Course Search Results

Introduction to history, aesthetics, and practice of photography as a fine art; includes demonstrations, workshops, critiques, final portfolio; photography time outside of class; digital camera required.

Elements of Photography will allow beginning non-major students to experience a broad range of photographic practices. This includes introduction to contemporary image culture, workshops centered on historical darkroom techniques, and the production of a fine art portfolio. Students will learn how to use digital SLR cameras in a variety of modes as well as gain experience using Adobe photo editing software and producing fine art digital prints. Digital SLR camera required; available for checkout through the Photography lab.

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Two-dimensional visual language, media; space, form; color.

This course is designed for the art major, addressing the formal and conceptual bases of drawing. Beginning with problems focusing on the essentials of line and mark, it progresses to shape and form. Each of these properties is explored with reference to space and value. Color is a minor component, with tonal range in black and white stressed. The media of charcoal, pencil, and ink are employed. Serious involvement is expected and additional outside work is required. The semester is devoted to developing a visual vocabulary and working attitude that are consistent with the major in art and serves to assist students well in advanced two- and three-dimensional courses. Course format consists of group and individual critiques, perceptual (including still-life and human figure, clothed and unclothed) and conceptual drawing, and other class activities. Materials such as paper, a portfolio, and the aforementioned media are required supplies. TA's teach the course with supervision from faculty.

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Two- and three-dimensional concepts and their relations; working with basic drawing instruments; problems in visual arts; artists' philosophies and techniques.

This entry-level studio course explores two- and three-dimensional concepts of design. The emphasis is on creative thinking and problem solving. Class projects are completed with variety of computer software to introduce students to industry standards. (Adobe: Illustrator, InDesign, Autodesk: AutoCAD, 3ds Max). Students prototype class projects using modern technologies such as Computer Numeric Controls (CNC) and Rapid Prototyping (RP), also known as 3D Printing, along with traditional techniques. Course format consists of informal lectures, in class workshops, and assignments completed outside of class. Grading is based primarily on class projects, participation and final portfolio.

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Development of theatre scenery; how to research, conceptualize, and express ideas in 3D models, simple sketches, and drafting.

This course focuses on the development of communication skill-sets and personal design aesthetic; script analysis, research, sketching, model building and drafting techniques will be explored and refined through the creation of a variety of scenic design projects.   Success in this class is reflected the continual growth and development of the individual student’s abilities to effectively communicate their ideas within the context of this collaborative art form. If you have questions about the course or if you are a non-major and interested in the class, please contact the Eric Stone at eric-stone@uiowa.edu.

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Intensive, basic broad pen calligraphy; Roman capitals, lowercase Roman and italic lettering. Engineering Be Creative

Topics related to artist books, hand bookbinding, letterpress printing, papermaking, and lettering arts.

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Introduction to letterpress printing; metal type, relief printing, page layout, and basic typography; basic use of Vandercook Proof Press; experimentation with diverse letterpress techniques.

For UICB students, this course counts toward the Studio Practice area.

This course will introduce students to basic letterpress printing, including both text and imagemaking techniques. Students will print from metal type, wood type, and other surfaces suitable to relief printing on a Vandercook Proof Press. Class assignments will acquaint students to a variety of letterpress printing techniques and allow students to explore word-image relationships in the context of print formats, such as posters, broadsides, postcards, and other printed ephemera. The course is designed for students with an interest in letterpress printing, for non-majors, and for UICB students with a primary interest in another area who would like general exposure to this discipline.

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Basic handbuilding methods of forming, firing, glazing clay.

This course serves as an introduction to the ceramic arts and focuses on hand-building techniques and surface decoration. Students will learn to create original work through five assignments. Students load and fire electric and gas kilns, with occasional wood, soda, and raku firing as time and scheduling permit. Students mix glazes and make clay throughout the semester. There are lectures on artists relevant to the field of ceramics, basic glaze and clay formulation and preparation, along with lectures on technical information and contemporary ceramics discourse. Short papers may be assigned for research. Several critiques concerning class assignments will be conducted throughout the semester.

Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts

Introduction to basic storytelling strategies and principles, writing film treatments, adapting prose to professional screenplay format, story structure for features and short films, workshop original screenplays, critique student work, and analyze professional screenplays. Engineering Be Creative

Introduction to filmmaking; how to shoot and edit short works of cinematic art; exposure to various working methods including nonfiction, fiction, and experimental modes of video production.

