Drawing

Integral to the art curriculum, drawing is one of the most important areas within our department. By developing a strong foundation in drawing, students engage in a process fundamental to many other studio disciplines. Our drawing program offers students an exciting and diverse balance of styles and techniques.

Beginning Drawing courses introduce the basics of line, form, perspective, composition, foreshortening, and proportion, as well as various drawing materials and techniques. Through demonstrations, lectures and critiques, students develop a strong base of technical skill, the ability to assess their own and others' artwork, and the proficiency to think critically and conceptually about drawing. In addition, students are exposed to many styles and characteristics of historical and contemporary drawing.

In our upper level classes, students are encouraged to experiment with new techniques, processes and materials as well as to begin to identify and clarify the content of their art work as it pertains to personal visual expression or style. In addition to courses in Beginning Drawing, we offer Intermediate Drawing as well as Life Drawing I and II.

Painting

The painting program at Humboldt strengthens technical skills and provides in-depth faculty mentoring, yet gives students the freedom to develop a personal style and approach.

The lower division painting courses develop and refine perceptual and technical skills. These foundation courses expose students to the fundamentals of painting: materials, techniques, pictorial organization, form, and color. Once students have developed this technical foundation, the upper division courses provide the opportunity to explore personal vision while delving more deeply into the theories and methods of both traditional and contemporary painting.

In addition to our regular studio courses, we offer workshops on topics such as encaustic, mixed media, landscape, and figure painting. Our studio facilities are open and available from 7:00 am until midnight, seven days a week.