South Portland, Maine 04106
Department
Title: Painting 1
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture (or Lab): Tues/Thurs 6:15-8:45 pm
in the Art Studio
Office Hours – Location: As needed, in Studio
Catalog Number: ARTS 180 T1
Total Contact Hours: 80
Instructor: Hilary Irons
Contact Information:
hirons@smccme.edu
Course Syllabus
Spring 15
Through learning how to paint from observation, a new way of interacting with the world
around us becomes possible. Light, space, and color gain an active role in the painter’s
perception and imagination. In this course, we will use acrylic paint to study the
fundamentals of painting, including composition, color, and visual interpretation. Inclass work will be supplemented by homework assignments, short texts in handouts, and
a written response to work seen in person. Demonstrations of methods and techniques
will be given along the way to facilitate understanding, and lectures and discussions, with
examples, will introduce the main ideas.
The work we undertake in this class will be challenging, and it will also be
enlightening and fun if approached with a spirit of exploration, creativity, and openness.
Course description: This introduction to painting is designed for both beginners and
more experienced painters. Using acrylic paints, the class will lead students through the
basics of color theory, color mixing and paint application on a variety of surfaces. There
will be a focus on creative approaches to observational work, using studio set-ups and the
rich natural environment around SMCC. Class trips to Portland will introduce students to
the resources of galleries and museums as well as the private studios of practicing artists.
Out-of-class work will be expected. 3 credits.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate competency with the basic skills of painting, including color theory,
use of value, form, texture, composition and content.
2. Achieve familiarity and confidence with a variety of painting media, materials
and grounds.
3. Apply a range of problem-solving techniques to the development of creative
work.
4. Identify and discuss different approaches to subject matter in painting and begin
to establish an individual voice or style in their work.
5. Develop disciplined work habits and a respect for materials, studio space and the
work of others.
6. Acquire the language and open-mindedness needed to analyze and discuss art
both critically and for pleasure.
7. Grow in their ability to carefully observe the world around them and translate it
into works of visual art.
Course Requirements
 Class meets for 5 hours per week with the expectation of 5 hours of on-campus
studio time and 2-3 hours of homework each week (assignments to include
drawing, painting, and occasional readings/written responses).
 Weekly classes will include slide presentations and demonstrations of technical
skills, short exercises, longer, multi-step projects, individual and full-class
critiques, a visit to the Portland Museum of Art and Portland galleries.
 Active and thoughtful participation in studio work, class discussions, critiques,
and homework is essential.
 Student classwork and homework will be collected or presented for evaluation at
regular intervals.
 Students will be required to research and write a two short critical essays on
contemporary or historical artwork/artists.
 Students will complete and present a final painting or series of paintings exploring
their own ideas and demonstrating knowledge and skills gained during the class.
Materials required for the course (during the first week of class, may be purchased
as a kit from Artist & Crafstman, 540 Deering Ave, Portland, 207-772-7272):
11” x 14” Bristol board pad
18” x 24 “ Bristol Board pad
Cad yellow acrylic
Cad yellow deep acrylic
Cad red acrylic
Cad red deep acrylic
Crimson acrylic
Ultramarine blue acrylic
Cobalt blue acrylic
Burnt umber acrylic
Burnt sienna acrylic
Sap green acrylic
Yellow ochre acrylic
Mars black acrylic
Large titanium white acrylic
Brush set
Metal Palette knife
¾” tape
Cardboard portfolio
Palette paper
Helpful (but not required) items:
Extra large brush
Gloss or Matte medium
Large binder clips
Cloth rags or Viva paper towels
Pencils, sharpeners, and erasers
Small hand mirror
Attendance:
Attendance is crucial to avoid missing class time; what we do is experiential so make-up
work cannot be of the same quality of classwork. In art classes, the students learn from
one another as well as from the instructor, and group critiques are essential. Three
absences are allowed; I don’t care why you are absent for those three days. I will not
“excuse” more than three. Please use these as a kind of “absence bank” in case of
sickness or catastrophe. More than three absences will result in a progressively lower
grade, and more than five may result in failure. Three consecutive absences without
contacting the instructor constitutes an academic failure and you will be reported to the
registrar immediately. Contact me for make-up work as needed.
Semester Outline
Note: This outline is a guide to the semester, but changes may occur as needed based
on the needs of all students as perceived by both the instructor and the students
themselves. When changes occur in the syllabus, please notate them for future
reference.
Week 1 (Week of Jan 12)
Discussion: Syllabus, requirements, materials, and goals for the course discussed.
