LCAD Course Listings

An introductory course exploring the art and architecture of Mesoamerica from the rise of the Olmec in 1500 BCE to the Spanish conquest of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan in 1521, Mesoamerican Empires will focus on how changes in visual culture have reflected larger religious and political transformations in Mesoamerica. Issues of cultural memory and myth will be examined to understand indigenous conceptions of art, history, cosmology, and social hierarchy. Forging links with the present day, students will learn to identify and contextualize Mesoamerican iconography in contemporary media including the creative expression of lowrider culture, tattoos, fine art, and fashion. Students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of the material through visual (art) projects, a formal writing assignment, and their participation in class discussions. No prerequisites.

This course is an exploration of art and visual culture from the Asian continent. Focusing on art works as historical, cultural, and social documents, we will examine how art was commissioned, collected, and used by royalty, the elite, popular audiences, and religious communities in both rural and urban settings. Different themes discussed include art as an instrument of power and propaganda, as a tool for social and religious ritual, an expression of status and prestige, a medium for social protest, as well as a product for the marketplace. Beginning with Bronze Age objects for ritual purposes, subsequent artforms include scroll paintings in the Song Dynasty, women’s painting and printed books, Japanese secular emaki scrolls and ukioy-e art, the luxury of Mughal art in India, and true-view landscape painting in Korea. Students are required to do class readings and engage actively in class discussion, complete two papers, create a final project, and make a final presentation. No prerequisites.

If consciousness is shaped by our history, then where are we, collectively, if we’ve lost faith that a shared historical commonality among cultures ever existed? To the people who thrived in the strange and beautiful empires of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, religious and cultural differences found in one’s neighbors weren’t unusual, confusing or frightening—they were part of everyday life. In short: normal coexistence. In the class Egypt, Greece, Rome—we’ll explore the commonalities and shared experiences found among these three remarkable civilizations, as well as follow the cultural fault lines exploited by those in power which eventually forced these empires to dissolve. Together, we’ll explore three millennia of artefacts, objects, architecture, writings, as well as cultural and religious practice to see how these civilizations evolved, ran alongside one another, then overlapped and overcame one another to lay the foundations of modern western society. Through lecture, images, discussions, essays, and close readings, students will learn to identify, decode, understand and describe artworks and objects from the past, translating them from visual to verbal and textual language. In addition, in an effort to gain insight into the ancient state of mind, students will reconstruct a piece of history with a hands-on laboratory project and a small, original artwork of their own. No prerequisites.

The Middle Ages were a time of knights and ladies... or maybe brutal Viking warlords... or a clash of civilizations between Christians and Muslims... and maybe there were dragons? A lot of what we “know” about the medieval world comes from fantasy, pop culture, and from old nationalist scholarship that mostly invented origin myths. So, how can we know what the Middle Ages were really like? In this class, we’ll go back and try to get a more accurate picture by looking at things medieval people made: manuscripts, sculptures, buildings, weapons, clothing, etc., all in tandem with reading primary sources by the people who were there. Starting with the collapse of the western Roman Empire, we will uncover a different picture of how two related cultures arose out of the wreckage of the ancient world: Christendom and Dar al-Islam. Along the way we’ll learn that the “barbarians” weren’t that barbaric, that some Vikings converted to Islam, that trade and cooperation across the Mediterranean were far more common than Crusades, and that the medieval world was more diverse, cosmopolitan, and queer than you may have been led to believe. No prerequisites.

Nature in Art explores the rich and varied traditions of artistic expression unique to the regions of Japan, Korea, and Tibet, from prehistoric indigenous practices through the mid-19th century. Looking closely at Japan, the Korean renaissance, and the coded art of Tibetan Buddhist culture, we will uncover the distinct artistic heritage found in each, noting particularly the sharing and transmission of art practices and ideas as they cross geographical and cultural boundaries. Working chronologically, this course will identify intersections of spirituality and nature, then examine artistic expressions of such concepts through lacquer, ceramic, ink, paper, stone, bamboo and ivory, among other media. Both two- and three-dimensional art forms are considered, from calligraphy, wood-block prints and landscape painting to festivals, garden design, poetry, and tea ceremonies. The objects and sites studied in this course will reflect how concepts of beauty and aesthetics are achieved through the practice of “harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.” The course is conducted as a hybrid seminar-lecture style course, with instructor led lectures and video, student presentations, research, writing, culinary experiences, as well as hands-on exploration of the traditional processes of historic art production in these regions. This class requires a visit to the USC Pacific Asia Museum to see art in person from each of the regions studied in this class. No prerequisites.

People often wonder exactly when, throughout history, women first started to become active in society? Of course, the answer is: Always. Even though women’s efforts have been overshadowed by that of their male contemporaries in the chronicling of official histories, women have always participated in every facet of life, from rich to poor, north to south, east to west, and from the ancient period to the present. In this course, we will examine the lives and creative pursuits of the many women who contributed to the arts, sciences, and humanities throughout history, particularly focusing on artists & craftspersons, writers & poets, healers, pharmacists, natural philosophers, and rulers, with a few warriors included for good measure. Students will conduct close readings, originate research, formulate short essays, and in an effort to gain insight into the state of mind of historical women, reconstruct a piece of history with a hands-on laboratory project and a small, original artwork placing themselves in the environment of a chosen historical female. Prerequisite: AH210, or one course from the Ancient Civilizations category. This course can be taken concurrently with one class from the Medieval Worlds in Motion category. 3 units.

“Force yourself to imitate Michelangelo in everything.” These were the words expressed by Michelangelo’s biographer to a remarkably self-aware generation of artists in 16th-century Florence, Rome, and Venice. However, whether rival artists wanted to, or even imagined they could succeed in imitating Michelangelo’s work is another question—one among many we’ll explore in The Age of Michelangelo, 1450-1550. In consultation with a range of visual, historical, and literary materials, we’ll delve into the spirit of the age, looking at drawing, painting, sculpture, furniture and garden design, food, weaponry, architecture, and urban planning, as well as people. We’ll tap into the players and personalities of the times—Leonardo, Giorgione, Raphael, Sofonisba Anguissola, Titian—as well as Isabella d’Este, the Della Rovere, and the Medici families who sought to shape their immediate world through power, imagination, and the artistry of their times. Students will conduct close readings, originate research, formulate essays, and in an effort to gain insight into the Renaissance state of mind reconstruct a piece of history with a hands-on laboratory project and a small, original artwork of their own. Prerequisite: AH210, or one course from Ancient Civilizations category (AH100 series). This course can be taken concurrently with Medieval Worlds in Motion category (AH200 series).

Participants will consider the role of family, faith and artistic inspiration in the art of Van Gogh. They will consider the impact of literature on visual art production throughout his career. For instance, Van Gogh was profoundly influenced by literature and the illustration of stories. He was a life-long reader of Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo and others. Many of the central themes and ideas of his art were rooted in literary depictions and descriptions. Students will overview Van Gogh's formal and stylistic development and how it was a response to daily life issues and problems. He used his art to navigate through life in very practical ways. He was a deep thinker on the central problems in art and art theory and his practical wisdom was legendary as expressed in his existent 900 letters.

This one semester course is offered in conjunction with a one-time exhibition at LCAD of selected small-scale bronzes by one of the most celebrated sculptors in western history. Students will discuss the personal and cultural circumstances out of which Rodin's powerful aesthetic language emerged. They will relate this historical matter directly to the handmade sculptural object contained in LCAD'S exhibition gallery--- cementing idea and image into one.

In this seminar-style course, participants will read and respond to the journal of Delacroix on a weekly basis with written responses that will be shared with the entire class. Films and slide lectures will amplify the readings/responses and provide a historical and personal context for reflection and application to the students major. There will be lectures on the color theory and graphic focus of this leader in expressive 19th century art. Additionally, some of his musical influences such as Mozart, Chopin, etc., will be played and related to Delacroix's aesthetic views. The semester study will culminate with a term paper that will overview the essential ideas & insights found in this Delacroix seminar.

This course examines the evolution of entertainment as a human and cultural activity. It looks at all forms of human amusement and its various manifestations throughout history. It explores the multidisciplinary role of artists and designer in making of entertainment productions from a historical and contemporary perspective. In additional to traditional entertainment venues that include theatrical stage, theme park and other physical local expressions, the course will examine the evolution of entertainment technologies from the early days of film and television to the present. It will provide some perspective into the future trajectories of both traditional and technological processes involving entertainment, and those creatively involved in its making.

For centuries, earthly creatures, charmed animals and otherworldly beings conjured by artisans, magicians, folklorists, natural philosophers, and physicians, have inspired both wonder and delight as well as revulsion, alarm, and terror in the hearts and minds of otherwise thinking persons. Considering beasts and beings of all sorts, both earthly and divine, this course seeks to investigate the origin stories of such creatures and inquire as to what motivations compel an individual or society to conjure such creatures. From the Classical World to Medieval Scandinavia, from the Americas to Slavic Europe, this course explores how art and monstrosity intersected in the cultural imagination to both delightful and devastating effect. In consultation with a range of visual and literary primary materials, including the Great Chain of Being, the Malleus Maleficarum (the Witches Hammer), and Della Porta’s How We May Produce New and Strange Monsters, students will conduct close readings, originate research, formulate essays and create original artwork of their own in an effort to gain insight into earlier states of mind as well as open avenues into wholly new creations. All readings for the course will be in English, although international and graduate students may be asked to give additional reports on texts written in other languages.

This course is an examination of the major artists and trends in the history of illustration. The course emphasizes the development and role of illustration as an art form. Major fields covered include posters, comics, animation, computer graphics, editorial and advertising illustration, and book and magazine illustration. Required for Illustration majors.

The course examines the development of animation from its inception through present-day manifestations in television, films, and the Internet. Major animators and key works are analyzed and discussed. Required for Animation majors.

This course examines the emergence of graphic design and the professional designer from 1800 C.E. to the present. Continual conceptual and technological revolution is the essence of this subject and the theme of this course. Required for Graphic Design majors.

An introductory examination of the arts of China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, and the Himalayas. This course uses the Asian collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Norton Simon Museum, and other public and private exhibition spaces for a close examination of the form and content of Asian artworks. The course will include lectures, guided readings, documentary resources, and required fieldwork.

This course seeks to trace the sources of the Western representational tradition from the nineteenth century to the present day. A key concern of the class will be to define the very nature of realism as an artistic perception. The demise of the so-called avant-garde has opened up an enormous diversity of artistic approaches, many of which are figurative. The course will examine some of these recent developments. This course is required for Fine Arts majors.

This course chronicles the history and evolution of game design while reflecting on its immediacy through the Internet and game culture trends. Students examine the social and artistic influences in computer-mediated communications, and consider game theory principles while examining the motive, strategy, competition, and psychology of the game.

Los Tres Grandes explores the Mexican Muralist movement of the 1920s from its beginnings under the post-Mexican Revolution government to its present-day influence on Chicanx and Street artists. Utilizing a curricular framework centered on Los Tres Grandes (the big three), Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros, our studies will then expand to include further influential figures such as Frida Kahlo and Rufino Tamayo among others. Students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of the material through visual (art) projects, a formal writing assignment, and participation in class discussions. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category (AH100 series) and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance Worlds in Motion category

This course examines a diverse array of art created by different ethnic groups in West Africa from pre-colonial through the 19th century and beyond. Through the lens of both spiritual and cultural traditions, we will consider a wide range of styles and materials, and ask how meaning is derived from objects and practices, keeping in mind particular challenges that emerge when studying art that is both permanent and impermanent. The significance of oral traditions will be studied, as well as the roles of ancestor spirits, mythical creatures, divination and initiation rites, and how music, dance, and masking function in establishing power, status, political, and social conventions. Objects created exclusively for performative and ritual uses, art in service to royalty, sculpture, utilitarian objects, architecture, performance, and the body as subject and site of adornment will form the core of our studies. Materials studied will include metal, wood, textiles, mud, ivory, beads, bone, dung, and blood/bodily fluids. While important, this class does not intend to cover present-day political crises, border disputes, or changing social constructs in West Africa. This course is conducted with instructor led lecture, film, guided reading and discussions, student presentations based on independent research, and other exploratory exercises. A visit to the UCLA Fowler Museum is required for this class. Students will experience textile creation and the development of personal symbolism in a hands-on project. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category (AH100 series) and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance Worlds in Motion category (AH200/AH300 series).

This course will examine the relationship between visuality and technology as expressed by photographers of the 19th- and 20th-centuries. Materials and readings for the course will focus on the roles and development of photography primarily in India, Afghanistan, China, and Japan, and the alterations it engendered in the perception and depiction of the world. We will examine the use of photography in the service of journalism and news reporting, ethnographic studies and geographical awareness, science, propaganda, tourism, entertainment, and of course, art. Beginning with Western photographers’ images of a distant “Orient,” this course will conclude with the uses of photography in contemporary Asian art, looking particularly at themes of national and personal identities as well as commentary on traditions. Students are required to do class readings and engage actively in class discussion, complete two papers, submit one individual project related to the course apparatus, and make a final presentation. Projects deriving from other time periods or regions are welcome, for example, photography from Imperial Russia or the Ottoman Empire. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category (AH100 series) and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance Worlds in Motion category (AH200/AH300 series).

Los Angeles, not known for being a bastion of either culture or liberalism during the early twentieth century, was—for a time—both a cradle of high-modernism and a refuge from the charnel house of European fascism. Icons such as poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht, Marxist philosopher Theodor Adorno, noir filmmakers Fritz Lang and Billy Wilder, composers Arnold Schoenberg and Igor Stravinski, novelists Thomas Mann and Aldous Huxley, and architects Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler, many of whom had fled the Nazis, made their homes in Los Angeles. In this course, we will examine the lives and major works of the many refugees and exiles who transformed LA’s intellectual and aesthetic culture in the 1940s, as well as look closely at three critical aspects of their enduring legacy. First, the transnational exchange of aesthetic and intellectual history between Europe and the United States; Second, the effects of fascism on aesthetics and its implications; and Third, the degree to which the creative output of European émigrés provided survival strategies in the wake of such genocidal and illiberal ideologies. What, in other words, can we glean from Brecht’s poetry, from Adorno’s “reflections from damaged life,” from Fritz Lang’s deeply expressionistic noir films, from Huxley’s Brave New World? Through the consumption of text and images representing this history students will create a project utilizing this aesthetic and intellectual history of art (and artists) as a means of strategizing survival in today’s climate. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category (AH100 series) and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance Worlds in Motion category (AH200/AH300 series).

Since 1954 when the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the people of the United States have been engaged in a series of “culture wars” concerned primarily with identity—particularly race and gender—and a grappling with its morally ambiguous past. This deep and alienating sense of polarization and clashing of identities—some voluntary and others forced upon us—has only intensified over the years, coming to an explosive climax in the chaotic and tragic years of 2020-21. Everything from the anti-mask movement and “cancel culture” to the fate of Confederate Statues and defunding the police falls under the rubric of a longstanding, and increasingly tribal culture war in the United States. In this course we will look at the broad historical context of the 1960s from which these battles emerged and trace them through the present. In doing so, we will pay close attention to the ways in which the expansion of rights, freedoms, and liberties for historically marginalized groups has elicited conservative reactions seeking to roll back those gains through an often sectarian vision of American culture and history. This course will focus on flashpoints or sites of contestation—Roe v. Wade, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the rise of “Alt-Right” groups such as the Proud Boys, recent controversies about “Big Tech” censorship, the fate of civil rights, Black Lives Matter protests, and the violent denouement of the Trump Administration. Students will produce written responses to the readings and also formulate a final project determining the role of art and the artist in meeting this particular historical moment. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category (AH100 series) and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance Worlds in Motion category (AH200/AH300 series).

This course will introduce students to current theoretical and real-world applications of exhibition design operating today in museums, galleries, and contemporary art spaces, both real and virtual. Through weekly in-person exploration of cultural sites in and around Orange County and Los Angeles, students will observe and critique aesthetic and practical decisions made by professional curators and exhibition designers, with particular emphases on structural layout, cultural themes, the curation and arrangement of objects, and how artworks interact with one another in outdoor and indoor spaces. In doing so, students will sharpen their perceptive skills, strengthen their discourse specific to the fields of art production, curation, collecting, and museum studies, and pursue theoretical examples of design brought to life within the rich artistic landscape of Southern California. Students produce written journal entries, participate in discussions, produce directed reading responses to museum catalogues, articles, and other didactic material, as well as participate in oral presentations and collaborative hands-on projects. Prerequisite: One course from Ancient Civilizations category (AH100 series) and one course from either Medieval Worlds or Renaissance Worlds in Motion category (AH200/AH300 series).

This course will explore a wide range of less-familiar visual arts. Crossing the boundaries of time, culture, class, geography, and intent, students will be encouraged to find relevance within the overlooked. Some areas of focus include; Tribal Art, Abstraction, Photography, Comic Books, Film, Propaganda, Illustration, Folk Art, and Craft.

This course is designed to be an historical and chronological analysis of influential painters from the Proto-Renaissance to the 19th century. Rather than a survey of many artists, this course takes an in-depth look at a more exclusive number of influential artists and their times. Cultural context as well as iconographic, formal and technical concerns will be addressed and discussed.

This is an introductory-level course designed for students to develop or enhance their 3D modeling skills. Instruction will focus on the artistry needed to create compelling, "feature-length-quality" characters, while showing how to design and implement geometry best suited for rigging and animation. Students may focus on character or background geometry for their projects. Students will be introduced to new software tools and techniques based upon professional practices utilized by top studios in the industry.

