A n I n n ovat i ve A p p ro a c h i n Te a c h i n g C o l o r to
F i rst - Ye a r U n i ve rs i t y S t u d e nt s
D R . N A N C Y K WA L L E K
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
G ENDOWED CHAIR
GENE EDWARD MIKESKA
FOR INTERIOR DESIGN
BACKGROUND. . .
At t i e r # 1 Re s e a rc h u n i ve rs i t y u n d e rg ra d u ate s
we re b e i n g i g n o re d
Atte nt i o n to g ra d u ate l e ve l at t h e l a rge st
u n i ve rs i t y i n t h e co u nt r y ( 5 0 , 0 0 0 + st u d e nt s ) to
b r i n g i n re s e a rc h g ra nt s / d o l l a rs
U n d e rg ra d u ate s ta u g ht :
By G ra d u ate S t u d e nt s — n o t s e n i o r fa c u l t y
M a ny c l a s s e s 2 0 0 - 3 0 0 i n s i ze
I n i t i a l l y n o co nta c t w i t h s e n i o r fa c u l t y
BACKGROUND. . .
To a d d re s s t h e i s s u e , t h e U n i ve rs i t y o f Texa s
1 2 5 C o m m i s s i o n re co m m e n d e d t h e d e ve l o p m e nt
o f S i g n at u re co u rs e s :
S e n i o r Fa c u l t y te a c h i n g f re s h m e n
Te a c h i n s m a l l s e m i n a rs — 1 2 - 1 5 st u d e nt s
I nte rd i s c i p l i n a r y i n n at u re
SIGNATURE COURSE OBJECTIVES. . .
Share common intellectual experience
Carry throughout their college career and beyond
Focus on contemporary issues in any subject matter
Develop skills in research, writing, speaking/oral presentations, and
discussion
Attend special lecture series
Become acquainted with some of the gems of The University
World class resources at the University
Acquire knowledge through interdisciplinary study
(e.g. science informing art and vice versa)
Primary instructor from Interior Design within the School of
Architecture
Guest speakers from a wide range of disciplines
The course curriculum has four units, including:
colored pigments and art making
color coding
living color and light
and, color in the built environment
Highlight of the course is a Harvest Mandala Food Drive, where
students employ color as a communicative device to promote
community service
Typical First Assignment . . .
“INTRODUCTION & BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE COLOR FIELD”
Assignment 1a: Library Assignment:
Meet in the Perry Castaneda Library (PCL) Room 1.124 where Head of UT’s
Library Instruction Services, will provide you with hands-on instruction to find
articles in magazines, journals or books on a topic.
Assignment 1b: Locate an Article on Color:
Go to the Architecture or Fine Arts Library and locate an article that illustrates
a particularly successful use of color and light. Write a one page review of the
article and illustrate with scanned visuals. Due: September 5.
Reading: Chapter 7:
Color and Culture by John Gage, pp. 175-193, in Colour: Art and Science
(required class textbook). Discussion: September 5.
Requirement:
Bring a journal you will use for the semester and starting with the first speaker
to record (take notes of) the key points of her presentation. (See the
information at the end of this syllabus about more requirements for your
journal.)
COURSE OVERVIEW. . .
“COLORED PIGMENTS AND ART MAKING”
covering:
history of dyes and pigments
creating a ‘subtractive’ color circle
art at the Blanton Museum
color systems viewed through the lens of art history
color in relation to the art making process
colored materials humans have long used to create visual expressions
EXAMPLE OF GUEST LECTURE
“ M A N U FA C T U R I N G C O L O R : N AT U R A L A N D
S Y N T H E T I C P I G M E N T S A N D DY E S ”
by
FRAN GALE
RESEARCH FELLOW
ARCHITECTURAL PRESERVATION
HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
EXAMPLE OF GUEST LECTURE
“COLOR AND LIGHT IN ART”
Criminal Being Executed, 1991
by
DR. LARA EAKINS
Sy n c h r o my i n P u r p l e M i n o r, 1 9 1 8
CURATOR OF AMERICAN AND
CONTEMPORARY ART
BLANTON MUSEUM OF ART
COURSE OVERVIEW. . .