Seeing color as a tone and representing spaces, forms, and volume. Tonal mixing in
black and white. Paint application with a knife.
Exercise: Painting the room in blocks of tone: dark, middle, and light.
Homework: Buy the kit. 3 paintings of rooms in your house (can be the same room from
different viewpoints) divided into blocks of tone, using black and white paint and a
palette knife.
Week 2 (Week of Jan 19/ no class 19th MLK Day)
Discussion: Elements of composition and using a sighting stick.
Exercise: Still-life paintings, using black and white paint and a knife. We will progress
from a block approach to depicting volumes in the forms and create a 10-tone value scale
in black and white.
Homework: Set up a still life using your own objects, with the ideas of composition in
mind. Paint 3 different set-ups using the same objects.
Week 3 (Week of Jan 26)
Discussion: Brushes introduced: paint application with a brush. Types of brushes and
their uses. Mediums and thinning of paint for different results. The use of line.
Exercise: Still-life and interior using the brushes. Quick studies.
Homework: 10 studies using the brush…these can be quick, but should show space and
volume. Use still-life, interior, and self-portrait.
Week 4 (Week of Feb 2)
Discussion: Color. What color does and how we can use it, how the color wheel works.
Uses of black and white in color, use of the limited palette.
Exercise: Color mixing on the palette, color study with knife. Still life with fabric, using
a limited palette.
MINI REVIEW on day two of the semester’s work so far. Mid-term warnings are
coming up. Now is a good time to review grading and attendance.
Homework: Choose two unmixed colors. For one, do a scale of 6 tints. For the other, a
scale of 6 shades. Still life with fabric, in color.
Week 5 (Week of Feb 9)
Trip to the Portland Museum of Art! There will be a couple of appointed times to choose
from. We will go through the whole Museum, and you will select one painting from the
permanent collection to write a short paper on. Choose a piece that relates to your
interests; research the artist as well as analyzing the piece. There will be a 5-minute
presentation, so make sure you have a detailed sketch of the piece you are describing.
One page personal-response paper due with (with bibliography).
Note: We will meet at SMCC on the first class day of this week; the second class day will
take place on a weekend morning in order to access the Museum’s hours.
Week 6 (Week of Feb 16/ no class 16th Pres. Day)
Discussion: Color discussed further. Color temperature and broken color. Importance of
the color of the support.
Exercise: Color still-lives with the brush. Imprimatura layer used.
Homework: Self-portrait diptych: Public/Private. Due in two weeks at mid-term.
Bring in a photo for use in the next class.
Week 7 (Week of Feb 23)
Discussion: Use of the photograph. Discussion of its merits and drawbacks as a source
for artmaking. Discussion of invented imagery. Master copy ideas floated.
Assignment: Using your photograph as a starting point, construct an imaginary scene.
Homework: Work on self-portrait for next week. Choose and begin master copy, due in
two weeks. Bring unfinished master copy next week.
Week 8 (Week of Mar 2)
Discussion: Day one, portraits. Day two, mid-term group crit! Everybody will hang
selected works on the wall to be talked about as a group, including your Public/Private
diptych which is due today.
Homework: TBA
Week 9 (Week of Mar 9/ no class March 9-14 SPRING BREAK)
Week 10 (Week of Mar 16)
Discussion: Proportion and perspective. Finding the center of gravity in objects and
vanishing points in spaces.
Exercise: Paint indoors, emphasizing the space around you as you see it, experience it,
and are able to communicate it. Include many details, working quickly and freely.
Homework: Similar approach, indoor location of your choosing.
Week 11 (Week of Mar 23)
Discussion: Grisaille and glazing techniques…a different way of applying color.
Exercise: Close-cropped composition of fruits, vegetables, and other natural forms,
paying close attention to composition and background. Grisaille and glazing introduced.
Homework: Two small paintings using grisaille and glazing.
Week 12 (Week of Mar 30)
Discussion: Abstract painting. Now that you are conversant in representational painting,
it is time to try out abstraction! A look at past masters in a slide show.
Exercise: Create a well-composed abstract painting
Homework: Paint an abstract painting!
Week 13 (Week of Apr 6)
Discussion: The landscape and introduction to perspective in painting: linear and
atmospheric. Historical examples.
Exercise: Painting outdoors! Weather permitting, of course.
Homework: Landscape painting.
Week 14 (Week of Apr 13)
Discussion: Final project: Vanitas paintings (see below). Historical examples shown.
Individual critiques of organic form paintings. We will also discuss thumbnails and color
studies as preparatory techniques
Exercise: Still-life with skull and flowers: painted quickly as thumbnails.