With instructor recommendation, students will have the option to create an animation reel from given assignments. Students will create a reel expressing their ideas in the form of 30-second animated pieces with animals or anthropomorphic characters. To further develop their pieces, students will use basic design and staging/layout principles, basic acting or pantomime performance, and character development. Students will be evaluated on their abilities to understand and demonstrate the essential 12 principles of animation and to execute their knowledge using learned animation techniques and basic story principles. Students will also be evaluated on their ability to evoke an intended response from the audience. Students are required to have their own set of industry tools (for example, an animation light table, animation disk, punched animation paper, and pencils). Pre-req - Fundamentals of Animation

This course offers an intense investigation of character design. The objective of this course is to design model sheets of unique and imaginative animated characters. Students begin with preliminary sketches and construction drawing, and continue to develop numerous rotation drawings (turnarounds) of facial expressions and a variety of action poses that are refined and which eventually lead to more finished drawings. A variety of styles are explored. Emphasis is on working from imagination and strengthening drawing skills.

This is a figure drawing course for animators that focuses on gesture and how to capture the essentials of movement, dynamic expression, and the individual model's attitude. A variety of drawing media will be introduced.

This course covers how to effectively portray the essence of a story by means of quick and accurate sketches. Students learn to develop and create a sequential series of staged drawings (the visual script of each scene in a film). A brief overview of script writing is included. The scripts plot, situations, and conflict are developed from rough sketches to finished presentations. This course also examines staging, cinematography, drama, action notes, dialogue, pacing, timing, and sequencing the story's action.

This course emphasizes 3-dimensional form analysis: proportion, scale, foreshortening, and weight. Using an economy of line and value, students will strive to capture emotion and expression of animal forms by depicting gesture, manner, attitude, and rhythm. Comparative studies of animal and human anatomy will empower students with strong, imaginative drawing skills. A variety of domestic and zoo animals will be studied and drawn in the studio and on location.

This course explores the use of Adobe Flash for creating short animated films. Emphasis is on applying the Twelve Principles of Animation to a more limited medium, creating appealing characters and economy of design.

This course introduces the student to Alias's industry-leading Maya software. This course is designed for students interested in computer-generated character animation for film, TV, and the gaming industry. This introductory course covers inverse kinematics (movement of arms and legs), 3D modeling, lighting, texturing, and basic rendering. Students produce a short animation using a character developed early in the semester. Each student will provide their own external hard drive.

This course offers continued study with Maya. Areas of study include modeling tools, 3D morphing, and intermediate animation techniques. In addition, compositing, hierarchical motion and targeting, camera tracking, lighting, rendering, shading techniques, and surface textures will be covered. Students learn to import and export animation routines/cycles and apply them to 3D character models.

The Digital Skills course will focus on modern 2D limited animation techniques. Students will learn strategies for constructing and animating 2D digital puppets, use of libraries and other strategies to improve efficiency in a digital 2D pipeline. Students will also be introduced to hybrid techniques which combine digital drawing and keyframing into a single seamless approach to save production time and maximize animation output. Students will also learn how to output from vector animation software and process scenes in digital compositing software as a post-production process before editing. Compositing skills including 3D coordinate space, 2D particle tools, video filters, virtual lighting and virtual camera motion will be introduced. Students will work as a team to create an original limited animation short film using 2D vector animation and compositing software. This course can be taken in place of CG Animation 2. Students must be of Sophomore standing and have successfully completed FD 125 Fundamentals of Animation.

This course is a continuation of Animation 1. Following similar criteria, students will continue expanding their knowledge of the 12 principles of animation: with emphasis on leading action and overlap. By employing the basics of acting and observing how to portray emotion with their characters, students will explore animating different character types and personalities in various ways. Students may take part in selected assignments or create their own 30-second short film. Students are required to have their own sets of industry tools (for example, an animation light table, animation disk, punched animation paper, and pencils). Pre-req: Animation 1

In this course students will learn the role of layout in the filmmaking process, with an emphasis on feature films. The course will cover the basics of film cinematography, planning camera mechanics, how to plan and use creative perspective, lighting, and visual storytelling. Students will have the opportunity to plan and create a layout workbook, and to develop a series of key layouts during the semester. The emphasis will be on creative solutions for staging and designing the worlds that animated characters inhabit. The principles taught can be applied to traditional animation, 3D animation, or games. Recommended texts: The Five Cs of Cinematography by Joseph V. Mascelli and Film Directing Shot by Shot by Steven D. Katz. Bring a 9 x 12 sketchbook and a set of cool grey Prism color markers to the first day of class.

Background Painting teaches students to take their drawn environments and background layouts to full color. The course emphasizes the skills and tools needed to emulate traditional painting techniques using Adobe Photoshop.

This advanced course is designed to push the student's ability to give vision to a concept and to visually convey emotional story beats. Emphasis is placed on visual communication with the use of value, design, color, and composition. Artistic growth is encouraged through a series of critiques and demonstrations.

This course is a continuation of Character Design I. Students create and construct model sheets of unique and imaginative animated characters. The focus is on design uniformity, composition, and effective use of color. Personal style and interpretation are developed. Craft and rendering techniques are perfected while students strive to execute quality portfolio pieces.

This is a figure drawing course for animators that focuses on gesture and capturing essentials of movement, dynamic expression, and the individual model's attitude. A variety of drawing media are introduced.

A comprehensive exploration of digital storyboarding using previous and current storyboards and keyframes. The student is introduced to camera moves, timing, sound, and titles to create their own animatic. The programs utilized for the course are Adobe After Effects and Final Cut Pro.

A variety of domestic and zoo animals will be studied and drawn in the studio and on location. Emphasis is on 3-dimensional form analysis: proportion, scale, foreshortening, and weight. Using an economy of line and value, students strive to capture emotion and expression of animal forms by depicting gesture, manner, attitude, and rhythm. Comparative studies of animal and human anatomy empower students with strong, imaginative drawing skills.

The purpose of this course is to finalize a short film idea that will be executed in the senior year. This course will provide experience in the process of choosing a short-film idea and developing it into a story that is clear, compelling, and entertaining. Students learn storytelling and filmmaking techniques and explore several ideas before choosing a final film. Students in this class will be evaluated on their scripts, designs and animatics with sound.

These courses emphasize basic principles of drawing with an emphasis on the human figure _‹Ó both costumed and nude. They begin by stressing the importance of shape while also focusing on maintaining structural integrity as far as anatomy, pushing direction and angles to attain dynamics, conveying form and designing the figure on the page for compositional purposes. All drawings will be done on a laptop computer.

The purpose of this 12-week Summer Master Class is to fully immerse the students in the process of making a traditional hand-drawn animated film, from ground zero to full color and sound. As animation is a collaborative medium, this class stresses how a crew can and should work together to produce quality results, exactly as it would take place in the real world at a big-time animation studio like Disney. Students will be introduced to some new-to-college techniques, like story beats, _workbook turnover,Ó and constructing and updating a story reel, as and when various stages of animation are completed. Decisions, artistically and creatively, as well as those involved in assigning students to different parts of the pipeline, will be arrived at communally, by the students themselves. By the time the 12 weeks are over, LCAD will have a new short film to enter in festivals, and every student involved will have had first-hand, real-world experience in animation film making that will serve them well as they enter the professional field upon graduation.

This course will serve as a practical experience for students to work on an assigned project with a studio-client perspective. Students work as a group to develop deliverables according to the requirements of a client-driven project. Students will have to meet deadlines, work as a team and interact with clients as needed. The instructor fulfills the role of project lead. Students with department-approved studio-based internships may substitute their external internship for the AN 404 requirement. Prerequisite: AN419

This advanced animation course explores acting, emotion, personality, storytelling, and gags with complex characters and advanced principles and techniques such as secondary action, breaking joints, and blurs. Students are introduced to the exposure sheet in relation to dialogue and discover new methods of animating such as Straight Ahead versus Pose to Pose. Students are highly encouraged to participate in ACME on-line and on-air broadcasts.

Students will be instructed in the advanced skills in full, stop-motion character animation, including the cornerstones of successful character animation: performance, timing, staging, clarity and communication, as well as the physics of animation: weight, inertia, gravity and balance. These and other important principles of animation will be introduced and stressed through short lectures and demonstrations followed by in class discussion, exercises and home assignments designed to help the students fully understand and integrate these principles into their own work. There will also be lessons in character development, acting and communication using film analysis, (both animation and live action), class discussion and one on one interaction between students and instructor as needed.

An advanced course designed to push the student's ability to give vision to a concept and visually convey emotional story beats. Emphasis is placed on visual communication through use of value, design, color, and composition. Artistic growth is encouraged through series of critiques and demonstrations.

This course requires production of a completed, short, animated film by the end of the year. Students will be guided through the film process and will develop their own short animated pieces from concept to completion. This course will see the process of choosing an idea that works and developing a story that is clear, compelling, and entertaining. During their first semester, students will be evaluated on scripts, designs, and animatics with sound. Students will learn exciting new filmmaking techniques along with industry standard production skills to keep them on schedule. Pre-req: Advancement Review

This course is a continuation of Senior Project Film and is taken during the semester prior to graduation. Students are required to execute and complete their final goals reflecting an advanced level of craft and technique. The end of the semester will include a final pitch of students work to LCAD animation faculty and students and an exhibit in the senior show. Students are also required to prepare personalized promotional materials for entrance into the industry. Pre-req: Thesis Film 1

This course is taken in the last senior semester and teaches the techniques necessary to bring a film to final color and sound in traditional (hand-drawn) or CG animation. Principles for traditional films include clean-up animation, digital ink and paint. CG principles include lighting, rendering and compositing. All students will complete soundtracks for their films with Foley, sound design and final mixing. Finished films will be encoded to theatrical DCP (Digital Cinema Package) standards and each class member will prepare the necessary publicity materials for submission to online festival platforms. Pre-req: Thesis Film 2

Students will develop an advanced animation reel with assignments provided by their instructor and the ACME network. Students have the option to complete a final 30-second short film with emphasis on character performance for their animation reel. This course can also be substituted for 3D Computer Animation 2.

The Advancement Review (AR) is a formal portfolio review designed to evaluate competency in foundation studio art abilities at the fourth semester Sophomore level, or when the student has earned between 40 and 65 total academic units. Students submit a series of images to the AR, which is held twice-a-year. A panel of faculty evaluate submissions, and the student is presented the results showing scores of: Outstanding, Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, or Deficient in areas that include: Anatomy, Perspective, Digital Painting, Constructive Drawing, 3D Design, and Concept Design/Visual Development. Students are required to obtain designated tutoring for all categories scored "deficient" prior to re-submitting during the next AR submission period. Once all categories have received a minimum score of satisfactory or higher, the AR requirement will be credited as "passed". Failure to pass all categories of the AR will result in the student being withheld from entering senior status.

In this course students will learn the skills to texture and light objects and characters as well as model more efficiently and accurately. Students will use texture editing systems to adhere and manipulate textures onto form. Students learn to model in polygons as well as model within the surfaces offered within Zbrush software (i.e., subdivision surfaces).

This course focuses on storytelling with pictures. Students learn the relationship between character and story development, and how to compose images and arrange them in sequence to present a coherent and emotionally effective story. Students also work on public speaking skills by pitching their story to the class.

In this course students will learn the fundamentals of landscape painting in addition to concepts and skills that are commonly used when creating environment designs for outdoor locations. Students will learn to study light and simplify complex organic forms into manageable designs using limited value systems in addition to color. Students will study on site from life and they will learn to use reference, so they can practice landscape painting in a studio setting. Students will work with markers, gouache and digital tools. The primary software used is Photoshop, but other digital painting software can be explored.

In this course students will be introduced to the fundamentals of figure painting with acrylic and gouache. The purpose of this class is to prepare students for the figure painting they will be doing in character design. The course will focus on head studies and full figure compositions. Students will practice quick sketch techniques and long pose techniques. Students will explore the uses of gesture, anatomy, light and shadow, color temperature, the proximity of light and reflected light, focal points and the figure in space.

Conceptual designers skillfully design and illustrate unique and compelling environments for all kinds of stories and time periods for film production, television, books, theme parks and interactive medias. This requires an understanding of basic architecture and how things are built and how organic matter behaves; to visually communicate this through drawings and show narrative aspects of the design. students will create sketches and renderings to support a comprehensive theme. Students will obtain a solid understanding of how to create original environments.

This course offers an intense investigation of character design. The objective of this course is to design model sheets of unique and imaginative animated characters. Students begin with preliminary sketches and construction drawing, and continue to develop numerous rotation drawings (turnarounds) of facial expressions and a variety of action poses that are refined and which eventually lead to more finished drawings. A variety of styles are explored. Emphasis is on working from imagination and strengthening drawing skills.

An advanced course in visualization, art direction and production design with an emphasis on the organization of all the pictorial components in a visual system supporting a narrative content. The conceptualization of design choices, the calibration of stylistic parameters and other world building techniques will be explored through the creation of detailed concept art and the elaboration of a complete style guide.

This course teaches students to develop and create a sequential series of staged drawings (that is, the visual script of each scene in a film). The course covers how to effectively portray the essence of a story by means of quick and accurate sketches. A brief overview of script writing is included. The script's plot, situations, and conflict are developed from rough sketches to finished presentations. This course also examines staging, cinematography, drama, action notes, dialogue, pacing, timing, and sequencing the story's action.

This class continues the process of analyzing and planning to bring theorized game design concepts to a testable and verifiable state through constructing prototypes. Students will learn to create thorough requirements listings, construct and dissect systems, write technical literature, build architectural and-case diagrams, build simple prototypes using visual and non- visual scripting methodologies, and industry standard deployment practices. Students will be exposed to the technical process by which qualities that are deemed desirable and “fun” are iteratively procured, refined, and eventually transformed into full production-scale endeavors.

This is an advanced studio course in Environment Design. Students will build on skills learned in Environment Design 1 to design environments that can be used in film and television, feature animation and themed locations. An emphasis will be placed on the visual development process starting with inspiration, then proceeding with thumbnail sketches, refined sketches, final drawings, and renderings. Students will learn to incorporate 3D software in the development process for efficiency and increased productivity. Additionally, students will learn how to communicate ideas with orthographic views, isometric views, and cut-away views.

In the film industry matte paintings today are not paintings but seamlessly constructed photograph composites. The student will learn advance techniques using Photoshop and digital painting methods to create original worlds and environments for film, television and interactive medias. Emphasis will be placed on composition, mood, environment and conceptual design. Photographic techniques and use of the camera will also be explored.

This course is a continuation of Character Design I. Students create and construct model sheets of unique and imaginative animated characters. The focus is on design uniformity, composition, and effective use of color. Personal style and interpretation are developed. Craft and rendering techniques are perfected while students strive to execute quality portfolio pieces.

This course is a continuation of 3-D design 2. Students will gain further abilities to create fantastical creatures, props and objects.  

This course explores various places that entertain the public. The goal is to research and envision a desired experience, and then plan and design a place to achieve that experience through making of illustrations, props and models using appropriate materials. Places might include, theatrical productions, theme parks, rides, performing arts and event venues.

In this course students will be introduced to the most current workflows in concept design and visual development. Students will work with the newest advancements in technology, including virtual reality-based modeling programs and advanced special-effects platforms. Students will learn how to follow and keep up with current trends in digital technologies, by experimenting with software they are unfamiliar with and by learning to teach themselves new techniques when necessary. The software used in this course will change as technology improves and as trends change. In this course students will gain experience with the newest art making technologies, in order to prepare them for unique job opportunities in the entertainment industry.

A directed studies course that provides, through faculty supervision, the time, opportunity, and advisement for each student to create the physical pieces that will become the core of their first working portfolio. The class is offered as a transition from the academic experience to a professional life as a designer in the Entertainment Industry. Students select their own topic or theme for a body of work, the progress of which will be monitored through individual appointments between the student and Senior Portfolio faculty. Intensive group critiques are spaced throughout the term to allow for class interaction. All coursework is done outside the classroom.

A directed studies course that provides, through faculty supervision, the time, opportunity, and advisement for each student to create the physical pieces that will become the core of their first working portfolio. The class is offered as a transition from the academic experience to a professional life as a designer in the Entertainment Industry. Students select their own topic or theme for a body of work, the progress of which will be monitored through individual appointments between the student and Senior Portfolio faculty. Intensive group critiques are spaced throughout the term to allow for class interaction. All coursework is done outside the classroom.

This intermediate level course builds on the FD 155 Fundamentals of Story as students learn to brainstorm, storyboard and pitch original ideas suitable for television or new media production. This course focuses on the specialized needs of story design for limited animation formats including storyboard formatting, planning for digital puppetry and digital asset archiving. It introduces students to concepts in episodic storytelling.

This course covers concepts in character design suitable for digital limited-animation and stop-motion production environments. Students will create character designs for the unique workflows in both mediums. In the digital limited-animation pipeline will design for strategic use of libraries, nesting and 2D rigging. In the stop-motion pipeline students will create designs that plan for the limitations of traditional stop-motion rigging and rigging removal.

This course focuses on the creation and manipulation of 2D puppets in both analog and digital environments. Students will create a paper-cut out animated project using analog and stop motion techniques. Students will also create 2D digital puppets which they will articulate and animate to tell a narrative story. Popular digital 2D software will be utilized extensively in this course.

This course utilizes tablet-monitor technology to create a full-animation 2D pipeline that bypasses traditional paper in favor of digital drawing. Traditional full-animation 2D methods are adapted for the digital 2D animation environment, including hybrid digital enhancements of 2D full animation techniques. Digital keyframes, visual effects and lighting applied early in the pipeline redefine the scope of the animator’s role in production. This course is a track-elective and can be taken in place of AN380.

This intermediate level course builds off of Fundamentals of Maya and CG Modeling, focusing on CG 3D character animation for television and new media production. Still based in character performance and storytelling students explore limited animation and hybrid approaches to 3D character animation. Current TV 3D character animation trends are examined as students produce individual and collaborative projects.

