Hello, you reached Art Foundations at Alfred University, New York College of Ceramics, Alfred, New York.

Here you can find info about happenings, classes, and visitors, as well as practical info for new students such as how to register, graduation expectations, and guides to technology and tools. There is also a link to the Foundations Flickr page, where you can get a peek at the 2011 Foundations Exhibition!

Welcome to our newly accepted students!  You will join over 120 other bright young artists as they begin their educational journeys at AU’s School of Art + Design! Before you arrive on campus, you’ll need to take care of a number of things. The Alfred Foundation Blog will walk you through your first steps! Take some time and read the blog starting with the titles under ‘Getting Started’ (over there -> in the right column). For questions, email Shelly Grant at grantsh@alfred.edu in the School of Art + Design Office.

Check back often, as it is always changing! (Look below this post for the new news)

M. Michelle Illuminato, Angie To and Ted Morgan

Purchase Supplies, Materials, and Book

Purchase Technology

Collect Material Archive

Read First Assignment, Bruce Mau’s ‘Incomplete Manifesto for Growth’ (on this site under readings)

First check out the Material Archive post….and get started collecting! Then look at the required materials list for your ‘art kit’  below. You can choose to assemble these materials yourself, or take advantage of the convenience and savings of having the AU Bookstore do it for you. The Art Kit can be purchased online at the AU Bookstore (along with the required book, How to be an Explorer of the World by Keri Smith.)

To do this, go directly to the bookstore http://alfred.bncollege.com/ or click on ‘text’ while in BannerWeb. Check back if the kit is not yet listed! It should be in the next month!

Tool + Material Kits 2012 – 2013

The Alfred University School of Art + Design Foundations Program requires that you purchase the following list of supplies. For convenience, the bookstore offers the kit at a discounted price, but if you already have many of these items, you are welcome to assemble the materials yourself. In addition, please read the Technology Guide for additional requirements including a computer, camera and other materials.
Drawing Pencils: 2 Ebony Pencils, 2 medium HB, 1 4H hard pencil
Compressed Charcoal 4 pack
3 Packs Vine Charcoal (30 sticks total)
9B Graphite Stick
2 Bulldog Clips
2 Kneaded Erasers
Pink Eraser
White Steadler Eraser
Acrylic Paint: white, black, cad red med, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, pthalo blue, cadmium yellow, yellow ocher
½” and 1” Bright Watercolor Brushes
1 Bamboo Brush
Wide cheap wooden brush horsehair (2 – 3 inches)
Olfa 9mm wheel lock utility knife (300)
Olfa Blades – 10 pack
X-Acto Knife with cap (#2)
X-Acto Blades (#2)
Scissors, Friskers 7”
Box of Pushpins (100 pieces)
Pack of Assorted Sewing Needles
Seam Ripper
Spool of Thread (Black)
Compass (with extension)

18” Metal Ruler with cork back
Hot Glue Gun
50 pack Glue Sticks
Sobo Glue

Work Gloves
Safety Glasses
26” x 38” Drawing Board (approx. size. Cannot be smaller than 22” x 30”)
16” Tool Box w/tray
1 25-sheet package of 81/2 x 11 photo paper
1 Flash Drive 4 G or higher.
10 pack of DVD’s in cases

Optional things to bring for the Line Workshop:
Binoculars
Walking stick
Head lamp
Water bottle
Magnifying glass

Thanks to PropMedic on deviant art for the image! ( See at http://propmedic.deviantart.com/art/TF2-Papercraft-RED-Toolbox-77759668)

To get started you might look around your house, what is interesting? What is available that you may not have at school? You should also go to a library, browse the stacks and look for images that capture your imagination. You can photocopy these images for use later, take notes on your discoveries, or even make reference drawings.

You will need some sort of box or file to keep your archive organized and portable. You might use an old record case, tax file, a wooden or metal box, or even a small suitcase. We recommend that you keep it compact since you will be storing these in your dorm rooms!

Spend some time this summer gathering and thinking about what you find truly interesting and you will build a great foundation for a creative fall!

Following are some things to jump-start your collecting: (List is for inspiration only. You do not have to collect all of these items, just things that you find interesting. Feel free to gather things not found on the list. Remember it is for you to decide what is important, there is no RIGHT answer to what or how much your archive should include!)

Any old paper goods: letters, labels, wallpaper, stamps, photos, books, bookmarks found in library books, newspaper clippings, pop-ups, cut-outs, silhouettes, etc.

Images of all kinds: nature, art, landscape, photos, patterns, tracings, drawings (own or others), printed materials (Japanese candy package).
Do not include: current magazine clippings and personal photos.

