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HOW IT WORKS | CLASS SCHEDULE | MAJORS | FOUNDATION COURSES
HOW IT WORKS
The Pre-College Program strengthens your ability to observe, conceptualize, analyze and create. Whether courses are selected for personal exploration or as a fast track to college-level study in art and design, a balanced schedule and all-day studio classes allow for creative problem solving as well as artistic experimentation. In addition, studio critiques encourage you to talk about both your own work and that of your classmates.
The finest undergraduate art and design programs, including RISD’s, begin with a year of foundation study. This portion of the curriculum is considered as important as the chosen major. All Pre-College students are therefore required to take Foundation Drawing, Basic Design and Art History. These courses complement the work done in the major concentration by exploring crucial concepts and skills – they help you sharpen your powers of observation, gain experience with various tools, materials and techniques, and learn to analyze and discuss works of art.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Pre-College students receive their individual course schedules at Check-In. Each week’s schedule is structured as follows:
Major
2 six-hour days (12 contact hours per week)
Foundation Drawing
1 six-hour day (6 contact hours per week)
Basic Design
1 six-hour day (6 contact hours per week)
Art History
partial day (2 contact hours per week)
Total: 26 contact hours per week
Each course requires work to be developed or completed outside of class.
Please note: course schedules and syllabi are not available prior to Check-In.
MAJORS
You should apply as early as possible in order to obtain your first choice of the 21 possible majors. Major classes are scheduled for two full days each week, allowing you to explore a particular discipline in depth. NOTE: Any given instructor’s educational approach to a major may differ from that of other instructors, even those in the same discipline. Therefore, you should consider the following descriptions as general overviews, rather than as definitive syllabi.
Architecture
Students profit from the dynamic relationship between learning basic architectural concepts and physically employing them in the construction of prototypes. Important architectural principles are introduced through studio exercises, slide lectures and demonstrations. Students develop an understanding of scale, form and spatial relationships by sketching, drawing, drafting and model-building. The course is often enriched by walking tours that provide exposure to Providence’s unique amalgam of historical and contemporary architecture.
Ceramics
Clay has long been respected as the medium of choice for relief and sculptural portraiture, and has been used throughout history in many varieties of functional ware. Its plasticity and versatility are increasingly appreciated in works that transcend traditional boundaries, so that today, ceramic media are also associated with contemporary sculptural possibilities. Accordingly, students learn basic construction and finishing techniques, including hand-building, wheel-throwing, methods of surface design, glazing and kiln firing, and are also encouraged to experiment with both functional and sculptural ideas.
Comic Book Art
Comic books are pure pop-culture adrenaline — influencing novels, movies, fashion and even the web — and have become an essential element of our popular media consciousness. This major provides students with the expertise needed to combine words and pictures into compelling visual narratives for strips, comic books, or graphic novels. Students learn the creative and technical aspects of this idiosyncratic art form, including its unique characteristics and limitations. Classes include a survey of selected comics, in-class demonstrations of scriptwriting and drawing techniques, and studio assignments that encourage participants to develop original comic stories of their own. Beyond comic books themselves, the skills acquired also apply to children's books, film and television production and video games.
Computer Animation
Animation — the study of art in motion — is a constantly evolving art form. This studio major introduces students to the rich traditions of frame by frame movie construction as well as the most recent developments in the field. Using AutoDesk’s Maya software, students learn 3D polygon modeling to create virtual objects and characters that can populate an original animated work. Lighting and surface treatment are among the many techniques used to transform a stack of polygons into characters typical of those seen in games and movies. Additionally, students view and discuss noteworthy animated films for ideas to incorporate into their finished projects.
Drawing
This major allows students who wish to immerse themselves in drawing to expand significantly upon skills and techniques introduced in Foundation Drawing. Students confront demanding technical exercises and explore imaginative, descriptive and conceptual imagery on paper. All the critical technical elements of drawing – line, tone, composition and color – are employed as tools that facilitate extensive experimentation, discipline, and an environment of intense inquiry.
Fashion Design
Students in this major examine the fashion design process from sketchbook to consumer. Initial exercises focus on developing the visual communication skills necessary to illustrate a fashion concept. Merchandising and construction methods come to the forefront as students gain an understanding of color interaction, form and proportion. In the process, students begin to appreciate how fashion tastes and styles both reflect and contribute to contemporary culture. Ultimately, students design and construct fashion pieces out of alternative materials to be shown as part of the Pre-College Exhibitions at the end of the program.