This advanced course draws on the practical knowledge developed in EX282 and EX284 focusing on art direction as applied to episodic, limited animation production pipelines. Stylization, set/prop design, character asset strategies and color/lighting design will be explored. Both TV and streaming media needs will be highlighted as students create show-design portfolio projects.

This advanced course builds on previous knowledge and skills as students conceive, plan, design and produce their own series of web-shorts suitable for weekly uploads on streaming media platforms such as YouTube. Students will also be introduced to uses of 2D and 2D animation assets in mobile games, 360-degree filmmaking, virtual reality and augmented reality platforms.

This advanced class will require students to conceive, develop, present and pitch a concept for an original episodic animated series. Students will produce a comprehensive portfolio of show sample assets including character models, set mock-ups, synopsis of episodes and backstory for all major and supporting characters. EX 350 is a required prerequisite for this course.

This course focuses on stop motion techniques outside the normal realm of character rigs and clay armature-based techniques. Experimental approaches including motion design, and other stop-motion based visual effects will be explored. Students will produce stop motion animation elements for chroma-key compositing into analog and 3D digital environments.

This course requires that students have proficiency in prior 2D or 3D tools. Students will use their animation skills to create work they will import into their compositing workspace. Students will work to enhance their animation production using a wide array of video filters, effects and strategies. Digital keying, chroma-keying, 3D space, virtual lighting and camera moves will be explored. Students will bring together animated elements from a variety of digital and analog sources using compositing strategies.

This course will prepare students in the Experimental animation track for their final sequence of Experimental Thesis Film 1 & Experimental Thesis Film 2 where they will make their senior thesis project. Using linear and non-linear narrative approaches, students will design and storyboard their original concept for the film component of their thesis project. Students will also create a final story-reel of the film component of their thesis project, with final sound. Projects will proceed through a clear sequence of pre-production stages and be designed specifically for limited animation, stop-motion animation and experimental approaches to filmmaking.

This course will be the first semester of the student’s year-long Thesis Project effort. Storyreels and preproduction work prepared in EX390 will be utilized as students create the animation, effects and other visual strategies necessary to bring their plan to life. By the end of this course students will complete 50% of their overall film project or students will produce a show bible of the episodic animated concept. All films in the Experimental Thesis Film track will be taken to a finished color state with final sound. In this senior-level course the instructor will act as a facilitator, guiding students through the production of their films or show bibles. A mastery of techniques learned earlier in the Experimental BFA program will be necessary before taking EX480, therefore a successful completion of the Advancement Review process (EX001) in all relevant categories is necessary.

This course is a continuation of EX418. By the end of the course students will have completed their experimental animated film they storyboarded in AN390 and took to 50% completion in EX418 or students will complete the finished first episode of their series concept developed in the show bible. Students projects may be limited animation, stop motion animation or experimental CG in their approach. Mixed techniques and post-production processing of animation footage will be encouraged. The instructor acts as facilitator in this advanced course which is the final studio class in the Experimental Animation BFA program.

At the completion of the fourth semester or when a transfer student has completed the first two years of studio classes, students are prompted to submit to the Advancement Review, which is a held twice a year at the end of each semester. A panel of chosen faculty review submissions and the student is given the results showing scores of: Excellent, Above Average, Average, or Below Average in: Drawing, Figure Drawing, Anatomy, Beginning Painting, Perspective and Color Theory. If a student falls below average, they are asked to remediate and re-submit the category for approval. Failure to pass the AR will result in the student being withheld from entering senior status.

This course covers figure drawing from the draped and undraped model, emphasizing accurate representation of surface anatomy, proportion, gesture, weight, balance, structure, and light-logic in a variety of drawing media. It also includes drawing from the head with an introduction to the general rules of proportion as they relate to portraiture and to the investigation of individual features: eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair and skeletal structure as they relate to the entire human head.

This course provides an introduction to painting the draped and undraped life model with emphasis on direct observation and accurate representation. Students learn to convincingly depict the life model through the study of light sources, color palettes and compositional devices using various painting techniques. The course also includes an introduction to portrait painting with an emphasis on accurate representation of the head and upper torso.

This painting course emphasizes accurate representation, composition, light logic, advanced color mixing, and further study of material and techiques of painting by studying "master painters." Students paint primarily from observation, but also in combination with photographic sources. Subject matter includes still life and landscape. Historical and contemporary approaches and concepts are explored.

This course is designed to further the study of the human form through 3D media. Students will learn to render form using effective visual observation and analytical understanding of construction, gesture, movement and anatomy, while working from life models and referencing anatomical aides. The use of volumetric proportional systems and working from profiles is stressed, as is the construction and understanding of form. Technical procedures of clay modeling, use of tools, use of and construction of armatures will be addressed. Students will become familiar with some important figurative sculptors and consider the issues facing the creation of figurative sculpture in a contemporary art context. Figure drawing will be a key element in this course. Course work includes: 1/3-life figures, 1/4- Life figures both quick study and long pose, Life size or 1/2-Life portraiture, analytical and observational figure drawing. *Students will be expected to record (photograph or video) their works as part of their grade in this course.

This course improves the artist's understanding of the body's underlying structure while emphasizing accurate observation and depiction of the figure. Anatomical elements such as the skeleton, muscular origins, insertions and surface landmarks are stressed. Students learn anatomy by drawing individual parts of the figure that begins with the skeleton followed by studying the major muscles of the human figure.

This course is a continuation of painting the life model, emphasizing observation and accurate representation. Students convincingly depict the life model through the study of light sources, color palettes, and compositional devices using various painting techniques. Projects include a draped figure and extended poses with the figure in an environment.

In this course students learn techniques and processes of creating maquettes and fantasy sculpture in polymer clay. Working from their own multi-view drawings and reference materials, students design and build armatures, learn to mix polymer clay, and go through steps required to create interesting and detailed sculptures. With demonstrations and personalized critiques, students explore dynamic sculpture design concepts, small-scale tool making and texture/detail application.

In this course students will make two sculptures of two different animals, working both from photographs in the studio and from life in a zoo, studio and/or farm. Students will learn about proportion, animal anatomy and how it functions. Emphasis is on the skeletal pivot points, observation and understanding of forms, muscles and its application to a unique gestural composition.

Continued perceptual study of the human form. This course investigates gesture, movement, spatial relationships, foreshortening, anatomical studies, light and shade, composition, color harmony, and the figure in environment. Students learn to make visual and artistic decisions in the context of historical and contemporary figure-drawing styles.

This course includes drawing and painting from the model with emphasis on accurate representation of the head and upper torso. Students examine surface anatomy, light sources, color relationships, and compositional devices. Historical and contemporary approaches to portraiture are studied.

This course is a studio painting course which provides students the opportunity to master the art of high-energy quick painting. Class projects stress color, composition, paint handling and subject matter. Students learn the importance of editing information through the use of color, edge and value control. Students are encouraged to develop their personal style and content of their work.

This course studies traditional and contemporary drawing and painting materials and techniques. Students experience a variety of media including silver point, oil, and egg tempera. Topics include oil paint, mediums, solvents, canvas and panel preparation, paint making, and permanence.

This course provides an opportunity for students to work intensively from the life model. This course enables the advanced student to focus on value and color relationships and how the function of light dictates the relationships we see.

This course explores interpretive drawing and experimentation with drawing media and new techniques. Projects include still-life and landscape. Students work on the development of the sketch to a finished drawing while considering the formal elements of composition, spatial relationships, value, contrast, color, texture, and pattern. Media include charcoal and pastels.

This course focusses on the use of linear and observational perspective and representational drawing and painting techniques to place one or more figures correctly and convincingly within an environment. Students will be introduced to a working methodology for composing figures in an environment that includes development of compositions constructed while using multiple sources including photography, life drawing, life painting, and gathered source material. Preparatory drawings, introduction to basic and intermediate perspective techniques, perspective as a means to correct distortion in source photos, and methods for transferring and scaling preparatory drawings will be explored in depth.

This course is an introduction to water-based media with an emphasis on transparent watercolor. Students learn the basic techniques of flat washes, graduated washes, and wet-into-wet applications. Stretching paper, transparent glazes, dry brush, and experimental techniques are also explored. Subjects include still life, landscape, and the portrait.

This course includes continues sculpting from the model with emphasis on accurate depiction of the figure, compositional elements, and the analysis of aesthetic relationships. Students explore figurative sculptural ideas and learn the history of the figure as an art form. Experimentation and personal expression are encouraged.

This course includes further exploration into the accurate observation and depiction of the figure. Working directly from the model, skeletal and muscular anatomical elements are further stressed.

An exploration of traditional and modern mold making and casting techniques and materials. This course will cover box molds and multipart bush-up mold making styles and casting in urethane resin, gypsum plaster, and wax to be used in bronze casting, as well as of chasing and finishing techniques for these materials and procedures. Focusing on techniques and craftsmanship of taking students work from clay to finished product.

This is a class in the design and execution of large-scale paintings as it applies to mural art. The class will develop team skills with a finished mural on campus as a final product. As a team we will explore concept development in relation to location, narrative as it applies to product, utilize tactile and digital skills for compositing the rough design concepts and scale up the final design for execution and completion. All issues of mural conceptualization, design development, presentation, client considerations, image responsibility, pricing, preparation, grafitti coatings protection will be covered.

This course is a continuation of processes, concepts, and techniques offered in Printmaking I. Various printmaking topics and medias are covered: etching, intaglio, relief, color printing, multiple plates, and photo etching. Emphasis is on individual problem solving, developing personal imagery, a professional attitude, and technical proficiency. The course also studies historical and contemporary printmakers.

This course combines classroom and field activities and covers topics such as: portfolio development, photographing and presenting your art work, how to promote yourself, getting promotional materials printed, setting up a studio, legal guidelines, working with galleries and museums, admission into graduate school, professional organizations, and small business practices. Resources include guest artists, speakers of interest, and field trips. This course should be taken in concurrence with Senior Portfolio 1: Drawing & Painting.

In this landscape painting course, students will work up a series of on-site studies, short-term paintings, and photographic reference with the goal of producing finished landscapes. Two other products of this class will be one-night landscape painting and a master copy painting from work chosen at the Laguna Museum of Art (when approved). Minimal writing assignments will ask students to articulate their line of inquiry within the landscape genre.

This course covers advanced drawing issues from the life model emphasizing effective representation, expression, and integration of the figure in an environment. Projects address a range of approaches (including contemporary techniques and processes) and explore the relationship between style and meaning in images that depict the human figure.

This advanced course provides an opportunity for students to work intensively from the life model. This course enables the advanced student to pursue a focused, sustained approach to painting the figure from life. Individual expression is emphasized.

This course further develops the use of water-based media. Students are encouraged to work from life, photographs, imagination, and to pursue individual projects. Students are also encouraged to explore the expressive and stylistic range of traditional and opaque watercolor. Research into historical and contemporary watercolor artists, culminating in a short research report to the class.

This course is a faculty-supervised, self-directed examination into individual imagery and professional attitudes with students working from the model to create a life-size sculpture. This course encourages students to employ advanced skills and techniques, with an emphasis on representation, invention, experimentation, and sculptural logic derived from comprehension of the figure as an art form.

Making Art in the Internet Age - This multimedia course explores the production of traditionally executed works of art and their online dissemination. Multiple aspects of the individual artist's Internet presence are investigated and addressed, as are the potentials for utilizing manifold social media platforms for maximum effectiveness in elevating professional visibility. Various methods of constructing visually stimulating imagery are deployed, and field-tested on each studentês personal online accounts. Field-test results are analyzed extensively in classroom discussions. Student discovery and experimentation is supplemented by input from experts in utilizing online formats for circulating aesthetic imagery and furthering occupational interactions.

This advanced course provides further study of drawing and painting techniques. An extensive exploration into more advanced materials: silver point, acrylic, oil, alkyd, watercolor, encaustic, and egg tempera is undertaken. Students focus on a particular technique.

This figure-painting course explores methods of combining two or more figures within an environment. Use of preparatory drawings, compositional and color sketches, underpainting, and glazing will be part of the painting process. Students work to create a logical, consistent, and convincing painting by developing disparate parts of the process into a consistent whole.

This advanced course gives the students an opportunity to advance the art of high-energy quick painting. Class projects stress color, composition, paint handling and subject matter. Students learn the importance of editing information through the use of color, edge and value control. Students are encouraged to develop their personal style and content of their work. the art of high-energy quick painting. Class projects stress color, composition, paint handling and subject matter. Students learn the importance of editing information through the use of color, edge and value control. Students are encouraged to develop their personal style and content of their work.

The primary objective of this course is to guide students in producing and assembling a body of work that is cohesive in methodology and concept and exemplifies the students' direction or focus in fine arts. Under faculty supervision, the student first develops a proposal that defines the parameters of the project, such as the number of pieces, conceptual concerns, stylistic direction, and technical scope. Students are then guided in preparing a body of work based upon personal choice, strengths, and interests. Individual and group critiques are scheduled with faculty and guest artists throughout the semester. Most Fine Arts seniors have an opportunity to work independently in the Fine Arts Senior Studio.

In this course, a faculty member guides the student in continuing the development of a body of work that is focused, self-directed, and based upon personal choice. Prior to graduation each senior is required to make a formal presentation of his/her body of work to faculty and students, prepare a photo CD or web site, submit work to two juried exhibitions, write a resume and other material, and research graduate schools or a professional alternative. An artist statement accompanies the senior project. The culmination of this course results in the annual Senior Exhibition. This course must be taken the last semester prior to graduation.

This is a class in the design and execution of large-scale paintings as it applies to mural art. The class will develop team skills with a finished mural on campus as a final product. As a team we will explore concept development in relation to location, narrative as it applies to product, utilize tactile and digital skills for compositing the rough design concepts and scale up the final design for execution and completion. All issues of mural conceptualization, design development, presentation, client considerations, image responsibility, pricing, preparation, grafitti coatings protection will be covered.

Further explorations into drawing and painting from the model with emphasis on accurate representation of the head and upper torso. Students examine surface anatomy, light sources, color relationships, and compositional devices. Historical and contemporary approaches to portraiture are studied.

An opportunity for students to work intensively from the life model. This course enables the advanced student to pursue a focused and person approach.

This course is a faculty-supervised, self-directed examination into individual imagery and professional attitudes with students working from the model to create a life-size sculpture. Students are encouraged to employ advanced skills and techniques, with an emphasis on representation, invention, experimentation, and sculptural logic derived from comprehension of the figure as an art form.

This course is a continuation of processes, concepts, and techniques offered in Printmaking I. Various printmaking topics and medias are covered: etching, intaglio, relief, color printing, multiple plates, and photo etching. Emphasis is on individual problem solving, developing personal imagery, a professional attitude, and technical proficiency. The course also studies historical and contemporary printmakers.

This advanced figure-painting course further explores methods of combining two or more figures within an environment. Use of preparatory drawings, compositional and color sketches, underpainting, and glazing will be part of the painting process. Students work to create a logical, consistent, and convincing painting by developing disparate parts of the process into a consistent whole.

This course will delve into techniques and strategies for depicting figures within a landscape. Starting from quick studies, students will build up towards long-term projects where they will receive individual attention and guidance. This course will prove to be useful to art instructors who want to incorporate the depiction of space and the environment into their curriculum, and who want to develop their painting skills. The course will cover topics including figure drawing, composition, atmospheric perspective, color mixing, paint application, painting from observation and using photo references. Throughout the course we will also look at artwork by a variety of traditional and contemporary landscape painters including Frederic Church, Turner, Edgar Payne, Antonio Lopez Garcia, and Rackstraw Downes. Homework assignments will reinforce classroom lectures and demonstrations.

This course is dedicated principally to identifying and exploring directions the student's work may take, including such aspects as subject matter, content, style, as well as technical considerations. Reference to possible historical and contemporary influences, and issues of personal import or special relevance such as race, gender, or ethnic identification may be considered/discussed as themes or as inspiration. Preparatory material may take the form of written notes and drawn or painted sketches, including possibly photos, to be kept in a dedicated journal or portfolio. Projects at this stage are understood to be largely preliminary in nature, enabling the student sufficient breadth for exploration.

In this studio course will explore and develop personal content and examine the ramifications of public exposure. Research and strategies for connecting the intensely private and the universally accessible will be examined. Approaches will include content layering, developing personal narratives and mythologies, metaphorical disguise, and the psychology of composition. Learning to identify one's own internal dialogue, clarify the psychological threads, and discovering the best means to deliver that meaning constitute the intellectual component of this studio course.

This studio course is tailored to the student who wants to maximize productive work and seriously curtail procrastination. Heightened accountability, time management, breaking large projects into reasonable tasks, and clarification of one's goals are integral parts of this focused course. The projects will be self-selected and likely aimed at one's thesis body of work. This course is ideal for anyone in their last semester preparing for their thesis show, but students at any level are welcome.

The human figure occupies various positions on the spectrum between the analytically anatomical to the purely poetic. This course will explore the expressive and descriptive potential of the human form in the individualês art. Sighting methods for accuracy will be introduced along with strategies employing intentional distortion and simplification to amplify expressive potential. Correct as well as convincing placement of the figure in the environment will be covered.

This course draws on contemporary and classical sources, both literary and visual, to create narrative works. Lessons in constructing narrative compositions will be drawn from old masters and current practitioners, and readings from pertinent texts will supplement and inform the strategies for placing the historical, psychological, and personal narratives into a contemporary visual translation.

This graduate level studio course is designed to explore and enhance the connection between materials, methods and the resultant meaning of the artwork. Different representational genres will be introduced with specific challenges tailored to expand artistic options and identify methods most appropriate for one's intentions. While this course is designed for new students, it will benefit returning students equally.

