COLOR and DESIGN

Delaware County Community College
Color and Design: Syllabus
ART 123
Three Credit Course, Four Contact Hours
Prerequisite: ART 122 Two-Dimensional Design

Required Text: Design Basics, David A. Lauer / Stephen Pentak.
Suggested Texts: Interaction of Color, Joseph Albers, and The elements of Color, Johannes Itten

Course Description:

This course will emphasize an in-depth study of the basic properties of color. Color-aid papers as well as pigment will serve as the basic media used in this course. Demonstration, discussion and formal critiques will augment studio work.
LEARNING OUTCOMES/COMPETENCIES:

70% Assignments: Assignments must be submitted on the due date (at the beginning of class) to receive full credit. Each week the assignment is late your project will be lowered one full letter grade (if you earn a C, you will receive a D).

20% Preparation: Each week students are expected to arrive to class well prepared. Preparation includes sketches (various visual ideas), possible materials to be used in a project, and research. How to research will be demonstrated in class. I will evaluate your preparation each week.

10 % class participation: during group critiques, students are expected to contribute to analyzing and critical review of student work.

Students with Disabilities: Students with learning, physical or psychological disabilities who require accommodations for this course must contact Ann Binder, Director of Special Needs Services, in room 320 in the Career and Counseling Center or call 6 0-325-2748. Please meet with me to discuss your accommodation letter.

CLASSROOM ETTIQUITE AND SUCCESS

• Cell phones: Your ringer must be turned off during class. There are several breaks in class to check calls and text; however, you may use an internet phone for class research when allowed.
-Texting in class is not tolerated.

• Inappropriate behavior: Do not participate in any behavior that may distract or disrupt a learning environment. In other words, be respectful to your neighbor’s ability to receive an education.

• Professional behavior: We are preparing you for the professional world; now is the time to practice “professionalism”.
-Be Punctual
-Attend Class
-Be Helpful and respectful to your peers
-Participate in a healthy learning experience

• What are you Academic goals?

• What are your goals?
-What is your 2 week goal?
-4 week goal?
-2 month?
-2 years?
-5 years?

• Do you have a pre-determined weekly work schedule?

• How many hours do you think you are expected to spend working outside of class for each class?
-Some weeks may vary, but be prepared to match or double the time you spend working outside of class as you do in class.
-Write down your schedule on a piece of paper and designate time slots to work outside of class on this class.

Materials

-Color-aid paper, one pack, 4 x 6 inches
-Rubber cement
-Graph paper pad
-Sketchbook, 9 x 12 inch, spiral
-2B pencil
-30 or 24 inch metal ruler (without cork on the back)
-12 inch transparent ruler
-Razor knife (exacto knife) with replacement blades
-Small metal pencil sharpener
-Ultra-fine Sharpie marker
-Illustration board (stores sell sizes 20 x 30 or 20 x 15)
If you decide to purchase size 20 x 30 inches, then purchase only (3 pieces)
If you decide to purchase size 15 x 20 inches, then purchase only (6 pieces)
you will cut this down to specific sizes depending on the assignment. Store your illustration board in a flat / clean area. (ALL WORK MUST BE PRESENTED ON ILLUSTRATION BOARD)

-Acrylic Paint
-Titanium White
-Ivory Black
-Phthalo or Cerulean Blue
-Ultramarine Blue
-Cadmium Yellow Med. or Light.
-Cadmium Red Med.

-Additional paint colors for consideration
-Viridian Green
-Alizarin Crimson

Brushes:

-Use only watercolor brushes (water color brushes have short handles unlike Oil and Acrylic brushes)

-3 or 4 brushes of flat heads ranging in width from 1/10 inch to 1/2 inch.

Tape:

Blue painter's tape (recommended)
White artists tape
Magic Tape, aka: scotch tape

*I have arranged, through Utrecht Art Supplies, an online method for purchasing materials. By using this provider, you can select items that you need or select the entire package and receive 20% off your purchase. Also, you do not have to leave your house; however, you must purchase the materials ASAP so they are shipped to you by the next class.

Ordering directions:

Go onto www.utrecht.com

Click on Jaime Treadwell, Color Design

Select the items you need or the entire package.
IMPORTANT: under coupon code (bottom left) type in 86751
This will save you 20% off your purchase.

Option two:

Contact Utrecht Art Supplies

2020 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 563-5600 (ask for Suzanne, she will take your order)

Read from the materials list what you need to purchase and they will send you a packet through the mail.

You must call no later than 2 days after the first class.

