Studio Art Foundations
The shared curriculum provides students with the conceptual, technical, and critical skills necessary for later studio work. It has been designed to emphasize tools, analysis of form and space, technical perfection and craftsmanship, and cultural and critical thinking in the study of art and design. Students develop functional competence in the principles of visual organization in two and three dimensions, color theory, and drawing. While the training is directed toward visual communication, many skills, knowledge, and attitudes are transferable to other areas outside of the visual arts.
Learning Environment
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The Foundations program is when the technical and conceptual skills needed for students success are provided. Besides the required coursework, students become aware of the possibilities within art and design making and the various emphasis areas within the Studio Art program. The solid, four-course program, is an essential framework as students decide on their emphasis in the end of their first-year.
Facilities
The comprehensive foundations program has several dedicated classrooms spread throughout the art building. This ensures that individual students have access to the tools necessary for projects regardless of whether one is creating 3-dimensional work, handwork and drawings, or computer-based projects.
“"I can now teach myself new tools as they come and go, but without that foundational knowledge, the tools would be useless (and probably do more damage than good, to be honest)."”
—
� Ross Tanner, BFA, Studio Art (Graphic Design), 2015
Coursework
The four core courses emphasize drawing, design, and problem-solving skills. This shared curriculum provides students with the conceptual, technical, and critical skills necessary for later studio work.
ART 150 - Foundations: 2D Design and Color
Explores the theories and concepts of two-dimensional art forms.
Basic visual design principles and color theory are presented and
analyzed through contemporary and historical examples and applied to
studio problems. Offered fall and winter semesters.
Credits: 3
ART 151 - Foundations: 3D Design
Fundamentals of design with an emphasis upon projects that develop
the language of art as applied to three-dimensional forms in space.
Offered fall and winter semesters.
Credits: 3
ART 153 - Foundations: Making and Meaning In Art and Design
This course entails investigating contemporary practices of art and
design, studying how images and objects acquire meaning, experimenting
with basic studio processes, and learning to use digital media in
combination with traditional media in making art. Fulfills Foundation
- Arts. Offered fall and winter semesters.
Credits: 3
ART 155 - Foundations: Introduction to Drawing I
A study of fundamental pictorial concepts of drawing. Experimentation
with varied technical means and media directed toward both descriptive
and expressive ends. Offered fall and winter semesters.
Credits: 3
Faculty
Timothy Fisher
Associate Professor
Drawing Coordinator
Marianne Hoffmeister Castro
Assistant Professor
Making and Meaning Coordinator
William Hosterman
Professor
Foundations Program Coordinator
Kristin Reeves
Assistant Professor
Studio Art Foundations
Renee Zettle-Sterling
Professor
3D Design Course Coordinator
Wenxin Zhao
Assistant Professor
Studio Art Foundations
Students' Works
Schedule a VMA Tour
Interested in visiting VMA? Schedule your student lead tour today!
Tours are available during open VMA Office hours:
Monday -Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
(Closed on Public Holidays)
VMA Main Office: (616) 331-3486
[email protected]
Request Information
For questions about the Foundations program, please contact:
Bill Hosterman
Foundations Coordinator
1111 Calder Arts Center
(616) 331-3562
[email protected]
Other Areas
Art Education — Art History — Ceramics — Film & Video Production — Graphic Design — Illustration — Jewelry and Metalsmithing — Painting — Photography — Printmaking — Sculpture — Visual Studies