The Filtered Photo is a 3 unit MFA Studio class is focused on skillful incorporation of photography involved in the development of a work of art. What makes it unique is that several guest artists will work along side the students while they, demonstrate, lecture and critique. The selected artists will each have their own unique _filterÓ or approach and the students will experience, first hand, the steps taken and results achieved. The course will expand awareness of the options and approaches to representational art. It is intended that a variety of materials, mindsets, and methodology will be introduced.

A 3-unit MFA Studio class that is entirely focused on painting and or drawing compositions that support the clear objectives of the individual artist. Four distinctly different approaches will be incorporated: 1 Formal, 2 Exploratory, 3 Persuasive, and 4 Disruptive. Aside from the content, what makes this format unique is that 4 different artists will teach and work alongside the students while they, demonstrate, lecture and critique. The selected artists will each have their own unique “filter” or approach suited to the defined approach (formal, exploratory, persuasive, or disruptive). and the students will experience, first hand, the thoughts and actions taken toward the objective. The course will expand awareness of the options and approaches to representational art. A variety of materials, mindsets, and methodology will be introduced.

This 3 credit MFA studio class utilizes several guest teachers with the focus on the topic of Narrative. Projects are designed to focus on effective construction and expression toward the desired outcome. The importance of "story telling" wherein all elements support the artist’s intent will be explored. The guest artists will present specific prompts designed to elevate the ability to convey one's chosen narrative. Historic and contemporary achievements will be examined.

This flexible format studio/seminar course is offered to address the changing needs of the students and the talents of LCAD's pool of instructors.

Creative Investigation is a three unit Graduate level studio class designed to expand the options and approaches to representational art, foster creativity, learn valuable new skills, generate authentic ideas, and enhance intellectual engagement. A variety of materials, mindsets, and challenges will be introduced. While this course is specifically designed for new MFA students, it will also provide stimulating content for returning students.

The live human figure will be the constant theme of this 3 unit MFA studio class. A variety of accomplished guest artists will teach while they paint the figure along with the students. Every few weeks a new guest artist will direct the class and share their own _filterÓ on how they approach this timeless subject in a personal and relevant way leading to a finished work of Art. Multiple visiting artists will insure diversity while continuity will be provided by MFA Chairman Peter Zokosky.

This 3 unit MFA Studio class is entirely focused on painting portraits, what makes it unique is that 5 different artists will work along side the students while they, demonstrate, lecture and critique. The selected artists will each have their own unique “filter” or approach and the students will experience, first hand, the steps taken and results achieved. The course will expand awareness of the options and approaches to portraiture. It is intended that a variety of materials, mindsets, and methodology will be introduced.

A 3-unit MFA studio class that will focus on drawing and painting derived from direct observation of the natural world and the artistic interpretation of that realm. Plein air painting as well as still life will be included in creative challenges. Students will be encouraged to seek personal symbolism and artistic potential in natural structure, systems, design, and cycles.

In this course, the student continues the work begun in Mentor Studio 1, producing more resolved, focused studies based on the previous semester's investigations.

This course is concerned with further clarifying the formal and conceptual direction the graduate's work is to take through the planning and execution of a series of developed works. The completion of a body of paintings evidencing a rigorous, sustained effort that effectively achieves the stated project objectives.

This course guides students in producing and assembling a body of work that is cohesive in methodology and concept and exemplifies the student's direction or focus in fine arts. Under faculty supervision, the student first develops a proposal that defines the parameters of the project, such as the number of pieces, conceptual concerns, stylistic direction, and technical scope. Students are then guided in preparing a body of work based upon personal choice, strengths, and interests. Individual and group critiques are scheduled with LCAD faculty and guest artists throughout the semester. Most Fine Arts seniors have an opportunity to work independently in the Fine Arts Senior Studio.

Mentor Studio 4 culminates with the student's graduate exhibition.

This course investigates principles of pictorial organization through the relationship of composition and color of visual elements. This includes the study of formal qualities of art; line, shape, value, texture, rhythm, space, balance, proportion, movement, unity, harmony, and tension. Studies of color address properties of hue, value, and intensity, as well as color interactions of harmony, discord, and simultaneous contrast. Special emphasis is given to concepts necessary for visual communication, regardless of media, but this course will utilize digital tools as a way to explore the concepts efficiently and to prepare students for contemporary expectations of commercial art and design professions. Primary software: Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

This foundation course explores basic graphic design methods, processes, techniques, and formats. Assignments introduce elements, media, and principles of graphic design from historical and contemporary perspectives and emphasize visual representation aimed to communicate ideas and non-visual content. Students will use Adobe's Creative Suite 3 (CS3) software.

This lecture and studio course introduces principles of creative visualization with the use of the computer and pixel based imaging software. Comprehension of key terms and concepts are taught, with projects designed to develop practical software skills and aesthetic development. Emphasis is placed upon working with imagery from digital cameras, scanners, and generating original computer graphics. Topics include photo-retouching, digital drawing and painting, digital montage, color modes, and preparing files for printing and web based display. Primary software: Adobe Photoshop.

This course teaches fundamental art and design concepts, as well as technical software understanding applied to the creation of art intended for video game use. Emphasis is placed on strong foundation skills, compelling conceptual ideas, and technical knowhow. Class time will be spent creating game art elements, as well as learning new tools to achieve results in an effective and efficient manner. This course will not focus on a single element, but rather it will attempt to give a broad overview into the role that art and design play in the creation of games.

This lecture and studio course is focused on the use vector based imaging software for drawing and design. Comprehension of key terms and concepts are taught, with projects designed to develop practical software skills and aesthetic development. Emphasis is placed upon use of vector drawing tools, stylization techniques, and integration with pixel graphics. Topics include simplification of form, technical drawing, pattern creation, and perspective studies. Primary software: Adobe Illustrator.

This course introduces students to the basic principles and techniques of 3d modeling, UVW unwrapping, texturing, and software comfortability. The course is designed with the absolute beginner to 3d in mind, with a complete overview of the most commonly used tools and techniques used with current game industry standards in mind. Students will become familiar with the complex interface of the software, as well as to best practices of the game industry. The course allows students the opportunity to work inside of a game engine, allowing them to realize the basic pipelines of taking an asset from "start to finish" as would be expected when working at a game studio.

This course will focus on an introduction to 3D. Students will learn the key features of modeling, animation, lighting, texturing, physic dynamics and camera technique through Autodesk Maya.

This course is an introduction to the process of creating motion graphics.The core applications used in this course are Adobe After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, and illustrator. Students will also be creating video content to use in their motion graphics work.

This course covers the history, theory and practice of letterforms and typography they apply to other areas of design, graphics and visual communication. Projects cover principles of typography, letter structure, typeface selection, fundamentals of digital type, and typographic layout.

This foundation level drawing course is for graphic design students to gain competency in traditional basic of drawing, including line, shape, tone, and space. Drawing from observation to depict form with accurate proportion and perspective is practiced, as well as creating diagrams to visually communicate in ways that are not directly observable.

This is an introduction to drawing, covering the basic technical skills and materials necessary to create convincing representations of simple or complex still-life forms with an emphasis on applied perspective. Students are introduced to composition and the concepts of creating volume and space utilizing lines as measurement, construction drawing, value and linear perspective systems. Materials include graphite and charcoal.

This course is an introduction to drawing the human form. Students work from the draped and undraped model. Emphasis is on accurate representation of the figure utilizing observation with the elements of gesture, measurement, construction line, volume, proportion, and surface anatomy. Materials include graphite and charcoal.

This course is designed to introduce the student to three-dimensional thinking and composition as it applies to the human form. Students will learn to render form using effective visual observation and measuring techniques, while working from live models. The use of linear and volumetric proportional systems is stressed, as is the construction and understanding of form. Technical procedures of clay modeling, basic use of tools, and proper use of the armature (its orientation in relation to the model) will be addressed. Materials used: plasticine clay.

This course is an introduction to the basic skills, tools, materials, and techniques used in painting with oils. The student paints from direct observation, primarily using the still life as subject matter. Emphasis is on solving the problems of representing form in space by applying the elements of composition, perspective, value, and color. Topics include preparing supports for painting and various painting techniques. Materials used: oil paints

This course is an exploration in story structure and the incorporation of classic storytelling techniques/archetypes in the medium of film.

This introductory course covers the principles of full animation technique, dimensional constructive drawing techniques as well as the analysis of action and movement in the natural world. Students explore these concepts through exercises which isolate the core principles being taught. Additional topics include acting and characterization, a brief history of animation and an introduction to the animation industry as it exists today.

This course introduces the students to the complex interface of Maya, one of the leading software programs in animation and graphic design industries. Students will learn how to navigate Maya's interface exploring basic modeling, rigging, lighting, texture, and camera set-up.

This course will introduce the technical skills necessary for creating and processing dig-ital imagery for use as reference for paintings and drawings. Topics covered will include practical information on using digital cameras, processing imagery in Photoshop, the use of studio lighting and techniques for documenting artwork. Basic tools in Photoshop for use in creating compositions from multiple photographic sources will also be cov-ered. Purchase of a digital SLR camera (can be checked out from IT) and basic Pho-toshop software will be required.

This course introduces 2-D design principles in constructing pictorial imagery. The relationship between the principles of design and formal elements of art are addressed, and how these components apply to composition and illustrative applications. Appropriate and effective fusions of form and function and illustrative styles and strategies are also explored.

An introduction to illustration and the role of the illustrator in the communication arts field. Through assignments and in-class demonstrations and brief exercises, students will explore the practices and principles of communicating visual concepts and executing successful illustrations. Students will work with a variety of media and surfaces and will be expected to understand the uniqueness and use of each individual material and practice by the end of class. The course will place an emphasis on visual communication and problem solving. Students are expected to come prepared to every class, and to find individual solutions to the illustration _problemsÓ provided them throughout the semester and to successfully execute each project to the breadth of their ability.

Fundamentals of Digital Painting will cover use and creation of custom brush sets, general digital painting techniques, good organization of layers, composition, and proper usage of layer blending modes.

This is a studio course meant to introduce students to Entertainment Design and the creative practices and problem-solving techniques used in the Entertainment industry. This course provides foundations skills commonly used in the creation of concept art. There is an emphasis on the visual development process and approaches to drawing and painting that provide students with an ability to clearly communicate the form and function of characters, objects, and environments. Students will learn basic xyz and constructive sketching techniques. Students will use inspiration and reference to develop their ideas into thumbnail designs, resolved sketches and diagrams, and finished concept illustrations.

Fundamentals of Digital Painting will cover use and creation of custom brush sets, general painting techniques, good organization of layers, color theory, composition, and proper usage of Photoshop tools. _The goal of the course is to enable the student to learn to create paintings from life and imagination. The course will include demos, lecture, and in class exercises & critique coupled with homework.

This foundational course prepares students with an introduction to graphic design, color and composition concepts traditionally used in the field of limited animation. Analysis of traditional analog limited animation design strategies will be explored and contrasted with modern digital limited animation strategies. Although computer processes will be examined, course assignments will be completed in both analog and digital approaches.

This class is an introduction to sketching for the purpose of communication and design in concept art. An emphasis will be placed on sketching from life, working from reference, constructive drawing, and learning to invent based on research and an understanding of how things work. Concepts will include constructive drawing, xyz - sectional drawing, basic perspective, research and development, emphasis of line weight, and textures. Media includes graphite, ballpoint pens, ink, and digital tools. The course will include lectures, demonstrations, class discussions, and critiques.

Drawing and Perspective for Game focuses on representing the construction of a 3D object in a 2D image. The class covers one point perspective, two point perspective, and introduces three point perspective. Other topics covered are: Camera lenses and field of view, the importance of camera placement, and placing shadows based on light sources.

The Sophomore Review is a second portfolio to check in on how students are progressing through the major and make sure they have a strong foundation to move forward with. Each student submits work to be reviewed based on key classes from the first three semesters. The work is reviewed and the student either passes, or is given revisions to complete before their next submission to the review. If a student does not pass advancement review, they will not be able to enter their senior classes.

Digital Analytical Figure Drawing is designed to provide the student with structural and analytical knowledge of the figure and Portrait /Life Painting is design to apply that knowledge with traditional skills to the specifics of portraiture and life painting for the purpose of quick information gathering. The course will utilize information gathered from the model in GA 211 and apply that information to do extended studies on facial structure and then move into quick sketch life painting. This course investigates gesture, movement, spatial relationships, foreshortening, anatomical studies, light and shade, composition, color harmony, and the figure in environment. Students learn to make visual and artistic decisions in the context of historical and contemporary figure drawing and painting styles.

This course will utilize information gathered from the model created in GA 211 and apply that information to do extended studies on facial structure and then move into quick sketch life painting. This course investigates gesture, movement, spatial relationships, foreshortening, anatomical studies, light and shade, composition, color harmony, and the figure in environment. Students learn to make visual and artistic decisions in the context of historical and contemporary figure drawing and painting styles.

This course focuses on storytelling with pictures. Students learn the relationship between character and story development, and how to compose images and arrange them in sequence to present a coherent and emotionally effective story. Students also work on public speaking skills by

This class is designed to teach the fundamentals of character design for video games. Students will learn the basics in character exploration, designing, honing, and publishing visually stunning characters. There will be heavy focus on solidifying each students understanding of gesture, construction, and anatomy, and its application of knowledge to character design. Students will gain an understanding in how to sketch and paint digitally using the Wacom tablet, gain traditional drawing mmileage, and create a visually compelling character design portfolio.

The creation of game play and visually stimulating assets, sprites and environments for 2D games. Game play will be explored for a better understanding and creation of small games and their components. Students will be divided into teams to create playable games for both fun and learning.

A focus on digital drawing, rendering and designing as it pertains to vehicles, spaceships and robot designs for the entertainment industry. Emphasis is on building finished portfolio pages and high-level design and presentation skills. Each student should have a clear understanding of how to design vehicles and/or robots using a variety of rending techniques, gestures, shapes, forms, storytelling and color application. Students will learn the importance of time management, and will be expected to work efficiently as individuals as well as in teams. Our primary tool will be Photoshop and the Wacom tablet. The course will include lectures, demonstrations, class discussions and critiques.

A blended learning class studying the natural anatomy of biped and quadruped to bring a realistic foundation to creatures, aliens and monsters. Students will explore how to adapt bone and muscle masses to reach believable anatomy for imaginative figures. Shape language, color composition and foundational understanding of anatomy will bring together scientific rendering into a cohesive design.

This course aims to focus students on the thought process behind creating solid concept art, reinforce the fundamental elements that underscore good painting (composition, use of color and form), and give them the wherewithal to exploit digital media's strengths. Two approaches will be taught: jpeg-bashing (an approach that tilts in favor of photo-manipulation) and "traditional" painting (building a work from thumbnail to final as if it were real media). This course will also address texture painting for 3D.

This course will help the student record ideas into a sketchbook in such a way that the book itself becomes a portfolio piece. The focus is on the preplanning and pre-visualization process with an emphasis on thumbnail sketches to develop ideation relevant to the industry.

The purpose of this course will be to instruct students in the construction of game levels.

This course will allow students to become comfortable with the complex interface of 3DMax so that they may have an easier time grasping the design and digital sculpting in their major. The focus is on the creation of forms to be integrated into a game. Aesthetics, construction, communication, light and form and quality of work are stressed.

This class introduces students to the interrelated specialties of character animation and rigging for modern video games and their impact on other departments within the game art pipeline. Students will learn the principles of animation as they apply to simple objects and fully articulated characters as well as create sophisticated custom rigs that can be tailored to specific animation needs. Emphasis is placed on acquiring practical, industry-relevant strategies for creating effective assets, the ability to prioritize goals and techniques in order to achieve results within time and budgetary constraints, and building a solid foundational knowledge of the crafts involved.

Conceptual designers for the game industry skillfully illustration and design unique and compelling environments, vehicles and props for all kinds of stories and eras. This requires a dynamic understanding of industrial design and illustration skills to cohesively understand how things are built; to visually communicate this through drawings and show narrative aspects of the design. This new course offers an introduction to the conceptual process of Environment Design for video games. Students will create original design solutions through silhouettes, sketches and renderings to support a comprehensive story. Students will obtain a solid understanding of how to create original environments utilizing the Wacom tablet, create layouts digitally, and put together a visually compelling Environment Design Portfolio.

A first course in programming for games stressing fundamental programming principles. Students are introduced to computer programming logic with hands on game development projects using an industry standard game engine. This course will cover the logic structures and design paradigms that allow for fundamental interactions in a visual and object oriented environment. No previous computer programming experience is required.

With the rapid growth of the video games industry, the desire for skilled video game artists is increasing at a steady rate. This course will prepare students for the artistic and technical requirements necessary for the success in this unique discipline. Using 3D studio Max, students will learn to create 3D models for use in games. Students will gain valuable skills related to modeling, texture creation and application, and animation for video games. The course will also make use of a level editor which will give students the opportunity to test and further their skills by using a real world application.

In this course learn the skills to texture and light objects and characters as well as model more efficiently and accurately. Students will use texture editing systems to adhere and manipulate textures onto form. Students learn to model in polygons as well as model within the surfaces offered within software (i.e., subdivision surfaces).

This course explores different creative and conceptual approaches as students incorporate literature, comics, and ther new creations as a foundation for their game world. This course looks first at the landscape and urban centers of the world design with specific emphasis on 2D ideation and then on 3D development and modeling as it relates to the game. A secondary aspect will be looking at societal substructures and how they impact and react with the created world. The student will give consideration to the exploration of culture and the society within the world, examining how the balance between the inhabitants and environment emotionally reflects on game play.

The tool of imagination comes to light as unique living and non-living forms take shape in 2D development of creatures. Starting with ideation skills and building with the understanding of the world, the student will create creatures and focus on their mobility, attitude, skin and texture, and scale as they visually impact our psyche within their world. The student's 2D development work will be followed by 3D modeling to finish with one complete and moveable portfolio piece.

