Fine Arts Curriculum

The The Fine Arts curriculum helps prepare you for a lifetime of artistic pursuit and involvement by means of a flexible, cross-disciplinary approach that ensures personal exploration and a broader arts education. Students prepare to be exhibiting fine artists or can use their fine arts training as a foundation for an art-related profession in such fields as art education, art therapy, or museum work. The department offers courses in both traditional and new media, which serve as a continual source for ideas and inspiration for all AIB students.

Fine Arts BFA

Please note: The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University reserves the right to unilaterally add, withdraw, or revise any course offering in the above-mentioned program of study, including policies, provisions, requirements, and fees. Current students may visit the Academic Advising Office to obtain the official program requirement sheet that corresponds with their year of enrollment. 

IFINE 1610

Drawing: Heads, Hands and Feet
1.5 credits
An investigation of the issues and interests artists have in drawing through an intense study of these three parts of the body. A variety of drawing mediums are used. Prerequisites: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 1620

Woodshop for Painters
1.5 credits
This class enables the painter who wishes to learn basic carpentry skills to make painting stretchers and simple frames. The course also shows how to make braced panels to paint on.

IFINE 2120

Figure Drawing Studio
1.5 credits
Gesture, axis, grouping of forms, and negative space are explored through drawing the human figure. The central concept is finding two-dimensional equivalents for the gestalt of the figure in space. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620 or permission of instructor.

IFINE 2190

Painting the Human Head
1.5 credits
This course is an introduction to the concerns and difficulties addressed in painting portraits. Planar structure, form and anatomy, issues of color and light, and paint handling are discussed. Quick, one-sitting and multiple-sitting poses bring up questions about the likeness and character of the sitter, as well as the artist's personal interpretation and design of the painting as a whole. Self-portraiture may also be investigated in this class. Prerequisites: IFINE 2200.

IFINE 2195

The Hands, Head & Feet in 3D
3 credits
This 3D course will offer the opportunity for in-depth study of the emotional and kinesthetic capabilities of the three most complex areas of the body: the hands, the feet and the head. The primary emphasis will be on how and why these parts move the way they do. Discussion will also focus on a selection of aesthetic, psychological and kinesthetic issues to do with these parts as fragments, as parts of a whole and our relationship to them. By the end of the semester, students will have made several life-sized studies of the feet, hands and head in several different media, including terracotta and plaster casts. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2200

Painting I
3 credits
A beginning level course designed to introduce students to a direct or alla prima approach to painting in oils. Emphasis is on color mixing and the physical manipulation of paint as direct response to visual perception. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2205

Painting II
3 credits
Painting II is a continuation of the techniques and ideas explored in Painting I. Working perceptually from still-lifes, the figure, and interiors, students will further investigate the properties of color, space, and form and consider the relationships between abstract and representational painting. Prerequisite: IFINE 2200.

IFINE 2215

Abstract Painting
3 credits
This highly structured, advanced level course is intended to expand and refine the technical repertoire of painting processes and manipulations available to students through the exploration of non-objective, abstract painting. The course begins with monochrome painting, explores stripes, the grid, and abstract mark making. It ends with extended, individually designed final projects, undertaken in consultation with the instructor. Prerequisite: IFINE 2200 or permission of instructor.

IFINE 2220

Figure Painting Elective
1.5 credits
The goal of this course is to help students gain an understanding of the model, the nature of color, and an expanded knowledge of paint. The tension between the image of the living body and the painted surface is the major focus of investigation. Prerequisites: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2230

Assemblage/Mixed Media
1.5 credits
This course offers students the opportunity to address the technical, conceptual, and aesthetic concerns that confront the developing artist who is interested in combining different art media. Special emphasis is placed on the development of an individual approach in subject matter. Students are encouraged to develop their sensitivity to a variety of two and three-dimensional materials. This course continues to address formal issues such as compositional structure and properties of color, while introducing alternative methods to image-making. Prerequisite: Foundation or permission of instructor.

IFINE 2250

Watercolor
1.5 credits
Through painting from observation and imagination, the basic watercolor techniques of wet-on-wet, dry brush, and glazing are studied. Emphasis is on transparent watercolor methods, but gouache may also be explored. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2280

Relief Printmaking: B & W
1.5 credits
The basic concepts and techniques of woodcut and linoleum printmaking are investigated. This class focuses only on black and white relief printing, allowing ample time for development of cutting and printing skills. Historical and contemporary prints are discussed. No previous printmaking is required. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2290

Relief Printmaking: Color
1.5 credits
This is an introduction to color relief printing. Both multiple-block and reductive techniques are explored. Emphasis is placed on printing processes, color mixing, and imagery development. Historical and contemporary trends are discussed, especially German Expressionist prints. Care of prints, materials, and shop equipment is stressed. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2300

Printmaking: Intaglio I
3 credits
Various intaglio techniques are learned, including dry point, etching, and aquatint. Emphasis is on both technical proficiency and on the student's development of personally significant imagery. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2310

Printmaking: Intaglio II
3 credits
A deeper exploration of etching with the introduction of color printing techniques and engraving. The student's development of imagery will continue to be stressed. Prerequisite: IFINE 2300.