Modes of Film and Video Production is a foundational filmmaking course that introduces the basics of sound and image recording and editing. Weekly lectures will introduce important conceptual and technical aspects of filmmaking such as cinematography, sound design, editing syntax, and mise-en-scene. Biweekly sections will focus on reinforcing these concepts and applying them through hands-on filmmaking exercises, screenings & discussions, group critiques, and technical demonstrations. Students will complete several short video projects focusing on different aspects of sound and image creation and, in a more open-ended final project, integrate and further develop these skills through the production of a short film.

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Introduction to aesthetics and practical applications of digital media and video design for live performance including content creation, system design, and content optimization for media servers; students create digital video and animations and integrate them into live performance and entertainment events via projections, media servers, and digital displays using QLab Media Server and Adobe Creative Cloud (e.g., Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Audition, After Effects); for those with an interest in designing, creating, and displaying digital media for theatre, dance, concerts, corporate events, gallery installations, VJ sets, and architectural projections. Engineering Be Creative

Exploration of creative nonfiction genres through readings, discussion, and writing exercises; introduction to workshop environment.

A course exploring genres of creative nonfiction through readings, discussions, writing exercises, and writing itself. Students experience a workshop environment in which class members read, discuss, respond to, and critique the drafts their fellow students produce. Course readings, assignments, and exercises model the many modes of nonfiction for student writers. For beginning non-English majors.

Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts

How we tell stories—every time people talk about themselves, someone they know, places visited or events experienced; creation of a story with intention to entertain and inform a particular audience; how to create compelling, thought-provoking, and resonant texts from raw material of daily life; exploration of three fundamentals of great storytelling—taking emotional and intellectual risks, being imaginatively rigorous, and revising, revising, revising. English majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Nonfiction and Creative Writing.

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Sentences: how they work, what they do; how sentences can help writing, expand understanding of prose style, stretch options. English majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Nonfiction and Creative Writing.

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Theories, practices, strategies, and history of writing and teaching writing. English majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Nonfiction and Creative Writing.

This course explores the idea that to learn to teach writing best, we must write and read; these acts cannot be disconnected. Students read and discuss accounts by professional writers, student writers, teachers of writing, and writing researchers. The discipline of composition studies, as well as reflections by writers on writing, is rich with interesting documentation, important theory, and vigorous dialogue. Students write for an audience to read and respond, in a broad variety of genres including the personal essay, the poem, short fiction, short nonfiction, the letter, the one-pager, and an experimental blur of genres. Writing is one tool for working out thinking. It is a link between inner speech and a frame for talk, a link between writer/speakers and reader/listeners. It is a writing teacher's responsibility to create an environment that ensures a diet of varied writing and broad reading, a community of rich, specific responders, and lots of opportunities for revising and careful editing. Along with the development of the individual writer-reader, the "social construction of knowledge" is an important concept in a writing class, and students experience it in this course. There are no actual stages, there is no specific process, but we can describe and theorize about prewriting techniques, revision strategies, conferencing models, inventories of grammatical conventions and mechanics, and publishing opportunities. Describing writing allows us to freeze the action to discover conditions under which writing takes place, and what the differences are in every writer's approach. To teach writing, you need to see that the act of writing is different with each piece you write, that you contribute to the next piece you write with each piece you read.

English majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. Area: Nonfiction and Creative Writing.

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Guidance in the process of writing fiction and poetry; writing as exploration; development of students' critical skills as readers; application of new knowledge and skills to students' own writing. English majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Nonfiction and Creative Writing.

The primary goal of this course is to strengthen each writer's fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction; another goal is learning to read more like a writer. Much of the semester is spent reviewing and discussing the work of the writers in the class, but students also complete writing exercises and study work by established authors. Always, the focus is on craft and how to best negotiate the infinite number of choices that a writer faces with every word. Students may attend readings and lectures taking place on campus and at Prairie Lights Bookstore. Students are expected to attend class faithfully, bringing with them well-reasoned comments, honest work, and the belief, if for only a few hours a week, that nothing matters more than the powers of language and imagination.

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Analysis of works of accomplished fiction writers; critique of class members' short stories, in writing and in class; discussion of how class members use language, characterization, point of view, other elements of fiction in their work. English majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Nonfiction and Creative Writing. Writing fiction is a craft and a process. Students analyze the works of accomplished fiction writers, and critique their own short stories. Students comment thoughtfully and respectfully on classmates' work, both in writing and in class. Language, characterization, and point of view are just a few of the elements that comprise fiction. Students discuss how these and others are handled in their own work. Engineering Be Creative

Careful writing of poems, reading of poetry by class members as well as established poets; supportive workshop context. English majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Nonfiction and Creative Writing. This is a course in reading and writing poetry. Classes consist of discussions of students' poems along with the reading of contemporary poems from an anthology and general conversation about writing. Writing is an act of discovery. It should be a pleasure, however serious its subject. Individual student-instructor conferences are scheduled. Assignments are given to jump start students' writing. Engineering Be Creative

Science fiction literature as an ongoing conversation about the possible; exploration of world boundaries we have by imagining worlds that we don't (yet); alien encounters that consider ways we react to beings we see as unlike ourselves; alternate histories to illuminate what might have been; transhumanist fiction to explore what we may become; issues of composition and craft that underlie all effective fiction; students write and revise works of science fiction and engage in constructive discussion of each other's work.

