Explore the Foundations of Light, Color, and Design at a Leading Art Institute

It is so important that artists are immersed in the study of light, color, and the principles of design early on in their art education. At PrattMWP, students will begin their design or fine art education by building solid Foundations that will strengthen their skills and elevate their artwork.

In First-Year Foundations courses FDC 160 & 161: Light, Color and Design I and II (each 3 credits), art school students will investigate two-dimensional form, color structure, and composition through a wide array of ideas and principles. Emphasis in these courses is on training the perception of the way color relationships affect optical as well as psychological dynamics. A primary component of the course is the study of the many ways that light modulates our perception of color and form. Using art and nature as sources, students employ a variety of mediums to explore sensory and emotional, as well as intellectual, aesthetic concepts.

In the second semester, the course concentrates on ways of manipulating the two-dimensional surface to explore its endless expressive and structural possibilities. The PrattMWP emphasis on both historical and experimental manipulations is one of our key approaches to teaching fine arts. The strong Foundations students build at Pratt are part of what makes us such a prestigious art school.