Zbrush is a 3D Digital modeling and/or sculpting class. With the use of this tool a student will be able to create detailed textures and complex characters or structures that can then be used in a poly-budgeted environment for real-time games.

This course will cover efficient modeling and rendering for games. Students will create 3D worlds with an emphasis on mood and effects in current standard game engines to display that it's not how you model something, but, how you light it. The class will cover quick modular modeling and texturing techniques in a 3D application and set a mood with proper lighting and effects in a game engine.

This course is designed to provide a foundation in historical period design style as it relates to architecture. The student will explore and visit period styles through drafting and architectural renderings. The class will begin with 2D orthographic projections and summarize the semester in 3D architectural visualization.

In this course, students will use their accumulated skills of character, environment, and prop design to focus on world-building and IP creation. The goal of the class is to become familiar with the general design pipeline that is followed by most game studios. This course will lean heavily towards design guided by narrative, but will be mindful of game-play. Students will have the choice of story, style, and influence that will stay consistent throughout the term. Thus, each student will have a body of work that represents their project in portfolio form by the end of the term.

_Plein Air to ConceptÓ will be a dynamic class, taking location painting into concept development. Not unlike the companies that send their artists around the world to inspire, inform, and understand geographical context, Plein Air to Concept will take students on location to replicate changing lighting conditions and landforms, as they relate to the concept development assignments. The goal is to enhance visual world building and in addition, 3D textures skills for mapping. The class will explore three to five eco systems off campus and then apply study information to better understand lighting and location aesthetics as it is applied to world development in game.

FD164, GA309

In this course, students explore the art of costume. The course is, essentially, a short journey through period history as it applies to costume. Students examine the rendering of draped, multi-textured fabric; pattern repeats in textile art; structural fit and accessories as they apply to the character and to the cultural impact on the world of which the character is a part.

This class focuses on animation in games and implementing dynamic interactions in a modern game engine. Students will implement animation principles into animation trees to create their own movement logic for characters and props. Emphasis is put on creating interactive scenes and current industry techniques for breathing life into a game world. Acquiring efficient and practical techniques is at the core of this class in order to give artists strong skills that they can bring into their field.

With the ever-changing and growing nature of the video game industry, the desire for skilled 3D character artists is increasing for such a competitive field. This course will prepare students both artistically and professionally for the role of a 3D character artist, focusing on both the art and technical side required for this discipline. This course utilized 3D Studio Max for building geometry through fundamental principles of polyflow, topology, and poly budget specifically for characters, as well as UV unwrapping this geometry to cover the professional ways in which character models are unwrapped. Programs such as Photoshop and 3D-Coat will be used for texturing. The goal of this course is to educate students on the demanding and intricate modeling techniques necessary for creating clean, cohesive, and polished character models that would be considered ideal as an in-game asset.

Advanced Drawing for Game will further a student's drawing skills as they apply to figure or environment. Through the use of compositional breakouts, language of line, color theory, lighting and shape language, students will broaden their understanding of human form and/or landscape as an informational sketch tool. The class can be taken traditionally or digitally or a combination of the two based on instruction.

3D Max is the leading software in the game industry for creation of assets and environments. It is very difficult to teach such an expansive program in a few short semesters. This course will allow students to become comfortable with the complex interface so that they may have an easier time grasping the design and digital sculpting in their major. The focus is on the creation of forms to be integrated into a game. Aesthetics, construction, communication, light and form and quality of work are stressed.

In collaboration with partnering schools and graduate programs, students work with development teams that mirror the industry. The teams are established to create demos and vertical game slices. This multi-university opportunity allows artists to work with designers and engineers, creating a greater understanding and awareness of the game creation process in a team environment. Instructor of record will act as producer and project manager until students have enough experience to handle the role themselves. 180 hours are required successful completion of the course.

Conceptual Designers for the Game Industry and Film Industry skillfully illustrate and design unique and compelling environments, vehicles and props for all kinds of stories and eras. This requires a dynamic understanding of industrial design and illustration skills to cohesively understand how things are built; to visually communicate this through drawings and show narrative aspects of the design. This new course offers an introduction to the conceptual process of Environment Design for video games. Students will create original design solutions through silhouettes, sketches and renderings to support a comprehensive story. Students will obtain a solid understanding of how to create original environments utilizing the Wacom Tablet, create layouts digitally, and put together a visually compelling Environment Design Portfolio. Environment Design for games will showcase a step-by step process from raw form and thumbnails to fully finished illustrations. Specializing in video game ideation, Environment Design will be a digital class, using Adobe Photoshop CS3, Google Sketch up, and Autodesk Maya. This class will function as an efficient problem solving tool for game creation and will help to formulate personal process for creating strong workflow.

This course takes digital painting into advanced and specialized areas of the production pipeline. Photoshop's powerful masking and color-manipulation tools will be thoroughly explored. Techniques for manipulating photographic material into elaborate matte paintings and skyboxes will also be investigated.

With the rapid growth of the video games industry, the desire for skilled video game artists is increasing at a steady rate. This course will prepare students for the artistic and technical requirements necessary for the success in this unique disipline. Using 3D studio Max, students will learn to create 3D models for use in gtames. Students will gain valuable skills related to modeling, texture creation and application, and animation for video games. The course will also make use of a level editor which will give students the opportunity to test and further their skills by using a real world application.

Students are challenged in their skills of character and creature production. With an emphasis on using ZBrush, students will be working with their own designs to create compelling and complex characters. The goal is to expand existing skillsets using additional software such as Maya, Substance Painter, and Marvelous Designer.

In this course the first semester senior will have the opportunity to work on real-world projects either directly with industry in the field, or on projects for industry in a team-based project. This project will have an end product applicable for a competitive job in either some aspect of game art, modeling, concept art, or effects. With consideration to the students' area of concentration they will have the opportunity to focus their work as it applies to the field. This experience allows for hands-on utilization of theories received in the classroom, skills practiced in the studio and the students' creative energy in a professional setting.

This course is a continuation of Senior Portfolio 1. In this course, students will continue to develop their portfolio or reel, focussing on presentation of their final project as it applies to the job market.

This course pairs students with industry mentors who work in the student's area of interest. The objective is to give students a specialized skill set not offered within the curriculum. This allows the student to specialize in either concept or modeling as it relates to characters, environments or advanced technology packages. Students are encouraged to seek out mentors in the field in order to learn networking skills. If students cannot find a mentor, one will be assigned.

This class is a continuation of Senior Project GA 420. The student will give special attention to presentation of portfolio or demo of their final project as it applies to the job market.

Following the fundamental principles of 3D character modeling taught in GA325, this course focuses on the more intensive expectations of what the industry would consider to be an adequate and functioning character model. Students will be put under a rigorous pipeline in order to complete a number of 3D character models, which will undergo multiple passes of intensive critique in order to further build up each students' skill set for modeling characters for video games. This course also reviews the fundamental principles necessary to master for 3D character modeling, and stresses the importance of those skill sets with continued rigorous practice.

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of game design mechanics. It starts with a grounding in the game design fundamentals of flow, simplicity, and choice. It then expands into the full lexicon of game design techniques such as motivation, mystery box, interest curve, Zeigarnik effect, convexity, loss aversion, habit loops, Skinner boxes, and squares, circle, and triangles. Students will deconstruct existing games, design new games, and explore the art, science, and practice of game design mechanics.

This course will cover critical skills necessary to construct agile and iterative prototypes for the purpose of establishing credibility in chief mechanical concepts and technological approaches. Students will learn to create thorough requirements listings, construct and dissect systems, write technical literature, build architectural and-case diagrams, build simple prototypes using visual and non-visual scripting methodologies, and industry standard deployment practices. Students will be exposed to the technical process by which qualities that are deemed desirable and “fun” are iteratively procured, refined, and eventually transformed into full production-scale endeavors.

s course will cover critical skills necessary to construct agile and iterative prototypes for the purpose of establishing credibility in chief mechanical concepts and technological approaches. Students will learn to create thorough requirements listings, construct and dissect systems, write technical literature, build architectural and-case diagrams, build simple prototypes using visual and non-visual scripting methodologies, and industry standard deployment practices. Students will be exposed to the technical process by which qualities that are deemed desirable and “fun” are iteratively procured, refined, and eventually transformed into full production-scale endeavors. requirements listings, construct and dissect systems, write technical literature, build architectural and-case diagrams, build simple prototypes using visual and non-visual scripting methodologies, and industry standard deployment practices. Students will be exposed to the technical process by which qualities that are deemed desirable and _funÓ are iteratively procured, refined, and eventually transformed into full production-scale endeavors.

This course will expose students to a wide range of processes and methodologies by which game development studios operate in a Production Capacity. Students will study different game production methodologies by implementing and using these methodologies directly in their projects both real and fictional. Students will be expected to use modern software to create task lists, risk management analysis, user stories, create and execute sprints, create and understand budgets as well as forecasts and reports. Students will be participating in honing both the hard and soft skills of Game Production.

This course will expose students to a wide range of processes and methodologies by which game development studios operate in a Production Capacity. Students will study different game production methodologies by implementing and using these methodologies directly in their projects both real and fictional. Students will be expected to use modern software to create task lists, risk management analysis, user stories, create and execute sprints, create and understand budgets as well as forecasts and reports. Students will be participating in honing both the hard and soft skills of Game Production. 

This course is a comparative review of multiple game engines where the objective is to delve into working hands on, within the engine, to develop the skills necessary to evaluate the evolving software. The class is expected to cover run time, tool chain, and data pipelines to help fully understand and utilize multiple engines within the in-class projects. Game engines each have individual methods that make them optimal for specific situations. It is imperative that students learn to pick the engine that is best suited to each project. Along with learning to master these tools, the course will incorporate the “hard” and “soft” limits in relation to resource distribution in hardware. Resources allocated within a game are not infinite, and it is up to the lead designer, along with the team as a whole, to properly distribute the assets available. An example of resource management includes memory allocation. The course will cover the necessary limitations due to technology, and the compromises necessary between the team leads. Technical knowledge dealing with extensibility and tools development will also figure prominently in the course. Extensibility and tools development both refer to extending the life of software through add-ons. These satisfy the demands of users without completely changing the basic structure of the software.

This course is a comparative review of multiple game engines where the objective is to delve into working hands on, within the engine, to develop the skills necessary to evaluate the evolving software. The class is expected to cover run time, tool chain, and data pipelines to help fully understand and utilize multiple engines within the in-class projects. Game engines each have individual methods that make them optimal for specific situations. It is imperative that students learn to pick the engine that is best suited to each project. Along with learning to master these tools, the course will incorporate the “hard” and “soft” limits in relation to resource distribution in hardware. Resources allocated within a game are not infinite, and it is up to the lead designer, along with the team as a whole, to properly distribute the assets available. An example of resource management includes memory allocation. The course will cover the necessary limitations due to technology, and the compromises necessary between the team leads. Technical knowledge dealing with extensibility and tools development will also figure prominently in the course. Extensibility and tools development both refer to extending the life of software through add-ons. These satisfy the demands of users without completely changing the basic structure of the software.

This course combines game studies and game design with the purpose of exploring what (video) games are and ways in which they can be socially, as well as personally, meaningful as tools for expression and persuasion. Through the iterative production and critical evaluation of board-game and card-game prototypes, the main goal for the course is to provide a number of different perspectives as to how games can be artefacts designed to transform players, explain notions, and engage in socio-cultural discourse. Although it chiefly addresses practical competencies such as concept development, prototyping, and documentation, part of the didactical offer of this module involves engaging with texts and notions coming from the academic fields of game studies and design studies.

This course combines game studies and game design with the purpose of exploring what (video) games are and ways in which they can be socially, as well as personally, meaningful as tools for expression and persuasion. Through the iterative production and critical evaluation of board-game and card-game prototypes, the main goal for the course is to provide a number of different perspectives as to how games can be artefacts designed to transform players, explain notions, and engage in socio-cultural discourse. Although it chiefly addresses practical competencies such as concept development, prototyping, and documentation, part of the didactical offer of this module involves engaging with texts and notions coming from the academic fields of game studies and design studies.

This course will enable students to record, edit, and manipulate music, sound effects, and dialogue assets for a game engine. Digital audio software and workstations are used to familiarize students with the rudimentary skills of audio signal flow and the audio creative process. Students will import their finalized audio assets into a game engine using industry methods and suitable programming skills to implement the audio assets.

This studio course works concurrently with Prototyping (GA 501) to address the specific programming needs for the creation of a successful prototype for the initial stage of the final thesis project. To give the student a general overview of programming applications, we will begin in Unity with C#, and move on into UI functionality, logic loops in existing scenes, saving and loading custom data, and the creation of physics simulations. Having completed the mini projects, students will then load into their existing thesis project to enhance the functionality. Through the creation of a game in class and building out their thesis game at large, students will learn the basics of programming while gaining the knowledge of customization for their games.

This studio course works concurrently with Prototyping (GA 501) to address the specific programming needs for the creation of a successful prototype for the initial stage of the final thesis project. To give the student a general overview of programming applications, we will begin in Unity with C#, and move on into UI functionality, logic loops in existing scenes, saving and loading custom data, and the creation of physics simulations. Having completed the mini projects, students will then load into their existing thesis project to enhance the functionality. Through the creation of a game in class and building out their thesis game at large, students will learn the basics of programming while gaining the knowledge of customization for their games.

This lecture course provides an open topic in the newest innovations in the field of game design.

This lecture course provides an open topic in the newest innovations in the field of game design.

Psychology of visual language and emotional perception. Spatial and visual imagery perception and psychology of creativity.

This course examines the psychology of visual language and emotional perception. Spatial and visual imagery perception and psychology of creativity will also be studied.

Projects can get out of hand very quickly and it is important to keep gameplay focused on the core experience. Learn to spot when a project is getting away from the simple idea and save the trimmings for another future project. Feature bloat is a serious issue in any brain storming process and knowing when things are getting out of hand is an invaluable tool working on your projects.

In this course students will learn to spot when a project is getting away from the simple idea. Students will develop tools to help them stay on track and keep gameplay focused on the core experience.

This course focuses on bringing the world to life with subtle movements and grand lighting. Adding bits of dust and pollen into the air, leaves trickling from the trees and smoke bellowing from the trenches are finishing touches that can really make a scene dynamic. Adding in the right mood and colors on top of that will give your worlds a great living composition.

This course focuses on bringing the world to life with subtle movements and grand lighting. Students will examine how adding bits of dust and pollen into the air, leaves trickling from the trees and smoke billowing from the trenches are finishing touches that can really make a scene dynamic. Students will learn to add in the right mood and colors to give worlds a great living composition.

There are many tools out there that serve different functions, placed into the pipeline at the right place a repetitive task can be streamlined into a batch operation or a simple macro. Learn to spot bottlenecks and how to streamline the process by implementing new tools or finding how to use old tools differently.

In this course, students will learn to use a variety of tools to help streamline their work. Consideration will be given to how to spot bottlenecks and identify the best solutions to keep on task.

Players differ across many dimensions: demographics, personality, culture, interests, experiential preference, social proclivity, flow comprehension and technical sophistication. Successful live games are now lifestyle experiences that last years. As a result, “one size fits all” player bucketing by genre no longer works to adequately inform successful game designs. In this studio course, the instructors will guide students in projects that reveal the relationship between players and game design from a “player first” perspective. The course will focus on the intersection between player psychology and traditional playable mechanics and systems-based game design. Projects will include explorations on the “whole equation” of game design beginning with the way our brains work, transitioning to a deep dive on player types, genres and segmentation and include project based discussions on live game management and feature expansion, UX for different demographics, feature design as a vehicle for user acquisition and analytics beyond standard KPIs for understanding player behavior. We will achieve our end goal through the creation of multiple mini game projects and/or deconstructing existing games. The goal of the course is to give students an understanding of the “why” aspect of game design and enable them to create games that are designed from the beginning to delight their target audiences.

This class is a hands-on comprehensive exploration of game design mechanics. It starts with a grounding in the game design fundamentals of flow, simplicity, and choice. It then expands into a full lexicon of game design mechanics such as motivation, mystery box, interest curve, Zeigarnik effect, convexity, loss aversion, habit loops, skinner boxes, and squares, circle, and triangles. Students will deconstruct existing games, reconstruct game designs, and then most importantly, iterate on the designs and processes to create new games. Together we explore the art, science, and practice of game design mechanics, creating a physical board game with cards and virtual mini games. We will continue until you are able to confidently say, ‘I am a game designer.’

This class is a hands-on comprehensive exploration of game design mechanics. It starts with a grounding in the game design fundamentals of flow, simplicity, and choice. It then expands into a full lexicon of game design mechanics such as motivation, mystery box, interest curve, Zeigarnik effect, convexity, loss aversion, habit loops, skinner boxes, and squares, circle, and triangles. Students will deconstruct existing games, reconstruct game designs, and then most importantly, iterate on the designs and processes to create new games. Together we explore the art, science, and practice of game design mechanics, creating a physical board game with cards and virtual mini games. We will continue until you are able to confidently say, ‘I am a game designer.’

Players differ across many dimensions: demographics, personality, culture, interests, experiential preference, social proclivity, flow comprehension and technical sophistication. Successful live games are now lifestyle experiences that last years. As a result, “one size fits all” player bucketing by genre no longer works to adequately inform successful game designs. In this cross-disciplinary course, the instructors will explore the relationship between players and game design from a “player first” perspective. The course will focus on the intersection between player psychology and traditional mechanics and systems-based game design. Topics will include discussions on the “whole equation” of game design beginning with the way our brains work, transitioning to a deep dive on player types, genres and segmentation and include discussions on live game management and feature expansion, UX for different demographics, feature design as a vehicle for user acquisition and analytics beyond standard KPIs for understanding player behavior. The goal of the course is to give players an understanding of the “why” aspect of game design and enable them to create games that are designed from the beginning to delight their target audiences.