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Solid foundation for creative and professional communication in today's modern work world; exploration of techniques, strategies, and craft of writing résumés, letters of interest, email and its related etiquette, and organization of ideas into presentable form; semester-long creative project that builds a bridge between office and the world using modern technology and social media; readings and discussions of literature to better understand issues of ethics, leadership, conflict, moral judgment, decision making, and human nature; how to navigate and succeed in business or any professional field.

This class is a laboratory in which students will experiment with forms of writing common to the workplace. Through a series of scenarios that simulate on-the-job experience, students will generate professional communications including resumes, cover letters, email correspondence, press releases, short-deadline projects, and elevator pitches. In addition, lessons in grammar, usage, and style will help students become more effective editors of their own work. At the end of the semester, each student will have produced a portfolio of polished writing samples and will be ready to write in the workplace with confidence and skill.

Engineering Be Creative

To treat a patient--whether as a nurse, physician or therapist--it's vital to understand and describe a physical problem and history of past remedies.  To do so, we need an understanding of human experience and the ability to put it into words, which we learn through reading and writing.  Students in this course will read short stories and other pieces of writing that address living, dying, illness and healing.  We'll develop strategies for reading, writing and revising fiction through peer workshop, writing exercises and lectures. Engineering Be Creative

Prepares creative writers for evolving marketplace of electronic text and media; experience writing in varied media (e.g., internet, e-books, video games, mobile devices, emergent social narratives). Engineering Be Creative

Creative writing through the lens of popular culture; topics include television, film writing, adaptations, commercials, advertising, magazines, newspapers, comic books, song lyrics, billboards, and backs of cereal boxes. Engineering Be Creative

Writing dynamic, cogent, and grammatically correct sentences; effectively communicating ideas; writing with clarity and confidence; review of grammar and various types of sentences; building complexity by adding adverbial, subordinate, and connective clauses to simple sentences; how rhythm, syntax, and word order expand the meaning of a sentence; application and appreciation. Engineering Be Creative

Writing and rewriting of short stories and essays; specific choices to help writing reach its full potential; examination of first drafts and making strategic or radical decisions on what needs to happen in subsequent drafts in order for writing to better match original intentions; students gain insight from peers on where first drafts are succeeding or falling short, and write second and third drafts of short stories and personal narratives; structural and aesthetic choices. Engineering Be Creative

Dance, music, historical, and social contents of Brazilian Carnival production, critical theories of performance, religious backgrounds, and theatre making in carnival parades.

The course is designed to provide students an opportunity to explore interdisciplinary and foundational learning in the area of the world dance through interactions with explorations of two of the main aspects of the Brazilian popular culture (Samba and Carnival).  Through extensive literature, video presentations and practice of popular dances of Brazil, students will be exposed to one of the most important and influential expression of popular culture in the world, according to place, time and event.  This includes all aspects present in the Brazilian Carnival: dance, music, historical and social contents; production; critical theories of performance; religious backgrounds; and theatre making in the Carnival Parades – from current to centuries-old tradition. 

Engineering Be Creative Values and Culture Values, Society, and Diversity

Dance and other physical endeavors as embodied forms of knowledge and culture; U.S. dance practices; European and African dance cultures; aesthetic and political issues raised by concert dance (i.e., performance, choreography, spectatorship, criticism); ethnographic methods to examine the function of dance in cultural formation (i.e., spiritual, celebratory, social, political contexts); lecture, discussion, viewing, movement workshops, formal and informal writing, field research, and blog construction. Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts

Introduction to basic concepts, theories, and practical applications of digital video production for multiple distribution streams, with focus on aesthetic and technical principles; development of proficiency in contemporary approaches to digital media production by understanding the production pipeline from ideation to preproduction, production, postproduction, and through to distribution. Engineering Be Creative

Acoustic principles of selected traditional instruments (e.g., winds, strings, percussion) as well as principles of electroacoustic sound production (e.g., analog synthesizers, microphones, transducers); students work in teams to build, test, and improve their own musical instrument and experiment with its playing modes; projects may include inharmonic variations upon classical instruments, musical bots, guitar or voice-processing pedals, transducer-driven DIY Gamelans, and more; for composers, performers, engineers, and sound enthusiasts who want to design, build, and/or perform with new musical instruments.

