Associate of Arts (AA) in Fine Art Academy of Art University

The AA program offers a strong introduction to the core principles of creating fine art. Students choose an area of emphasis from drawing and painting, printmaking, or sculpture. The Associate of Arts degree can be used as a stepping stone to the BFA program.

Paths

• Emphasis in Drawing and Painting
• Emphasis in Printmaking
• Emphasis in Sculpture

Undergraduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:

Visual Communication

• Demonstrate basic skills in composition
• Demonstrate effective use of color theory
• Demonstrate effective use of proportion, gesture, and perspective
• Use value effectively when creating form
• Apply anatomical knowledge to accurately draw the human form
• Demonstrate craftsmanship and fine attention to detail

Technical Execution

• Demonstrate technical proficiency in a variety of printmaking processes (printmaking only)

Professional Readiness

• Produce basic materials required for an entry-level job search

Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:

• Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
• Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
• Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
• Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
• Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
• Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
• Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.

Academy of Art University offers some of the best training and hands-on experience to help accelerate your fine arts career. We pride ourselves in doing an exceptional job preparing you to excel in your chosen profession. Our degree programs are designed to equip aspiring artists and designers with a comprehensive toolbox of marketable skills that lead to success in the art world.

Commission Artist

Create custom art for clients and collectors as a commission artist. You'll interpret your clients' direction into one-of-a-kind works of art, and express yourself in a highly marketable way.

Curator

As a museum or gallery curator, you'll work as the content specialist in charge of the institution's collection. Interpret the material, organize its exhibition, and provide historical context through materials, catalogs, and labels.

Gallery Artist

Express yourself and contribute to the discourse of culture as a gallery artist. You'll create, show, and sell your work in commercial galleries, and museums and express a unique point of view.

Gallery Owner

Own, manage, maintain, and curate your own collection as a gallery owner. You'll discover new artists, build a clientele base, and organize shows to express a unique point of view.

Master Printer

Print editions as a master printer at a fine arts press or print house. You'll oversee the production and execution of fine art editions and collaborate with artists, printers, and publishers.

Muralist

Show your talent off on a large scale as a professional muralist. You'll work with clients to interpret their direction, budget supplies, and materials, and execute a work of art that satisfies everyone's goals.

Professor

Inspire the next generation of artists as a university art professor. You'll teach students historical, aesthetic, and technical details of developing their unique voice, and help them inspire and engage with the art community.

Sculptor

Dazzle the art world and its most knowledgeable enthusiasts with incredible three-dimensional compositions crafted from classical or cutting-edge materials that best express your unique point of view and serve as unmistakable commentary on the state of your community.

Unit Requirements

Degree Requirements

• A minimum grade of C- in all core courses, major courses, and LA 107 Writing for the Multilingual Artist or 108 Composition for the Artist
• Minimum 2.0 GPA and the following general education requirements:
  • 1 Written Communication: Composition
  • 1 Written Communication: Critical Thinking
  • 2 Art Historical Awareness: Western Art
  • 1 Employment Communications & Practices

After the above general education requirements are met, take Liberal Arts electives as needed to fulfill the Liberal Arts unit requirement.

Curriculum

Semester 1

• FA 145: Printmaking (Core)
• FND 110A: Analysis of Form A (Core)
• FND 131: Figure Modeling (Core)
• LA 101: Freshman Symposium: Artistic Resilience (Liberal Arts)

Semester 2

• FA 110: Still Life Painting 1 (Core)
• FND 110B: Analysis of Form B (Major)
• FND 112: Figure Drawing (Core)
  Recommended for summer
• FND 125: Color and Design (Core)
• LA 108: Composition for the Artist (Liberal Arts)
• LA 120: Art History Through the 15th Century (Liberal Arts)
  Recommended for summer

Semester 3

• FA 121: Intermediate Figure Drawing (Major)
• FA 211: Introduction to Painting: Figure (Core)
• FA 213: Introduction to Anatomy (Core)
• LA 121: Art History Through the 19th Century (Liberal Arts)
• LA 202: English Composition: Creative Persuasion & Argument (Liberal Arts)

Semester 4

• FA 143: Silkscreen 1 (Core)
  Recommended for summer
• FA 222: Heads & Hands (Major)
• FA 224: Composition & Painting (Core)
• FA 493: Study Abroad: Painting in Florence, Italy (Major)
  Recommended for summer
• FASCU 234: Head & Figure Sculpture (Major)
• ILL 133: Digital Media: Digital Manipulation (Core)
• LA 291: Designing Careers (Liberal Arts)