2.5
Quality3.6
Difficulty17%
Would Retake184
Reviews17%
Would Retake
184
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
28
4
34
3
21
2
34
1
67
What Students Say
“Has terrible artwork for an art teacher”
ART300 - 2.0 rating“But unfortunately I can't recommend”
ART329 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
73%
Textbook Required
57%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.04 avg changeRatings by Course
ART328
5.0
(1)ART327328
5.0
(1)PHOTO1A
5.0
(1)ART410
5.0
(1)ART14
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
PHOTO
5.0
ARTH301
5.0
ARTDES
5.0
ART400
5.0
PAINTING
5.0
Reviews (184)
He studders a lot during lecture. He states the same boring comments over and over again. He is not very helpful at all. And honestly, he is very rude to many students. Not recommend for fresh new photographers. If you already know it, you'll do fine
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He is boring and rude, but doesn't require much of students
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He is rude to a lot of students and his class is very boring. Is anal on attendance. Don't recommend him.
He is the worse art teacher I have ever had. Do not take him.
Extremely hard teacher. I got an C- in his class. Very unorganized and screams a lot at people for no reason. His tests are extremely hard and rips up tests in front of class for students who peek for a second.
Great teacher...the only reason people complain about him is due to the fact that they really don't try in his class. Just pay attention, and do your work, and it's an easy A.
Smith is a good techer, but the class was very boring. It's an easy A if you study for quizzes, but often found myself falling asleep in his class
i already had taken photo in the past so i went into prepared. he was very helpful with your actually pictures, but some of his lectures were boring. keep in mind that the techincal stuff is going to be boring no matter who teaches it.
Teacher is very strict on attendance. Biweekly quizzes. Very strict assignment guidelines. Does not describe/show a "great" example of a project so when you turn your project in you think you did good but it comes back with a very poor grade. I don't think anyone ever gets an A on their assignments.
Very good art teacher! Helps students to open up creatively. He is also very fair to those students with limited skills. Do your sketches people!
Very strict on assignment criteria, grades and attendance. A pretty good teacher, but never gives any perfect examples of such strict assignments, therefore making it hard to do anything that fulfills it. I wouldn't recommend it if you want to get an A.
He is an easy teacher if you just take notes and listen to his lectures/slides. He can be a little rude to students for being late or leaving early and for students who talk in class. But I have learned a lot about Art in his class and it is really easy to get an A.
Boring class but very easy, only two test the Midterm and the Final, takes a quiz every other week, only one homework during the semester - look at an art from a museaum and write about it.
could be cool, is somewhat laid back but anal about weird things. clearly picks favorites and the people he hates. the class was incredibly boring, but basic. the only hard part of the class is when he goes out of his way to try to fool you on test questions. did not enjoy him or his class.
He doesn't clearly say what the assignment is or give examples of good work. When you turn an assignment in, you think you did it right, it comes back with a bad grade, but he doesn't tell you what you can improve. Has his ideas of what art is. Can be rude to students and has favorites.
Nice guy, everything is cumulative so be prepared. No book required. There are bi-weekly quizzes and only a midterm and final, you wont realize until after the class how much you have learned once you go to an art show or gallery. Everything he teaches you will open your eyes.
He'd like you to think he's a hard ass. If you want to learn to paint or improve take these classes. Work hard, take feedback, draw and paint like a fiend. Very generous and tough. If he has nice things to say, you can count on them. Slides presentations will wear AND they will also inspire.
what can I say the dude says mm..kay and through a metal chair on the ground
This class was absurd. The worst attendance policy known to students nationwide, and in my opinion, his ability to make the class completley uninterested in what he was saying, is un paralleled, but, i have a much higher appreciation for art, simply because i can look at it and understand now
A little wierd about coming in late, so dont show up late unless you want him to scald you in front of the class. Fairly easy just dont take it over the summer he seems bitter about the fact that he is there.
Craig clearly loves art and tries very hard to impart a little of his love of art to his students. This class is fairly easy but you can learn a lot about art by just paying attention. He is strict when it comes to showing up on time but in a class of over a hundred people, who can blame him?
No Comments
I did not enjoy this class. I was a complete beginner when I took this class and he didn't offer much instruction or help. He was very quick to criticize my photos, though!!