Furniture Design
You use it every day. You live with it and you can’t get along without it. But have you ever really examined furniture? Have you ever admired the form of a table or scrutinized the function of a chair? Midway between sculpture and industrial design, the vital discipline of furniture design directly impacts human interaction and well-being. Through drawings and modeling, furniture design students explore key aspects of three-dimensional design, incorporating the aesthetics of form and function to articulate their design ideas. They learn to use traditional furniture-making skills, including joinery and the time-honored techniques of hand and power tools, ultimately building one of their own designs.
Game Design
For their virtual worlds to be compelling, game artists are obliged to develop design skills in an array of areas, from character design and animation to texturing and lighting to level building and scripting. Using two industry-standard tools – Autodesk’s Maya wrapped around the Unreal game engine – students are introduced to the mechanics of game design, creating fully animated characters and embedding them in detailed, multi-level environments. All of the elements of daily life – the vehicles, buildings, terrain and all variety of props – are designed as game assets in these virtual worlds. Students’ game creations are tested and ultimately take form as console and online gaming industry prototypes. NOTE: While not required, students may wish to bring a high-capacity storage device such as an iPod or external hard drive to take their work home at the end of the program.
Graphic Design
Graphic Design majors explore various combinations of traditional and digital design tools through a series of intensive classroom exercises. This regimen enables them to integrate diverse techniques with the design elements of color, form, typography and composition. Projects allow students to combine these tools and techniques in such creative applications as corporate identification, publications, posters, packaging and/or signage. Students also learn to recognize the principles of good graphic design as they integrate text and imagery (drawn from various media) into seamless, finished communications.
Illustration
This major is an ideal choice for students with a strong drawing background who desire the added discipline of working with both text and visual imagery. Indeed, the critical component of this major involves learning the best ways to combine words, images and ideas. Students explore books, magazines and short stories, seeking models for manipulating content, design elements, materials and techniques in order to express ideas effectively. These exercises allow students to explore a panoply of styles and to use various techniques and materials as they develop a personal visual vocabulary.
Industrial Design
From the creation of a cell phone to the configuration of a space satellite, industrial design is a steadily growing field that affects every aspect of our daily lives. The Industrial Design major is dedicated to instilling the conviction that fine aesthetics and mechanics reinforce one another in producing exemplary products for industry. Students work on design solutions for social, physical and ecological needs, and develop a working vocabulary in the language of two- and three-dimensional design. Three-dimensional drawing and model-making skills are therefore emphasized throughout the course.
Interior Design
Students in this major gain a strong foundation in the process of designing interior spaces. They develop a visual vocabulary in order to explore the relationships between interior components and movement within the space. Color, texture, fabric, lighting and other elements are investigated in a creative environment that encourages participants to express their own sense of design. Discussions and critiques help students understand the elements and principles of interior design as they develop project solutions.
Jewelry
Designing and constructing jewelry is an ideal discipline for developing an understanding of the structural underpinnings of all kinds of sculpture. Many skills learned in this major, if expanded in scale, are readily transferable to other modes of metalwork because they familiarize students with the properties of various metals and related materials, as well as with commonly used methods of joining. Techniques are learned through numerous demonstrations and structured exercises in the studio, enabling students to complete jewelry objects of their own choosing by the end of the course.
Painting
Painting majors are introduced to both traditional and contemporary concepts and techniques in painting. They learn to create and organize forms, colors, textures and tones while experimenting with various methods of application. Initially, students work from the figure, still-life setups and diverse landscapes. They then seek to create more personalized imagery by adapting lessons from the studio. Lectures, demonstrations and critiques reveal how others have tackled similar painting issues in the past, so that students can discover their own style.
Photography: Digital
The world, and photography right along with it, has become increasingly digital. Therefore, students in this major develop technical and aesthetic skills in photography, with an emphasis on digital imaging and its potential applications in print and electronic form. Coursework focuses on camera techniques, lighting methods, and the use of computer software (Adobe Photoshop) for enhancing and refining images and for printing digital files. RISD cameras are used during class time, but students are encouraged to bring their own digital cameras for flexibility in capturing images outside of class. (Bring your manual, too!)