This course will consist of the study and implementation of modern-day video game monetization practices across mobile, PC, and console platforms. Students will learn how top developers and publishers are implementing and executing successful monetization models in premium, games as a service, and F2P business models. This course will focus primarily on design-centric monetization best practices, but also cover topics such as crowd-funding, advertising, and more traditional publisher/developer business practices. This course will be divided up into 3 major pillars of Acquisition, Retention, and Monetization. Throughout the class, students will participate in critical analysis of a wide range of successful monetization models used in top-performing games such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, and World of Warcraft, then learn how to work these same monetization practices into their own thesis projects in a way that best suits the game design in an organic and non-intrusive way.

This course will consist of the study and implementation of modern-day video game monetization practices across mobile, PC, and console platforms. Students will learn how top developers and publishers are implementing and executing successful monetization models in premium, games as a service, and F2P business models. This course will focus primarily on design-centric monetization best practices, but also cover topics such as crowd-funding, advertising, and more traditional publisher/developer business practices. This course will be divided up into 3 major pillars of Acquisition, Retention, and Monetization. Throughout the class, students will participate in critical analysis of a wide range of successful monetization models used in top-performing games such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, and World of Warcraft, then learn how to work these same monetization practices into their own thesis projects in a way that best suits the game design in an organic and non-intrusive way.

Production studio 1 will connect the candidate with the undergrad pipeline to recruit their team and begin the production cycle. Candidates will begin the process of applying knowledge from their classes in management and production to begin the prototyping and pitch phase of their thesis games.

Production studio 1 will connect the candidate with the undergrad pipeline to recruit their team and begin the production cycle. Candidates will begin the process of applying knowledge from their classes in management and production to begin the prototyping and pitch phase of their thesis games.

In this course students will learn to balance what is on the screen so players feel empowered by information rather than burdened with it. Students will examine player interaction and learn techniques to create a better experience.

In this course students will learn to balance what is on the screen so players feel empowered by information rather than burdened with it. Students will examine player interaction and learn techniques to create a better experience.

The purpose of this course is to instruct students in the construction of game levels. Theoretical aspects of level design will be discussed at the beginning of each class. The class will discuss story methodologies, level aesthetics, and general issues of game play which make the difference between an entertaining level and a mediocre one. Students will review examples of both good and bad levels for class critique. In addition to the theoretical aspects of level design, students will also learn the practical aspects of level creation through the course projects.

Advanced Game Project is a milestone reporting and troubleshooting session to support GA605. Meetings will be with the chair and the student's mentor. The deliverables for both classes created during fall semester are the foundation for materials to be polished in the spring semester. The main goal is to develop a playable demonstration of the core design and the approved scoped features for the game. This game should be installable, intuitive and functional so that a player can pick up and play. Meetings will help guide the student towards the creation of a cohesive thesis package. The chair/executive producer will receive from the designer; weekly team reports for each sprint.

Advanced Game Project is a milestone reporting and troubleshooting session to support GA605. Meetings will be with the chair and the student's mentor. The deliverables for both classes created during fall semester are the foundation for materials to be polished in the spring semester. The main goal is to develop a playable demonstration of the core design and the approved scoped features for the game. This game should be installable, intuitive and functional so that a player can pick up and play. Meetings will help guide the student towards the creation of a cohesive thesis package. The chair/executive producer will receive from the designer; weekly team reports for each sprint.

Final Production studio for completion and testing of game projects.

Final Production studio for completion and testing of game projects.

LCAD Design students will be required to successfully complete a portfolio review within their sophomore to junior in order to continue in the design program. This review is mandatory and is designed to assess your strengths, weaknesses, and academic readiness to move forward in the program.

This course covers user interface and user experience principles, processes, and application. Students will learn the basic skills of UI/UX in order to design digital products such as mobile apps and responsive websites. The goal of the class is to understand and apply the product development steps; starting with research, concept validation, user-focused designs, to file preparation for web developers/engineers. The course will introduce industry-approved tools and programs.

This is an introductory course for the design major requiring conceptual, perceptual, manual, and computational skills to meet studio research into the history of letterforms and layout design. Projects explore compositional and structural aspects of letterforms, as well as various kinds of text layouts and their optical and interpretational effects. Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.

This is an introductory course for the design major. Studio practice explores the use of hierarchy, form, conceptual thinking, visual representation and interpretation, and the elements of communication. Projects address various essential graphic design formats: logotypes, promotional items, editorial design examples, announcements, and a variety of visual styles. Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.

This intermediate course explores the underlying principles and elements of letterforms. Also explored are their usage, various grid-based layout systems, and typographic styles. Assignments emphasize visual representations of complex information through various editorial design formats, and are conceived as a means by which to analyze the semiotic function of text and its aesthetic and phenomenal qualities. Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.

This is an intermediate course in the Graphic Design major. Conceptual and practical solutions are emphasized in projects that are conceived to address and meet various communication objectives. Assignments are based on research, design process communication skills and professional presentation.

This studio course in digital image making will challenge students to create thought-provoking and visually stimulating work while learning how to use the computer as a versatile tool for creation and manipulation. A range of projects will be developed while students consider the role of literal and implicit communication, aesthetics, and emotional impact. Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Macromedia Flash (a beginning intro).

This course introduces design issues related to the Internet and to hands-on development of HTML web pages that incorporate text and graphics. Emphasis is placed upon practical web-design principles and supporting technologies, including basic use of domain name registration, purchasing web-hosting services, JavaScript, and CSS. The course will include discussions of issues such as HTML hand-coding, usability, marketing, contrasting design philosophies, supplemental software training, and site page development exercises. Course content is designed to prepare students to create and maintain basic web sites and to give a solid foundation for continued web-design study and development. Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe ImageReady, and Adobe Illustrator.

This course is designed to expose students to the basics of video production for the purpose of concept and content creation. Students study techniques and methods for reporting, messaging, and storytelling through video. The interactive course teaches students how to develop stories and how to best structure these stories for Action Sport audiences.

This course serves as an exploration and introduction of the history and culture of action sports. The course provides an overview of the key companies, influential athletes, various sports and key concepts that drive the industry culture and brand. Through the use of lectures and guest speakers, students will gain valuable context for design development and industry knowledge. Guest speakers will include corporate leaders, art directors, athletes and action sport designers.

This course allows students to explore or participate in a class that is specifically focused on a special topic or opportunity. Example: Prints and Patterns _ using design skills to understand the development and set up for apparel print and pattern making.

This advanced course introduces 3-dimensional computer modeling, concepts, technology and techniques (i.e., 3-dimensional virtual coordinate system, wire-frame, texture mapping, light source and camera positioning, etc.) through assignments that emphasize innovative object or product design and photorealistic representation.

This lecture and studio course examines the use of digital cameras with a focus on essential skills relevant to artist and designers. Technical aspects of the course include principles of photographic exposure, lighting, and working with digital files. Artistic aspects of the course include considerations for effective communication and emotional impact, thematic unity, and image enhancement techniques. Primary software used: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge.

This course is a continuation of UI/UX 1. Students will develop a deeper understanding of user-centered research, process flow, and concept maps. They will create wireframes, prototypes and finished enabled interfaces. The course projects will address the design and development utilized in entertainment product interfaces and the skills needed to work on product development teams.

Color Marketing, and the field of Color, Material and Finish design is one of the fastest growing areas of design that is practiced in numerous different industries including apparel, automotive, consumer electronics, aviation, and almost all consumer goods manufactured worldwide. This discipline is used to create more meaning, emotional connection, and aesthetic value to products of all kind. Most professionals who work in the field come from a variety of backgrounds including graphics, branding, illustration, advertising, industrial and product design. The top global brands like Apple, NIKE, MINI, Beats, use color, materials, and finishes to create products that will succeed in the marketplace, and create more added value, and emotional connection to the products. It is one of the main factors in creating the DNA of any successful consumer product brand.

This course is designed to enable the student to prepare a portfolio for professional employment, internship or display of work. The class will require that you have a body of your work to use in the development and a sense of the industry or audience that you are trying to reach with your site. This class is for the student that needs a portfolio but is not naturally geared towards being proficient with programming and scripting etc. Students will learn to create a website using tools and apps that make the development easier.

This is an intermediate course in the design major that focuses on the methods and principles of communication and the creation of meaningful content through the development of visual symbols, structures, and systems. The course will include extensive readings and in-depth research, the development and execution of strategic briefs, and both visual and verbal presentations.

This advanced course requires conceptual, imaginative, manual, and computational skills to meet studio production and research resulting in projects that combine visual identity elements (such as logotypes, color palettes, typographic components, illustrations, and/or photographs). The course emphasizes a contextual approach to developing a brand or a line of products and its package as well as toward understanding the design processes that result in functional three-dimensional package solutions. Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.

This course provides the opportunity for students to participate in project planning for location development projects. The course covers the art and science of non-linear production and editing. Students study field-production techniques and methods for developing, reporting, and storytelling through action video. Students learn how working on location, with various elements, impacts the final project and ultimately affect its success. Students are introduced to the production model of editing video for location shooting.

This course covers user interface and user experience principles, processes, and application. Students will learn the basic skills of UI/UX in order to design digital products such as mobile apps and responsive websites. The goal of the class is to understand and apply the product development steps; starting with research, concept validation, user-focused designs, to file preparation for web developers/engineers. The course will introduce industry-approved tools and programs.

This course focusses on recording, editing, and compositing digital video files. Concepts and techniques of non-linear editing, compositing layers of computer generated imagery and live action video, special effects, camera movements and cinematic points of view, and design of titling and motion graphics will be covered. The work of professional animators, directors, and producers will be screened and discussed. This course covers the operation of video-capable devices and camcorders, including exposure control, use of lighting, and shot types. Techniques for working with title graphics and sound will also be demonstrated and practiced.

This course continues from the foundation established from Internet Design I, and adds advanced elements of interactivity, integration of time-based media (such as sound, video, and animation), and a higher level of technical sophistication. Emphasis is placed upon user interface design, navigational embellishments, and functionality (creating working form elements). Students will learn through a combination of lectures, software demonstrations, and hands-on development of web sites. Computer applications: Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe ImageReady, Adobe Illustrator, and other multimedia editing applications.

This course is an upper level elective where a selected group of students focus on in depth projects. The Honors Team environment simulates that of a working design office, school project or firm. Students take the first step into professional application of their talents through working on advanced more complex or multi-faceted projects individually and as a team. Honors lab looks at the business of design as well as the effect of the designer in business. Projects can also include LCAD material etc. Admission is by portfolio application.

This course addresses the skills and logic needed to conceptualize and extend a brand to environmental applications. Bus wraps, events, retail spaces, billboards, buildings and exhibits are all mediums that have become the domain of the designer. This course focuses on projects that will teach the student how to design for these environments.

This course will allow the student to gain a more in-depth focus on creating and developing the skills needed to create more advanced digital videos (30 second ads marketing/promotional videos, and digital shorts, etc.). Students will learn and use Final Cut Pro, HD camera use, lighting techniques as needed. Students will learn the process needed to conceptualize and create final videos. Some use of special effects will be explored as well as the software used to create these effects.

This course introduces the concepts, methods and skills used in the Action Sports industry.

This lecture and studio course explores the use of digital cameras with a focus on essential skills relevant to artist and designers. Technical aspects of the course include principles of photographic exposure, lighting, and working with digital files. Artistic aspects of the course include considerations for effective communication and emotional impact, thematic unity, and image enhancement techniques. Primary software used: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge.

This is an advanced course that explores, through assignments that emphasize narrative and stylistic qualities of dynamic, time-based presentations, computer modeling and concepts and techniques. Computer application: Maya.

This course builds on students existing design and typography skills and sets them in motion. Students in this course learn how to communicate messages by combining video, 3d, animation, and sound. This course focuses on Adobe master suite, After Effects, Maya, Sound Booth, and FinalCut Pro. Students will be storyboarding and executing motion graphics pieces that would be used in high definition television and on the web. Topics include typographic design, alpha channels, keys, masks, compositing 2D and 3D graphics, and video compression.

This is an intermediate course in the design major that focuses on the methods and principles of communication and the creation of meaningful content through the development of visual symbols, structures, and systems. Class will include extensive readings and in-depth research, the development and execution of strategic briefs, and both visual and verbal presentations.

This course offers continued studies in creating a brand and/or company identity. All major aspects of visual identity are emphasized with the course objective being to develop efficient, coherent, distinguishable, and competitive promotional design solutions based on market analyses. Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.

This course continues studies in product and package design and in the development of a brand or a line of products and its packaging. The class focuses on the interpretational, promotional, and functional aspects of three-dimensional package solutions. Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.

This course prepares students to enter the professional design industry. Students will create a database of prospective employers in a variety of design-related fields for a self-promotional direct-mail campaign. In accordance with the observed individual needs, students will complete a grand-scale senior thesis project. The emphasis of the senior thesis is for the student to challenge their design and problem-solving skills while developing final portfolio pieces.

This course continues to prepare students to enter the professional design industry. Students will create a database of prospective employers in a variety of design-related fields for a self-promotional direct-mail campaign. In accordance with the observed individual needs, students will complete a grand-scale senior thesis project. The emphasis of the senior thesis is for the student to challenge their design and problem-solving skills while developing final portfolio pieces.

This course is for students that have completed Digital Video 1 and want to continue advancing their skills. This class builds upon the knowledge and experience gained from previous projects and allows for more concept development, refined camera work, and with personalized topics related to storytelling, informing an audience, or creating persuasive presentations.

This course builds the on students existing experience and knowledge from Motion Graphics + Visual Effects. Students in this course focus on producing a motion graphics reel to display their work. Students function independently to create several professional level motion graphic animations to supplement the work they have already produced. This course offers more creative freedom so students can explore their own style inside of motion graphics. At the end of the course students will have a reel that will showcase their abilities. This course focuses on Adobe Creative Cloud, After Effects, C4D, Audition, Premiere and Media Encoder.

This course provides the next level of development for the student looking to enter the action sport industry. This class partners with industry to create a more in depth knowledge of the business, terminology, methods and creativity needed. Students will use their knowledge of media, layout and 3D to create complete individual clothing lines or action sport related product.

This course teaches students how to make production ready prints and patterns for apparel or other uses.

This is an advanced course that allows students to focus on type and information design. Students will work closely with the course instructor and will hone individual design skills.

This is an advanced course that allows students to focus on developing individual design projects. Students will work closely with the course instructor on the development of communication materials.

This is an advanced studio course that offers an in-depth continuation of Internet design aesthetics and programs. Students work independently on projects with the instructor. Projects are tailored and assigned according to the competency of each student. Computer applications: Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, and PHP.

This is an advanced course that emphasizes an advanced contextual approach to developing a brand or a line of products and its package as well as toward understanding the design processes that result in the development of functional three-dimensional package solutions. The course requires an advanced understanding of conceptual, imaginative, manual, and computational skills to meet studio production and research resulting in projects that combine visual identity elements (such as logotypes, color palettes, typographic components, illustrations, and/or photographs). Computer applications: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.

This course is specifically developed to integrate an industry, design contest, sponsorship and/or a special educational or academic opportunity. It is a specifically focused course in which students develop efficient, coherent, distinguishable, and competitive promotional design solutions based on market analyses. Students work individually or in teams to address a conceptual design prompt or theory or project. The range of work is determined by the special topic opportunity and an example of this would be the Nike: 2016 Olympics special topics class. The students will utilize a broad range of design and digital media skills.

The Advancement Review (AR) is a formal portfolio review designed to evaluate competency in foundation studio art abilities at the fourth semester Sophomore level, or when the student has earned between 40 and 65 total academic units. Students submit a series of images to the AR, which is a held twice-a-year. A panel of faculty evaluate submissions, and the student is presented the results showing scores of: Outstanding, Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, or Deficient in areas that include: Anatomy, Painting, Perspective, Draftstmanship, Design (or 3D), and Illustration. Students are required to obtain designated tutoring for all categories scored "deficient" prior to re-submitting during the next AR submission period. Once all categories have received a minimum score of satisfactory or higher, the AR requirement will be credited as "passed". Failure to pass all categories of the the AR will result in the student being withheld from entering senior status.

This course provides an intensive study of graphic visualization for convincing representation. Students will be introduced to the use of light logis and the application of a variety of black and white and color media to produce highly refined and visually accurate drawings and painting. Emphasis is on a realistic fidelity in the representation of nature and man-made objects through the careful study of structure, surface, and lighting influences.

This course covers the history of the medium of drawing with ink. Varieties of fluids, tools, and supports and their usage will be studied and demonstrated. Assignments include exercises in hatching and crosshatching, stippling, ink washes with brush, bistre, technical drawing, and combining other media with ink.

This course provides an overview of traditional and contemporary color illustration practices, techniques, and styles. A comprehensive and practical introduction to color theory and the use of multiple color media is also emphasized. This course is meant to be the critical bridge between rational color theory and intuitive painting. It also provides the opportunity for exploration and familiarization of painting methods and styles through a range of in-class exercises and outside assignments addressing the full spectrum of color and its relationship with commissioned art.

This course is an exploration of the chemistry of color mediums and the experimentation with possible handling techniques as it relates to the finished composition. Compositional emphasis will be on using the human form from life and reference material as it relates to each assignment. Skill in the areas of reference photography and lighting as it relates to working with models will be developed. Knowledge will be gained in the areas of application, handling, surfaces, color palette development, narrative, concept, and composition.

This course gives the illustrator hands-on opportunities to explore the interaction of words and images. Students will learn basic principles of type and its role in visual communication and historical context. This course will also encourage experimentation with type and text as a central component of narrative art, which includes, book, comics, editorial / advertising illustration, and posters. Processes and genres may include: Adobe Illustrator, Indesign, calligraphy, signage, graffiti, tattoo, relief printmaking and illustrated type.