Weekly Schedule (subject to change)

Week 1:
Introduction to the course syllabus. Introduction to the Color Wheel, and its relevance to identify color relationships. Study warm and cools of each hue. Homework: Color Wheel Project: http://jaimetreadwell.com/Dccc-color-wheel-project.htm

Week 2:
Study color characteristics (hue, value, intensity).
After image / Simultaneous contrast. Homework: Read pages 6-17 (Albers).
Contrast of Hue, Value, and Intensity Project: http://jaimetreadwell.com/DCCC-color-Simultanous-Contrast.htm Due next class

Week 3:
Reversed grounds (p. 18-19, Albers) http://jaimetreadwell.com/Dccc-color-reversed-grounds.htm

Week 4:
Transparency Project (p. 24-29, Albers) http://jaimetreadwell.com/Dccc-color-transparancy.htm

Week 5:
Topographic Gradient Project: Exhibit gradients (smooth transitions) of hue value and intensity using a topographic map as a design resource.

Week 6-7:
Structural Constellation Vibration Project, based on the drawings of Josef Albers (complementary hues): http://jaimetreadwell.com/DCCC-Vibrating-color-project.htm

Week 8-10:
Hue Value and/or Intensity Transition Project. Color Mixtures using Acrylic paint. Design: Concentric

Week 11-13:
Self-Portrait Color Grid Project based on the methods of Painter Chuck Close. Saturation and De-saturation using complementary hues (Albert Munsell). http://jaimetreadwell.com/Color-Design-Project-Grid.htm

Week 14-16:
Final project: Series of collages demonstrating exploration, risk, and an evolution of process / intent. http://jaimetreadwell.com/dccc-color-collage-student-work.htm

Color Theory Fundamentals

Primary Colors - red, yellow, blue
Secondary Colors - orange, green, purple
• primary + primary = secondary
• red + yellow = orange
• yellow + blue = green
• blue + red = purple
Intermediate (or Tertiary) Colors - red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-purple, red-purple
• primary + secondary = intermediate
Hue – the name of the color: red-yellow or blue-green
Color Intensity- Brightness of dullness of a color.
Color Values - the lights and darks of a color
• tint – lightened color; white + color
• shade – darkened color; color + black
Color Schemes – a system of using the color wheel to put colors together
• monochromatic – one color and its values; “mono” means “one” and “chroma” mean “color”
• complementary – colors opposite on the color wheel (and their values)
o example – blue and orange or purple and yellow
• analogous – 3 to 5 colors next to each other on the color wheel (and their values)
o example – red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, yellow (and their values)
• warm colors – colors of sun and fire, on the right side of the color wheel (and their values)
o example – reds and yellows (and their values)
• cool colors – colors of snow and ice, on the left side of the color wheel (and their values)
o example – blues and purples (and their values)

Grading Definitions A- Superior, B- Above Average, C- Average, D- Below Average, F-Failure
A.
Superior work of the highest quality. The "A" level student goes beyond what is
expected or required. The work demonstrates consistent creative and original
design solutions with the highest technical ability showing mastery of the tools
and techniques. The work demonstrates a sense of confidence. The "A" level
student understands artistic/historical strategies and concepts used in graphic
design/digital processes and can articulate those ideas in their work and class
discussion. The work of the "A" level student shows obvious evidence of thinking;
it conveys a sense that it is about something and involves risk-taking and informed decision making.
B.
Confident, above-average work. The "B" student demonstrates professionalism in
both attitude and approach to assignments with a sound level of technical ability
that demonstrates evidence of critical-thinking skills. The "B" student contributes to class discussion and understands artistic strategies associated with graphic design and/or digital processes. Assignments are completed on time. Scores on written and practical examinations are consistent with the grade of B. Inconsistencies in concept, composition, and technique cannot warrant a higher grade.
C.
Average effort and quality. The "C" student demonstrates a basic understanding
of technical control and artistic ability with a sense of real effort, but problems are not successfully resolved. Erratic technical skills with little or no sense of challenge becomes obvious. Contributes to class discussions and understands concepts used in design/digital environments. Assignments are usually completed on time. Scores on written and practical examinations are consistent with the grade of C.
D.
Below Average. The "D" student meets the minimum course requirements.
Concepts are weak, lacking critical-thinking skills and technical skills are poor
requiring remedial work. Assignments are below average and/or not completed
in a timely manner. Contributions to class discussions are minimal. Scores on written and practical examinations are consistent with the grade of D. D is a passing grade, not a failure.
F.
The "F" level student either does not meet all course requirements, and or performs inadequately. F is a failing grade.

