Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AS 204-1"
COURSE NAME: "Painting"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2026

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Roberto Caracciolo
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: W9:00 AM 11:45 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: This class requires a materials fee of €75/$85 to cover all basic art supplies.
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces the basic issues of painting and pictorial perception. Emphasis is on students' imaginative responses to a series of classic problems: the still life, figure study, portrait and others through the control of color and light and dark value, while building form in a coherent pictorial space. The course introduces connections between studio work and the history of painting, encouraging critical discussion.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course explores the perceptual and material aspects of oil painting, focusing on tone and color manipulation to translate the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional plane through direct observation.

The course begins with sketching and drawing, gradually introducing painting techniques such as shape, mark-making, color, and surface. Students will engage in hands-on demonstrations, which they must replicate, and will be introduced to key painting traditions through in-class presentations.

Throughout the course, students will explore various facets of the creative process, developing a personal approach to their work. Individual presentations, group discussions, and one-on-one critiques will help students articulate their ideas and refine their artistic language.

Painting assignments will be completed outside of class time, and visits to art exhibitions will be scheduled to further inspire and inform students' practice.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Understandandanalyzethe traditions and challenges of painting.
Applypainting techniques, color theory, and composition to represent form and space effectively.
Evaluatetheir own work and the work of others, demonstrating critical thinking and self-assessment.
Createa personal approach to painting through experimentation and problem-solving within the process.
Communicateclearly about painting concepts, techniques, and critical perspectives, both verbally and in written form.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Midterm review	Assignments and independent projects will be given throughout the course and will be presented and assessed during group critiques. There will be two formal critiques - one at mid-term and the other during final week. Students will be required to present their work to the class and to answer questions about their work by the professor. Students will be encouraged to comment on the work of their classmates. Attendance is mandatory. Failure to be present will result in a significant drop in assessment at the end of the term.	30
Final review	The students' final body of works must reflect an awareness of their identity and potential as practitioners, giving evidence of their ability to sustain a studio routine. Evaluation criteria include: completing all task and assignment required, experimentation, inventiveness, expressiveness, ability to observe, concision, improvement, intentionality, spatial clarity, awareness of processes, and other aspects of technical skill.	60

Attendance and participation	Attendance is mandatory. Independent work will be expected from each student. Students should expect to spend at least three days a week on developing and finishing projects.	10

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality shows excellent mastery of the course content along with exceptional levels of technical skill, artistic awareness, originality, resourcefulness, commitment, quantity of work and improvement. There has been excellent collaboration and leadership in group projects, and there have been no attendance problems.
BA highly competent level of performance with work that directly addresses the content of the course, with a good quantity of work produced.
CAn acceptable level of performance: the work shows awareness of the course content, but is very limited in quantity, quality, commitment and skill.
DThe student lacks a coherent grasp of the course material and has failed to produce much work.
FNegligent in attendance, academic honesty, engagement with the course content, or production of work.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
This course introduces the basic issues of painting and pictorial perception. Emphasis is on students' imaginative responses to a series of classic problems: the still life, figure study, portrait and others through the control of color and light and dark value, while building form in a coherent pictorial space. The course introduces connections between studio work and the history of painting, encouraging critical discussion.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Week 1 (January 21): Introduction to the course. Clarification of what materials need to be bought, and which will be available. Rules and explanations regarding correct studio practice.

Week 2 (January 28): Introduction to drawing and issues of composition. Sketching and drawing still-lives on paper. Drawing still-lives with a brush.

Assignment: Two more sketches done with a brush on paper.

Week 3 (February 4): Introduction to shading. Black and white on paper. Cold versus warm (white, black and red earth).
Assignment: A still life in black and white on paper.

Week 4 (Feb 11): Introduction to color and color theory. Painting a still-life – on canvas board – using sequences of colored dots and small strokes.
Assignment: A second still-life in the same fashion.

Week 5 (Feb 18): Introduction to the idea of stroke, of touch. A second still-life – on canvas – using flat uniform color strokes.

Assignment: Finishing the still life on canvas.

Week 6 (Feb 25): Brief critique of works done so far and more time to finish the still-lives already begun.

Assignment: Continue still-life.

Week 7 (March 4): Mid-term group critique.

BREAK

Week 8 (March 18): Introduction to stretching canvas and priming it. Introduction to oil painting by seeing past examples. Stretching canvases and priming them in either rabbit-skin glue or acrylic gesso.

Assignment: Working from the past. Sketches from books.

Week 9 (March 25): Still-life in oil.

Assignment: Continue still-life in oil.

Week 10 (April 1): Introduction to Figure Painting. Figure studies in oil on canvas.

Assignment: Continue to paint on figure study, concentrating on the background.

Week 11 (April 8): Figure painting continued.

Assignment: Finish figure painting.

Week 12 (April 15): Introduction to portrait painting. Painting a portrait or self-portrait from mirror or photographic image.

Assignment: Finish portrait started in class.

Week 13 (April 22): Last opportunity to paint in class.

Assignment: Create a digital portfolio of the work done throughout the semester (to be uploaded on Moodle).

Week 14 (April 29): Final group critique; preparation of final exhibition; appointments made for individual critiques and evaluations.

Week 15 (May 6): Individual critiques