Homework: Collect materials for Vanitas and begin final project. Bring in unfinished
work next week; your final project should comprise at least four finished paintings.
Please be prepared to work on this project in class…use portable subject matter!
Week 15 (Week of Apr 20/ no class 20st Patriots Day)
Discussion: Individual critiques of works-in-progress: Vanitas.
Exercise: Weather permitting, work outside on landscape studies (next week if it rains).
Work from landscape photos if it is not nice out.
Homework: Continue work on final project
Week 16 (Week of Apr 27)
Discussion: Individual critiques of works-in-progress.
Exercise: Work on Vanitas project.
Homework: Continue work on final project
Week 17 (Week of May 4)
Discussion: Final Crit! Final projects due for critique, and critique of selected work
from your semester portfolio.
Final Project:
We will read a short article about the Dutch still-life painter Pieter Claesz, by Gian
Casper Bott, to introduce the Vanitas genre of still-life, with its rich symbolic
possibilities. Using your knowledge of still-life painting, make a series of creative
Vanitas paintings that reflect aspects of your own life; paint at least four, and at least one
must contain some kind of self-portrait. Keep in mind the techniques you felt most
interested in during class, and remember that your Vanitas painting should be inventive
rather than necessarily realistic. Source material is open but should include some work
from life in each painting. Only stylistic rule: no cartooning (Anime, Marvel, etc).
Rules and Guidelines:
Keep ALL of your work, because it will be turned in at the end of the semester as a final
portfolio. Keep track of your own attendance.
Guidelines for this course require several hours of out-of-class work; if this suggestion is
followed you will see marked improvement in your work, which will be reflected in your
grade. The Art Studio will be open on Fridays from 10 am to 4 pm for your use.
No cell phone usage, including texting, will be allowed in class. You must turn off your
ringer. If you anticipate needing to make or receive an important call, let me know
before class. . Repeated cell phone offences will result in disciplinary action.
Unless specified, homework assignments are due the week after they are given out.
Please feel free to contact me via e-mail at any time if you have questions or concerns
about the class while it is in progress. Do not e-mail me asking what the homework is;
ask a classmate instead. Enquiries about final grades must be made via a formal letter.
Grading:
Please review the following descriptions of letter grades, which come from departmental
guidelines. Doing what you are asked to do (showing up on time, completing
assignments, etc) is the minimum, not the maximum, of what is expected from you. Your
instructors do not assign everyone an A and then mark down; the grade of C is the
universal average, without which we would be incapable of rewarding work above the C
or criticizing work below the C.
I will provide you with an unofficial mid-term grade, and extra credit is allowed if
approved ahead of time by me. Class attitude and participation can also raise or drop
your grade. You will be graded by the following method: Classwork, 50%; Homework,
30%, Participation, 20%. Please see note on attendance; you will be marked down if
your attendance is not sufficient.
Criteria for evaluation include: thorough completion of assignments; level of selfchallenge, time and effort spent; quantity and quality of work produced; understanding of
concepts covered; and growth and development of aesthetic sensibility. Grades will be
assigned as follows:
A The highest level of commitment, effort and enthusiasm, demonstrated by working independently and
carrying through ambitious and challenging projects. All assignments are not only complete but go beyond
the requirements, often taking more than the expected time per week.
B A high level of effort and enthusiasm. The student demonstrates a sincere level of commitment and a
devotion to learning the skills of the class. All assignments are complete and executed at a high level of
finish.
C Average work. All basic requirements in terms of attendance and work fulfilled. A sufficient level of
achievement in quantity and quality of work. Some assignments are incomplete or rushed.
D Deficiency in commitment and accomplishment. Many assignments are incomplete. Attitude and/or
attendance has been less than ideal.
F Extreme deficiency in commitment, understanding and accomplishment. Very few assignments are
attempted, and attitude and/or attendance problems are evident.
Art Concentration at SMCC
SMCC now offers a Liberal Arts Associate’s Degree with a concentration in Visual Art. This major should
enable graduates to transfer directly into four-year colleges as a junior-year art major, or into an art school.
If this interests you, contact Jeff Badger at jbadger@smccme.edu.
End-of-Course Evaluation
In order to gain access to final course grades, students must complete evaluations for each course attended
at SMCC. Evaluations are submitted online and can be accessed through the student portal site. Students
can access the course evaluation report beginning two weeks before the end of classes. The deadline for
submission of evaluations occurs 24 hours after the last day of classes each semester. Instructors will
announce when the online course evaluation is available.
ADA Syllabus Statement
Southern Maine Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and employer.
