Arts
22 courses · Napa Valley College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
ARTS-100 Survey of Studio Arts
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This course provides students with a broad understanding of materials, processes, and themes of the visual arts. Students will delve into 2D, 3D, and 4D media in relation to global, historical, and contemporary perspectives. This course is designed for students with a general interest in the arts or students who need general education credits in this area. Students pursuing an art, design, or art history degree or who are completing lower division major requirements in any visual arts concentration should not enroll in this course. Students majoring in art, design, or art history should instead enroll in courses that are part of their degree or transfer plan in consultation with an advisor.
ARTS-101 2D Foundations
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
2D Foundations is a broad introductory course focusing on the history, materials, and practices of two-dimensional Art and Design across cultures and historical periods. Topics include: the elements and principles of Art and Design, color theory, and interpretive analysis of form and content. Required for the AA in Studio Arts and for students transferring to a BA or BFA art program.
ARTS-102 3D Foundations
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
3D Foundations is a broad introductory course focusing on the history, materials, and practices of three-dimensional Art and Design across cultures and historical periods. Students will create three dimensional Art work to help strengthen their understanding of the elements and principles of Art. Class participants will work with a variety of sculptural media that may include clay, plaster, wood and paper. Topics including basic design principles, interpretive analysis of 3-d form, content and theories of spatial organization will be addressed. Required for the AA in Studio Arts and for students transferring to a BA or BFA Art program.
ARTS-105 Color Theory
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This course focuses on the principles, theories, and applications of additive and subtractive color in two dimensions. Topics will include major historical and contemporary color systems, production of projects in applied color, and the elements of design as they apply to color.
ARTS-110 Fundamentals of Drawing
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This course focuses on the development of observational skills and drawing techniques, employing a wide range of drawing media and subject matter. Students in this course will develop both technical abilities and creative responses to material and subject matter. No prior experience with drawing is required or expected.
ARTS-111 Figure Drawing
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ARTS-110 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This course focuses on drawing the human figure from observation using a wide variety of drawing media and techniques. Topics include an introduction to human anatomy and an introduction to the historical and contemporary role of figure drawing in the visual arts. Students in this course will learn both descriptive and interpretive approaches to drawing the figure.
ARTS-112 Creative Drawing
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of ARTS-110 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This studio course focuses on creative and technical problems related to intermediate level drawings, focusing on more complex and varied subject matter, media and concepts. Students in this course will build on the fundamental drawing skills to develop personalized approaches to content and materials in exercises covering color media, abstraction, and expressive/interpretive drawing.
ARTS-120 Fundamentals of Painting
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ARTS-101 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This introductory studio course focuses on the basic techniques and materials of painting, employing a wide range of painting media and subject matter. Topics include basic color theory, materials, development of both representational and abstract approaches, and strategies for intuitive, individual response to subject matter and materials in directed assignments. Designed for students with no prior experience with painting.
ARTS-140 Beginning Ceramics: Hand-Building
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
The basic processes and technologies of ceramics and appreciation of clay as a form of artistic expression will be explored. An introduction to a variety of hand-building methods and hands-on use of these processes to create various hand-built pieces. Includes an introduction to the appreciation of historic ceramic objects. Lectures on clay, glazes, kilns and firing. Appropriate for all art majors and minors as well as general interest students.
ARTS-141 Beginning Ceramics: Throwing
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
The basic processes and technologies of ceramics and appreciation of clay as a form of artistic expression will be explored. Introduction to a variety of potters' wheel throwing methods and hands-on use of these processes to create various wheel thrown pieces. Includes an introduction to the appreciation of historic ceramic objects. Lectures on clay, glazes, kilns and firing. Appropriate for all art majors and minors as well as general interest students.
ARTS-145 Clay Sculpture
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This class will focus on the use of clay as a means of artistic expression. Ancient and contemporary sculptures made primarily of clay will be explored for both esthetic and technical inspiration. The rich contemporary movement of west coast and most notably California artists focusing specifically on ceramic sculpture will be emphasized. Students will create clay sculptures while translating concepts and visual experiences into tactile forms.
