Academic Catalogs

ART A120H: Beginning Drawing Honors

Course Outline of Record
Item Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date 12/08/2021
Top Code 100210 - Painting and Drawing
Units 3 Total Units 
Hours 108 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 27; Lab Hours 81)
Total Outside of Class Hours 0
Course Credit Status Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee Yes
Basic Skills Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable No
Grading Policy Standard Letter (S)
Associate Arts Local General Education (GE)
  • OC Active Participation - AA (OC2)
Associate Science Local General Education (GE)
  • OCC Arts - AS (OSC1)

Course Description

Introduction to principles, elements, and practices of drawing, employing a wide range of subject matter and drawing media. Focus on perceptually based drawing, observational skills, technical abilities, and creative responses to materials and subject matter. Enrollment Limitation: ART A120; students who complete ART A120H may not enroll in or receive credit for ART A120. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: ARTS 110.C-ID: ARTS 110.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

  1. Demonstrate effective use of drawing methodology in the rapid and rendered depiction of natural and mechanical subjects:executed in proportion, with use of perspective and emphasis of line dimension.
  2. Use value to model the effects of light and render the subject as a three-dimensional illusion on a flat surface.
  3. Effectively use a variety of drawing materials to investigate varied art concepts.

Course Objectives

  • 1. Produce drawings that creatively interpret and apply formal design elements in the production of images in a wide range of media, formats, and surfaces;
  • 2. Design and produce a portfolio of drawings in multiple mediums and formats that successfully demonstrates: Subjective and expressive uses of value, Techniques and concepts of abstraction or non-objective art, Experimentation with combinations of wet and dry mediums, Observational, expressive, and conceptual analysis or application of color, Application and drawing techniques for a variety of color media, Non-traditional compositions, formats, surfaces and materials, Conceptually oriented approaches to drawing, Integration of form and content;
  • 3. Construct and prepare appropriate supports and surfaces for mixed media drawing;
  • 4. Evaluate and critique class projects using relevant terminology in oral or written formats;
  • 5. Examine and describe historical and contemporary developments, trends, materials, and approaches in drawing
  • 6. Develop and express ideas and concepts through verbal and visual means.
  • 7. Understand historical, social, and psychological factors related to the art of drawing.
  • 8. Identify and differentiate the use of various drawing mediums.
  • 9. Explore drawing as a method to develop personal creative concepts and style.
  • 10. Demonstrate the elements and principles of composition in drawing.
  • 11. Recognize, compare and contrast stylistic directions in drawing.
  • 12. Construct a personal criterion for evaluating and producing drawings.
  • 13. Evaluate, in writing, the expressive and structural design of a drawing.
  • 14. Compile, through active participation in class, a portfolio of drawings.

Lecture Content

Exploration of formal skills, conceptual approaches and the application of formal elements as applied to image making in a wide range of media, formats, and surfaces. Design, process, and production of drawings in multiple mediums and formats. Perceptual and conceptual approaches to image making. Integration of form and content. Development and expression of ideas and concepts through visual means. Traditional and contemporary approaches to the construction and presentation of drawings. Critical evaluation and critique of class projects using relevant terminology in oral or written formats.  Historical and contemporary developments, trends, materials and approaches in drawing.   Definitions of Drawing: Historical role of drawing as fine art and applied art. Themes, purposes as motivation for drawing. Drawing Materials and techniques:  Characteristics of drawing mediums Graphite, Charcoal, Conte, and Ink  Correct Observation techniques:  Check-pointing/sighting Scaling  Relative Proportion Drawing Methodology:    Examination of traditional approaches to developing a drawing Area drawing Under/Over drawing Gesture (intuitive) Rhythm, flow, balance, movement Structure (measurable) Mass, weight, anatomical Detail Line dimension and values Drawing as Illusion: Perspective  Over-lapping shapes Scale and Position on the special field  Negative space Shape relationships Linear perspective: one and two point Foreshorte ning Line dimension Contour and Interior line Weight and Variation Form: Value mapping and modeling of light Tonal ranges Texture: Rough, reflective, transparent articulate and suggest Drawing Composition  Emphasis and de-emphasis of the subjects within the spatial field Critical Analysis of Drawing: Explore in written format, the materials, techniques, and historical significance of a published or exhibited drawing.

Lab Content

A. Demonstration of drawing using graphite, Charcoal, Conte, and Ink.B. Applying sighting and scaling techiques to gauge proportionC. Drawing MehodologyD. Drawing as Illusion:      1. Perspective                a. Over-lapping shapes                b. Scale and Position on the spatial field                c.  Linear perspective: one and two point                d. Forshortening                e. Line dimension: weight and variation                f.  Form: Value mapping and modeling of tone                g. Texture: Rough, reflective, transparent                        i. articulate and suggest                h.  Composition

Method(s) of Instruction

  • Lecture (02)
  • Lab (04)

Instructional Techniques

1.  Lectures.  2.  Visual examples by slides, books, video, computer, or DVD.  3.  Demonstrations of methods and material usage.  4.  Class discussions and critiques.  5.  Field trips to galleries and museums.  6. Tutored studio projects

Reading Assignments

Libray artist reasearch

Writing Assignments

Art gallery critiques with analysis

Out-of-class Assignments

Internet research project Art gallery visits and critiques

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Portfolio of completed work; Group and individual critiques in oral or written formats; Written assignments, which may include quizzes, essays, exams, or reports. In this course, the primary document of evaluative student output consists of drawings.  While these drawings are sufficient sole material for student evaluation, evaluation may include the application of peer evaluation, written exam, or oral evaluation, at the instructors discretion. The instructor will assign a grade evaluation of completed and appropriately presented project assignments based on how well the assignment followed instruction and met stated objectives.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Group and individual critiques in oral or written formats; Written assignments, which may include quizzes, essays, exams, or reports.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Betti, C., Teele S. Drawing: A Contemporary Approach, Latest ed. Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2011