ART 1000 / ART APPRECIATION / ON-LINE
MAY 2013
Pamela Bramble
Associate Professor of Art
Department of Art and Art History
University of Connecticut
Art does not reproduce the visible, but rather it makes visible. Paul Klee
SYLLABUS
TEXTS
PLAN AHEAD! HAVE YOUR TEXT BOOKS IN HAND BY THE START OF THE COURSE.
You can purchase textbooks from a bookstore, on-line or from the UConn Coop (in person or on-line at
http://bookstore.uconn.edu/text/ttg.html ). The co-op makes every effort to have the appropriate number
of books available at all UCONN campuses, but it is suggested that you call ahead to be sure the books
are there. As for on-line vendors and local bookstores, be sure that they have a proven track record when
it comes to the dependability of their estimated handling and shipping time frame.
Getlein, Mark. Living With Art. 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc., 2010.
Note: This book is available in two forms: text book and as individual pages that can put in a binder.
Either form is acceptable. If given the choice, the CD is optional and not required for this course.
Sayre, Henry. Writing About Art. 6th ed. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2009.
Course Description
Not open to Art majors.
Introduction to the visual arts - past and present: the visual language of artists, historical and cultural
significance of art.
This course introduces students to the broad spectrum of visual art offering global and historical
perspectives. As a means to gaining an appreciation of visual art and the creative process, emphasis is on
learning about the visual language employed by artists and on how to use the descriptive analysis process.
Topics include the themes and purposes of art, the vocabulary of art and composition, art mediums
(drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, the camera arts, communication design, environmental art,
performance art and architecture), historical and cultural significance of specific works of art and seminal
artists, survey of art from Paleolithic to modern time.
Course Methodology
Topics, concepts and terminology are covered via the following: online lectures, professor's notes,
readings from the texts, viewing works of work, virtual museum visits, individual research, assignments
and on-line discussion.
Course Content
SESSION ACTIVITIES
Course content is divided into 8 sessions. Dates for each session and its learning activities are available on
the course calendar.
Each session includes readings and one or more activity designed to explore specific concepts and/or
topics in art. Activity formats include:
o
o
o
group discussions
discussions between two, three and/or four class members
individual writing assignments
MIDTERM: INDIVIDUAL STUDENT-LED DISCUSSION
Introduce a work of art to the class and discuss it with class members.
FINAL EXAM: PORTFOLIO
The Portfolio is a paper in which you summarize what we have discussed in the course. Section One is an
overview of course content (Getlein text and Session Notes). Section Two is comprised of a review of
several of our session discussions. Section Three is an exercise that allows you to get creative!
Grading
Each session is worth a total of 100 points. All activities are due by midnight of the due date unless
otherwise stated. Five points are deducted for each day late unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Final grade for this course is determined by: session activities (50%), midterm (25%) and final (25%).
Course Policies
Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. All researched and referenced information that you present must
be cited – including our texts. List citations using MLA format at the end of all assignments AND
discussion postings. Use databases and google scholar more; use google, websites and Wikipedia less;
avoid blogs and the like.
The Final is to be submitted by midnight on the date noted on the course calendar. University Policy
states that no Final can be submitted or taken later than the scheduled date unless there are extenuating
circumstances. If extenuating circumstance exists, the student must contact the Office of Student Support
and Advocacy (OSSA) to request an opportunity to submit/take a Final other than at the scheduled time;
supporting documentation will be required. For further information, the OSSA website address is:
http://www.ossa.uconn.edu/. By university policy, if your Final is submitted late, it cannot be accepted.
Discussion Board guidelines for participating in an online discussion:
 Check your message before you send it. Pay attention to your spelling and grammar, and be sure
your message makes the points you want to make in a clear and concise way. Remember, other
students and instructors can read your messages.
 Do the appropriate preparation, such as reading and lesson activity work, before you join the
discussion.
 When responding to another’s post, do more than state agreement or disagreement. Justify and
support your opinion. The most persuasive opinions are supported by evidence, examples,
reasons, and facts. If you disagree with something, say why. If you really like something that
you've read, let people know what makes you think that way. Help move the discussion along.
When contributing to a discussion, read other people's comments first. Introduce new ideas, but
also build on what others have said -"Piggy-back" on other people's ideas.
 Respect others' ideas and opinions. Feel free to disagree, but express your disagreement in a
respectful manner. Disrespectful communication is poor communication and not acceptable.
The developer of this course is Pamela Bramble, Associate Professor of Painting, Department of
Art and Art History and Coordinating Director of the ARTS Project, University of Connecticut