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Basic concepts and principles that can be applied to all modes of contemporary visual communication.

This course focuses on basic concepts and principles of traditional and contemporary visual communication practices. Topics include fundamentals composition, color, and design thinking.

 

Engineering Be Creative

Fabrication, hammer forming, hydraulic die forming, soldering, riveting, etching, texturing, anodization of aluminum and titanium, stone setting, and patination techniques; creation of jewelry, flatware, and other functional and nonfunctional sculptural objects using varied metals and other materials; emphasis on creativity, learning, and basic metalworking techniques.

Basic metalworking techniques, including: sheet metal fabrication, hammer forming, hydraulic die forming, soldering, riveting, etching, texturing, roll printing, anodization of  aluminum and titanium, stone setting, patination; creation of jewelry, functional, and nonfunctional objects using metals and other materials. 

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Application of GarageBand software (Mac platform) using midi keyboards; composition and music theory for projects using drag-and-drop looping, multitrack recording, sound effects, mixing, importing music for composition.

This course explains the basic applications of Mac-based GarageBand and requires each student to compose two pieces of music using the program.

The mid-term composition involves acoustic instruments with pre-recorded loops and the final composition will employ MIDI instruments and keyboards.

Use of editing techniques and effect processing will also be part of the final composition resulting in a CD of original compositions. Music therapy majors may be asked to write more sophisticated pieces of music than the non-majors.

The basic course structure is: 

1. How to set up the Mac and Getting Started with GarageBand.

2. Music theory basics (maj/min keys, notation, transposition, harmony)

3. Composition basics (the blues, AABA, & various basic song forms)

4. Drop-n-drag with apple loops (arranging possibilities)

5. Using the multi-track recorder (first with real instruments/microphones)

6. Using software instruments (using the MIDI keyboards/guitars)

7. Applying the variety of effects (reverb, echo, compression, EQ)

8. Using plug-ins (downloading and importing from the web)

9. Mixing process (automation, panning, volume levels, etc)

10. Exporting music and creating your own CD’s using itunes.

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Introduction to color theory, lighting, and utilizing color for conceptual concerns; experience operating digital SLR cameras in full manual mode, utilizing Adobe editing software, and producing fine art printed portfolios; requires a digital SLR camera.

This course is designed to introduce students to color theory as it pertains to image making including color as conceptual/compositional tool, color as visual language, and consistency of printed color throughout a photographic series. Concepts are presented within the context of contemporary trends and practices. Through slide lectures and critiques the course emphasizes visual literacy while encouraging students to develop a critical awareness of their work.

***Please note that while Photography I and Photography II may be taken in any order, Photography II will not count as an upper-level BA course until Photography I has been completed. Contact your academic advisor with any questions.***

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Emphasis on observational painting, theory and development of pictorial ideas and skills.

This course is a basic study of visual issues as they relate to pictorial space. Specific problems may involve still life, landscape, human figure (clothed and unclothed), or concept. Projects include monochromatic statements and the complexities of color. A technical understanding of oil media, a visual vocabulary, and the beginning of a personal investigation are stressed. Course format consists primarily of studio work and practice with faculty guidance through lecture and critique. Grading is based on the quality and improvement of work, participation in class critiques, and attendance. Written work may be required. A technical text may be assigned. The University Art Museum, Art Library, and School galleries are supplementary resources. Required materials include a complete list of oil painting supplies. The course is taught primarily by a faculty member with the assistance of a TA.

Engineering Be Creative

Introduction to methods, materials, and concepts of printmaking.

This class is designed to give the beginning artist an overview of basic printmaking techniques and an understanding of what a print is, its form in both unique and multiple formats, and how these function in our culture. Printmaking processes result in a rich array of pictorial possibilities and methodological approaches. Students will be exposed to the basic techniques and concepts of intaglio, lithography, relief, and basic computer applications for printmaking during the course. We will discuss the history of printmaking by looking at works by professional printmakers, both historical and contemporary, for inspiration.

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How skills learned by actors in the theatre world can be applied to presentations and interactions in business, education, and beyond; how to connect with others on a personal level; ability to stand out as a team player and a leader; acting techniques traditionally used in theatre to open up communication dynamics; how to display an authentic self in everyday situations. Engineering Be Creative

Basic sculptural concepts, processes, investigation of materials such as plaster, clay, wood; emphasis on developing formal language, acquiring basic skills; spatial, conceptual, technical issues.

