Courses for Art and Art History

Not applicable to the studio or art history majors or minors. Introduction to the appreciation of art through an examination of the nature, themes, and purposes of art, the exploration of visual arts media and methods; and a survey of art history and artistic masterpieces.

Survey of major examples of painting, sculpture, and architecture from the prehistoric through the medieval periods.

Survey of major examples of painting, sculpture, and architecture from the Renaissance through the modern periods.

Survey of major examples of painting, sculpture, and the applied arts of India, China, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

This number is used for special projects determined by the instructor or for independent research projects proposed by students. In the latter case, the project must be approved by a sponsoring faculty member and the department chairperson. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours.

This course surveys the architecture, painting, and sculpture of Ancient Italy and the lands of the Roman Empire from the earliest record of the Etruscans to the death of Constantine the Great in 337 CE. Lectures, readings, and classroom discussion focus on the socio-political, technological, and religious contexts of Etruscan and Roman material culture.

A survey of the contributions of Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the development of Western architecture, sculpture, and painting.

This course focuses on major monuments of painting, sculpture, and architecture, as well as wider visual culture, produced in the Early Christian West and the Byzantine Empire 312-1453 CE. Attention will be paid to major styles/developments with reference to relevant social, political, religious, historical and technical issues.

This course examines the vibrant and diverse art and visual culture of South and Southeast Asia through the art, architecture, and material culture associated with the current geopolitical states of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

This course will examine the varied traditions and genres of art and architecture produced in China during its important imperial era from the Tang to Qing dynasties (7th century to late 19th century). Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course examines the varied traditions and genres of Japanese art from the prehistoric Jomon period to the mid-twentieth century, including architecture, painting, calligraphy, prints, sculpture, and material culture. It explores the religious, philosophical, and socio-political conditions in which art was produced and consumed in Japan.

This course will examine the rich traditions and varied genres of prints and print production in East Asia (China, Korea, and Japan) from around the ninth century to the present time.

This course examines the cultural contexts in which European medieval art and architecture went from neglect and sometimes destruction in postmedieval contexts to being valued and collected from the 19th to 21st centuries. The course lectures and assignments will expose students to cultural and societal issues and perspectives and lay the foundation for responsible participation in a diverse society by preparing students to make informed decisions in the complex cultural contexts of both the U.S. and global communities.

This course focuses on major monuments of painting, sculpture, and architecture, as well as wider visual culture, produced in Western Europe between 500-1150 CE. Beginning with backward glances at Roman traditions, special attention is focused on works of art representative of major styles/developments during the focus period with reference to relevant social, political, religious, historical and technical issues.

This course examines the wealth of visual and material cultures of Europe and the broader Mediterranean from roughly 1200-1450. Materials considered will include sculpture, architecture, painting and manuscripts, as well as metal work and enamels, ivories, textiles, and portable objects from both European and non-Western cultures. Objects and monuments will be explored within their relevant social, political, religious, cultural and historical contexts. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Selected monuments of peninsular Spanish art from the prehistoric period to the contemporary period.

This course provides students with a survey of painting, sculpture and architecture produced in Northern Europe (France, Flanders, Germany, England) between 1350 and 1600, concentrating on knowledge of major monuments and artists. Beginning with backward glances at the fourteenth century, attention will be focused on developments and major themes important to study of the period (including relations between North and South, the status of the artist, and the impact of religious change on works of art), thus encouraging students to have a long-range view of the traditions behind the focus works.

Survey of the art of Florence emphasizing the artists and the patrons, such as the religious orders, guilds, and private families who created the Renaissance style in painting, sculpture, and architecture.

This course provides students with a survey of painting, sculpture and architecture during the early Italian Renaissance in major city centers, concentrating on knowledge of major monuments and artists. Attention will be focused on fourteenth-century traditions, fifteenth-century developments, and major themes important to study of the period (technical innovations, the inheritance and influence of antiquity, the status of the artist, religious and political symbolism, the requirements of patrons and the market, and the impact of social conditions and historical events).

This course provides students with a survey of painting, sculpture and architecture in the later Italian Renaissance (c. 1480-1580) in major city centers, concentrating on knowledge of major monuments and artists. Beginning with backward glances at the fifteenth century, attention will be focused on sixteenth-century developments and major themes important to study of the period (including Mannerism, the status of the artist, and the impact of religious change on works of art), thus encouraging students to have a long-range view of the traditions behind the focus works.