Photography: Traditional
Traditional Photography students learn how to see and compose images through the camera’s eye, and are encouraged to develop personal concepts by solving fundamental visual problems specific to the photographic image. They explore black-and-white photographic tools and techniques, including operation of the single-lens reflex camera, how to determine proper exposures, and the chemical process for developing 35mm negatives and prints. Presentation methods and archival preservation are also demonstrated and discussed throughout the course. Both the experienced and the inexperienced photographer are welcome, but each student must have access to a 35mm camera with manual exposure capability.
Printmaking
This major is an excellent choice for students who want to expand upon previous drawing experience by exploring a tactile, process-oriented medium that offers many options for rich visual effects. Lessons in plate and paper preparation, registration and preservation enable students to explore diverse intaglio techniques such as pochoir, dry point, and hard- and soft-ground etching in both large and small formats. Surface printing techniques are also explored, including monoprinting, Chine collé and xerographic transfer. As students begin to master these techniques, they are given the opportunity to demonstrate both their facility and their developing personal imagery by producing a series of related small-format prints for final portfolio presentation.
Sculpture
Sculpture students explore a number of three-dimensional concepts, skills and processes. Typical projects use a selected array of materials and techniques based on individual student choices. In past years these have included building with paper or wire, modular constructions, installations, group performance pieces, and structures based on human, animal and plant anatomy. In-depth projects allow students to work on a larger scale, with more conceptual autonomy, and with a wider range of materials than most have encountered previously.
Textile Design
This ancient and rich form of artistic and practical exploration stimulates students to express individual color and design preferences while they learn basic concepts and methods for designing textile surfaces. By mastering the basic elements of silkscreen printing and assorted dyeing methods, students learn to create and repeat intricate design elements that make a continuous surface. In conjunction with their work in the studio, students are introduced to valuable information about the practice of designing textiles for apparel, upholstery, wall coverings and other commercial products.
Video
Using video as a means of expression and storytelling, students are introduced to the fundamental techniques, language and processes of motion pictures, from concept to final edit. Students learn basic digital video filming techniques and nonlinear editing with Final Cut Pro software as they shoot and edit a series of short individual and team projects. Experimental, documentary and narrative genres are all explored, and select student work is viewed and analyzed in class. (Previous experience with video editing software, such as iMovie or Adobe Premiere, is recommended.) NOTE: Video cameras are provided for use during class hours only. Students may bring their own video cameras (and manuals!), provided they record to a digital format (MiniDV, D8 or flash memory) and are equipped with FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports.
Web Design
The Web is alive and active, a constantly evolving soup of practices, protocols and products. For this reason, there continues to be a craving for inspired innovation and ground-breaking design, not just by-the-book shortcuts. This major introduces students to industry-standard web authoring tools that enable them to assemble graphics, text, audio, video and still images for presentation as interactive screen environments. Students develop a web site by creating layouts, organizing files, importing elements, and editing and linking pages in a variety of ways. In the process they consider site navigation, explore the integration of animation and sound, discover time-saving features for reusing elements or styles, and are introduced to best practices for usability and site management. They exit with an accelerated understanding of both the art and science of web design.
FOUNDATION COURSES
All Pre-College students are required to balance the weekly schedule of work in a major with classes in Foundation Drawing, Basic Design and Art History. The faculty work in teams so that the major, drawing and design curricula are consistent. Students also study with the same classmates and teachers throughout the session. Art History courses, on the other hand, bring students of differing majors together to add a more varied perspective to class discussions.
Foundation Drawing
The ability to observe and the skill of translating these observations into visual expression are fundamental to an artist’s education. Thus, students in this course first develop their power of observation and strengthen their ability to think and express themselves visually on paper. They learn techniques for working from the human figure, forms in nature, landscapes, interior spaces and still-life setups. Traditional and nontraditional materials are used throughout to investigate line, value, form and composition.
Basic Design
Design is critical to all visual expression. Accordingly, this course introduces students to formal elements of design – line, shape, color, texture and space. Through challenging exercises, students are encouraged to explore traditional methods of visual organization and to discover new solutions on their own. Projects may include both two- and three-dimensional design concepts.
Art History
The premise of the Pre-College Program’s dynamic art history curriculum is the interconnectedness of visual concepts, technical choices and aesthetic vocabularies used by individual artists within any given culture. Art History classes meet once per week to observe slide lectures and hold group discussions. Students also have the privilege of visiting The RISD Museum, where they can explore the collections, often behind the scenes, and examine original pieces close at hand. As good writing is crucial to effective thinking and communication, all students complete research assignments and make presentations on a wide spectrum of topics.
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