Syllabus
Figure Painting
Professor: BiLan Liao

(Link to Examples of Introduction to Students' Work.)

Course Description
In this three credit hour course, students will examines issues related to: painting the figure in an
environment, multi-figure composition, the figure in an architectural setting, the figure in the landscape, and
other related problems.  The course begins with a classical emphasis, but then later explores painterly and
abstract approaches to the figure and the figure as a vehicle for creative expression.

Students are encouraged to build upon their experience from beginning figure painting class.  Those earlier
experiences should be applied to complex figurative compositions in their advanced figure paintings in this
course.  There will be a number of large scale paintings in this Advanced Figure Painting course that are
primarily fours on two or more figures in the composition.  Observation colors will be reinforced in all
paintings from the beginning of the semester to the end of the semester.  Throughout this course, the
student needs to maintain, and develop if necessary, self-motivation and personal responsibility in his or her
work habits.  The class structure for Advanced Figure Painting will be informal.  However, the student needs
to be in the classroom at the assigned scheduled time working on his/her painting.  It is mandatory for all
students to attend group critiques and lecture when the instructor assigns these times.

Goals of the course (for Beginning to Advanced Figure Painting)
•        To examine the issues related to the figure in space
•        To examine multi-figure composition
•        To understand classical issues related to the figure
•        To explore painterly and abstract approaches to the figure
•        To use the figure as a vehicle for creative expression
•        To reinforce general painting skills
•        To present classical painting techniques and materials
•        To encourage critical thinking and creative approaches to the figure

Goals of the course, additional (for Senior and Graduate Study)
•        To develop a figurative body of work, building from the experiences of earlier figurative painting
       course work.
•        To strengthen figure painting techniques
•        To reinforce formal/composition issues in figure painting
•        To reinforce the student's ability to communicate verbally their intentions, along with understanding
       critical issues
•        To develop an understanding of the processes of painting in both traditional and contemporary ways

Critique
The student needs to be aware of the importance of communicating verbally their intentions in relation to the
work he or she creates outside of class.  Each student needs to understand the importance of the evaluation
of his or her outside work with regard to ideas, formal issues, and technical skills, and to be able to translate
these issues into the painting.  During critiques, the student will be required to give an oral defense
regarding her or his intentions regarding the outside assignments.  Also, during each critique, a member of
the painting faculty will establish criteria to be used in evaluating paintings.  Areas to be considered are the
conceptual idea, formal issues, and the technical aspects of the painting.

Class Presentation
Each student will be required to give a presentation on a figurative artist of the recent past (Renaissance to
Contemporary).  The duration of the class presentation is to be twelve to eighteen minutes.  The
presentation is mandatory and failure to participate will greatly affect the final grade.

There will be a number of paintings created in the classroom and a number of paintings created outside of
the classroom.  The number of paintings to be created outside the classroom will be determined during the
first class meeting.

Assignments
The total number of paintings to be completed during the semester in Advanced Figure Painting are four
large scale paintings (30" x 40" or larger) and six to eight small scale paintings (18" to 20" x 24" to 30").  
Specific details will be provided regarding each assignment during class; accordingly, class attendance is
extremely important.  

Portfolio
Approximately half of the paintings will be turned in for grading mid semester, and the other half of the
paintings will be turned in for grading near the end of the semester.  Exact due dates for submitting work will
be provided during the course of the semester.

Late Work
It is the responsibility of the student to note and meet all class assignment deadlines. Failure to do so will
result in the loss of ½ of the entire assignment grade for an assignment less than one week late, and the
loss of the entire grade for an assignment that is one week late or later.

Attendance
Class attendance is mandatory for the complete scheduled three hours.  Three absences for valid reason
will be tolerated.  A fourth unexcused absence will affect the student's final grade by a drop of one entire
letter grade, with another ½ drop in letter grade for each additional unexcused absence.  This could
ultimately result in failure of the course. Absenteeism and tardiness will also directly affect the quality of a
student's work.

In the classroom, the student is expected to be prepared and have the necessary supplies to work the entire
three hours on Advanced Figure Painting.

Grading Policy
Grades are based on how creative you are with the formal elements in the paintings, along with how
successful the conceptual issuers are in the works painted outside the classroom.  Letter grades are
assigned based on the following numerical equivalents:

A  = 1o
B   = 8
C   = 6
D   = 4
E    = 0

Accommodations
Students needing accommodations because of disability should alert Student Services and/or the Kendall
College of Art and Design Counselor prior to the first class meeting.   

Snow Policy
In times of hazardous weather, this class will not meet if Kendall has canceled classes.  Accordingly, students
should attend to the Kendall website and local television or radio media for cancellation information.  These
will be considered "Work at Home" days.
To get credit for attendance on snow days, students will be required to return with reasonable progress
made on the current assignment. These are automatic "check off" days.  If dangerous conditions develop
during the day, students should use good judgment when determining driving risks.  If driving conditions are
hazardous, do not drive.

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Painting Materials List

Oil Colors
Lemon Yellows Hue
Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna
Cadmium Red Deep Hue
Cobalt Violet Hue
Permanent Green Light
Virlian Hue (Blue – green)
C
erulean Blue Hue (Mixture) (sky blue)
Phthalo Blue ( Deep blue)
Titaniurn White

Brands of Oil Colors
Excel lens – Blocks, Holbien, Windsor – Newton “Artist Grade,” Rembrandt

Acceptable – Windsor – Newton London (student grade), Windsor – Newton alkyds, Utrecht Oil Colors, Liguitex,
Grurnbacher

Solvents
Turpenoid, Grumtine, Permatine (no turpentine)

Brushes
Pig Bristle
Flat Bristle: No. 2, No. 8, No. 10

Round Bristle: No. 2, No. 6, No. 8

Palette Knifes

(How many canvas, canvas papers and panels and the size requite for this class will be regrading in the class schedule)