Melinda Whitmore

This course is designed to enlighten and empower the student?s knowledge of basic anatomy in skeletal and superficial musculature forms and to apply it in a drawing context with confidence and fidelity. Not only will the student become better familiarized with anatomical structures through class lectures and life drawing sessions, but a greater understanding of the dynamics of form and movement in space will be achieved through practice and repetition of procedures learned throughout the course.

Ecorche (ay-kor-shay) is a French word meanining 'flayed' or 'skinned', but to figurative artists it also refers to any representation of the figure that describes what lies under the skin. In this course, we will be exploring anatomy through the production of a three-dimensional ecorche - where students will use additive and subtractive sculptural practices to create a 1/3 life-sized sculpture representing half skeletal structure and half musculature form. Lectures and materials will focus on specific areas of the body.

This course is designed for students who want to engage the human figure as subject while learning/reinforcing the fundamentals of painting. By observing the model in space, students will investigate form, color, composition and the properties of paint.

Humans have been depicting humans with paint for tens of thousands of years. The human figure continues to be a vital subject in contemporary art. The work done in this class exists in this broad context.

This is a multi-level class. Painting perceptually (from life) is challenging at all levels. Painting a human being from life further deepens and expands this challenge.

The artwork referenced may range from prehistoric to contemporary. This course has many sections; the exact focus of each class will depend on the teacher, and so the work shown will vary from class to class. Work will likely be seen via lectures in class and/or visits to the museum. Other material, such as readings, will also vary.

Expect to paint the figure from life in class. Other in-class activities will vary. Outside assignments will vary.