Art Courses, General (Art and Art History) (ARTS)

ARTS Courses

This is a list of courses with the subject code ARTS. For more information, see Art and Art History (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) in the catalog.

ARTS:1000 First-Year Seminar 1 s.h.

Small discussion class taught by a faculty member; topics chosen by instructor; may include outside activities (e.g., films, lectures, performances, readings, visits to research facilities). Requirements: first- or second-semester standing.

ARTS:1002 Colloquium in Visual Art and Design 1 s.h.

School of Art and Art History privileges, expectations, course offerings, and procedures; overview of various studio labs, processes, and equipment; introduction to faculty research; students receive support for development of their studio practice, build community and dialogue within the studio art division among majors, and explore career paths and internships.

ARTS:1010 Elements of Art 3 s.h.

Drawing, composition; selected reading. Requirements: non-art major. GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

ARTS:1020 Elements of 3D Design 3 s.h.

Introduction to 3D design using drafting, modeling, and virtual reality software; basic concepts of drafting, planning, and color theory; basic Auto CAD, 3ds Max Studio, Vizard, InDesign software; students design an object to be printed 2D and 3D, and a conceptual space to be printed 2D and experienced virtually; student journal and portfolio. Requirements: non-art major.

ARTS:1030 Elements of Jewelry and Metal Arts 3 s.h.

Fundamental 3D design principles and appreciation of contemporary jewelry and metal artworks; techniques and materials in jewelry and metal arts; experimentation with diverse media. Requirements: non-art major. GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

ARTS:1050 Elements of Printmaking 3 s.h.

Introduction to methods, materials, and concepts of printmaking. Requirements: non-art major. GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

ARTS:1060 Elements of Digital Photography 3 s.h.

Introduction to history, aesthetics, and practice of photography as a fine art; includes demonstrations, workshops, critiques, final portfolio; photography time outside of class; digital camera required. Requirements: non-art major. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

ARTS:1070 Elements of Graphic Design 3 s.h.

Introduction to concepts and principles of graphic design and contemporary approaches to effective visual communication; demonstrations, workshops, critiques, final portfolio.

ARTS:1080 Elements of Sculpture 3 s.h.

Possibilities and definition of 3D form including time-based, performance, structural, installation, and kinetic sculpture. Requirements: non-art major. GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

ARTS:1140 Introduction to African American Art 3 s.h.

Introduction to African American art in the United States; exploration of major art events (i.e., Harlem Renaissance, Black Arts Movement); study of specific African American artists and their work; influence of race on artistic expression. Same as AFAM:1140.

ARTS:1510 Basic Drawing 3 s.h.

Two-dimensional visual language, media; space, form; color. Requirements: art major or art minor. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

ARTS:1520 Design Fundamentals 3 s.h.

Two- and three-dimensional concepts and their relations; working with basic drawing instruments; problems in visual arts; artists' philosophies and techniques. Requirements: art major. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

ARTS:1560 Art Student Ambassador Seminar 0-1 s.h.

Ambassadors provide information about the School of Art and Art History to incoming and visiting students, university community, and broader community; conduct tours; meet with students and parents; review curriculum; provide information on opportunities; coordinate events; and develop materials for incoming students. Requirements: art major.

ARTS:2000 Big Ideas: Creativity for a Lifetime 3 s.h.

Exploration of what senior artists can teach about creativity and aging; interdisciplinary project-based collaborative learning opportunities that consider role of arts and creativity across a lifespan; essential skills necessary to be professionals in numerous careers including health, social work, education, humanities, and the arts; identification of ways for students to be more creative in their own lives and work. GE: Values and Culture. Same as ASP:2000, EDTL:2000, RHET:2000.

ARTS:2100 Printmaking and Politics of Protest 3 s.h.

Examination of historical populace roots of the print. GE: Diversity and Inclusion.

ARTS:2800 Digital Arts: An Introduction 3 s.h.

Introduction to potential of integrating art with technology to provide a foundation of skills and concepts through hands-on experimentation; lectures and demonstrations introduce key concepts and ideas as well as the history of digital arts; students develop skills that form a foundation for future investigation through labs; work may include using an Arduino, programming, and developing an interface to control a software project; final project is shared with the public in some way; critical discourse in the form of writing assignments allows for reflection and evaluation. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as CINE:2800, CS:2800, DANC:2800, DIGA:2800, MUS:2800, THTR:2800.

ARTS:2900 Book Design for Publishing 3 s.h.

Introduction to the major aspects of book design, including typography, layout, standard industry software, discussion of trends in the field. Same as ENGL:2900, UICB:2900, WRIT:2900.

ARTS:3050 Art, Artists, and Institutions 3 s.h.

Expectations of artworks, artists, and institutions that enable artistic production and exhibition from historical and contemporary perspectives; introduction to key institutions that have transformed a shared sense of art, life, and politics; students are invited to contribute to the evolving sense of responsibility of artists, critics, curators, patrons, and institutions.

ARTS:3230 Scene Design I 3 s.h.

