One of the first classes students in the online Graphic Design, Web Design and Development, Mobile Development, Game Art, and Computer Animation degree programs take is Art History, but it’s not your typical Art History course. The curriculum was created with the designer in mind, so aspects of the class are a little bit more interactive and hands-on than what one would find in a typical history class.

Although it’s only a month long, the Art History course covers the major highlights of Western art ranging all the way from the pre-historic era up to the 20th century. “We pretty much dive right in,” says Jessica Vick, an Art History Course Director.

While on-campus Art History courses include lectures and visits to art museums, online students watch video presentations from course directors and are tasked with taking their own “virtual tours” of several notable museum websites, including the Louvre, the National Gallery in London, and the Guggenheim.

But the most unique aspect of the class is the Photoshop project, where students take two pieces of art – one prehistoric painting and one pop art-inspired painting – and create their own digital paintings in Photoshop inspired by the pieces. “When originally creating the curriculum for the class, the Course Directors came up with these Photoshop projects to get students to open the program, use the different tools, and take older works of art and use them to influence the projects they are working on now,” says Jessica. “With these digital paintings they’re also required to submit an artist statement talking about their inspiration.”

So, instead of just simply studying art, students in Full Sail’s Art History course are getting a chance to make some of it as well.

Pictured Above: Photoshop Art History project from student Wayne Fields.