For more information, please call 207-741-5798. If you have a disabling condition and wish to request
accommodations in order to have reasonable access to the programs and services offered by SMCC, you
must register with the Disability Services Coordinator, Sandra Lynham, who can be reached at 741-5923.
Further information about services for students with disabilities and the accommodation process is
available upon request at this number. Course policies about online testing are modified to suit each
individual’s accommodations.
SMCC Pay-for-Print Policy
This policy identifies the cost per page for black and white as well as color printing in varying page sizes.
Specifics of the policy are outlined below:
Per Page Costs
Each semester students receive a $20 printing credit. The balance resets at the end of the semester and any
remaining credits are removed. The cost varies depending upon page size and whether printing is done in
black and white or color.
a. There is a $0.10 per page fee for standard 8.5” by 11” black and white documents.
b. The reverse sides of duplex (double-sided) documents are free.
c. There is a $.50 per page fee for standard 8.5” by 11” color documents.
d. There is a $.20 per page fee for 8.5” by 14” (legal) or 11” by 17” (tabloid) black and white
documents.
e. There is a $1.00 per page fee for 8.5” by 14” (legal) or 11” by 17” (tabloid) color documents.
Duplex charges (printing on both sides of a page) work in the following fashion: One page is $0.10, two
pages are $0.10, three pages are $0.20, and four pages are $0.20, etc. The flipsides are free, but another
sheet of paper is $0.10. Please be aware that a document with any color at all (when printed to a color
printer) will by default be printed in color. You are responsible for setting the print job to print black and
white if you do not need color. For directions, please go to the IT Help tab in My SMCC.
How does it work?
The College’s pay-for-print system monitors printing on all printers (including those in general access labs,
library printers, the Academic Achievement Center, Noisy Lounge and technology labs). Students can
check the number of pages they have printed by using the Printing Balance tool available on SMCC
computers (located in the lower right corner of the screen, near the clock). Departments with work study
students who need to print documents for the department should contact the HelpDesk at 741-5696 to have
a special account set up.
Refunds
Print jobs are eligible for a refund in the event of mechanical or electronic error on the part of the printer,
print server, or software used to submit the job. Jobs are not eligible for a refund in cases where the job
was not set up correctly, was submitted multiple times, or the student is not satisfied with the result. To
request a refund, please bring the offending print to the IT Department in the basement of the Ross
Technology Center. Refunds will be granted in the form of a credit to the student’s account.
Why is SMCC charging for printing?
The pay-for-print system is an effort to control escalating printing costs. Charging for printing helps offset
the increasing cost of supplies and encourages students to conserve resources. To find ways to reduce your
printing charges, please go to the IT Help tab on My SMCC. If you have questions about the pay-forprinting policy or your printing charges, please contact the HelpDesk at 741-5696 or send an email to
helpdesk@smccme.edu.
Be sure to log OUT of the system when you’ve finished your printing, to prevent unauthorized access to
your account.
Add-Drop Policy
Students who drop a course during the one-week “add/drop” period in the fall and spring semesters and the
first three days of summer sessions receive a 100% refund of the tuition and associated fees for that course.
Please note any course that meets for less than the traditional semester length, i.e., 15 weeks, has a prorated add/drop period. There is no refund for non-attendance.
Withdrawal Policy
A student may withdraw from a course only during the semester in which s/he is registered for that course.
The withdrawal period is the second through twelfth week of the fall and spring semesters and the second
through ninth week of twelve-week summer courses. This period is pro-rated for shorter-length courses.
To withdraw from a course, a student must complete and submit the appropriate course withdrawal form,
available at the Enrollment Service Center (no phone calls, please). The designation “W” will appear on
the transcript after a student has officially withdrawn. A course withdrawal is an uncompleted course and
may adversely affect financial aid eligibility. Failure to attend or ceasing to attend class does not constitute
withdrawal from the course. There is no refund associated with a withdrawal.
Plagiarism Statement
Adherence to ethical academic standards is obligatory. Cheating is a serious offense, whether it consists of
taking credit for work done by another person or doing work for which another person will receive credit.
Taking and using the ideas or writings of another person without clearly and fully crediting the source is
plagiarism and violates the academic code as well as the Student Code of Conduct. If it is suspected that a
student in any course in which s/he is enrolled has knowingly committed such a violation, the faculty
member should refer the matter to the College’s Disciplinary Officer and appropriate action will be taken
under the Student Code of Conduct. Sanctions may include suspension from the course and a failing grade
in the course. Students have the right to appeal these actions to the Disciplinary Committee under the terms
outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.