Painting Minor
Build a real painting practice — foundations, technique, and three upper-level electives that let you find your voice in paint.
Program Overview
Shawnee State’s fine arts minor in painting offers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding and practice of painting within a structured, skill-building curriculum. Whether you're pursuing a major in art or another discipline, painting courses allow you to develop a personal voice through paint, while building technical and conceptual foundations. With guidance from experienced faculty, students explore a range of painting methods and media, progressing from core skills to advanced studio exploration.
At A Glance
Painting Minor
Degree
Minor
Format
On campus
Length
Complete alongside your major
Credits
18
Class Size
12:1
Location
Main Campus, Vern Riffe Center for the Arts
Why Study Painting Minor at Shawnee University
You'll move from foundations into intermediate painting and then three upper-level electives — enough time to develop a personal voice, not just basic technique.
Small studio classes mean faculty know your work and can coach you through the difficult middle stages where progress actually happens.
Faculty work as practicing painters, so feedback is grounded in real studio practice.
You can show your work — student exhibitions on and off campus give the studio practice a public audience.
The Painting Minor requires 18 credit hours — foundations, two semesters of painting, and three upper-level painting electives.
- ARTS 1101 — Two-Dimensional Foundations
- ARTS 2311 — Painting 1
- ARTS 2312 — Painting 2
- Three upper-level painting electives (ARTS 3000-level)
The Painting Minor is a strong fit for students majoring in:
- Studio Arts (Fine Arts or Illustration track)
- Graphic Design or Game & Simulation Arts
- Digital arts or interactive media
- Education
- Any major where a serious creative practice strengthens the work — including students preparing for graduate art programs
Classes meet in the painting studio on the Shawnee State campus in Portsmouth, Ohio.
Painting Minor Frequently Asked Questions
No. Two-Dimensional Foundations and Painting 1 build the basics — material, color, and process — before the more advanced courses.
Yes. You'll work in oil, acrylic, and other media as the curriculum progresses, with elective options that allow specialization.
Yes. Student exhibitions run on and off campus, and faculty support students preparing work for shows.
It can be a strong foundation. M.F.A. and other graduate programs typically require additional portfolio development — talk with faculty about that path.
