ART G130: Painting 1

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	11/05/2024
Top Code	100210 - Painting and Drawing
Units	3 Total Units (Lecture Units 1.5; Lab/Other Units 1.5)
Hours	108 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 27; Lab Hours 81)
Total Outside of Class Hours	54
Total Student Learning Hours	162
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S), Pass/No Pass (B)
Local General Education (GE)	Area 3 Arts and Humanities (GC)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)	CSU C1 Arts (C1)

Course Description

This course offers an introductory study in the fundamentals of painting and composition through learning about the materials, tools, and various approaches to painting in oil and/or acrylics. Focus is on exploration of painting materials, perceptual skills, color theory, paint mixing and technique. Emphasis is on creative responses to materials and subject matter, technical mastery and direct observation from life. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: ARTS 210. C-ID: ARTS 210.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Apply the principles of color theory to painting projects.
Use a range of painting vocabulary.
Evaluate works of art with an articulate, informed personal reaction to them.
Create the illusion of volume and space expressing the laws of light logic through chiaroscuro and color modulation.

Course Objectives

Create paintings that evince a working knowledge of the physical properties of painting materials.
Apply the basic formal elements and principles of design in paintings.
Construct and prepare painting surfaces and supports.
Develop expressive content through manipulation of mark, color, value, and composition.
Describe historical and contemporary developments, trends, materials, and approaches in painting.
Critique paintings in group, individual, and written contexts using relevant critique formats, concepts and terminology.
Demonstrate a professional work environment through set up, clean up, and the safe handling of studio equipment.
Approach the process of painting coherently so that the paintings have a sense of resolution in each stage of their development.
Recognize and reproduce the components of color mixtures in secondaries, tertiaries, a full range of chromatic grays and tints, tones, and shades.

Lecture Content

Safety
1. Handling of paints, mediums and materials
2. Handling of studio equipment
Underlying Structures - drawing and value
1. Proportion
2. Placement
3. Eye level/Viewpoints
4. Value structure
Materials
1. Construction and preparation of painting surfaces and supports
2. Paint-Pigment
3. Mediums
4. Tools (brushes, palette knives, etc)
Composition
1. Basic formal elements and principles of design for painting
Color Theory
1. Basic principles
2. Color harmonies
3. Expressive qualities
Styles and content
1. Historical painting styles: Academic, Impressionistic, Expressive
2. Contemporary approaches
3. Subject matter as it related to content (meaning)

Lab Content

Various Ways to Begin a Painting
1. Toned ground
2. Blocking in
3. Wipe out/Imprimatura
Paint Techniques, Methods and Physical Properties
1. Paint Density, Transparency, Opacity, Viscosity
2. Wet-on-wet (alla prima)
3. Blending
4. Blocking
5. Glazing
6. Scumbling
7. Dry brush
8. Mark Making
9. Impasto
Exploration of Various Supports
1. Paper
2. Canvas
3. Board
4. Other
Paintings - Exploring Value Relationships
1. Value scale
2. Grisaille
Paintings - Exploring Color Theory
1. Warm/cool
2. Earth tones
3. Polychromatic
4. Chromatic grays
5. Tints
6. Tones
7. Shades
Observational Paintings Reflecting light logic
1. Highlight
2. Midtone
3. Core shadow
4. Reflected light
5. Casting shadow
Painting Techniques that Apply Textural Concepts
1. Implied texture
2. Actual texture
3. Impasto
Application of Composition Development Techniques
1. Organizing the picture plane
2. Editing/cropping
3. Space - atmospheric perspective
4. Emphasis and subordination
5. Avoiding tangents
Range of Inanimate, Representational Subject Matter
1. Still life
2. Landscape/Interiors/Exteriors
3. Photographic reference
Paintings that Examine Historical Stylistic Variations
1. Academic
2. Impressionistic
3. Expressive
Development of Expressive Content through Manipulation of:
1. Line
2. Form
3. Value
4. Composition
Critique and evaluation of painting assignments and exercises
1. Group critique
2. Individual reflection

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
Lab (04)

Instructional Techniques

Reading Assignments

Articles of painting interest pertaining to class studies. Handouts.

Writing Assignments

Formal analysis of either a current or historical painting of the student's choosing.

Out-of-class Assignments

A variety of study oriented projects leading to involvement in Visual Arts as informed, engaged, and caring viewers, such as: Still life studies using various color harmonies, compositions, picture planes, painting approaches, supports and subject matter/content. Technique problem solving exercises- may include color, texture, value, and composition. Paintings that reflect an understanding of contemporary and historical approaches to representationalism. Paintings that demonstrate critical thinking in form, subject, and content coherence.

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

Methods of Student Evaluation

Short Quizzes
Written Assignments
Essay Examinations
Projects (Individual/Group)
Problem Solving Exercises
Oral Presentations
Skills Demonstration

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Projects - Solve visual problems through painting representational objects and spaces accurately in proportion, space, surface texture, value structure and color. They must make clear and reasoned judgments about what they are directly observing. They must analyze visual data and interpret that data rationally through various painting approaches. They must synthesize what they understand about the elements and principles of design in to a coherent and harmonious composition.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Written Assignments - Students may be asked to write self-assessments about the work that they have completed. These assessments require that they consider their performance on an assignment. They are asked to readdress the stated criteria and learning outcomes and how they achieved or did not achieve the goals of the assignment. They must identify the elements and principles of design and/or the drawing/painting techniques that they used and justify how they applied them. Problem Solving/Skills Demonstration - Students must be able to paint a representation of a still life with an accuracy of proportion, surface and edge quality, value structure and color mixing relative to their introductory learning level.

Resources Subscreen

Textbook: Jean Robertson and Craig McDaniel. Painting and Language: Material, Technique, Form and Content (Classic). Cengage (1999 (Classic)).
Textbook: Al Gury. Color For Painters: A Guide To Traditions and Practice. Watson-Guptill (2010 (Classic)).
Textbook: James Gurney. Color And Light: A Guide For The Realist Painter (Vols 1 & 2). Andrews McMeel Publishing (2010 (Classic)).
Textbook: Simon Jennings. The New Artist's Manual: The Complete Guide To Painting and Drawing Materials and Techniques. Chronicle Books (2005 (Classic)).
Textbook: Jeremy Galton. Encyclopedia of Oil Painting Techniques: A Unique Visual Directory Of Oil Painting Techniques, With Guidance On How To Use Them. Search Press (2018 (Classic)).
Textbook: Todd M. Casey. The Oil Painter's Color Handbook: A Contemporary Guide to Color Mixing, Pigments, Palettes, and Harmony. Monacelli Studio (2022).

Eligible Discipline(s)

Art: Master’s degree in fine arts, art, or art history OR bachelor’s degree in any of the above AND master’s degree in humanities OR the equivalent. NOTE: “Master’s in fine arts” as used here refers to any master’s degree in the subject matter of fine arts, which is defined to include visual studio arts such as drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, textiles, and metal and jewelry art; and also, art education and art therapy. It does not refer to the “Master of Fine Arts” (MFA) degree when that degree is based on specialization in performing arts or dance, film, creative writing or other non plastic arts.

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