Art History

**Discover the Masters: An Art History Journey Through Theory & Practice**

**Course Description:**

Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of art history with this unique course that combines scholarly exploration with hands-on painting experience. “Discover the Masters” takes you on a chronological journey through pivotal art movements while teaching you to recreate iconic works using authentic techniques.

**Key Learning Modules:**

1. **The Evolution of Color Theory**
– Trace the development of the color wheel from Renaissance treatises to modern applications
– Practical workshop: Create your own pigment chart using historical mixing methods

2. **Light and Shadow Through the Ages**
– Examine chiaroscuro techniques from Caravaggio to Rembrandt
– Studio project: Paint a still life using 17th-century Dutch lighting methods

3. **Temperature as Emotional Language**
– Analyze how Romanticists and Expressionists manipulated warm/cool palettes
– Color study: Reproduce a Turner sunset and a Munch landscape

4. **Master Techniques Decoded**
– Reverse-engineer the palettes of Vermeer, Monet, and Picasso
– Mixing challenge: Match famous colors with period-accurate materials

5. **Post-Impressionism in Practice**
– Van Gogh’s Sunflowers: Symbolism, brushwork, and cultural context
– Guided recreation: Paint your version with attention to impasto technique

6. **Expressionism and Modern Angst**
– The Scream as social commentary: Fin-de-siècle anxiety and innovation
– Step-by-step project: Express emotion through simplified forms and bold color

**Course Features:**

– **Dual Approach**: Each session combines art historical lecture with studio practice
– **Progressive Skill Building**: Techniques increase in complexity as we move through art periods
– **Critical Analysis**: Develop visual literacy through formal critiques of your own work
– **Digital Resources**: Access to high-resolution artwork images and historical documents

**Who Should Enroll?**

– Art history students seeking practical application of theory
– Studio artists looking to deepen their historical knowledge
– Educators wanting to integrate art-making into history lessons
– Enthusiasts desiring a more engaged way to study masterworks

**Outcomes:**

By course completion, students will:
✓ Understand major art movements within their cultural contexts
✓ Possess technical skills to recreate historical painting methods
✓ Develop critical analysis abilities for museum/gallery visits
✓ Create a personal portfolio of masterwork interpretations

**Duration:** 12-week program (2 hours weekly lecture + 2 hours studio)

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.” – Pablo Picasso
Let this course help you write your artistic diary through the language of the masters.

Enroll now to bridge the gap between art appreciation and creation!

*(Available for college credit or continuing education units)*