IFINE 2351

Lithography
3 credits
Utilizing handwork and photo processes, students will develop a firm understanding of this very versatile medium. Traditional stone and contemporary plate lithography will be taught in both color and black and white. Students will be encouraged to use this medium to develop their personal voice and imagery. Prerequisite: Foundation or permission of instructor.

IFINE 2331

Printmaking: Collagraphs
1.5 credits
This versatile print medium takes a collage approach to creating the printing plate. Thin layers of paper, fabric, tape, gesso, carborundum, etc. are adhered and sealed to heavy matboard or masonite and printed intaglio or relief. This course introduces carborundum prints and polyester silk prints, as well as a more painterly approach using gesso, glue, and modeling paste. When printing, the emphasis is on color experimentation rather than editing. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2340

Introduction to Etching
1.5 credits
An introduction to the basic intaglio techniques of dry point, etching, soft-ground, and aquatint. Emphasis is on plate development, printing, presentation, health and safety rules, care of equipment, and studio practices. Prerequisite: Foundation or permission of instructor.

IFINE 2370

Introduction to Monotype
1.5 credits
Monotype techniques are the most direct printmaking media; unique images are drawn and painted directly onto the plate and transferred to paper through the pressure of the etching press. Students learn a variety of methods to develop rich, painterly prints. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2415

Claywork I & II
1.5 credits
This class teaches wheel throwing and handbuilding, providing the skills required for art forms executed in clay. Beginning students learn essential skills through a series of projects. Intermediate and advanced students develop individual programs (pottery or sculpture) in consultation with the teacher. Clay studio is available for student use. May be repeated for credit.

IFINE 2420

Abstract Principles of Sculpture
3 credits
Issues of mass and gravity, process, and materials are investigated towards an understanding of three-dimensional definition. The emphasis is on experimentation that leads to discovery of the fundamental principles of sculptural expression. Prerequisites: Foundation or permission of instructor.

IFINE 2430

Principles of Perceptual Sculpture
3 credits
Working from the human body and forms from nature, students explore the basic concerns an artist needs to address when working in three dimensions, such as design, proportion, structure, surface, and gesture. Mold making and casting are also introduced. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2445

Core Clay I
3 credits
An intensive study of ceramic form and process. Through structured exercises and individual exploration, students will build a repertoire of core technical skills that can be applied to both ceramic sculpture and clay vessels. Students are encouraged to stretch the limits of their material formally, functionally, and expressively. Demonstrations cover wheel throwing and handbuilding, surface treatment, glaze mixing and application, as well as kiln loading and firing methods.

IFINE 2555

Abstract Drawing
3 credits
Utilizing pen, brush, and ink on paper, students explore issues of process, control, and accident. Students utilize a basic vocabulary of dots, lines, wash, and collage to evolve a personal abstract drawing vocabulary. Prerequisite: IFNDN 1615 or IFNDN 1620.

IFINE 2650

Woodworking I & II
1.5 credits
Students use hand and power tools to learn the basic techniques and skills of woodworking as a fine arts medium. Issues of joinery, assemblage, layout, safety rules, and studio practices are emphasized. More complicated techniques and projects are available for the advanced student. Prerequisite: Foundation or permission of instructor.

IFINE 2700

Figure Painting
3 credits
Using the live model, this course explores a range of conceptual, chromatic, and scale considerations. Paintings begin with 2-3 session set-ups and gradually increase to larger, 6-session projects. Varied painting techniques and mediums accompany each assignment. Prerequisite: IFINE 2200.

IFINE 3100 / 4100

Advanced Projects in Drawing
3 credits
Figurative: working from a variety of sources, this class investigates a wider range of representational drawing issues and concerns on a deeper level. Classroom experiences are supported by individual research for large-scale works in selected mediums that address both contemporary and historical figurative drawing. Abstract: through a variety of approaches and mediums, students evolve a personal graphic vocabulary as a vehicle for individual expression. Issues of mark making, process, control, and accident are explored. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: IFINE 2555 or IFINE 2115.

IFINE 3180

Collage
1.5 credits
An exploration of 2D collage highlighting its significance as a 20th century medium, including the seminal works of the Cubists, Dadaists, and Surrealists. Collage work that explores these innovative techniques is created in the course. Discussion of collage in the context of early Modernism takes place through slide lectures. Topics also include the work of the Russian avant-garde and their use of text, abstraction, and photomontage. Prerequisite: Foundation or permission of instructor.

IFINE 3190 / 4190

Interdisciplinary Studio I/II
3 credits
Junior and senior fine arts majors explore and combine their interest in various media and subjects into single works of visual art. This may include media within the Fine Arts Department or a combination with media from other majors and academic classes. Lectures, visiting artists, field trips, and critiques expose students to new artists and contemporary trends in this field. Prerequisite: Two Fine Arts courses from the 2000 level.