Collections of images (one example: Natural and Man-made Homes: from bird nests + beehives, to mobile homes + castles)

Small natural materials: odd stone, wooden sticks, salt, dirt, butterflies, animal bones, etc.

Small objects+materials: broken wooden parts, plastic rings, toy pieces, unusual nails, fasteners, tape, string, etc.

Fabric and textiles: unusual fabric swatches, leather pieces, handmade lace, knit object, felt, old costume /clothing.

Research from subjects that interest you: Artists, technology, folk dancing,
space travel, games, poems, etc.

Digital images and sounds: images from eBay or other image resources, sounds recorded or collected, old cassettes, records.

*Creating a Digital Bookmark: One way to keep your files at your fingertips is to create a del.icio.us list for them. The Del.icio.us list is simply a book-marking system that allows you to easily access and share your images. To take a look at one we used for the Site + Sound workshop last spring, go to http://del.icio.us/sitesound. You can find out more at http://del.icio.us/

For your first year of study, we highly recommend that you bring to school a Mac laptop computer, digital camera, and printer. A flash drive, CD/DVD’s, extra printer cartridges, and a variety of regular and photo paper are also recommended. It is convenient to have them on hand and buying them ahead of time may be your cheapest option. We would suggest that you bring with you any of the following if you already OWN them, but they are not required for coursework: cell phone, ipod, digital recorder. (A note about cell phones: coverage is sometimes spotty in the region. Some carriers are better than others. Check out http://www.alfredwireless.com for discounts on phone service)

You may find that you already own some of the suggested items. If this is true for you, it is perfectly fine to start the year with what you have and see how they work for your specific needs. If you do need to purchase new, we have found that buying from a reputable online business is one of the most effective ways to get the most for your money. These sites also can provide product information and customer reviews that are very helpful in choosing the best model for your needs.

What model you select will depend on your individual needs, what you want to spend, and your areas of interest. For example, if you intend to study in the Expanded Media Division you may want to consider a more expansive computer or if you plan to study photography, a SLR or Digital SLR camera. Remember however that you may change your mind about what area of study interests you most!

Computer
You’ll use a computer most days at Alfred, from checking your email (a Foundations requirement) to researching and writing papers, to adjusting images and printing them. A computer is an expensive investment and should be bought according to your needs, so consider several things: where and when will you most likely use it, a Mac or a PC, a laptop or desk model, what level of computer you need, your future goals and how much money you want to spend.

• As a college student you are eligible for an education discount from Mac, Dell and Gateway. To find out more about this check the Alfred University site, go to http://my.alfred.edu/its/index.cfm/fuseaction/other.comppurch.cfm.
• While the university as a whole uses PCs, the School of Art + Design and most artists/designers use Macintosh.
• Many people find that a laptop is the best choice because you can bring it to class, the library or a coffee shop.
• Watch out for incentives, often you can get a printer or ipod with your computer purchase.

Digital Camera
During the year you will be asked to use a camera for visual research and to document your work. Select a camera that fits your needs* and budget. For most a compact model with at least 8 megapixels will work for most people. Since the quality of your images will be important, it is best to buy a good quality brand with the highest resolution you can afford. A couple good choices might be a Canon, Panasonic, Nikon, Olympus, or Sony.

You will find the best selection, lowest prices and most information by purchasing a digital camera online. Following are several reputable sites that faculty members have used over the years. You might start by checking the sites that provide a buying guide and reviews first (http://reviews.cnet.com/) and then look at Bizrate (www.bizrate.com), Epinions (http://www.epinions.com) or Price Grabber (http://www.pricegrabber.com) to see who offers the least expensive price after you have selected the model you desire. With a little research you can find an excellent resolution digital camera for a reasonable price.

You might also want to purchase additional storage for your camera. Most come with a CompactFlash, Smartmedia or other PC card, but usually this is not large enough to store many photos.

*Just a note, if you are planning on taking Photography courses you will need a SLR (single lens reflex) camera for Sophomore Photography and if you elect to take Digital Photography (junior) you will need a Digital SLR. If you do buy a SLR or DSLR you should consider purchasing a protective UV filter for your lens. Of course, these items do not need to be purchased for this school year.

Printer
Many times you will be asked to print out images from your digital camera or the internet and bring them to the class the next day. It is often difficult to find a color printer on campus for this purpose. We recommend that you purchase or bring with you a color inkjet printer that prints at least 8.5 x 11. Printers have come way down in price and sometimes are bundled with a computer purchase. You might also considering purchasing one together with your roommate. Excellent choices would be any inexpensive Canon, HP or Epson printer. For a good guide to printers check out: http://printers.bizrate.com/printers/buying_guides/basics.html
Remember to purchase extra cartridges, they are much cheaper online and you will run out!

