Catalog Description

Also known as AAD 71
Prerequisite: Completion of AAD 44 or ART 4A with grade of "C" or better
Hours: 90 (36 lecture, 54 laboratory)
Description: Introduction to the concepts, tools, and techniques of painting and drawing using creative software. Exploration of traditional artistic techniques in a digital environment. Includes development of skills such as form, color, space, and composition. Development of projects in for both print and screen. (CSU)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Utilize graphics software to develop projects that incorporate fundamentals of digital painting and drawing.
  • CSLO #2: Demonstrate digital painting and drawing principles, concept development, and personal expression across a variety of creative projects for print and screen.
  • CSLO #3: Evaluate projects for effective visual communication.
  • CSLO #4: Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and legal considerations surrounding copyright law, licensing, and artificial intelligence within the context of designing for media industries.

Effective Term

Fall 2025

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

90

Outside of Class Hours

72

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

Lecture Objectives:
1. Identify the fundamentals of the digital software as a tool for digital painting.
2. Define and use digital painting terminology, tools and techniques.
3. Compare traditional and untraditional painting techniques, histories, and methods with digital trends.
4. Explore concept development through various creative approaches.
5. Participate in class evaluations of student work, using appropriate design terminology in evaluating strengths of the work and making recommendations for improvement or creative variations.
6. Identify basic copyright issues and ethics affecting digital media. Appropriately select, use, and document image sources.
Activity Objectives:
1. Create digital painting projects which reflect the utilization of essential tools and techniques of the digital software.
2. Manage digital painting projects which reflect understanding of Mac interface, file management, file formats, and export/import options.
3. Explore various creative processes in developing class projects.
4. Develop skills in creation of painting projects including creating value, building form, manipulating color, describing space, composing subjects and developing concepts.
5.Compare traditional and untraditional drawing and painting techniques, histories, and methods with digital trends.
6. Produce print-ready digital art.

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
      • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
        • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)

          Articulation Information

          • CSU Transferable

          Methods of Evaluation

          • Projects
            • Example: Identify impact of total image; uniqueness and creativity in use of selections and images, creating the look and feel of a painting and completion of a single cohesiveness new image. Work is evaluated on the use of aesthetic elements: movement around and through the composition, positive and negative space, scale, line, form, balance, value, color, and overall impact of the project. Example: Students will produce a print-ready portfolio-quality digital art piece.
          • Skill Demonstrations
            • Example: Develop skills in creation of drawing and painting projects including creating value, building form, manipulating color, describing space, composing subjects and developing concepts. Compare traditional and untraditional drawing and painting techniques, histories, and methods with digital trends. Example: Students will create and instructor assigned digital painting which reflect the utilization of essential tools and techniques of the application.

          Repeatable

          No

          Methods of Instruction

          • Laboratory
          • Lecture/Discussion
          • Distance Learning

          Lab:

          1. Following the instructor presentation on digital painting principles, students will use the content of the lecture to develop an original composition working from a range of source materials.

          Lecture:

          1. Instructor will describe and demonstrate the creation of a digital painting. Topics that are addressed include use of source materials, including works of traditional and untraditional artists, illustrators, photographers, and historical references in creating an original composition. Students are expected to actively participate in the lecture.

          Distance Learning

          1. The instructor will provide an accessible lecture overview along with video and/or images of how to successfully complete projects relating to digital painting, such as the creation and usage of custom brushes. The instructor will demonstrate how to source, modify and create custom brushes to mimic traditional and untraditonal media and tools. Students are required to demonstrate their practice and competency with the techniques through documentation of their work through video or images that will be submitted via the LMS. In addition, students will then respond to prompts with written submissions to share where they succeeded and where there is room for growth in their practice.

          Typical Out of Class Assignments

          Reading Assignments

          1. Read chapter from text book on scale and proportion and prepare a 5 minute presentation to discuss your findings in class. 2. Read section from text book on tonal and surface controls and be prepared to discuss in class.

          Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

          1. Write a response to an art gallery or museum show. Describe the space, the pieces and the meaning behind the work. Using art and design terminology, analyze the composition, color palette, subject and materials. In addition, creatively respond to the work with a fictional narrative or prose. 2. After Still Life lecture, discuss meaning, history and methods of still life painting. As a class, bring in objects to create still life. Work collaboratively to set up still life compositions. Photograph compositions, upload to computer, adjust, crop and prep images for clone source painting in the digital software. Using original photographic reference and traditional compositional guidelines, create still life digital paintings.

          Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

          1. Creating an Original Painting: Create a new original digital painting following the basic steps learned in the tutorial on using tracing paper and cloning. Start with one of the digitized images; open the image, save the image as your initials 71 and p1.rif; clone the image; use tracing paper; work with pencil outlining; and then elaborate on the image with various brushes, brush variants, and brush effects. Save the image, using your initials, 71 and p1a.rif. When you have finished this first part of the project, create another version as p1b(or higher letter). Now, following the tutorials on Selection Tools and Effects, make selections and try different effects on the selected portions of the image. Work with combinations of brushes, selections, and effects until you are satisfied that you have created a "new" image. Please turn in three versions of the painting in a folder with your name, last name first. 2. Paper Texture: In this project we will explore paper textures. You may work from a either a drawing or photograph. You may simply keep the image source by the computer as you work on it on the screen, or you may scan it, open it and clone it as in the last project. You will use Square Chalk, one neutral color, and build up different densities and textures using the paper textures. Follow the steps in the tutorial handouts on Paper Textures.

          Required Materials

          • Digital Painting Techniques 7
            • Author: 3D Total
            • Publisher: 3D Total Publishing
            • Publication Date: 2015
            • Text Edition: 1st
            • Classic Textbook?:
            • OER Link:
            • OER:
          • A Guide to Digital Painting in Procreate: Landscapes & Plein Air
            • Author: Mike McCain, Eric Elwell, Jojo Lu, Jennifer Wang
            • Publisher: 3dtotal Publishing
            • Publication Date: June 6, 2023
            • Text Edition: 1st
            • Classic Textbook?:
            • OER Link:
            • OER:

          Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.