Art & Design Foundations (ADF)

Students will practice observational drawing from the model to depict the human figure with accurate anatomy and proportion. Focus will be on landmarks and simplified structural interpretation of the human figure. Students will complete required drawings to prepare for a portfolio submission.

This course introduces students to the visual language of colour in a workshop environment. It will include an initiation to the fundamentals of colour theory, mixing and designing with colour. Students will explore these concepts through investigations in composition, design, expression, light, shadow and form creation and will practice through the application and exploration of paint.

Competence in design skills is fundamental to the field of visual communication. In this course students will engage the design process to consider the conceptual, aesthetic, and formal qualities of visual graphic and typographic representation. This lab-based subject will focus on resolving approaches to composition. Digital tools will support concept development and implementation of design solutions.

This lecture course will investigate visual culture through a broad range of artifacts that include painting, sculpture, architecture, installations, exhibitions, illustrations, advertisements, photography, film, performance, fashion, advertisements, comic books, selfies, animation, videogames, street art and graffiti. It will be important to discuss the technological and material conditions of visualization by examining each object of visual culture within a specific context (historical, social, institutional, political, geographic, economic, etc.). In this course, specific vocabulary will be used to pose questions about how different groups make different meanings from similar objects and practices to create a better understanding of ways of seeing. Throughout the course, students will choose images/objects that are meaningful to them culminating in a final creative compilation.

This studio-based course focuses on observational and technical drawing techniques to represent objects and built environments. Traditional graphic media is employed to practice application of quality of line, tone, texture, and contrast. Students will analyze and interpret 3-dimensional information to make 2-dimensional pictorial representations.

This two-part course in 7-week units is designed to teach students the metacognitive skills to effectively manage their studies and navigate a professional arts industry career going forward into the future. Strategies for balanced health, time management, creative development and professional presentation will be taught, practiced and implemented. In this first semester course, emphasis will be on establishing positive work habits and identifying learning pathways for the student’s chosen field.

The sketchbook is an important object and practice for visual artists. Mark-making, recording, collecting, and experimentation in the sketchbook is a haptic method of thinking, questioning, and observing. As a regular practice, sketchbook entries connect the eye, the hand and the mind in a way that shifts attention and how we see the world. The sketchbook relies on external inspiration through observational drawing and collection of ephemera as well as internal responses of reflection, commentary and imagination. The sketchbook practice nurtures and tracks the creative growth of the visual artist throughout their career. This course establishes the habits of sketchbooking as a means to artistic development, personal voice, and reflexive thinking.

Building on skills gained from Figure Studio in semester one, students will continue to practice observational drawing to depict the human figure with accurate anatomy and proportion. Focus will be on the human skeleton, expressiveness and three-dimensional form. Students will complete required drawings to prepare for a portfolio submission.

Competence in design skills is fundamental to the field of visual development. In this course students will engage the design process to consider the conceptual, aesthetic, and formal qualities of visual graphic representation. With a focus on meaning and communication, students will resolve approaches to sequential visual storytelling, character design and applied colour principles. Digital tools will support concept development and implementation of design solutions. This course builds upon skills gained in Design I.

This studio-based course introduces students to the fundamentals of photographic and lens-based image creation. Students will gain a basic understanding of the DSLR camera and digital image processing. Visual design and composition will be explored through studio projects that explore various genres of photography. Students will learn to manipulate studio and natural lighting relevant to digital image creation. Intellectual property rights for digital images, the use of stock image sources, and considerations of AI-image generation will also be considered.

This course expands on the drawing skills introduced in Drawing I with added emphasis on drawing for visual narratives such as animation, comics and children’s books. Drawing systems using advanced principles in 1, 2 and 3-point perspective will be applied to drawing observed and imaginary environments. Students will practice drawing approaches for scene and setting design through research and iterative development process.

This two-part course in 7-week units is designed to teach students the metacognitive skills to effectively manage their studies and navigate a professional arts industry career going forward into the future. Strategies for balanced health, time management, creative development and professional presentation will be taught, practiced and implemented. In this second semester course, emphasis will be on goal setting, career market research, and preparing for public presentation in the form of a professional portfolio and web presence.