University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Peck School of the Arts
Department of Art and Design
Fall 2015 Syllabus
Art 261: Introduction to Sculpture Section 801
Fall 2015, Mon/Wed 8:00am - 10:30am
Location: Arts Building 51
INSTRUCTOR’S INFORMATION:
Instructor: Glenn Williams
Office:
Art B31
Office Ph.:
414-229-6862
Email:
williagw@uwm.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to introduce students to basic experiences in various sculpture
media with an emphasis on the aesthetic interrelationship of techniques and concept.
Students will be introduced to traditional and nontraditional methods employed in the 3-D
arts in an effort to expose them to the various directions occurring in the discipline of
sculpture.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Expand the student’s knowledge of materials and tools utilized in the production of
sculpture.
2. Further develop the student’s understanding of three dimensional space and
movement.
3. Expand the student’s visual vocabulary and knowledge of historic and
contemporary practitioners in the discipline.
CONTENT:
1. Object Sculpture/Direct Observation/Reduction Process
2. Biomorphic Forms/Abstraction/Woodworking and Metal Fabrication Processes
3. Figuration/Metaphor/Plaster Processes
4. Artistic Service/Art as Action/Performance Processes
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:
1. Lecture, presentations, and group discussions on various principles and modes of
production occurring in the field of Sculpture.
2. Demonstrations on sculpture techniques and processes.
3. Group and individual critiques.
TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLEMENTARY READING:
A textbook is not required for the class. Instructional information and readings will be
posted online or sent directly to your university email account. A collection of Sculpture
magazines will be available to you for reference materials during classroom and open shop
hours. The periodicals must remain in the classroom!
MATERIALS:
Some materials will be provided as communal studio materials and will be covered by a
studio materials fee. Students will be responsible for purchasing any non-communal studio
materials that they need to complete their assignments.
Safety equipment list
Safety glasses*
Dust mask
Earplugs
* = Required
Studio Course Fee: A $95.00 course fee will be charged for use of consumables and
communal materials provided by the studio. Any additional materials needed to
complete projects will be the responsibility of the student.
COURSE EVALUATION:
Projects:
Projects will be introduced during class, followed by a group discussion and individual
meetings to discuss project ideas. All projects are to be completed by the assigned due
date. Unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor, projects handed in
after the assigned due date will be reduced by 5 points for each day late. Do not expect to
finish all projects during the assigned class time. Students will need to put in additional
hours outside of class to complete their projects in a timely manner. Projects will count for
80% of your overall grade.
Project grades will be based on the following:
1. Creativity
2. Craftsmanship
3. Completion of assignments on time
4. Sketchbook
5. Participation in class critiques
6. Shop maintenance
7. Use of classroom time and open studio hours
Research Journal Weekly Assignment:
Pick two artists to research from the list provided each week. For each artist, you must
type at least a page discussing the direction of his/her work. You may include a
biographical paragraph, but the majority of the paper should be focused on the work of the
artist. Your research assignments must be submitted by electronic file each Wednesday by
11:00 pm to receive full credit. The journal will count for 20% of your overall grade.
Attendance:
Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Those who are absent, for any reason
(excused or unexcused), from class in excess of three days will have their course grade
reduced by one letter grade for each excessive absence. Absence from any class meetings
in which critiques, demonstrations, lectures and/or examinations are held will result in a
similar reduction of the course grade.
Excessive tardiness will also cause a reduction in a student’s final grade.
Critiques:
Students are expected to attend all scheduled group critiques, even if their work is not
finished. Missing a critique is equivalent to missing an exam. Critiques will be conducted
at the end of each project. After the critique, students will be given one week to make
modifications to their project, based on the feedback they received from the group
discussion, before the grading process begins. Critiques are designed to be an opportunity
to discuss the work and receive constructive criticism from the instructor and the student’s
peers concerning how the work is received and should not be viewed as a personal attack.
Please be honest but respectful to each other during critiques.
Shop Maintenance:
Because multiple classes share the shop, students must clean up communal work areas at
the end of each work session. Any work left in communal work areas without permission
will be discarded. Works in progress must be placed in designated storage areas. It is a
good practice to place your name on your projects and working materials so they are not
mistaken for communal materials. Shop maintenance will be factored into your final grade.
Open Studio Hours:
Most projects will require students to spend additional hours outside of scheduled class
time to get projects done in a timely manner. Students will be given access to the sculpture
labs and tools during the open shop hours. The scheduled open hours will be list on the
shop entrance door. Mr. Joseph Johnson is the Sculpture Lab Technician. Students must
follow Joe’s shop policies and safety directives. Anyone not complying with the rules will
lose access to the lab. Mr. Johnson is available to assist you with technical questions and
the proper operation of equipment. He is not responsible for fabricating your work. Your
use of outside studio hours will be factored into your final grade.