This course is designed to further develop the students understanding of perspective. Areas covered will include multipoint and curvilinear perspective, cast shadows, reflections, forced perspective and distortion. The goal of this course is to further the students ability to accurately conceive and create environments from imagination using quick-sketch empirical methods in addition to traditional mechanical processes covered in fundamentals of perspective.

This course includes a comprehensive examination of digital drawing and painting from observation. This course explores the possibilities in the use of technology as it applies to observational drawing and painting. Students will employ the use of a laptop computer, software and graphics tablet and stylus.

A further study of drawing and Painting techniques useful in the process of creating illustrations for reproduction. An extensive and in-depth exploration into a broad range of innovative and traditional materials.

This course provides a comprehensive review of the skills needed to prepare artwork for print or digital media. The goal of the class is to teach students to effectively interface between the graphic designer, the illustrator, and the printer. Special emphasis is given to relevant traditional production techniques as well as current computer applications and technology. Current Macintosh software is introduced. Field trips to professional service agencies and organizations are included.

This course is designed to refine and develop the skills for a consistent personal visual vocabulary, and to enable the artist to produce editorial interpretations based on literary works and social, cultural, and political issues of personal and public opinion. Concepts are stressed with emphasis on communication of visual surprise and imagination. The creation of narrative and symbolic image making are encouraged and explored. Students are expected to find individual solutions to both black and white and color assignments.

This course focuses on the production of illustrations that promote sales, recognize commercial products, or call attention to services or institutions. The goal of this course is to prepare artists to work professionally with clients in the marketplace. Assignments include advertising illustration that may appear in commercial collaterals such as magazines, newspapers, billboards, posters, brochures, pamphlets, television, print, or on web sites. Emphasis is on the working relationship between art director and illustrator, and directly between the client and illustrator.

This course provides an introduction to the process and application of fantastic illustration to print products, interactive games, film/television, and mass media.

This course is an advanced and comprehensive study of children's book art and publishing. Students are encouraged to seek out and develop their own personal stylistic interpretations of editorial and narrative content. A preparatory course in the commitment to this specialized area of illustration.

This course focusses on creating art for the unique world of children's books. Emphasis is on being able to create an entire book from cover to cover. Concepts introduced will be the various types of children's books and their special requirements, approaches to designing all aspects of a book (inside and out), and effective presentations to publishing clients. The course will include lectures, slide presentations, demonstrations, class discussions and critiques.

This course is a studio workshop in the Comic Book/Graphic Novel as an art form and entertainment medium, balancing personal expression and commercial application. Through weekly one-on-one discussion, lectures/presentations, group discussion, and production of comic book pages in continuity, the distinctive magic of the art form will be explored, and skills in its creation advanced. The medium's distinctions from and relations to traditional Literature and Cinema will be discussed.

This course teaches skills in the use of appropriate Macintosh software as a tool in creating illustrative paintings. Students draw directly on the computer or manipulate scanned drawings, paintings, photographs and video images to produce individualized illustrations.

This course will offer the tools for students to become self-sufficient artist entrepreneurs. It will present an economic model for artists to successfully market their art and services in a variety of areas including: online marketing/social media, galleries, events and conventions, how to build a following and start while in school. The goal of this class is to align products/services with artistic personal vision, and market these gifts to the world though High Tech/High Touch venues.

A continuation of Editorial Illustration 1. Students refine previous methods, processes, and techniques and work on a series of illustrations that emphasize the making of personal statements and the exploring of a particular direction in editorial illustration. Students select their own media and develop a consistent style appropriate to their own direction.

A continuation of Advertising Illustration I. Students refine previous methods, processes, and techniques, and work on a series of illustrations that emphasize the making of commissioned artwork for the marketplace. Students select their own media and develop a consistent style appropriate to their own direction.

This self-directed course examines specific processes, materials, techniques, and concepts in illustration with faculty supervision. Students work to develop and expand concepts and skills related to a special topic contractually agreed upon with the instructor. This course may be repeated for an additional 3 units.

This is a directed studies course that provides, through faculty supervision, the time, opportunity, and advisement for each student to create the physical pieces that will become the core of their first working portfolio. The course is offered as a transition from the academic experience to a professional life as an illustrator. Students select their own topic or theme for a body of work, the progress of which will be monitored through individual appointments between the student and Senior Portfolio faculty. Intensive group critiques are spaced throughout the term to allow for class interaction. All coursework is done outside the classroom.

This is a directed studies course that provides, through faculty supervision, the time, opportunity, and advisement for each student to create the physical pieces that will become the core of their first working portfolio. The course is offered as a transition from the academic experience to a professional life as an illustrator. Students select their own topic or theme for a body of work, the progress of which will be monitored through individual appointments between the student and Senior Portfolio faculty. Intensive group critiques are spaced throughout the term to allow for class interaction. All coursework is done outside the classroom.

A continuation of Editorial Illustration 1. Students refine previous methods, processes, and techniques and work on a series of illustrations that emphasize the making of personal statements and the exploring of a particular direction in editorial illustration. Students select their own media and develop a consistent style appropriate to their own direction.

Students in this course undertake a teaching assignment under the supervision of a faculty member.

Students in this course undertake an industry assignment under the supervision of a faculty member within the industry.

A basic course in writing skills that is designed to teach students the fundamentals of grammar and conventional mechanics, including punctuation, spelling, vocabulary, appropriate diction, varied sentence structure, and clarity. The course is not required of all students but may be repeated as many times as necessary. Graded Pass/No Pass only, it does not count toward a student's GPA, but does count toward units earned. Course fees.

A writing course that provides intensive practice in the writing of nonfiction prose, with an emphasis on grammatically correct sentence structure, paragraph construction, organizational strategies, and the development of ideas within the essay form. Like College Prep 1, this is a pre-baccalaureate developmental writing course that is not required of all students but which may be repeated as many times as necessary. Graded Pass/No Pass only, it does not count toward a student's GPA, but does count toward units earned. Course fees.

This course will examine diverse ways of optimizing students experience in college. Different aspects of the student and human experience will be covered, acclimating students to and improving the nature of the learning community. Guest experts will visit to discuss specialized aspects of the course content, and several classes will be devoted to putting the lessons into active practice via “lab” sessions.

"Directed Research and Writing" (Course numbers LA103, 203, 303 & 403 for Liberal Arts) will be able to be taken 1-3 units at a time, depending on the student's needs. These courses are not designed to teach an existing LA or AH course on an independent study basis. Rather, they will be similar to the graduate-level model, where we allow for specifically designed intensive studies in the student’s desired areas of interest. A student must be in good academic standing, have a mentor instructor who agrees to direct the study, and present to the mentor a proposed focus for the units earned; this then need then needs to be approved by both the instructor and chair. If approved, the instructor will craft the specifics re: assignments, workload, and learning outcomes for that semester’s study. Three units of credit would require roughly 5 books read and 5000-7000 words written over the course of the semester. Some of the writing could take the form of journals and more informal reflections, however a formal academic written analysis of some kind must be part of the writing produced. Also, museum visits or personal tours of artifacts, et al, may stand in lieu of some of the readings. We would let the instructor determine the balance, depending on the materials and areas of study; each case would be unique.

This course is the first leg of a full-year writing requirement and focuses on exploratory writing and methods of rhetoric. The goal is to provide the groundwork for the more sophisticated writing and thinking that is required later in their academic careers, as well as to help students reach a level of expository prose writing deemed appropriate for the university level. Classes are conducted in a workshop setting where students explore issues of craft as it relates to the process of writing.

This course prepares students for the writing, reading, and analysis required in their undergraduate education by learning various methods of argumentation, logic, and inquiry. Students practice their reasoning skills in writing assignments and discussions that demand analysis via critical reasoning. Assigned readings focus on basic philosophical questions and issues facing thinkers in all academic disciplines. This course helps students discover that writing is a natural, creative, and meaningful activity that helps them learn about themselves and the world. Students also learn the importance of questioning and critiquing the words and ideas of others. Ultimately, students experience first-hand how critical reasoning enables them to become informed and educated citizens of the world, with the abilities to affect change via their own words and actions. Successful completion of this course is a prerequisite for all Liberal Arts & Art History courses.

This course provides an introduction to the human body structure and its functions. Skeletal, muscular, circulatory, nervous, and reproductive systems are studied. Projects are intended to prepare students for their studio experiences in life-drawing and life-painting. No other course may be substituted.

William Carlos Williams suggests, "It is difficult to get the news from poems yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there." In this class, nobody dies. Through lecture, discussion, and writing exercises, students address the following topics: rhythm, image, form, diction, metaphor, condensed language, denotation, and connotation -- all keys to not only not dying but rather living a meaningful life.

Taking place either in New York City (with excursions to surrounding areas) or The West Coast (San Francisco mainly, with perhaps Oregon and Washington hops). 10-14 nights in June-July; cost approx. $4,600 for airfare and hotel (with all taxes and surcharges included), transportation between cities, all museum/gallery/event entrance fees, several dinners, a few tours, meet-and greets with established authors, and tuition for the 3-unit class. Likewise, this class could be taken by any student to fulfill the Liberal Arts elective, or applied to a Creative Writing minor. As the literary counterpart to ?The New York Scene? Art History course, we?d study the writing generated from each area visited, but assignments would be mainly student?s own creative writing, inspired by the writing, art, and culture of each place. New York is the literary and publishing capital of the world, so there would be lots to do and see and write about there?from the legendary reading series at the 92nd Street Y and bookstores galore, to tours of publishing houses and the campuses of Columbia and NYU, to an ?Oscar Wilde in New York Walking Tour? and Shakespeare in the Park. Readings might include selections from Paul Auster, Galway Kinnell, Sharon Olds, William Kennedy, Edgar Allan Poe, Sarah Vowell, David Foster Wallace, Walt Whitman. If we head north instead of east, most of the trip would be centered in San Francisco with its legendary literary scene -- City Light Bookstore, The Six Gallery, Marin County Poets -- and readings might include works by Kim Addonizio, Isabel Allende, Philip K. Dick, Dave Eggers, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, CB Follett, James Houston, Jack Kerouac, Jack London, Tupac Shakur, Mark Twain. This West Coast trip might include a leg to explore the literary scenes of Oregon (Richard Brautigan, William Everson, William Stafford, Gary Snyder, Vladimir Nabokov, Ken Kesey), and/or Washington (Raymond Carver, Tom Robbins). Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of writing in multiple genres, offering students a wide range of options for expressing their stories and words regardless of the forms they may take. While traditional structures and vehicles such as songwriting and spoken word performance art would be included, this class is meant to help encourage daring and difficult works that may push the boundaries of established forms and formalities. This may include multiple-disciplinary literature, literary artwork, installations, interactive works, intertextuality, new media. Students will be encouraged to explore different avenues for their writing, understanding that there is no single "right way" to communicate a story, and that sometimes new inventions of form and even format is called for. Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new work, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of fiction writing, with a simultaneous exploration of fiction's various theories and techniques. Students will be introduced to a variety of literary styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of non-fiction writing, with a simultaneous exploration of non-fiction's various theories and techniques. Students will become familiar with techniques and challenges related to a variety of non-fiction writing?biography, personal essay, memoir, historical profiles, newspaper reporting, magazine features, critical reviews. Students will be introduced to a variety of styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of script writing, with a simultaneous exploration of various theories and techniques related to creating scripted stories and storytelling techniques. Students will become familiar with common terminologies and structures?beat sheets, treatments, outlines, pitches, One Act, 3-act, 4-act, Teleplays, Screenplays, Documentaries, Multi-media, Graphic Novels, etc. Students will be introduced to a variety of styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

Both a survey course and a creative writing course, the focus is on the art and craft of how stories are told across artistic genres. Storytelling is employed in various ways within each of our studio majors: literary devices and narrative techniques can add richness and depth to artwork, regardless of genre. By learning about comparative storytelling across cultures, and by practicing some of these techniques via original writing assignments, students gain a deeper understanding of how the human story can be effectively told. Satisfies either the writing leg of the Creative Writing Minor or the American Cultural Experience (in some semesters, the Non-Western Cultural Experience Requirement). Enrollment priority will be given to Creative Writing Minors.

"Directed Research and Writing" (Course numbers LA103, 203, 303 & 403 for Liberal Arts and AH103, 203, 303, and 403 for Art History) will be able to be taken 1-3 units at a time, depending on the student's needs. These courses are not designed to teach an existing LA or AH course on an independent study basis. Rather, they will be similar to the graduate-level model, where we allow for specifically designed intensive studies in the studentês desired areas of interest. A student must be in good academic standing, have a mentor instructor who agrees to direct the study, and present to the mentor a proposed focus for the units earned; this then need then needs to be approved by both the instructor and chair. If approved, the instructor will craft the specifics re: assignments, workload, and learning outcomes for that semesterês study. Three units of credit would require roughly 5 books read and 5000-7000 words written over the course of the semester. Some of the writing could take the form of journals and more informal reflections, however a formal academic written analysis of some kind must be part of the writing produced. Also, museum visits or personal tours of artifacts, et. al, may stand in lieu of some of the readings. We would let the instructor determine the balance, depending on the materials and areas of study; each case would be unique. A student would be able to earn all units toward a minor via this "Directed Research and Writing" coursework (AH103 for the first 3 units, AH203 for the next 3, and so on); existing courses could also apply to the minor in any combination to reach the 12-unit total.

The Science of Sight is a comprehensive overview of the visual phenomenon of eyesight incorporating information from disciplines of anatomy and health, history, psychology, sociology, natural science and computer science. Though topics outside of the discipline of art will be introduced, the primary intended audience are those who intend to focus their career in the visual arts. The class consists of lectures, mini-experiments, viewing of short films, group discussions, and student presentations. Guest lecturers for specific topics are encouraged when available.

Dystopian novels are powerful and imaginative works that highlight a future we do not want to see. But they are more than just sci-fi. By exaggerating and distorting the logic of our present system, authors make strong political statements about the times we live in. This course will explore some of the pillars of dystopian literature and focus a critical eye on modern connections.

This is a survey course of the Literature of the United States, and may focus on a specific author (or group of authors), time period, theme, or culture.

This course reviews basic concepts and processes in arithmetic as well as key concepts and questions in geometry. The course explores questions in the philosophy of mathematics regarding the nature of numbers, space, infinity, and truth, as well as topics of concern to artists such as proportion, the Golden Mean, and the mathematics of light.

This course explores the basic psychological concepts underlying human behavior and development. Students may gain an understanding of the history of the science of psychology and how it has advised our culture over the last century.

This course explores the science of how language changes and how it is learned, focusing on speech sounds, sound patterns, how words are formed and organized into sentences, and eventually understood. Students will discover the properties that languages have in common and how they differ. By surveying the features of many languages and various subfields in linguistics, this course may be used to fulfill the non-western cultural requirement. This course also satisfies the Liberal Arts elective.

Economics, mathematics, and sociology combine to form the study of financial literacy. Knowing how to handle money, investments, retirement, and much more are covered in this course. Though money offers a shifting ground, this course should give you the ability to adapt to changing conditions.

This course is an ecological survey of the native flora and fauna of our surrounding wilderness area. Students will collaborate as a research team to participate in the ecological restoration of a coastal sage scrub community, develop research questions, document results, and propose further research. The canyon offers a unique outdoor class environment, applied research opportunity, and a rewarding experience of engaged stewardship in our ecological community.

Project GREEN: Ocean is designed to provide students with a broad introduction to the coastal oceans of Orange County. As a part of the course work, students will observe, analyze physical processes and distribution of organisms in the intertidal and shallow zones, and document their findings. These findings will be translated into digital educational materials that will be made available to the public. Students will also investigate coastal processes, coastal marine ecosystems (kelp forests, the intertidal zone) and the impact of humans on the coastal ocean. Students will study the marine mammals that call the Orange County coast home, for migratory seasons, or for all of the year.

Designed to introduce students to a sociological understanding of how we build and live in communities. With a strong emphasis on the psychology of power structures, social institutions, social reasoning, and social constructivism, this course helps students to understand the role of the individual within the larger society. With a broad scope into the science of groups, topics may also include urgent current events to build a vivid understanding of the social interactivity in everyday life.

This course studies and analyzes the means by which we communicate with other people or within groups of people. Written and oral communication involve nuance and awareness that is often implicit, but rarely articulated. Talking, listening, body language, conflict, resolution, empathy, metamessages, and social signaling are all aspects that connect with how we communicate, how we understand, and how we wish to make our intentions known. This course will involve writing, speaking, analyzing, and other forms of skill building.

This course provides an overview of the theories of human origins. Areas emphasized include human genetics, selective pressures, Darwinian gradualism, continental drift, migration patterns, mammals, comparative anatomy, and the fossil record. A quantitative approach is employed.

The challenge for the animator is to create the illusion of life in animated images. This course involves the animator in theoretical considerations of performance, analyses of animated films, and studio experiences aimed at realizing the animator's goal of creating the illusion of life in animated images. This course is reserved for Animation majors.

Human Diversity explores biological variation in modern humans, biological concepts of species and subspecies and the race concept from a social perspective. Following completion of this course you should have a greater understanding of the misuse of the term _‹_race,_‹ù an appreciation of human biological diversity, and a grasp of the adaptive nature of human variation.

Human Sexuality is a course that combines lectures, films, discussions and research regarding our sexuality from physiological, psychological and sociological perspectives. Topics include history, anatomy, reproduction, cross-cultural perspectives, gender roles, myths, safety and variations in sexual expression.

From the earliest novel, "Tales of Genji" to Toni Morrison, feminist authors have long made their experience and point of view profound works of art. This survey course covers many novels and the impact they make in studying the social conditions of the authors.

From memoirs to fantasy and superheroes, graphic literature has come a long way in recent decades. This survey course takes a look at graphic literature and what it means to communicate story in visual images.