USB Flash Drive or Thumb drive
You will need to purchase a flash drive. These small devices make it easy to take your files to a printer or to share images. They hold lots of data and start at about $7 for a 4 Gigabit.

Things to remember
CDs/DVDs
Printer cartridges (online is cheaper)
Inkjet Paper: photo, regular
Extra storage card for your camera

Additional Art-making Tools (bring if you already own)

Cell phone
Ipod
Digital recorder
Sewing machine

Online Purchasing
Alfred, educational discount, (www.alfred.edu/its/index.cfm/fuseaction/other.comppurch.cfm)
Mac (www.apple.com)
Gateway (https://select.gateway.com)
MacWorld (www.macworld.com)
PCWorld (www.pcworld.com)
J&R (www.jr.com)
B&H (www.bhphotovideo.com)
Adorama (www.adorama.com)

Reviews +Price Comparison
Bizrate (www.bizrate.com)
Epinions (www.epinions.com)
Price Grabber (www.pricegrabber.com)

Better Photo (www.betterphoto.com)
Digital Photography Review (www.dpreview.com)
Digital Camera Review (www.digitalcamerareview.com)
Cnet reviews (reviews.cnet.com)
Consumer Reports (www.online.consumerreports.org)

Please read the following Questions + Answers carefully before registering for your Fall Semester classes. While this process can be complex for the first-timer, the following suggestions will help answer most of your questions. To get started, assemble and read the information sent to you from the Alfred University Registrar’s Office. This includes Custom-printed registration Planning Form with Name, ID#, and Alternate PIN, Instructions for a first-time login to BannerWeb, and Web Registration Guide (Web Registration Guide).

Questions + Answers__________________________________________________

How do I register and use BannerWeb?
All students register online on the BannerWeb site. Refer to the instructions for a first-time login to BannerWeb that was part of your information packet from the Registrar. You will also need the other information from that mailing to fully register (especially your ID and Pin Number and the BannerWeb Registration Guide.) If you did not receive an Information packet please contact the Registrar’s office at 607-871-2123 or e-mail registrar@alfred.edu.

What is a typical Program for Freshman Year?
Foundation Art (101 & 102) 16 credits (8 per semester)
Art History (3 two credit courses ARTH 120, 130, 140) 6 credits
English (101 or 102) 4 credits
Humanities (2, 100 or 200 level only) 8 credits

What are the BFA Requirements?
A minimum of 128 credits are required for graduation from Alfred University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art and Design. You are encouraged to track your own progress toward graduation by keeping records based on successful completion of course work. You can review your progress toward graduation on the Banner system.

The total of 128 credits must be distributed as follows:
Studio 72
Writing 4
Humanities 8
Other academics 13
Art History 17
Electives 14
Senior project 0
Total 128
PHED 4 (additional PHED credits may not be used toward elective requirement.)
Total 132

So how many credits should I take?
A minimum of 30 credits should be completed by the end of the first year so that you can go on to sophomore year. A normal load is 16 credits, but students have the option to take as little as 12 or up to 18 credits depending on their abilities, schedule and outside activities. If a student chooses to take 14 credits in the Fall they will be required to complete at least 16 in the Spring for a total of 30 to register as a sophomore. Additional tuition is charged for more than 18 credits and must be approved by the Dean, unless the student is in the Honors Program.

How do I register for the Foundation Program?
All students accepted into the BFA Foundation Program must register for 8 credits of Foundation l (10676-ART101-001). Go to BannerWeb, follow the instructions and begin by adding this course! Students will be assigned specific sections once they arrive on campus. After you add this course you will have registered for a total of 8 credits.

What’s the Foundation Schedule?
The Foundation Program meets every morning, five days per week. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday studio classes start at 8:00 until 11:00 am. On Wednesday mornings, the entire freshman class gets together for group activities, films, field trips, lectures and discussions from 9:00 until 11:15 am. This is also when we hold the live lecture and talk show called STUDIO Visits. (See who visited last year at http://austudiovisits.wordpress.com/) When you are planning your schedule keep in mind that your Academic and other courses will need to be scheduled around these time slots.

What about Art History?
Refer to either your paper copy or the Alfred website for the Class Schedule Listing for Fall. You will notice that the Art History course numbers start with ARTH 12_, ARTH13_ or ARTH14_. Each of these courses are worth 2 credits. To complete the Art History requirement for the first year you must take one class beginning with each of those prefixes for a total of 6 credits. You will take one course one semester and the other two during the other semester. All course numbers are offered each of the two semesters and do not need to be taken in numerical sequence. It is very important that you complete all three of these courses before the end of your freshman year, since you will not be able to take them again until you are a Junior.