ARTS-150 Sculpture
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This class will introduce materials, techniques, processes, and content related to the creation of sculpture. Ancient and contemporary sculptures will be explored for esthetic, technical, and cultural context and inspiration. Students will create sculptures while translating concepts and visual experiences into tactile forms.
ARTS-199 Independent Study in Art
- Units
- 1-3
- Hours
- 54-162 hours lab; 54-162 hours total
- Advisory
- Portfolio review.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This course is a self-directed study allowing students an in-depth exploration of art making practices, theories, histories, and cultures or all of the aforementioned topics. Each student will work independently with the instructor most appropriate to their desired medium or area of study. The rigor and breadth of work will correlate to the number of credits. The culminating achievements for a student in independent study could range from the writing of a paper to the production of a single piece of art or an entire series of work.
ARTS-210 Intermediate Figure Drawing
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ARTS-111 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- CSU
This studio course is a continuation of the pictorial problems and material techniques of figure drawing introduced in ARTS 111, focusing on more complex subject matter, formats, and techniques. Students in this course will develop individualized approaches to figure drawing utilizing both black-and-white and color drawing media.
ARTS-220 Intermediate Painting
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ARTS-120 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
This studio course is a continuation of the pictorial problems and material techniques of painting introduced in ARTS 120, focusing on more complex and varied subject matter, media, and concepts.
ARTS-240 Intermediate Ceramics: Hand-Building
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of ARTS-140 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
Develops an understanding of clay as a form of artistic expression through exploration of form, materials, content and function. Using a variety of hand-building techniques students will problem solve a number of assignments. Students will use a variety of surface treatments and have hands-on experience with kilns, studio equipment and glazes. Includes study of contemporary and historic ceramics.
ARTS-241 Intermediate Ceramics: Throwing
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ARTS-141 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
Develops an understanding of clay as a form of artistic expression through an exploration of form, materials, content and function. Using a variety of wheel-throwing techniques students will problem solve a number of assignments. Students will use a variety of surface treatments and have hands-on experience with kilns, studio equipment and glazes. Includes an intermediate study of contemporary and historic ceramics.
ARTS-244 Kiln Design
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ARTS-140 or ARTS-141 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- CSU
A course for students who wish to gain knowledge and experience in the principles, designs, and construction of kilns. Historic and contemporary kiln styles, firing methods and theories will be explored. Instruction on loading and firing the wide variety of existing studio kilns is included.
ARTS-248 Introduction to Glazes
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of Arts-140 or Arts-141 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
Designed for the student who wishes to understand how glazes are developed, prepared and used. This course includes the history of ceramic glazes, methods for developing and applying glazes, materials used in glazes, and practical experience in glaze testing and evaluation.
ARTS-249 Ceramic Surfaces: Wood Kiln-Salt Kiln
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ARTS-141 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course covers the historic and contemporary art of atmospheric (wood and salt) fired ceramics. Topics covered in this course will include various clay forming techniques, clay body and glaze formulation for atmospheric firing, an array of firing procedures, firing outcomes, and the aesthetics of historic and contemporary atmospheric firing.
ARTS-260 Studio Workshop
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is designed for art students interested in further honing skills learned in drawing, painting, printmaking or mixed media through individually directed work in a supervised studio environment with regular group, individual and written critiques and reviews. Topics include portfolio development, written communication of artistic concepts, and related academic and professional practices.
ARTS-261 Ceramics Workshop
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 108 hours activity; 108 hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ARTS-240 or ARTS-241 with a minimum grade of C.
- Transfers to
- UC, CSU
Appropriate for students with intermediate skills in either hand-building or wheel-throwing, this course will emphasize the continued development of technical skills, content, composition and the critical assessment of ceramic works. Contemporary developments in ceramic art will be included through image and demonstration-based lectures and demonstrations.