If you take this class, get ready for a snoozer. And must he find the absolute worst examples of art on the planet? If he shows you slides from a guy named Cy Twombly, be prepared to stare at meaningless scribbles. That is not art. And then he criticizes Thomas Kinkade? Anyway, back to the subject at hand: This is the most boring class I have ever taken at American River College.
Very easy teacher.Not a lot to remember for exams,but you have to take or copy notes.I learned a lot about basic art.His quizes re very easy.Usually comparing slides.One field trip to the museum required. His apperance as a teacher (old jeans and old tshirt) makes him hard to respect.He told jokes,but NOONE re laughing! Recomend him.Easy!
He turns a remedial class into some kind of graduate school hippie propaganda. Don't be late he'll rip you a new one in front of the entire class!
this man isnt the worst teacher, it just seems like he doesnt know art like other teachers ive had before him. not very helpful on critiques and only asked one question about the examples. "symmetrical or asymmetrical?" seriously, i think thats the only thing he knew. hes also very anal, so if youre ok with that, enjoy!
This was suppossed to be a fun class,he made it harder because he didn't want to come back in the lab and show the students anything. You had to figure it out by your lecture notes. He needs to retire!
very friendly and informative.
A very tough teacher, but his sense of humor makes the class enjoyable and interesting. He's a little vague about assignments which can be frustrating. He pretends to be tough but really he's a old softie who wants to help everybody as much as possible.
Expect a lot and I don't recomend anybody to take him unless you want to be a cartoonist or have a lot lot of time to waste.
This is the Teacher from hell. This guy is guys loves to hear him self talk. He grades every art assignment like it's your final, you'll be lucky to get a C on your best assignment. He marks you have a grade for every absence, and if you leave 5 mins early he wull mark you down for half aabsence,,,,, Don't take him,,
He is tough but fair. He tells jokes all the time. Just a tip...take good notes and always attend classes. The good thing about him is he is always available to past and present students.
This Class is for serious painters. He requires production and attendance, but if art is your world you know what he expects is not unrealistic. He has a great sense of humor and is attractive to boot.
Quizzes/tests from notes. Try not to miss more than 2 points on quiz as it can hurt you later (weird 33% grading scale). Not hard to get A, just study. Easy slide q's, ok to sleep, eat & drink. I liked this class and Craig. No dates or artists to remember. One easy paper required. You will learn to analyze, therefore appreciate more, art.
Craig is a cool guy. He can get sort of vague in class and has high quality standards, but he makes up for it with a sense of humor. I don't think he's ever busted anyone who didn't deserve it.
this guy has no idea about what it takes to make real art. he teaches on a purely academic level no real depth to his work.
Awful teacher, he does not know a lot of the things students ask him. His grade policy is stupid and makes you sign your name even if you are leaving 5 minutes early. Do not take him
He grades assignments tough, but I appreciate that he made his students challenge their own preconceptions of what art is. This is a college course: STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO SHOW UP AND PARTICIPATE (duh).
I didn't get an A but it was my own fault. Even though I didn't get that A, I learned so much about the context of art and it's helped so much for my Modern Art class I'm taking right now. You'll have a new appreciation for design and art...but you have to have a sense of humor to take his class :)
On all projects he said no PND(Positive-Negative-distinction), and when I changed it to the way he said would be better I got a C!! Makes really bad jokes, and when he shows slides, half the class goes to sleep. really boring. I still don't know what the class was about. It didn't help me. I don't reccomend him!!
Craig was a sub for the first half of the semester. He was really unclear on what he wanted done on the projects. I think only 1 person got a good grade in the whole class. Horrible teacher!! I do not reccomend him. Bad jokes, not a good artist himself. Let's everyone sleep during slides.STAY AWAY!!
..I thought his jokes were funny! He is a good guy! I wouldnt really recommend him for a first time photo class though (took photo in HS)cuz ur pretty much on ur own. There are assignments due all the time..which is hard cuz you cant do'em unles ur in class..if you dont show up your screwd
first of all, he makes unfunny jokes all the time. so irritating. i didnt learn anything in his class, and everything was easy up to the final. there were things on the final he didnt even teach us. the only good thing about this class is that it gave me a chance to catch up on my sleeping.
It is obvious that any of the bad comments Craig received are from slackers who failed to take his class seriously because he has very little tolerance for those who don't want to attend and sleepers. His lectures are clear and covers all for the test, but you can't pass the tests by memorizing the material! You must understand what he is teaching
If you can sit for one hour without using your phone and pay attention, this is the class for you. Excellent professor but he will NOT put up with any crap from disruptive students. Unlike many other profs where you can't hear because people are rude. No textbook. He has a quirky personality. I enjoyed the class and learned a lot. Good INTRO class.