The Art History courses meet for only 7 weeks or one half semester, so two may be taken in one semester. We refer to these half semesters as A Block (first 7 weeks) and B Block (second 7 weeks).  The Class Schedule Listing on Banner indicates which half of the semester each course meets. It is not recommended that you take two of these courses during the same block. Please be aware of this when scheduling.

What about my English and Humanities Requirements?
With few exceptions, all students should take one English course and one Humanities course in their first year. Both courses are assigned 4 credits and should not be taken in the same semester. It makes no difference which semester you choose to take one or the other, although if writing has not been your strength you may want to consider taking it first as it will help your success in other classes.

Can you tell me more about the Writing Requirement?
Students should register for the appropriate level course depending upon their scores on college entrance exams. School of Art and Design students will adhere to criteria utilized by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for placement in ENGL 101, 102 or exempt.

                 SAT Writing                  SAT                          ACT

ENGL 101       499 or below                 539 or below           25 or below

ENGL 102       500 – 699                      540 – 739                  26 – 29

Exempt            700 or above                740 or above            30 or above

Can you explain the Humanities Requirement with a little more detail?  Over the course of your studies you will be required to take 8 credits (2 courses) of Humanities. These courses are organized into areas or groups. You will be choosing one course from B or D, and one from the Other Humanities or A areas. Below I’ve listed the requirements and course names, but the best way to make sure that you are taking a course that fulfills the BFA humanities requirement is to go to BannerWeb. Once there, go to Class Schedule, scroll down to Attribute type and select either .BFA:Humanties (Area B or D) or BFA: Other Humanities. Only courses that fulfill the requirement will be listed for that semester. Keep in mind that topics change each semester.  So you may want to plan ahead if there is a specific course you’d like to take in the future!

You will need to take one 4-credit course from among 100-200 level offerings listed under:
BFA: Humanities (area B or D course attribute)
The World in the 20th Century-13626 HIST 107-01
The World in the 20th Century-13042 HIST 107-02
The Making of Europe 13617 HIST 110-01
The Rise and Fall of Iberia, 1450-1950-11657 HIST 151-01
American History 12465 HIST 211-01
American History 10208 HIST 211-02
Introduction to Philosophy 10302 PHIL 101-01
Introduction to Philosophy 13609 PHIL 101-02
Ethics 12651 PHIL 281-02
Philosophy of the Arts I 10304 PHIL 282-01
Introduction to World Religions 13242 RLGS 105-02
Birth of the Christian Tradition 13621 RLGS 254-01

The second humanities must be a 4-credit 100-200 level course from (area B or D) or from the
BFA Other Humanities (course attribute)
Cultural Anthropology 10001 ANTH 110-01
Mass Media and American Life 10033 COMM 110-01
20th Century Poetry 13700 ENGL 216-01
Tales of King Arthur 13743 ENGL 221-01
Shakespeare in Cinema 12516 ENGL 225-01
American Politics 10351 POLS 110-01
American Politics 10352 POLS 110-02
World Politics 12825 POLS 271-01
Introduction to Sociology 10404 SOCI 110-01
Introduction to Theatre 13792 THEA 110-01

What if I am interested in the Art Education Program? Students interested in Art Education will not need to register for any special classes at this time. You will learn more about the program and it’s requirements once here.

What if I am a Transfer or Honors student? Transfer and Honor students may wish to make adjustments or additions to their schedule. Advice is available by calling Shelly Grant at grantsh@alfred.edu or at 607-871-2441.

Are there other options that I might consider?
The University has many 2 credit offerings that are popular with students. Many Foundations students take courses in the Performing Arts including Music, Dance, and Theater. Spend some time looking over the course offerings for Fall. Sign up for something that really interests you! This is the time to explore new things or build on skills that you have already started to develop. If you are thinking about study abroad, then you might want to learn more about a specific country or take a language. And remember, you don’t have to do it all in the first semester, you have four years!

I have a question that you haven’t answered, who can I talk to?
For questions related to the on-line registration system and BannerWeb contact the Registrar’s office at 607-871-2123 or e-mail registrar@alfred.edu. For questions related to School of Art advising contact Shelly Grant at grantsh@alfred.edu or at 607-871-2441.

You may also take a moment and visit the Alfred University, School of Art and Design website at http://art.alfred.edu. There you can access lots of information about your school!