Development of theatre scenery; how to research, conceptualize, and express ideas in 3D models, simple sketches, and drafting. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as THTR:3230.

ARTS:3250 Art at the End of the World 3 s.h.

The world is ending, again, and doomsdayers and apocalyptic prophets have warned of coming calamity for millennia and still humanity persists; today's challenges—staggering economic and social inequality, threat of nuclear annihilation, and climate change—while overwhelming and seemingly insurmountable, are not unprecedented; what the apocalyptic artist's role is; students explore the history of the end of times from ancient prophecy through maleficent technological takeovers of the near future and create new works in response to world endings past and future, curate and execute a public exhibition, and lead a series of public programs.

ARTS:3400 Grant Writing in the Arts 3 s.h.

ARTS:4190 Honors in Studio Art 0-3 s.h.

Research, preparation, and exhibition of an honors project in studio art. Requirements: studio art major, UI GPA of at least 3.33, and art GPA of at least 3.50.

ARTS:4195 BFA Exhibition 0 s.h.

BFA students present a show of their work in final semester; use of flyers and other media to advertise show; meetings with faculty and academic advisors to complete required documentation; students planning to graduate with honors in the art major may combine honors project and BFA show; variations require approval by BFA faculty advisor and academic advisors. Requirements: BFA standing in final semester.

ARTS:4200 Topics in Studio Arts 1-3 s.h.

Prerequisites: ARTS:1510 and ARTS:1520 and (SCLP:2810 or CERM:2010 or TDSN:2210 or MTLS:2910).

ARTS:4270 Scenic Art 3 s.h.

Basic techniques in scenic art for the theatre; classical scene painting, color theory, drawing, using nontraditional tools and materials, foam carving, and finishes. Offered every other year. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as THTR:4270.

ARTS:4300 Letterpress I 3 s.h.

Mechanics of letterpress printing, typography, and design as applied to hand set metal type and edition printing; printing on a Vandercook proof press; introduction to photopolymer plates and methods of illustration related to edition printing, historical aspects of printing technology, typecasting, type classification; role of letterpress in modern private press and contemporary artist books. Same as UICB:4300.

ARTS:4340 Digital Design for Artists' Books 3 s.h.

Introduction to concepts, techniques, and technologies used to design and produce artists' books with personal computers and graphic design software. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as UICB:4340.

ARTS:4380 Letterpress II 3 s.h.

Builds on skills acquired in UICB:4300; students produce an editioned letterpress printed chapbook or artist book, a poster for a public event, and an image built from metal type; exploration of hand-set metal, digital typesetting, printing from photopolymer plates, and pressure printing; press mechanics and operation; publication philosophies, manuscript acquisition, and topics specific to literary fine press and artist books; historical and contemporary context for literary fine press publications and artist book work. Prerequisites: UICB:4300. Same as UICB:4380.

ARTS:4390 Book and Publication Design 3 s.h.

Students plan, design, and produce a book using Adobe Creative Suite; page layout software, typography, page layout and design, book formatting, handling of image files, preparation of materials for print and other contemporary book media; history of book design, book design in contemporary publishing; visit to University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections. Prerequisites: DSGN:2600 or UICB:4300. Same as UICB:4390.

ARTS:4400 History of Western Letterforms 3 s.h.

History of Western letterforms, with focus on tools, materials, techniques; the major hands, their place in history, their influence on modern times; creation of letterforms using appropriate tools; hands-on approach with emphasis on understanding rather than mastery. Same as UICB:4400.

ARTS:4415 Introduction to Classical Calligraphy 3 s.h.

Basic calligraphy with focus on the hands modern classic typefaces are inspired by (e.g., Roman capitals, lowercase Roman, italic). GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as UICB:4415.

ARTS:4490 Advanced Studies in Letter Arts 3 s.h.

Special topics and advanced projects in calligraphy and letter arts. Prerequisites: UICB:4400 or UICB:4415 or UICB:4420. Same as UICB:4490.

ARTS:5330 Letterpress III: Imagemaking arr.

Advanced work in alternative and innovative letterpress technologies as they apply to imagemaking processes for fine press printing; topics include pressure printing, photopolymer from nondigital negatives, explorations of type-high surfaces, monoprints on the Vandercook, and applying hand work to editioned prints; students complete a series of print exercises for each process, a small printed book sketch, and a longer format editioned artist book. Prerequisites: UICB:4380. Same as UICB:5330.

ARTS:5340 Letterpress III: The Handprinted Book 3 s.h.

Advanced work in fine press book design; exploration of problems in hand-printing books, choice of manuscript, editing, design, typesetting, proofreading, printing and binding; histories of printing and of the book, emphasis on 20th- and 21st-century book design and literature; issues of book design and production related to letterpress printing. Prerequisites: UICB:4380. Same as UICB:5340.

ARTS:6000 MA Written Thesis 1 s.h.

ARTS:6190 Graduate Independent Study arr.

Individual instruction by a faculty member.

ARTS:7000 MFA Written Thesis 1 s.h.