This course is an introduction to basic sculptural concepts and processes. Emphasis is placed on developing personal ideas, and acquiring basic skills and knowledge of materials. Each assignment builds upon the others, creating a solid conceptual/technical foundation. Instruction includes readings, discussions, demonstrations, and slide presentations. Attendance is mandatory and grades are based on personal development and class participation. This is a fundamental 3D art course that introduces students to a wide array of hands-on fabrication techniques including, wood assemblage, plaster/wax mold-making and fabricating with wire/metal.

Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts

Materials, their formal and structural possibilities.

This is the foundation course for Product, Furniture and Interior Design and the introduction to the 3D Design discipline. Students develop conceptual and critical design thinking while solving problems to create 3D structures. Composition principles and their relation to aesthetic, structure and material are evaluated, discussed and developed through several handmade models that lead to the final design.

 

Communication skills and ability to strategize ideas are emphasized. Students will work on improving their ability to pitch their ideas. Participation in class discussion is mandatory.

 

This course should also provide the foundation for students applying for graduate programs in design, architecture and other related areas.

 

Course activities include lectures, demonstrations, assignments, critiques, presentations and a final digital portfolio (website).

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Concentration, relaxation, imagination, observation, communication, sensory awareness; development of theatrical creativity through objectives, obstacles, action, conflict, spontaneity; development of a scene from scripts.

This course is intended for students who are not theatre arts majors. The course is an introduction to the elements of performance, including exercises in concentration, imagination, observation, communication, relaxation, and sensory awareness. Classes are designed to promote toning the voice and body, freeing creative expression, and developing an understanding of the dramatic situation. This is primarily a lab class; appropriate casual clothing is necessary. Play attendance with written critiques, a journal, and a final performance project with written character and scene analyses are required. The course enhances interpersonal communication and presentation skills required for a successful career in occupations such as Engineering, Business, Medicine, Marketing, Mass Communications and Education to name a few.

Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts

Theatrical production; technology and backstage operations including sound, projections, lighting, scenery, costumes, stage management.

This is a concentrated hands-on training course that quickly introduces students to scenery, costume, and property construction, along with lighting and sound production. Students are shown the stages, shops, tools, equipment, safety procedures, and some of the basic techniques involved in producing a live performance. The course is required for all theatre arts majors. Course requirements outside of class include a mandatory tool qualification, and the attendance at one technical rehearsal and two performances. Theatre faculty teaches the course.

Engineering Be Creative

Practical experience in physical construction and operation of live theatre; theatre department productions provide lab experiences for applied learning in technical theatre and run crew opportunities in scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, and stage management. Engineering Be Creative

Elements of playwriting; emphasis on analysis and discussion of original student writing.

This course provides an introduction to the craft of playwriting.  Students will focus on the fundamentals of writing for the stage, including playwriting structure, creating characters, writing dialogue and building plays.  Coursework includes in-class writing, regular writing assignments, and the reading of plays.

Engineering students, as well as students of other disciplines, are encouraged to enroll.

Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts

Use of theatrical exercises and improvisation techniques to help students develop their imaginations, stimulate creativity, and approach practical projects from a fresh point of view; emphasis on working in teams and using improvisational techniques to solve problems.

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How to research, conceptualize, and express ideas through light plots, other design paperwork, and theatre lighting design projects.

A hands-on introduction to the principles and mechanics of lighting design in contemporary theatre and dance.  This course is designed to further the student’s knowledge of live theatre by providing them with an opportunity to explore emerging lighting technologies.  This objective will be accomplished through demonstrations, group projects, and individual presentations.  At the conclusion of this course, the student will have a basic understanding of the tools and techniques associated with contemporary lighting design, including 3-D modeling.  In addition, the student will have acquired the skills to conceptualize and execute a lighting design for a gallery production in the Department of Theatre Arts.

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Introduction to digital sound recording and live sound reinforcement techniques for a variety of entertainment venues (theatre, dance, concerts, industrial projects); creation of soundscapes using Pro Tools software; implementation of designs through the use of QLab playback systems and digital mixing consoles; documentation of sound design for theoretical and realized productions.

An introduction to digital sound recording and live sound reinforcement techniques for a variety of entertainment venues. These include Theatre, Dance, Concerts, and Industrial projects. Assignments include the creation of soundscapes using Pro Tools software, the implementation of designs through the use of the SFX playback systems, and the complete documentation of a sound design for a theoretical or realized production.

This class counts towards the Design Requirement for Theatre Arts majors.

Engineering Be Creative