60-478 Advanced DP3: Figure Painting

10 units, Carnegie Mellon University

Figuration in painting will never go out of fashion! This course explores the processes, methods, and strategies of representing the human figure through various approaches to painting. Students will develop their own approach to figurative representation through studio practice, observation, and reflection. Lectures and research will trace the evolution of figure painting across history and into the present, engaging artists such as Naudline Pierre, Amy Sherald, and Kerry James Marshall as guides to contemporary practice. Through this investigation, students will uncover personal symbols, metaphors, and methods that deepen their connection to the figure and its expressive potential.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Spring 2027, Spring 2026

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