This course provides a survey of Southern Baroque painting, architecture, and sculpture, focusing primarily on Italian and Spanish art produced between 1600-1700. A variety of genres are addressed including Christian and mythological works, portraiture, still-life, and landscape. Issues considered include the impact of the Counter Reformation on artistic production; patronage; gender; classicism and naturalism; and the status of artists. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Survey of the art of 17th-century Belgium, Holland, and France.

Painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the colonial period to the twentieth century.

American architecture from the colonial period to the 20th century.

This course examines the artistic, material, and visual cultures of the African diaspora. Various geographic regions and historical periods will be covered. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course focuses on the development of art and culture in the United States between 1815 and 1880. Beginning with the early national period and continuing through post-Civil War Reconstruction, the development of art in the United States will be studied within the context of sectional discord, Native American removal, enslavement, emancipation, and western expansion, all occurring as the US navigated their role on an international stage. Objects will be studied within their political, social, and cultural contexts. In approaching the visual arts from the context of their creation, including considering works’ global roots within the United States, course content will prepare students to be informed participants in society with awareness of much historic precedent for contemporary events. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

A study of American Art and visual and material culture from the 1880 to 1945.

This course examines the painting, architecture, photography, performance, new media, and sculpture that has defined the period between High Modernism and the contemporary era.

This class discusses the cultural and social history of photography from the nineteenth century to the present day, including the influence of photography on colonization; race, sex, and gender identities; the impact of photographic imagery (and photographic reproduction) on avant-garde art movements; and the theoretical and philosophical frameworks developed to examine the aesthetics of the photographic image. The role of photography in other areas – including popular culture and mass media, science, and medicine – also plays a role in the curriculum. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course examines many different examples of painting, architecture, photography and sculpture that served to define modernism in European and American art. We will follow the development of those aesthetics associated with modernity from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century (c. 1939). This course is meant to familiarize students with major movements, concepts, and styles, and also to help them develop an understanding of how these movements relate to one another within a larger cultural and historical context. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course. Students will produce two, individual written assignments (one submitted and returned before the mid-term and one after) that demonstrate coherent, logical, and carefully edited prose. In these assignments, students must demonstrate higher-level critical thinking skills, such as analysis and synthesis.

Survey of visual art production across the Latin American world (including South America, Central America, and the Caribbean), from the colonial period to the twentieth century. Students will produce two individual writing exercises (one submitted and returned before the mid-term and one after) that demonstrate higher-level critical thinking skills through the analysis and processing of information within a cultural and societal context. These assignments encourage demonstration of higher-level critical thinking skills in their analysis and processing of information within a cultural and societal context.

Survey of the history of building in the American South with an emphasis on the antebellum South.

This class will focus on the creative production, contemporary reception, and critical interpretation of African American art from the colonial period to the present—an examination that intersects inexorably with studies in American art, material culture, Modernism, and post-colonialism (among a host of other fields and disciplines.) So, while visual representations of and by African Americans provide the content for this course, the broader methodological and theoretical issues they raise are applicable to images, objects, and structures from a variety of cultures and civilizations. Indeed, this course will engage at least three general themes central to art historical and visual cultural studies generally: 1. Cultural encounters within colonial contexts; 2. Constructions of “race” and “blackness” within the African diaspora; and 3. Conceptualizations of “Modernism” in 20th-21st centuries. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Throughout the 20th century, African Americans employed a variety of strategies toward the attainment of social, political, and economic equality. At different historical moments, specific agenda, tactics, and participants have come to the forefront, yet the overall objectives remain the same. During the 1920s and 1930s, many African Americans put forth a fusion of cultural and political activism as the vanguard of the movement. While exploring the rich art of the era, this course looks beyond traditional artistic models and delves into the work of literary and performing artists to present students with a deeper and more complete understanding of the complex and dynamic social, cultural, and political phenomenon known as the New Negro or Harlem Renaissance. We will explore the intersection between culture and politics during a specific moment in African American history and examine its place within the larger quest for equality. Readings will include works by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Augusta Savage, Alain Locke, Carl Van Vechton, Fannie Hurst, and Aaron Douglass, among others. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course is a survey of Indigenous art across North America, from pre-contact to the contemporary period. The class will study the art of various Native people, exploring regional styles, with an emphasis on aesthetics, cultural function, and factors of change, as well as ceremonial and commercial art. Topics will include sovereignty, the impacts of historical and present-day colonialism, appropriation, and other issues of current concern.

This seminar course examines a special topic of the art, architecture, and material culture of East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Selected topics in the art and architecture of the Middle Ages. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course provides students with an in-depth study of a specific issue or theme in Renaissance or Baroque Art. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

Study of a selected theme in American art or architecture. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 hours. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course surveys various genres, themes, and aesthetic theories that have informed modern and contemporary art. The class approaches this wide array of material through attention to specific themes and/or various critically defined paradigms and applies these themes/paradigms to various subjects and media areas including institutional critique, popular culture, photography, painting, sculpture, performance, installation, and video. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

In this course we will study the politics of representation (and the relationship between the image and ideology) in African American photography from the 1840s to the present. Aesthetics, gender, class, the impact of slavery, lynching, colonialism, neocolonialism, and globalization on the arts, as well as issues of memory, identity, subjectivity, historical “truth,” and race, will be explored in relation to African American photographers. We will consider the production, distribution, consumption, and archiving of these visual texts, as well as the materiality and mass replication of the photographic artifact, and examine various genres of visual texts, from the social documentary to portraiture to art photography. As we analyze the photography of Jules Lion, A.P. Bedou, Louis Agasisz, James VanDerZee, Gordan Parks, Carrie Mae Weems, and Latoya Ruby Frazier, among others, we will consider to what extent photographs comment upon or subvert racial identities and social hierarchies, what role the camera plays in protest movements, and whether one, as Audre Lorde asks, can ever dismantle the master’s house with the master’s tools. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This seminar examines the disciplinary foundations, historiography, and major issues of art history and explores the various methodological approaches used in the field. It investigates the ways in which the methods and theories of art history contribute to our understanding of history, aesthetics, and social practices through art objects. Students will explore the methodologies employed by art historians and evaluate – as scholars, readers, and writers – complex issues and a range of scholarship. Class time will center on verbal communications, including student-led discussions of assigned readings and oral presentations. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This number is used for special projects determined by the instructor or for independent research projects proposed by students. In the latter case, the project must be approved by a sponsoring faculty member and the department chairperson. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours.

Basic studio course concerned with comprehension of visual concepts and development of skills through exposure to drawing media.

Introductory course that explores two-dimensional concepts in a variety of processes and media.

Introductory course that explores three-dimensional concepts in a variety of processes and media.

Topics not taught in the regular curriculum. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 hours.

Continuation of Drawing I with emphasis on creative development of visual ideas using traditional and experimental techniques and media.

Completion of ART 110, ART 130, and ART 131 is recommended before taking this course. Exploration of ceramics media and processes with emphasis on the development of individual concepts.

An introductory course designed to strengthen the individual student's awareness of the history and techniques of the craft of painting while exposing the student to contemporary styles and ideas of painting.

Study of digital photography as a creative medium. Introduction to technical, conceptual, and aesthetic concerns, as well as individual approaches to media, methods, and activities.

An introduction to creative practice using the visual language and technical processes of printmaking. Students will explore their ideas through a variety of traditional and experimental methods.

This course is designed to provide the student with the opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation of sculptural ideas and abilities based on a variety of material assignments. Projects will make use of specific materials and techniques which combined with individual concept generation will develop ability in the field of sculpture.

This course is an overview of the digital means of art making, instructing basic digital literacy and technical competencies while introducing the creative possibilities within contemporary digital art practices.

This course provides introductory instruction on video art production while exploring the creative, critical, and historical facets of video in art and culture.

Course focuses on both analytical and intuitive understanding and application of color.

Course focuses on contemporary styles, concepts, and ideas regarding the use of wet media.

This course explores historic analog photographic processes, most of which predate negative-to-positive silver gelatin printing. In weekly technical tutorials and hands-on workshops, students will learn techniques for building handmade cameras and applying wet emulsion to 2D and 3D surfaces. Experimentation with multi-dimensional installation and nontraditional presentation will be encouraged.

Individual exploration of figurative forms in a variety of drawing media and processes.

Course offers students a chance to explore figurative ceramic modeling and sculpting as it relates to representing a likeness. Topics will vary as course is repeated for credit.

Emphasis is on individual approaches to media, methods, and activities.

Emphasis is on individual approaches to media, methods, and activities. Topics will vary as course is repeated for credit.

The applied study of pictorial manipulation through color and design principles.

A course designed to increase understanding of subject, meaning and context with the objective of making the transition between guided assignments and personal pursuits.

Study of intermediate digital photographic art practices. Emphasis on technical, conceptual and aesthetic concerns, as well as individual approaches to media, methods, and activities. There will be a survey of contemporary photo / digital artists to stimulate ideas, discussion and practice across numerous conceptual themes. Students will learn best practices for building and managing files that will drive top-quality output. Aesthetically, these skills will be put into practice through the creation of refined and realized artworks. There will be critiques to facilitate the creative process. The semester will culminate in the production of a final portfolio.

Study of black-and-white, darkroom-based photography as a creative medium. Emphasis on technical, conceptual, and aesthetic concerns, as well as individual approaches to media, methods, and activities.

Further exploration of intaglio and relief processes, including a review of basic techniques, grounds, printing in color, printing multiple plates or blocks, and medium/large format printing. Assignments emphasize both technical and conceptual development. Topics will vary as course is repeated for credit.

This course explores traditional and experimental approaches to stone and plate lithography. Students will make a series of lithographs using a variety of approaches, matrices, and drawing materials. Assignments emphasize both technical and conceptual development. Topics will vary as course is repeated for credit.

Introduction to advanced sculptural thinking and problem solving with assignments geared toward the development of skills and abilities in working with a range of materials and techniques. Emphasis is focused on developing craftsmanship and content as applied to the making of objects.

Continued development of 3-D thinking and technical skills through assignments addressing a variety of materials and processes, including physics in three dimensions, the illustration of intangible thoughts with physical objects, the relevance of self to sculpture, and an examination of personal aesthetic. Topics will vary as course is repeated for credit.

This course presents intermediate concepts and production techniques in digital media.

This course examines printmaking through the lens of painting, including the vocabulary, materials, and techniques of painting with acrylics or oils. Students will use drawing and brushwork techniques to establish images on a variety of printable matrices, using a variety of printmaking processes. Assignments emphasize experimentation, collaboration, and exploring the creative process. Topics will vary as course is repeated for credit.

This course provides introductory instruction on 3D modeling and other digital processes pertaining to three-dimensional forms in physical or virtual space.

This course examines printmaking through the lens of photography, including the vocabulary, materials, and techniques of the analog and digital photograph. Students will create work using a variety of light sensitive printmaking processes. Assignments emphasize both technical and conceptual development. Topics will vary as course is repeated for credit.

This course provides introductory instruction on animation techniques while exploring the history and content of animation in art, film, and culture.

The course will present essential skills in photographic studio lighting. Both natural and artificial light sources will be explored for producing aesthetically and conceptually engaging artworks. A wide range of applications will be explored including still life, portraiture, classic lighting problems, and open creative projects. Experimentation and improvisation is highly encouraged. Topics will reference both historical precedents and contemporary practices. The course will culminate with a portfolio of work.

This course covers drawing at the intermediate level, including media, form, content, and theory. This course emphasizes personal direction. This course is designed to encourage student investigation into experimental drawing and contemporary art practices. All topics will be devoted to promoting individual student creativity, mastery of drawing means and techniques, and a further understanding of graphic concerns.

This course is designed to enable the student to explore mixed media processes and strategies within the context of painting.

Students may make proposals for projects not taught in the regular curriculum. Proposals must be approved by a sponsoring faculty member and the department chairperson.

This course is designed to focus on a variety of topics in Studio Art that are not regularly offered within the Studio Arts curriculum. Topics will vary on media chosen form ceramics, digital media, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. The course can be taken for a maximum of 6 hours.

Self-directed studio practice overseen by the instructor. The student works toward creating a consistent and conceptually sound body of work that investigates contemporary and traditional definitions of drawing. Topics will vary as course is repeated for credit.

Directed studio practices overseen by the instructor and designed to enhance the student's understanding of advanced ceramics concepts and techniques.

Self-directed studio practice overseen by the instructor. The student is expected to work toward creating a consistent and conceptually sound body of work. Enrollment for 4, 5, or 6 hours requires permission of the instructor. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 hours.

Study of alternative, experimental, and extended approaches to photography. Emphasis on technical, conceptual and aesthetic concerns, as well as individual approaches to advanced photographic practice resulting in a cohesive body of work suitable for exhibition.

This course explores the medium of printmaking through the history of the handmade poster. We will study posters made by designers and artists from a variety of time periods and communities, and we will discuss several different printmaking techniques. Students will learn the process of screen printing and complete their projects using both analog and digital methods.

Emphasis on individual approaches resulting in a cohesive body of work suitable for exhibition.

Development of work and thought at an advanced level in preparation for completion of the BA or BFA degree. Graduating semester includes a BA or BFA thesis exhibition accompanied by a written thesis requirement.

Special topics in digital media. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 hours.

This course covers drawing at the advanced level, including media, form, content, and theory. This course emphasizes personal direction. This course is designed to encourage student investigation into experimental drawing and contemporary art practices. All topics will be devoted to promoting individual student creativity, mastery of drawing means and techniques, and a further understanding of graphic concerns.

This is an interdisciplinary capstone course that represents the culmination of the BA in Studio Art degree. Focusing on issues pertaining to professional practices, this course is designed to assist students as they prepare for the next step in their education and/or in their work as professional studio artists or work as professionals in art related fields after they leave the University. To this end, students will develop a written final paper, produce promotional materials, refine verbal communication in the discussion of their work, and hone various other skills in the development of professional practices. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with skill normally required of upper-division students will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

The BFA Capstone is an interdisciplinary course that represents the culmination of the BFA Studio Art program at The University of Alabama. Focusing on issues pertaining professional practices, this course is designed to assist students as they leave the university and prepare for the next step in their education and/or in their lives as professional artists and producers of culture. The course would focus on development of a written statement, production of promotional materials, refining of verbal skills in the discussion of work and various other skills in the development of professional practices. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course.

This course focuses on the development of an independent thesis project of a body of creative work in the area of the primary concentration and is restricted to BFA studio art majors with senior standing. The thesis must be publicly exhibited. The course can be taken for a maximum of 6 hours.

This course presents skills and techniques used in graphic design and introduces approaches to idea generation and problem-solving in visual communication.

This course introduces the elements, principles, and theory of typography as it relates to graphic design through studio-based projects. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

This course focuses on design methods and processes including grids, page layout, visual communication, and digital design production. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

This intermediate course addresses design skills used to conceptualize and produce materials for visual communications with an emphasis on logos, identity systems, stationery sets, advertising, and promotional materials. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

This intermediate course addresses design skills used to produce multipage materials for visual communications with an emphasis on digital and printed newsletters, magazines, and annual reports. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

This course focuses on specialized topics in graphic design that supplement the fixed curriculum subjects and address current developments in the field of graphic design.

This advanced course represents the culmination of the BFA Graphic Design program. With emphasis on professional practice, this course is designed to prepare students for a career in graphic design. The course focuses on portfolio development, written promotional materials, refining verbal skills, and professional practices within the industry.

This course provides students with a valuable opportunity to gain firsthand experience working with creative professionals in the industry. Internships must be approved beforehand with all required documents completed and submitted to the internship faculty supervisor. Students must work no less than 135 hours during the semester to earn 3 credit hours. The Department of Art and Art History offers support in identifying potential positions, but it remains the obligation of the student to obtain the position. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

An intermediate course to package design, this course covers the history, science and process of package design. Students will explore 3D templates, typography, color and imagery to design and assemble an array of structures that follow the strategy of a creative brief. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

This course explores conceptual approaches, materials, and techniques used to solve problems in illustration, emphasizing developing rendering skills in both traditional and digital mediums. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

This course introduces creative approaches to the design and development of visual communication skills related to interactive applications. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

This advanced course introduces students to motion design concepts, theory, and digital software applications used to communicate messages by combining design and motion across various outcome platforms. This course is restricted. Only students who have been accepted into the BFA Graphic Design program may enroll in this course.

This course focuses on the complex intersections of personal voice and the ability to conduct and use research to create an independent thesis project in graphic design. This course is restricted to BFA graphic design majors with senior standing. The thesis project must be publicly exhibited. This course can be taken for a maximum of 6 hours.