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Five Ways Otis College’s First Year Foundation Program Ensures Student Success

When new students arrive at Otis College, they’re not expected to immediately declare a major or even know what they want to pursue in art and design. The first-year experience at Otis is unique for its well-rounded blend of Foundation studio courses in drawing and design principles, liberal arts and sciences courses on such topics as writing and art history, and Creative Action courses focused on community- and issues-centered contextual learning. 

Life Drawing - Student Work

Sequenced instruction provides rigorous training in the use of gesture, anatomy, and structural figure drafting. Structural drawing and perceptual skills are expanded through study of the figure’s relation to environment, life-scale, movement, and draping.  Students discover individual sensibilities of mark-making and aspects of personal vision through a variety of traditional and experimental drawing media and techniques.

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13

Principles of Design - Student Work

A sequenced investigation into the dynamics of various organizing principles using traditional and contemporary media (i.e. photography, photo-copying, computer graphics, etc.).  Students learn fundamentals of value manipulation as determinants of visual order.  Elements of visual literacy provide a basis for the study of composition, including focal point(s), directional elements, and visual weight.

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13

Choosing Your Major

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13

Christopher Warner

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13

Cathy Lightfoot

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13

Roni Feldman

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13

William Eckert

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13

Beverly Bledsoe

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13

Matthew Penkala

Headlines

  • Otis Staff talking
    A Week of Creativity and Community at Otis College
    March 15
  • Dawn Baillie
    Dawn Baillie, Otis College Alum and Board of Trustees Member, Featured in The New York Times
    March 14
  • Student walking toward residence hall
    On-Campus Housing Gives High School Students a Taste of College Life During Summer of Art
    March 13