This course may focus on a specific author, period, theme, or culture.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of poetry writing, with a simultaneous exploration of poetry's various theories and techniques. Students will be introduced to a variety of literary styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as meter, structure, rhyme, voice, tone, free verse, lyric, and form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of writing in multiple genres, offering students a wide range of options for expressing their stories and words regardless of the forms they may take. While traditional structures and vehicles such as songwriting and spoken word performance art would be included, this class is meant to help encourage daring and difficult works that may push the boundaries of established forms and formalities. This may include multiple-disciplinary literature, literary artwork, installations, interactive works, intertextuality, new media. Students will be encouraged to explore different avenues for their writing, understanding that there is no single "right way" to communicate a story, and that sometimes new inventions of form and even format is called for. Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new work, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of fiction writing, with a simultaneous exploration of fiction's various theories and techniques. Students will be introduced to a variety of literary styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of non-fiction writing, with a simultaneous exploration of non-fiction's various theories and techniques. Students will become familiar with techniques and challenges related to a variety of non-fiction writing?biography, personal essay, memoir, historical profiles, newspaper reporting, magazine features, critical reviews. Students will be introduced to a variety of styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of script writing, with a simultaneous exploration of various theories and techniques related to creating scripted stories and storytelling techniques. Students will become familiar with common terminologies and structures?beat sheets, treatments, outlines, pitches, One Act, 3-act, 4-act, Teleplays, Screenplays, Documentaries, Multi-media, Graphic Novels, etc. Students will be introduced to a variety of styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

This course combines classroom and field activities and covers topics such as portfolio development, photographing and presenting art work, self-promotion, graduate school admission, professional organizations and small business practices (including legal guidelines, such as tax and copyright laws). Resources include guest artists, speakers of interest and field trips.

This lecture course introduces the student to small business practices that help bridge the gap between the educational experience and the professional world of the illustrator. Topics include self-promotion, processes and intricacies of finding work, printing of promotional collateral, setting up a working studio, legal and pricing guidelines, and billing clients, contracts, and professional organizations. Includes guest artists and field trips to art studios, agencies, and art directors.

This course concentrates on preparing students to enter team-based creative environments with emphasis on digital portfolio and reel development, communication skills, industry networking opportunities and success strategies for collaborative projects.

This course concentrates on preparing students to enter team-based creative environments with emphasis on digital portfolio and reel development, communication skills, industry networking opportunities and success strategies for collaborative projects.

This lecture/studio course introduces students to business practices, thereby bridging the gap between the educational experience and the professional world of the graphic designer. Topics include self-promotion, processes and intricacies of finding work, printing processes and collateral, general business guidelines, billing clients, contracts, and professional organizations.

This Liberal Arts course is developed especially with the Experimental Animation student in mind. Where many approaches to character animation lead directly to mainstream industry, students of experimental animation may also choose to pursue an artistic life in new media. This class covers topics of the modern media “auteur”, including online video platforms, podcasts, social media strategies, mobile apps and other ways of distributing animation content while creating a presence and defining an artistic identity in virtual space. The course is designed to be continually adapting to and adopting new platforms and strategies as they evolve. Although designed for the animator, this course can be taken by students of other artistic disciplines as well.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of poetry writing, with a simultaneous exploration of poetry's various theories and techniques. Students will be introduced to a variety of literary styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as meter, structure, rhyme, voice, tone, free verse, lyric, and form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of writing in multiple genres, offering students a wide range of options for expressing their stories and words regardless of the forms they may take. While traditional structures and vehicles such as songwriting and spoken word performance art would be included, this class is meant to help encourage daring and difficult works that may push the boundaries of established forms and formalities. This may include multiple-disciplinary literature, literary artwork, installations, interactive works, intertextuality, new media. Students will be encouraged to explore different avenues for their writing, understanding that there is no single "right way" to communicate a story, and that sometimes new inventions of form and even format is called for. Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new work, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of fiction writing, with a simultaneous exploration of fiction's various theories and techniques. Students will be introduced to a variety of literary styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of non-fiction writing, with a simultaneous exploration of non-fiction's various theories and techniques. Students will become familiar with techniques and challenges related to a variety of non-fiction writing?biography, personal essay, memoir, historical profiles, newspaper reporting, magazine features, critical reviews. Students will be introduced to a variety of styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

The primary goal of this course is to provide practice in the basics of script writing, with a simultaneous exploration of various theories and techniques related to creating scripted stories and storytelling techniques. Students will become familiar with common terminologies and structures?beat sheets, treatments, outlines, pitches, One Act, 3-act, 4-act, Teleplays, Screenplays, Documentaries, Multi-media, Graphic Novels, etc. Students will be introduced to a variety of styles and devices via assigned readings by accomplished authors, with guided in-class discussions and group analyses of the craft at work in each piece (aspects such as structure, conflict, plot, character, point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, tone, narrative form). Students will be required to complete a variety of writing assignments and similarly take part in close critiques of each other?s new writing, both in class and via written feedback composed away from class, providing textual analysis from both aesthetic and technical standpoints, articulating both emotional and intellectual responses to the works. Accomplished guest authors will visit the class to provide additional mentoring and inspiration. Excursions to public readings will augment classroom instruction. Class work may culminate in a formal publication and/or public performances (e.g., as part of LCAD?s Literary Companions Reading Series). By the end of the semester students will have broadened their understanding of the genre from a writer's perspective, improved their mechanics in regards to craft, and perhaps even taken several giant steps closer to discovering their own unique voices and visions as authors. Similar to how the College Preparatory Writing classes are structured (and how other courses accommodate both undergraduate and graduate students in the same class), LCAD?s Creative Writing Workshops will be able to simultaneously accommodate students taking the course as an Introductory Workshop (at the 100 level, practicing the basic craft essentials) and those in the more Advanced levels (200, 300, 400, working on more complex aspects of technique and voice, longer pieces, or a collection of works). While all levels will benefit from group feedback and critiques, individual assignments will be appropriate to the enrolment level.

Students consider such questions as: What is Art? What is Beauty? What is the role and responsibility of artists in society? Are there genuine standards by which we can judge art? Students have the opportunity to participate in dialogues concerning these questions.

The Senior Capstone experience is designed to foster intellectual, conceptual, and artistic self-reflection by the graduating senior as they contemplate, articulate and expound on the meaning, value, and purpose of their Senior Portfolio Project. There are two major components to the class: the writing of a major essay (with drafts and related assignments) comprising a detailed, in-depth, analytical explication of the student’s Senior Portfolio Project or Thesis Film focusing on the student's creative intent and processes involved, followed by a formal oral defense of the same. The student must receive a passing grade on both the essay and the oral defense in order to pass the class and graduate. Senior Capstone must be taken concurrently with the student’s final Portfolio/Thesis class so that the work being done in one class simultaneously informs the work being done in the other. This class is graded pass/no pass. A passing grade in Senior Capstone is required in order to graduate with a degree. Senior Capstone may not be taken as Independent Study.

A lecture course discussing the theory, skills, history, and philosophy of game narrative. The course focuses upon demonstrating connectivity between game design as a practice and storytelling as a practice, as well as exposing why all games necessarily tell stories, even if they are not explicitly narrative. At the core of the taught materials, theories from aesthetics and philosophy of art are combined with practical experience from the challenges of game writing to present a unique and thorough foundation to writing for digital entertainment and art.

A lecture course discussing the theory, skills, history, and philosophy of game narrative. The course focuses upon demonstrating connectivity between game design as a practice and storytelling as a practice, as well as exposing why all games necessarily tell stories, even if they are not explicitly narrative. At the core of the taught materials, theories from aesthetics and philosophy of art are combined with practical experience from the challenges of game writing to present a unique and thorough foundation to writing for digital entertainment and art.

Through an in-depth focus on the masters of game design and their methodologies, techniques and process, students begin to formulate a vocabulary and a dialog to create a supportive document for their thesis game. Students in Art of Game Design create an innovative and theoretically informed body of work that is exhibited in a manner and context that supports its creative content. In the thesis, students will produce a written component that addresses the theoretical premise of the work.

Through an in-depth focus on the masters of game design and their methodologies, techniques and process, students begin to formulate a vocabulary and a dialog to create a supportive document for their thesis game. Students in Art of Game Design create an innovative and theoretically informed body of work that is exhibited in a manner and context that supports its creative content. In the thesis, students will produce a written component that addresses the theoretical premise of the work.

This course is less a reading colloquium than a critical discussion seminar, consisting primarily of visits to exhibitions in the Los Angeles area pertinent to the subject of "contemporary realism," including discussions with some of the exhibiting artists and other local curatorial and critical commentators. These visits are bracketed first and last sessions with class crits of individual class members' work; in the last session the class members will be expected to discuss the evolution of their work in relation to at least some of what they had seen during the course itself.

This course explores specific art and critical theory issues in depth. On a semester basis, topics will be offered according to the needs and interests of the MFA students. Potential areas of examination might include: Identity issues related to race, class, and/or gender; feminism and post-feminist theory; focused topics related to post-modernism; surrealist past and present; post-modern and contemporary portraiture, genre scenes, or landscape painting; or the confluence of art, science, the study of perception, and Neuroaesthetics.

This course traces the major movements and canonical figures of Modernism from 1850-1960. The theoretical underpinnings of Modernism are examined through selected readings. The course will follow the path of representational art and how it was influenced by Modernist theories and processes throughout the first half of the 20th century.

This course will be a survey and analysis into the various forms of how monetization is utilized within the game industry. Students can expect to learn how game developers implement monetization strategies surrounding crowd funding, in game advertising, Free to Play models, and more traditional publisher / developer business models. This course will be divided up into three sections. Firstly, a critical analysis of a wide range of successful monetization models in gaming such as Candy Crush, Guild Wars 2, Clash of Clans, etc. Secondly is creating a monetization plan for a game you are/will be creating planning out data tracking, marketing, pitch documents, etc., Thirdly a proof of concept of an approved plan in development using third party tools, marketing materials, or any form of media pertinent to student’s development project.

This course will be a survey and analysis into the various forms of how monetization is utilized within the game industry. Students can expect to learn how game developers implement monetization strategies surrounding crowd funding, in game advertising, Free to Play models, and more traditional publisher / developer business models. This course will be divided up into three sections. Firstly, a critical analysis of a wide range of successful monetization models in gaming such as Candy Crush, Guild Wars 2, Clash of Clans, etc. Secondly is creating a monetization plan for a game you are/will be creating planning out data tracking, marketing, pitch documents, etc., Thirdly a proof of concept of an approved plan in development using third party tools, marketing materials, or any form of media pertinent to student’s development project.

This course examines contemporary representational art in galleries and museums of the greater Los Angeles area. Noted art writer John Seed leads classes through current exhibitions with critical examination of the work on view. Theory and Criticism also includes writing assignments on contemporary artists and group critiques of student work.

This course traces the development of representational art since 1960 and coordinates it with the major changes in the art world during this period. Attention will be given to the influence of late Modernism, Pop Art, Minimalism, Process Art and Photorealism, and other significant movements on representational painting and drawing. Along with the imagery of this period, the course will trace the important theoretical bases of Postmodernism including Structuralism and Deconstruction. The course will also address contemporary representation and its connection to past developments.

This class will cover the business of publisher and game developer relations and how to manage and cultivate them to form lasting and productive partnerships. Students will get first hand insights into the realities of the business side of the video game industry from approval processes to funding projects. The course covers how to manage work relationships with publisher contacts, producers, art directors, and marketing departments. Students will also learn how to manage game development teams through milestone scheduling, setting realistic time estimations for tasks, and agile methodologies to keep developers accountable and prepared for the inevitable rapid schedule changes in production.

This class will cover the business of publisher and game developer relations and how to manage and cultivate them to form lasting and productive partnerships. Students will get first hand insights into the realities of the business side of the video game industry from approval processes to funding projects. The course covers how to manage work relationships with publisher contacts, producers, art directors, and marketing departments. Students will also learn how to manage game development teams through milestone scheduling, setting realistic time estimations for tasks, and agile methodologies to keep developers accountable and prepared for the inevitable rapid schedule changes in production.

The Business of Game course focuses on the fundamentals of building a game company. From setting up your business to budgeting, leadership and developing successful entrepreneurial tactics, this course builds on the core functions. This course also outlines strategies for starting and building a business that bridges the talents of creative, technical and entertainment expertise.

Thesis Development is an in-depth focus on the masters of game design and their methodologies, techniques, and processes. Students will formulate a vocabulary and a dialog with which they will begin to create a supportive document for their thesis game. In Art of Game Design, students create an innovative and theoretically informed body of work that is exhibited in a manner and context that supports its creative content. Building upon the foundations established during GA508, students in Thesis Project Directed Study 1 will continue developing a written component that addresses the theoretical premise of their work alongside their business and marketing plans, as well as a thorough and polished game design document (GDD).

Thesis Development is an in-depth focus on the masters of game design and their methodologies, techniques, and processes. Students will formulate a vocabulary and a dialog with which they will begin to create a supportive document for their thesis game. In Art of Game Design, students create an innovative and theoretically informed body of work that is exhibited in a manner and context that supports its creative content. Building upon the foundations established during GA508, students in Thesis Project Directed Study 1 will continue developing a written component that addresses the theoretical premise of their work alongside their business and marketing plans, as well as a thorough and polished game design document (GDD).

The course is a critical discussion seminar, consisting primarily of visits to exhibitions in the Los Angeles area pertinent to the subject of "contemporary realism," including discussions with some of the exhibiting artists and other local curatorial and critical commentators. These visits are bracketed -- first and last sessions -- with class crits of individual class members work. In the last session students will be expected to discuss the evolution of their work in relation to at least some of what they had seen during the course itself.

This course is designed to prepare students for careers as professional artists and college-level educators. The course will also serve to inform students experiences as teaching assistants during graduate study. Students will receive instruction on developing syllabi, structuring class time and delivering lecture material. Other sections of the course will detail the process of creating presentation materials to museums, galleries and alternative spaces for exhibition. The course will also focus on professional applications and interviewing strategies for academic appointments.

This course examines the writing of other visual artists from a variety of mediums and reviews the fundamentals of English grammar and composition. The course will focus on the development of an authentic academic voice, providing the syntactical tools and rhetorical strategies necessary to describe artistic content and process. Course work will include grammar exercises designed for the adult, artistic scholar to facilitate the drafting of the Thesis document.

This specialized course is designed to develop the MFA Thesis: a substantial summative statement analyzing and explaining the student's final studio work in the MFA program. More than a mere artist statement, the writing is to be a formal academic analysis (of approximately 8,000 words), which will be submitted at the end of the final semester of study to stand in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Fine Arts. This MFA Thesis will describe the studio project fully, integrate the student's understanding of historical and contemporary issues with themes that the student is exploring in her or his studio practice, explain the research and methodology behind the creation of the art itself, describe any self-imposed limitations, and present a sufficiently developed justification of the artwork.

This specialized course is designed to develop the MFA Thesis: a substantial summative statement analyzing and explaining the student's final studio work in the MFA program. More than a mere artist statement, the writing is to be a formal academic analysis (of approximately 8,000 words), which will be submitted at the end of the final semester of study to stand in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Fine Arts. This MFA Thesis will describe the studio project fully, integrate the student's understanding of historical and contemporary issues with themes that the student is exploring in her or his studio practice, explain the research and methodology behind the creation of the art itself, describe any self-imposed limitations, and present a sufficiently developed justification of the artwork.

This specialized course is designed to develop the MFA Thesis: a substantial summative statement analyzing and explaining the student's final studio work in the MFA program. More than a mere artist statement, the writing is to be a formal academic analysis (of approximately 8,000 words), which will be submitted at the end of the final semester of study to stand in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Fine Arts. This MFA Thesis will describe the studio project fully, integrate the student's understanding of historical and contemporary issues with themes that the student is exploring in her or his studio practice, explain the research and methodology behind the creation of the art itself, describe any self-imposed limitations, and present a sufficiently developed justification of the artwork.

Thesis Directed Study is an in-depth focus on the masters of game design and their methodologies, techniques, and processes. In Thesis Directed Study 2, students will work with thesis advisors to narrow their projects’ scope and direct their game projects towards manageable scale with direction in special areas of interest that will enhance and drive their project towards a unique and creative solution. Building upon the working drafts crafted during GA608, students in Thesis Directed Study 2 will complete the formal written component of their thesis that addresses the theoretical premise of their work alongside their business and marketing plans, as well as a thorough and polished game design document (GDD).

Thesis Directed Study is an in-depth focus on the masters of game design and their methodologies, techniques, and processes. In Thesis Directed Study 2, students will work with thesis advisors to narrow their projects’ scope and direct their game projects towards manageable scale with direction in special areas of interest that will enhance and drive their project towards a unique and creative solution. Building upon the working drafts crafted during GA608, students in Thesis Directed Study 2 will complete the formal written component of their thesis that addresses the theoretical premise of their work alongside their business and marketing plans, as well as a thorough and polished game design document (GDD).

In this course a faculty member guides students in continuing the development of a body of work that is focused, self-directed and based upon personal choice. Prior to graduation each Post Baccalaureate is required to prepare images on a CD, submit work to one juried exhibition, write a resume and other material, research graduate schools and make application to grad school if applicable. A short written statement must accompany the senior project for final evaluation. This course can be repeated until the project is completed and the Post Baccalaureate Certificate is received.

In this course a faculty member guides the student in continuing the development of a body of work that is focused, self-directed and based upon personal choice. Prior to graduation each Post Baccalaureate student is required to prepare images on a CD, submit work to one juried exhibition, write a resume and other material, research graduate schools and make application to grad school if applicable. A short written statement must accompany the senior project for final evaluation. This course can be repeated until the project is completed and the Post Baccalaureate Certificate is received.

This course provides an opportunity for the advanced student to continue to work on a series of paintings and drawings. Individual expression is emphasized.