Grade Scale:
A (100-94) A- (93-90)
Work Exceeds expectation
B+ (89-87) B (86-83) B- (82-80)
Work is good, but could be developed further
C+ (79-77) C (76-73) C- (72-70)
Work is average; meets expectations
D+ (69-67) D (66-63) D- (62-60)
Work is below average
F (< 60)
Work has failed the requirements for the assignment
Plagiarism Policy:
All written assignments must have full bibliographic references given at appropriate
points. Assignments that plagiarize will not be accepted; the assignment will automatically
receive an “F” (0 points). Students found guilty of plagiarism will fail the course and be
reported under the guidelines on academic honesty.
Copyright:
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S.
Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical,
artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published
and unpublished works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of
copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to use their materials. You must
get permission to use copyrighted original works of authorship if you plan to make your
project available to the public in any way. For more on gaining permission see:
http://www4.uwm.edu/ltc/copyright/getting-permission.cfm
ARTIST NOW! (Guest Lecture Series)
It is highly recommended that students attend these lectures that take place on
Wednesdays at 7:30 pm in the Arts Center Lecture Hall on the UWM campus. The lectures
are free and open to the public. Students who attend at-least 75 % of these talks can earn
extra credit points toward their final grade.
CREDIT HOUR POLICY:
The credit hour policy states: “Study leading to one semester credit represents an
investment of time by the average student of not fewer than 48 hours for class contact in
lectures, for laboratories, examinations, tutorials and recitations, and for preparation and
study; or a demonstration by the student of learning equivalent to that established as the
expected product of such a period of study.” To meet the minimum requirements of the
course, the average student should expect to spend approximately 144 hours on activities
in and outside of class.
COURSE SYLLABUS POLICY:
Faculty Document No. 1895 states that “At the first class session, each student in each
course will be supplied a syllabus that contains essential information about the course and
department policies that affect the conduct of the course.” At the request of the Faculty
Senate, the Academic Policy Committee prepared a summary of recommended items for
each course syllabus. This summary is available in printed form from your department
chair and at: http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/news_events/upload/1895R3-UniformSyllabus-Policy.pdf See also http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/news_events/upload/Syllabus-
Links.pdf
SYLLABUS LINKS:
Health Care and Health Insurance: Norris Health Center http://www4.uwm.edu/norris/
provides many services, which are prepaid as part of tuition and fees. However, Norris
Health Center does not cover hospital inpatient, emergency room, or immediate care
treatment provided outside our facility. We strongly encourage students to have insurance
to cover medical expenses outside of Norris Health Center http://www4.uwm.edu/norris/.
You do not need health insurance to use Norris health center and Norris Health Center does
not bill insurance. There are new options for health insurance since 2014. Learn more
about the health insurance marketplace at www.healthcare.gov. UWM also offers insurance
through www.sas-mn.com. Student Health Insurance- International Students:
http://uwm.edu/cie/students-scholars/students/health-insurance/ (*The University of
Wisconsin System Policy requires all international students to have health insurance.)
Students with disabilities: Notice to these students should appear prominently in the
syllabus so that special accommodations are provided in a timely manner.
http://www4.uwm.edu/sac/SACltr.pdf
Religious observances: Accommodations for absences due to religious observance should
be noted. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S1.5.htm
Students called to active military duty: Accommodations for absences due to call-up of
reserves to active military duty should be noted.
http://www4.uwm.edu/current_students/military_call_up.cfm
Incompletes: A notation of "incomplete" may be given in lieu of a final grade to a student
who has carried a subject successfully until the end of a semester but who, because of
illness or other unusual and substantiated cause beyond the student's control, has been
unable to take or complete the final examination or to complete some limited amount of
term work. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S31.pdf
Discriminatory conduct (such as sexual harassment): Discriminatory conduct will not be
tolerated by the University. It poisons the work and learning environment of the
University and threatens the careers, educational experience, and well-being of students,
faculty, and staff. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S47.pdf
Academic misconduct: Cheating on exams or plagiarism are violations of the academic
honor code and carry severe sanctions, including failing a course or even suspension or
dismissal from the University.
http://uwm.edu/academicaffairs/facultystaff/policies/academic-misconduct/.
Complaint procedures: Students may direct complaints to the head of the academic unit
or department in which the complaint occurs. If the complaint allegedly violates a specific
university policy, it may be directed to the head of the department or academic unit in
which the complaint occurred or to the appropriate university office responsible for
enforcing the policy. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S49.7.htm
Grade appeal procedures: A student may appeal a grade on the grounds that it is based
on a capricious or arbitrary decision of the course instructor. Such an appeal shall follow
the established procedures adopted by the department, college, or school in which the
course resides or in the case of graduate students, the Graduate School. These procedures
are available in writing from the respective department chairperson or the Academic Dean
of the College/School. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S28.htm
The final exam requirement: http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S22.htm