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Welcome to Otis College and to the Foundation (first year) program. You are about to begin your professional training in art & design. To prepare for your course advising session, please read through the Course and Section descriptions and preview the Section schedules and faculty bios provided below.

Foundation Courses and “Sections”

Students enrolled in the Foundation program take their studio courses with a “section,” or group of students who, as a learning community, share the same weekly schedule, faculty, projects, and assignments in the fall semester.

Sections allow students to bond well with their classmates and learn quickly in a familiar environment. Some sections have an affinity label of “Adobe Focus”, meaning that section’s Principles of Design class is taught primarily using Adobe Photoshop.

Other sections’ Principles of Design classes will be taught using a blend of analogue material exploration, instruction in Adobe programs, and photography as components of students’ design process.

Decision One: Choose Life Drawing I or Creative Practices I

The first decision for you to make is whether to take Life Drawing I or Creative Practice I—this will determine which sections are available to you.

Life Drawing I is the course in which you learn to draw the human figure from a live model. Learning to draw the human figure from observation has a long tradition in the study of art and design, and here at Otis College. We are renowned for our ability to teach students how to draw the human figure with excellence. This course is recommended for all majors, especially students who are considering entering Animation, Game Design and Entertainment, Toy Design, Illustration or Fashion Design – as drawing the figure is an essential skill in those fields.

The Creative Practices I course provides instruction in drawing for ideation, experimentation, and includes the use of a broad range of methods and materials including photography, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional making, and investigations into time and movement. Projects are based on student’s interests in concept, material and media. This course is recommended for all majors, especially students who are considering entering Fine Arts, Graphic Design, or Product Design.

Decision Two: Choose a Section

As part of registration, you will select a Foundation section. In choosing a section, consider whether you would like an “Adobe Focus” section or a regular sections, and the faculty members involved. Faculty members’ biographical statements are provided to inform you about their practices and interests, some of which may overlap with your own.

Sections for Creative Practices I

There are no sections of Creative Practice I in spring 2024. Students entering in spring will have the opportunity to take Creative Practices II in summer 2024.

Sections for Life Drawing I

2 schedules available (Sections U, V)

In these sections Principles of Design classes will be taught using a blend of analogue material exploration, instruction in Adobe programs, and photography as components of students’ design process.

Section U—Doutt, Stafford, Caouette, Humphrey

SWING SECTION (not available yet):  Section V—Stafford, Doutt, London, McDermott