IFINE 3200 / 4200

Advanced Projects in Painting
3 credits
This class investigates individual approaches to non-objective painting. Abstraction, conceptualism, mix media, and the painting as object are explored. A range of ideas in twentieth century painting is discussed. Prerequisite: Two courses from the following: IFINE 2210, IFINE 2215, IFINE 2700.

IFINE 3270 / 4270

Concepts in Drawing
3 credits
This course examines a wide range of approaches to drawing as a means of conveying ideas. Using both traditional and alternative drawing media, this class emphasizes development of concepts, use of imagination, and invention. Students are encouraged, through selected problems, to expand and even challenge the conventions of mark making. Inquiry into separate themes perception, formalism, fantasy, and ritual provide students with a variety of strategies for developing a personal approach to drawing methods and imagery. Prerequisites: IFINE 2115 or IFINE 2555.

IFINE 3300 / 4300

Advanced Projects in Printmaking
3 credits
While new intaglio techniques are introduced, students begin to work on individually directed series of prints. Students with previous experience in other print media, such as woodcut, lithography, and monotype, may continue to explore these mediums. The spring semester class creates a group, theme-oriented portfolio. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: IFINE 2310 or permission of instructor.

IFINE 3415

Special Topics in Claywork
3 credits
In this course, students choose topics of personal interest to explore in depth. Library research, internet research, museum visits, and field trips are assigned on an individual basis. Students keep notebooks recording their research and their studio work. Each student develops a body of work to be presented at the final critique. Prerequisites: IFINE 2415 or IFINE 2445.

IFINE 3420 / 4420

Advanced Projects in Sculpture
3 credits
Working in a variety of materials, students explore contemporary trends in sculpture: mixed media, installation, process, conceptual, and systemic art. Projects are conceived and executed entirely by the student in small classes, under the professor's supervision. Technical instruction is individually tailored to meet the needs of each project. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Two courses from the following: IFINE 2420, IFINE 2430, or IFINE 2445.

IFINE 3515 / 4515

Advanced Figure Sculpture
3 credits
This course allows students to delve into more ambitious works using direct observation from the human figure as the primary resource. Students aim towards developing their ability to interpret structure, surface, anatomy, and form. Both single figure and multi-figure compositions are addressed through long-term homework assignments. Casting techniques covered include silicone rubber molds and waste molds. Prerequisite: IFINE 2430.

IFINE 3550

Alternative Printmaking
1.5 credits
This course uses Photoshop as one of the main methods for generating imagery. It is used both as a drawing program with stylus and tablet, where drawings are generated in the program itself, as well as a manipulative tool for pre-existing images that have been scanned and then transformed. Printmaking techniques explored include Lazertran film, waterless lithography, and simple transfers. Prerequisite: Foundation or permission of instructor.

IFINE 3700 / 4700

Advanced Figure Drawing
3 credits
Working from a variety of sources, this class investigates, on a deeper level, a wider range of representational drawing issues and concerns. Classroom experiences are aided by individual research for large scale works in selected mediums, which address both contemporary and historical figurative drawing. Prerequisite: IFIINE 2115.

IFINE 3950 / 4950

Advanced Figure Painting
3 credits
This course deals with large scale, long-term figure paintings. There are three assignments, each one consisting of 8 session poses. Slide lectures, studio visits, and museum shows accompany each painting assignment. Prerequisites: IFINE 2700.

IFINE 4415

Form Development in Clay
3 credits
Since clay is a material linked to earliest human expression in nearly every culture around the world, in what ways can we draw on those historical sources, yet transform them to develop an individual voice in clay? This course explores a source idea's evolution toward personal expression through the methodology of working in a series. Prerequisite: IFINE 3415.

IFINE 4520

Wood and Stone Carving
1.5 credits
This hands-on class will focus on carving subtractively in wood and stone as well as safely utilizing tools. Projects include relief sculpture and sculpture in the round. Materials may include walnut, poplar, slate, and granite. This class is open to beginning and advanced carvers.

IFINE 4800 / 4810

Senior Studio I & II
3 credits
Seniors are given semi-private studio space to work on independent projects in their choice of media and subject. They meet as a class each week with Fine Arts faculty to discuss their work. Students interact with each other at group critiques and field trips. Visiting artists give lectures on their work and provide additional feedback. An exhibition in the school's student gallery is required for completion of this course. Prerequisite: 6 credits of advanced Fine Arts Major Courses.

IFINE 4880

Fine Art Internships
Variable credits
The Fine Arts Department offers students a range of fine arts related internships to provide experience and exposure to the professional art world. Pending availability, internships are available for 1 to 3 credits during the fall, spring, or summer sessions. All internships must be approved and supervised by the Fine Arts faculty internship coordinator. An ongoing list of potential internships is available. Interested students should meet with the internship coordinator prior to the semester of internship.

IFINE 4900

Professional Development
3 credits
This course includes a series of informal lectures and discussions covering a range of professional issues, including job opportunities, further education, exhibiting, grant writing, bookkeeping, taxes, and artists' rights. Guest lecturers. Prerequisite: Senior status or permission of instructor.

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