recommend - Liquitex Heavy Body Professional Artist Acrylic
or Grumbacher Academy Acrylic or Winsor Newton Artist Acrylic (Liquitex and Grumbacher are less
expensive than Winsor Newton) Total cost of paints about $50
 Titanium White (large or 4.65 oz tube)
2 or 3 ounce tubes of the following (dependent on brand)
 Ivory Black
 Napthol Crimson or Alizarin Crimson
 Cadmium Red Medium/Cadmium Red Medium Hue
 Ultramarine Blue
 Cobalt Blue (a deep blue) or Pthalocyanine Blue (a dark Icy blue)
 Indian Yellow or Naples Yellow
 Raw Sienna
 Burnt Umber
Brushes:
A set of Princeton 9153 Brushes- this contains 7 brushes - $13
If you like, also buy one smaller round brush- size 1, 0 or 00 for extra fine details
 flat edge palette knife (like from a paint store) - $3
Mediums – the following mediums can be shared with another student
 8 oz acrylic gloss medium - $9
 small Liquitex Acrylic Flow Aid - $6.30
 8 oz glazing medium - $6.30
 small gesso – do not buy BASIC GESS) – it is the worse! - $9
Additional Needs
 ½ inch roll blue paper tape – you can get at home depot or target
 old washcloth or cotton rag
 palette (you can buy one or you can use a plastic or china plate or a piece of glass (about 9” x
12”) or plexiglass with duct tape around the edges
 sketchbook
 draughting pencil with eraser
 old clothes or apron
 2 big jars for water
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lock
kitchen sponge