The Voice

Issue date: 1/29/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Rachelle Marshall Joel Tyner and Lindsey Jordan work from sketches on an in-class, collective collage project.

Attention art students on a budget! If tuition and lab fees have dried up all funds for supplies, there is a class on campus that allows the freedom to create and learn, without the burden of costly materials.

Three-Dimensional Design is a four-credit course that currently meets Mondays and Wednesdays in the LA building.

It is instructor Matthew Shlian's first time teaching at WCC and he already has students claiming him as the reason why 3D Design is "one of the most fun classes this semester." Shlian, who is a graduate of Alfred University and Cranbrook Institute, will be exhibiting his work at Gallery One in the SC building.

As for the 3-D Design course, any student interested in art can benefit from the working environment of the classroom. Students work with a variety of media, starting from sketches to develop art that interacts three-dimensionally in space. Students learn to communicate visually using form to reflect ideas. "Materials can be found around home, or bought at the dollar store," suggested Shlian .

In one class students worked on a collective collage project, sharing forms they cut out from magazines. Other assignments include material manipulations, additive construction, and working with object multiples. Three-Dimensional Design is the closest course to sculpture that is offered at WCC. It has no prerequisites and offers a comfortable environment for experimentation. As far as experience and artistic directions, "students run the gamut," said Shlian

Several students in class this semester are working on credits to transfer to another school. The course will provide insight as to how they can present their work in portfolios, as well as introduce students to the work of contemporary artists working in the three-dimensional style, to encourage the students' developing directions.

Joel Tyner, an illustration student in the class said, "I just wanted a design class, and I like the hands-on element of the class as opposed to the usual lecture."

The majority of the workload for the course is in the in-class projects. Students are expected to keep sketchbooks outside of school to record inspiration, and ideas are often generated in class from the sketches. There is a research project on a contemporary three-dimensional design artist assigned by Shlian that will be discussed in class, but there are no exams!

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools