COLLIN COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTS
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Number: ARTS 2367
Course Title: Watercolor II
Course Description: Increases the student’s ability to master technique,
identify the different pigment properties of color and determine their
best use. Exploration of different tools, papers, materials and
techniques will be practices. Emphasis on personal expression and
painting style. Lab required.
Note: Students should expect additional supply costs.
Course Credit Hours:
Lecture Hours:
Lab Hours:
3
2
4
Prerequisite: ARTS 2366
Student Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course,
students should be able to do the following:
Develop one’s own style
Demonstrate competent handling of watercolor techniques
Demonstrate good use of design principles
Develop the ability to verbalize what one wishes to communicate
Withdrawal Policy: See the current Collin Registration Guide for last day to
withdraw.
Collin College Academic Policies: See the current Collin Student Handbook
Americans with Disabilities Act Statement: Collin College will adhere to all
applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with
respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford
equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the
ACCESS office, SCC-G200 or 972.881.5898 (V/TTD: 972.881.5950) to
arrange for appropriate accommodations. See the current Collin Student
Handbook for additional information.
Instructor’s Name: Cathy Cotter-Smith
Office Number: A247, SCC
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 10:00am to 12:30pm, Tuesday and
Thursday, 8:30am to 9:00am
Phone Number: (972) 881-5817
Email: ccotter@collin.edu
Professor Web Site: http://iws.collin.edu/ccotter
Class Information:
Section Number: S01 (CRN#21539)
Meeting Times: Monday and Wednesday, 12:30pm to 3:20pm
Meeting Location: A240
Course Resources: None, books from the library will be referred.
Supplies:
Tubes of Watercolor Paint
At the Watercolor II level you should purchase the professional grade
paints. This allows you to start learning what to expect from the different
paint formulas like dyes and earth pigments. There is a big difference in
paint quality!
A good set of Winsor Newton paints would include: Winsor Yellow, Burnt
Sienna, Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Blue, Neutral Tint, Permanent Magenta,
Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Winsor Blue, Winsor Green,
Quinacridone Magenta, Yellow Ochre, Winsor Emerald
Other good professional grade brands are: Rembrandt, Sennelier,
Holbein, DaVinci and Schmincke, etc. Very deep, dye colors can be
accomplished by using Quinacridone colors in any of the brands.
Brushes: These are excellent brushes. I highly recommend you buy them
even if you already have brushes.
#12 Round Sable Mix Brush
#6 Round Princeton Art and Brush, #4050R
¾ inch Silver Black Velvet 3009S Oval
1.5” Flat Wash Brush, Princeton #4350FW
#6 Monarch, bright, Winsor and Newton flat brush for lifting color
Other Supplies:
Tube of white gouache paint
(1) 5 sheet packs of Arches 22x30-140# CP Watercolor Paper, bright
white
Drawing Sketchbook, 5”x7” or 9”x12”
Watercolor Palette, Jones Palette Kit, Model 1216
Half Sheet Watercolor Board, Gatorboard, 16”x24”
Full Sheet Watercolor Board, Gatorboard, 24”x32”x1” white
Drawing HB Pencil
Kneaded Eraser
Fine point, black Micron pen
Roll of Scotch, 3M, Double Sided Tape, 1/2” wide
Masking Tape ¾” 3M
Supplies not included in the kit:
Kitchen sponge
Plastic containers for cleaning your brushes out in water
Bounty or Brawny paper towels
Container or tackle box to carry supplies
Supplies to purchase at the end of the semester: 1mat board and 1 foam
core board
Asel Art gives a 10% discount if you let them know you are a student.
Supplies that are underlined are new supplies that were not included on
the Watercolor I supply list. Ask Asel Art about providing you with a kit
price for the underlined supplies.
Attendance Policy: See the current Collin Registration Guide for the last day to
withdraw.
Students are required to attend class and to arrive to class on time. After
3 absences your final grade may be lowered. For every absence after
the 3rd absence, 3 points will be deducted from your final grade. In
addition, 4 late arrivals to class will equal to one absence. Three
absences may be made up by attending a museum or gallery and by
writing a paper for each absence. Class instructions and demonstrations
are given at the beginning of class so it is vital to your understanding of
the objective to arrive on time.
Important Dates to Remember:
Census date: Monday, February 4
Holidays: Monday and Wednesday, March 11 & 13, Spring Break
The last day to withdraw and receive a “W” for the course is Friday,
March 22
Final: Monday, May 13, 2013
Additional Student Learning Outcomes: Watercolor students are required to
keep a journal with sketches and ideas for paintings. The grade for the journal
will add an additional 2 to10 points to the final grade before averaging.
You are to work on half sheets of watercolor paper, 22” x 15” or larger.
