COURSE OUTLINE
***SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
WEEK 1 (JANUARY 25)
NO CLASS
WEEK 2 (FEBRUARY 1)
What is this DeCal about?
This lecture is to let prospective students understand what they are signing up for and what they can expect throughout the semester. Understanding the expectations and plans for the course are crucial at the start of the course. Students will learn about all the potential equipment and materials used for the course in order to further show expectations.
HW: Get natural pigments
WEEK 3 (FEBRUARY 8)
What is a pigment and how to create a pigment?
Students should have any type of natural resource for their natural pigments. We will be demonstrating how to crush up and sort pigments into different sizes and how those sizes affect the optical illusions of color once the pigment is added into mediums.
In-class demonstration of grinding rocks, sifting
Open class time to work
HW: Get more natural pigments and break them down
WEEK 4 (FEBRUARY 15)
Pigments, binders, solvents
Students will learn more about pigments and then learn the ways that a pigment can be turned into a usable medium through binders and how it can be broken down by solvents.
In-class demonstration of making oil paint, acrylic, and hide glue paints
Open class time to work
HW: Continue breaking down minerals for pigments
WEEK 5 (FEBRUARY 22)
Deeper history of pigments—caveman to modern man
The use of pigments will be examined from the prehistoric cave paintings to the birth of the paint tube in 1840 to the politics of natural pigments for the 20th century. We will begin with cave paintings and go through historical uses of pigments from communities such as indigenous tribes in order to give a scope of how deep color has been bonded with mankind. Some explorations into pigments became dangerous—cadmium, uranium, lead, naples—however, more dangers will be explained within the next lecture.
Open class time to work
HW: Begin Project 1
WEEK 6 (MARCH 1)
Deeper history of pigments—modern man’s problems
With advancements in sciences, synthetic pigments came out and often dominated the vibrancy and versatility of natural pigments; however, their manufacturing and disposal processes often harmed the environment and/or workers. The industrial revolution brought with it many factories and these factories led to a pigmented pollutants in natural resources. These cases highlighting the problems with modernizing pigments will be looked at.
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 1
WEEK 7 (MARCH 8)
Politics of pigments
Students will learn about instrumentalist approaches for obtaining pigments that could deplete resources for future generations. Carelessness for the environment will be reexamined; it is almost a continuation of modern man’s problems with specific cases such as the Rust Belt pollution from abandoned mines. We will also be examining how the world is affected by pigments. This includes specific cases such as Myanmar’s natural resource of jade transforming landscapes and drawing in people from different locations just to take that natural resource.
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 1
WEEK 8 (MARCH 15)
An introduction on how to critique in the context of the class will be used to start the class. Students will also be introduced to the individual/group pigment-related presentation project.
Open class time to work
HW: Introduction of group presentation; think of ideas
Keep working on Project 1 (DUE NEXT WEEK)
WEEK 9 (MARCH 22)
CRITIQUE
HW: Groups for pigment-related presentation project should be made now and starting
Begin working on Project 2 (at least 5 sketches over winter break)
WEEK 10 (MARCH 29)
NO CLASS
WEEK 11 (APRIL 5)
Open class time to work
HW: Keep on working on Project 2
WEEK 12 (APRIL 12)
Pigments Out in the World
Students will learn about pigments in the natural world through nature, animals, and more.
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 2
WEEK 13 (APRIL 19)
Natural pigment-related group presentations
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 2
WEEK 14 (APRIL 26)
Contemporary use of natural pigments
We will be looking at select contemporary paintings who use natural pigments within their work. Some case studies will be: Craig Nagasawa, John Sabraw, Tanja Geis, Harvey Quaytman, and Peter Doig.
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 2
WEEK 15 (MAY 3)
CRITIQUE/potentially gallery
Depending on the availability of spaces within Kroeber Hall or other galleries around campus, students may be able to display their work for the general public along with an opening for conversations, publicity, and networking.
***SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
WEEK 1 (JANUARY 25)
NO CLASS
WEEK 2 (FEBRUARY 1)
What is this DeCal about?
This lecture is to let prospective students understand what they are signing up for and what they can expect throughout the semester. Understanding the expectations and plans for the course are crucial at the start of the course. Students will learn about all the potential equipment and materials used for the course in order to further show expectations.
HW: Get natural pigments
WEEK 3 (FEBRUARY 8)
What is a pigment and how to create a pigment?
Students should have any type of natural resource for their natural pigments. We will be demonstrating how to crush up and sort pigments into different sizes and how those sizes affect the optical illusions of color once the pigment is added into mediums.
In-class demonstration of grinding rocks, sifting
Open class time to work
HW: Get more natural pigments and break them down
WEEK 4 (FEBRUARY 15)
Pigments, binders, solvents
Students will learn more about pigments and then learn the ways that a pigment can be turned into a usable medium through binders and how it can be broken down by solvents.
In-class demonstration of making oil paint, acrylic, and hide glue paints
Open class time to work
HW: Continue breaking down minerals for pigments
WEEK 5 (FEBRUARY 22)
Deeper history of pigments—caveman to modern man
The use of pigments will be examined from the prehistoric cave paintings to the birth of the paint tube in 1840 to the politics of natural pigments for the 20th century. We will begin with cave paintings and go through historical uses of pigments from communities such as indigenous tribes in order to give a scope of how deep color has been bonded with mankind. Some explorations into pigments became dangerous—cadmium, uranium, lead, naples—however, more dangers will be explained within the next lecture.
Open class time to work
HW: Begin Project 1
WEEK 6 (MARCH 1)
Deeper history of pigments—modern man’s problems
With advancements in sciences, synthetic pigments came out and often dominated the vibrancy and versatility of natural pigments; however, their manufacturing and disposal processes often harmed the environment and/or workers. The industrial revolution brought with it many factories and these factories led to a pigmented pollutants in natural resources. These cases highlighting the problems with modernizing pigments will be looked at.
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 1
WEEK 7 (MARCH 8)
Politics of pigments
Students will learn about instrumentalist approaches for obtaining pigments that could deplete resources for future generations. Carelessness for the environment will be reexamined; it is almost a continuation of modern man’s problems with specific cases such as the Rust Belt pollution from abandoned mines. We will also be examining how the world is affected by pigments. This includes specific cases such as Myanmar’s natural resource of jade transforming landscapes and drawing in people from different locations just to take that natural resource.
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 1
WEEK 8 (MARCH 15)
An introduction on how to critique in the context of the class will be used to start the class. Students will also be introduced to the individual/group pigment-related presentation project.
Open class time to work
HW: Introduction of group presentation; think of ideas
Keep working on Project 1 (DUE NEXT WEEK)
WEEK 9 (MARCH 22)
CRITIQUE
HW: Groups for pigment-related presentation project should be made now and starting
Begin working on Project 2 (at least 5 sketches over winter break)
WEEK 10 (MARCH 29)
NO CLASS
WEEK 11 (APRIL 5)
Open class time to work
HW: Keep on working on Project 2
WEEK 12 (APRIL 12)
Pigments Out in the World
Students will learn about pigments in the natural world through nature, animals, and more.
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 2
WEEK 13 (APRIL 19)
Natural pigment-related group presentations
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 2
WEEK 14 (APRIL 26)
Contemporary use of natural pigments
We will be looking at select contemporary paintings who use natural pigments within their work. Some case studies will be: Craig Nagasawa, John Sabraw, Tanja Geis, Harvey Quaytman, and Peter Doig.
Open class time to work
HW: Keep working on Project 2
WEEK 15 (MAY 3)
CRITIQUE/potentially gallery
Depending on the availability of spaces within Kroeber Hall or other galleries around campus, students may be able to display their work for the general public along with an opening for conversations, publicity, and networking.