Achromatic: Literally, without color. In art, a composition in shades of black, white, or gray.
Additive: Colors made by light, the additive primaries are red, green, and yellow
After-image: The illusion of a visual complementary color image that occurs after staring at a hue, then shifting the gaze to a plain white surface.
Analogous hues: Colors that lie next to each other on the color wheel.
Attributes of Color: The three main description or properties of colors, namely, hue, value, and intensity.
Balanced Color: Colors that are balanced by their complements and carried across theory values and intensities.
Binocular Vision: Two retinal images, one from each eye, melded by the brain’s visual system into a single image that appears three-dimensional.
Chroma: The degree of purity or brilliance of a color.
Chromaticity: A term interchangeable with chroma, saturation, and intensity.
Color constancy: The psychological tendency to see colors we expect to see even when the actual colors are different.
Color harmony: The pleasing result of balanced color relationships.
Color scheme: A set of colors chosen to combine within a composition.
Color wheel: A two-dimensional circular arrangement of colors that reveals color relationships of spectral hues.
Complement, complementary: Colors that lie opposite each other on the color wheel. Placing them side enhances the brilliance of both;
Composition: The arrangement of shapes, spaces, lights, darks, and colors within the format of an artwork.
Cool colors: Colors that connote the coolness of water, dusk and vegetation: usually violets, blues, and greens.
Crosshatching: A method of shading by using short parallel lines, often in superimposed sets of lines crossed at various angles to darken an area.
Double complementary: A color combination of four hues: two sets of complements such as red/green and blue/violet/yellow-orange.
Dyad: A color scheme based on two colors
Glaze: A transparent film of color painted over another color.
Grisaille: A method of painting that uses shades of gray in an underpainting to establish the value structure of a composition.
Hue: The name of a color.
Intensity: The brightness or dullness of a color; also called chroma, chromaticity, and saturation.
Line: A narrow mark that defines the edges of spaces and shapes in a composition. Line can also be used for shading, as in crosshatching.
L-mode: The language mode of the brain usually located in the brain’s left hemisphere and characterized as a verbal, analytic, and sequential mode of thought.
Local color: The actual color seen on objects or persons.
Luminosity: In painting, the illusion of radiance or glow.
Monochromatic: In painting, a work based on variations of one color
Monocular vision: By closing or covering one eye, the brain receives a single image, which appears to be flat like a photograph.
Negative spaces: In art, the shapes that surround the objects; sometimes considered background shapes.
Palette: A surface for holding pigments and providing space for mixing paints.
Perceptual color: The actual colors of objects and persons.
Pictorial color: The adjustments to perceptual color needed to bring a color composition into unity balance, and harmony.
Pigment: Dry color ground to a fine powder and mixed with a liquid for use as a painting medium.
Primary colors: Colors that cannot be mixed from any other colors—for example, red, yellow, and blue.
Reflected color: Color reflected from one surface to another.
R-mode: The visual mode of the brain usually located in the brain’s right hemisphere and characterized as a visual, perceptual, and global mode of thought.
Saturation: A term signifying the brightness or dullness of a color: used interchangeably with intensity, chroma, and chromaticity.
Secondary Colors: Colors that are mixtures of two primaries—for example, mixing yellow and red (the oretically) makes orange.
Shade, shading: In Ostwald’s model, color changes made by adding black, thus decreasing the proportion of the original color.
Simultaneous contrast: The effect of one color on an adjacent color.
Spectrum, spectral hues: The sequence of colors seen in a rainbow or in the colors created by passing light through a prism.
Style: An artist’s personal, usually recognizable, manner of working with images and art materials.
Subtractive color: Pigments and pigment mixtures used in painting that absorb all wavelengths except those of the color or colors apparent to the eye.
Successive contrast: Interchangeable with after-image.
Tertiary colors: Colors made by mixing a primary and its adjacent secondary—for example, the tertiary yellow-orange results from mixing the primary yellow and the secondary orange.
Tetrad: A color scheme based on four hues equidistant on the color wheel—for example, green, yellow-orange, red, and blue-violet.
Tint: A light value of the color
Toned ground: A thin wash of a neutral color on a surface to prepare it for painting.
Triad: A color scheme based on three colors equally spaced from each other on the color wheel—for example, yellow, red, and blue.
Underpainting: A preliminary toning of the surface to be painted, often somewhat more detailed than a toned ground.
Unity: The ruling principle of art and design, which all parts of an artwork contribute to the harmonious unity of the whole.
Value: The degree of lightness or darkness of a color.
Warm colors: Colors associated with heat or fire, such as red, orange, and yellow.