You may be creative with the way you fulfill the assignments. You can add your
own subject matter in each painting to establish a theme that runs through each
or you can paint in your own distinctive style. You can also include pen and ink,
rice paper, stamping, etc.
Method of Evaluation: Assignments will be graded on the due date listed in the
course calendar. A number grade will be assigned for each painting. 100 to 90
equals an “A”, 89 to 80 equals a “B”, 79 to 70 equals a “C”, 69 to 60 equals a “D”
and 59 and below equals an “F.”
Points will be deducted if a painting is not turned in by the due date. 5 points will
be deducted from the grade if it is one class late. If it is late by 2 or more
classes, 10 points will be deducted from the grade.
Student’s grades will be based upon fulfilling the objective of the assignments,
creativity, composition, and craftsmanship. Grades will be combined and
averaged to determine the final grade.
Course Calendar:
W
1-23 Orientation, Review of syllabus
M
1-28 Color Studies: Do a color chart showing each of your tubes of paint to
test for staining and lifting properties
Research an artist whose style you admire. Write a one to two page
paper that describes what you think is the artists’ personal inspiration or
theme evident in their art. What is distinctive about their technique,
creative expression or composition? Can you find the artists’ website with
their artists’ statement?
Do a painting using your own subject matter and composition that utilizes
some of the aspects you learned about the artist.
W
1-30 Continue painting
(Students who did not take Watercolor I from this professor should do the
techniques chart with the beginning students as this information is vital to
understand different painting techniques.)
M
2-4 Continue painting
W
2-6 Continue painting
Paper and painting due next class for grading
M
2-11 Still Life: Emphasis on establishing a focal point using (1) contrast of light
and dark value, (2) change from a predominately cool surrounding to a
warm color at the focal point and (3) rhythm to suggest a pathway to lead
the viewers’ eye to the focal point. Some other ways to create a focal
point is to establish a contrast in texture, scale, and use of
complementary color.
Set up a still life at home, create a light source and crop an interesting
composition with your camera. Print the photograph to work from or
e-mail the image to me at ccotter@collin.edu and I will print it for you.
Work on a half sheet of watercolor paper or larger.
W
2-13 Continue painting
M
2-18 Continue painting
W
2-20 Continue painting
Due next class
M
2-25 Landscape: Emphasis on the design element of space. Establish a clear
foreground, middle ground, and background. Allow the value pattern to
graduate from dark in the foreground, mid value in the middle ground and
light in the background to create atmospheric perspective. In the sky
allow the value to go from light at the horizon line to dark at the top of the
composition to create an oyster shell effect. The top and bottom of the
composition will seem to come forward as you observe in nature.
Look through your photographs for a composition that will meet the
requirements. If you cannot find a good photograph, you can work from
one in a magazine. But, you cannot work from another artists’ painting.
W
2-27 Continue painting
M
3-4 Continue painting
W
3-6 Continue painting
Due next class
M
3-11 Spring Break
W
3-13 Spring Break
M
3-18 Repetition of shape: Emphasis on repetition of theme (shape) to create
unity. Examples would be repetition of shapes like rectangles or squares,
ovals or circles, or triangles. Look for examples in art history of artists
repeating these shapes in their composition.
You can set up a still life that repeats like shapes with a contrast of shape
at the focal point or you can choose any photograph to paint from that
repeats like shapes.
W 3-20
Continue painting
M 3-25
Continue painting
W 3-27
Continue painting
Due next class
M 4-1
Portrait or figures: Choose a photograph of a person or group of people
that has a distinct light source and cast shadows. A portrait works best
when the light is on one side of the face and the shadows are on the
other side of the face. Emphasize the shapes of the shadows and allow
some of the shadows to have soft edges and the more distinct shadows
to have hard edges. Make use of complementary color in your color
scheme.
W 4-3
Continue painting
M 4-8
Continue painting
W 4-10
Continue painting
Due next class
M
4-15 Perspective: Choose a photograph of a street scene, buildings or an
interior. Paintings of buildings work best when there is a light source that
hits on one side of the building and darks are on the other side to
reinforce the lines of one or two point perspective. Use light shapes and
dark shapes to create a pathway for the eye to follow through the
composition. This reinforces the principle of rhythm.
W
4-17 Continue painting
M
4-22 Continue painting
W
4-24 Continue painting
Due next class
M
4-29 Do a painting of your own choice. Be sure to utilize the elements and
principles of design that we have studied.
W
5-1 Continue painting
M
5-6 Continue painting
W
5-8 Mat your best painting from the semester
Due next class
M
5-13 Final Critique: Bring your best watercolor from the semester, matted.
Be prepared to critique a fellow students’ work.
A grade will be assigned for the mat and for participation in the class
critique.
Additional Classroom Policies:
Cell phones should be turned off during class.