“COLOR CODING”
covering:
color as a major communication tool
through the lens of different disciplinary fields
EXAMPLE OF PANEL OF EXPERTS
A N I N T E R D I S C I P L I N A R Y PA N E L
A panel of speakers address topics about color coding
Distinguished panelists
Professor from Department of Anthropology
Priest from the University Catholic Center
Professor from Theatre and Dance
Professor from College of Design from another university
Each panelist discussed various ways that color is communicated
through codes that may be influenced by ingrained speech
patterns, the liturgical calendar, film, and theatre practices
PANEL ON COLOR CODING
“ C O L O R S Y M B O L I S M & C O D I N G C U LT U R E ”
Liturgical Symbols
by
Father Ed Nowak, CSP
Director, Newman Center, UT
PANEL ON COLOR CODING
“ C O L O R C O D E S & C O M M U N I C AT I O N ”
by
DR. SUSAN ANDERSON
ANTHROPOLOGIST, AUSTIN, NYC
PANEL ON COLOR CODING
“COLOR AND BRANDING”
INCLUDED:
A BRANDING CONSULTANT,
PRODUCT DESIGNER, ART
DIRECTOR FROM SCHOOL OF
COMMUNICATIONS,
PROFESSOR OF DESIGN,
DEPARTMENT OF ART
CLASS FIELD TRIP
“ T H E AT E R O F C O L O R ”
LIVING COLOR students explored UT HARRY
RANSOM CENTER’S permanent collection of
costume pieces and makeup stills from
GONE WITH THE WIND
BY VA R I O U S P R O F E S S O R S F R O M :
T H E D E PA R T M E N T O F T H AT R E A N D D A N C E
T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S AT A U S T I N
COURSE OVERVIEW. . .
“SCIENCE OF COLOR AND LIGHT”
covering:
color and light in science
relation of light to plants and animals
tour of the human visual system
EXAMPLE OF GUEST LECTURE
“ C O L O R I N N AT U R E ”
ANTHOCYANIN
gives
pansies their
dark purple color
by
D R . S TA N R O U X
DISTINGUISHED TEACHING PROFESSOR
M O L E C U L A R C E L L & D E V E L O P M E N TA L B I O L O G Y
C O L L E G E O F N AT U R A L S C I E N C E S
T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S AT A U S T I N
EXAMPLES OF GUEST LECTURE
“COLOR MAPPING IN ASTRONOMY”
by
ANNETTE CARLOZZI
D E PA R T M E N T O F A S T R O N O M Y
T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S AT A U S T I N
COURSE OVERVIEW . . .
“Color in the Built Environment”
covering:
Color and Light in our built environment,
with an emphasis on the ways that color can be used to
help make a positive impact on the quality of life.
CLASS LECTURE
“EFFECTS OF COLOR ON OFFICE WORKERS’ MOOD AND
PRODUCTIVITY”
by
Nancy Kwallek, Interior Design
Present Long Standing Research on Color
School of Architecture, U.T.
CLASS FIELD TRIP
“COLOR IN HEALTH WELLNESS”
Maze playscape of brightly colored
concentric circles with peepholes
led by
Bill Cook, MHA Project Manager
$200M Dell Children’s Hospital, Austin, Texas
Platinum LEED Certification
FIELD TRIP CONTINUES . . .
CLASS PROJECT
“HARVEST MANDALA FOOD DRIVE”
Recognizing the importance of color in everyday life, the instructor
lead students to collaborate on a class project Harvest Mandala
Food Drive, wherein a huge color wheel art installation, resembling
a circular drawing in many cultures (called mandala in Sanskrit,
popularized by Carl Jung) is constructed from fresh produce and
canned food on the main lawn of the campus.
C. G. JUNG’S SPIRITUAL MANDALA
Circular movement
• Individuation process
• ‘Passively ’ experienced
• An autonomous
movement of the psyche
• The circular movement
activates the forces of
human nature
Figure Courtesy of the Estate
of C.G. Jung, from C.G. Jung, Mandala
Symbolism
http://books.google.com/books?
i d = k S 2 M N c q V D M 4 C & p g = PA 1 3 6 & d
q=Mandala+symbolism+/+C.G.+J
ung&client=firefoxa&cd=5#v=onepage&q=Mandala
%20symbolism%20%2F%20C.G.%
20Jung&f=false
PRODUCE
SPONSORED BY HEB
CENTRAL MARKET
425 LBS OF
PRODUCE (340
M E A L S ) D O N AT E D T O
T H E C A P I TA L A R E A
FOOD BANK OF
TEXAS
COLOR CIRCLE
PROMOTES UNITY
THROUGH DIVERSITY
VA R I O U S C A M P U S
O R G A N I Z AT I O N S
PA R T I C I PAT E D I N
T H E D AY L O N G
C E L E B R AT I O N