Didn't teach anything to speak of about how to paint - nothing on technique, style, oil fundamentals, or mediums. Focused mostly on the sketchbooks, which hardly helped with sketchbook-based painting later on. Skip his class.
He does not make himself available to students, is not understanding and attendence is mandatory but does not help your grade i didnt miss a day and still failed. He literally sucks as a professor. And his lectures are soooo boring!!
Excellent Teacher
My main problem with Craig's teaching method is that it is subjective. Your grade in his painting class is mainly based on your homework, you either get 1 or 0 per. I found the class quite easy if you followed the EXACT instructions on each assignment. But, be aware, it's not about the skill or effort, it's about giving him what he wants to see.
Professor Smith runs a tight ship. He will not let anyone disrupt his class. If you are serious about your education, take his class: if not, avoid him. He puts a bit of comedy into his class; sillyness is a good thing. I will take another class from him if the opportunity arises.
Show up to class, take notes, and pay attention. If you do these things you'll probably pass the class with ease. Craig expects adults in his class, so respect is the name of the game. He's pretty firm on attendance and quizzes/exams/assignments, but nothing that's too demanding.
He is a good teacher.
Won't recommend him. Hes strict on attendance. Hes not really that clear on what the quizzes are going to cover. The quiz after the midterm had some of the midterms questions on there, isnt that organized. Very boring. Not a fan of art at all.
Really short lectures and lots of pictures. It was nice at first but got boring really quickly. I'd avoid this class if possible, it's easy but so droll it could actually affect you're learning.
Mr. Smith is very clear and by the book because of personal values. He would like to be a rebel. How do you know a prof is good? Look at the output from beginning to end of their class. The art of the students is knockout. Mr. Smith is a hardworking artist and understands the engagement required to succeed if only in life. Not to be missed!
Craig Smith is a horrible teacher. He doesn't seem to know what he is talking about and will snap at any moment. His class is painfully boring and he disrespects people all the time.
This was my first semester in college & the worst professor. He only likes it if you love art. He is really strict. Projects are hard & quizes & tests are too. The only good thing about it is you dont need a book.
Dont take this class with him, he is strict. Max 3 absences and if your late (even by 2 minutes) thats 1/2 an absence. He grades on technique and technical aspects, understandable in a college level photo class, but is unclear about what exactly he wants. If you do take this show him your pictures and get the "uh yeah that should work" comment.
Horrible teacher!!!
I thought I loved art until I took this class. He doesn't allow for your imagination, or your perception of art. His view of art is the only right way. He even criticizes the art work of famous Artists! He doesn't help you, and I can honestly say I have never seen any of his art work. I hated his class.
I don't get all the bad comments on here. I had him for Art History and I really liked the class, I went into the class hating art and especially artists, learned alot about both, still don't like artists but thats neither here nor there. He doesn't require a book, understands if you fall asleep in class. great guy. attendance is mandatory
Knowledgeable & nice, but unless you are prepared to spend up to 3-5 hours a day on sketchbook drawings and take this class as serious as your more 'hard core' classes, don't take it. I was there everyday, did all of the assignments, and got mostly B's and A's on my assignments and I got a C! NOT easy for a beginning class, more like intermediate.
He's rude and biased. He only likes what he likes and if he doesn't like your work you fail, no matter how well done it is. He doesn't give A unless it's his definition of perfect. I worked my ass off and almost failed. Avoid this class.
I dont get all the bad reviews, his class is really easy. It's art history and he doesnt expect you to know all the artists and dates. he does a short lecture and lots of pictures. you can sleep in class if you want. he is super nice and really easy. i would take the class again, I learned alot and enjoyed the easiness
His Art 300 class needs to be a 4 unit course. A lot of time is required outside of class. I LOVE to draw, but some of my drawings received no credit b/c he said there wasn't enough "time and effort" put into them. I, of course, disagreed. I enjoyed the class and learned a lot, but the work was exhausting.
Absolute worst class I have ever attended in my 30+ years of taking college courses. Will mark you for a "half absence" for being just one minute late and literally stand by the door unavailable for input for 6 or so minutes while he does his thing. Notes on the board incoherent, tests are tough & distracting (turns lights off and on).
He knows what he's talking about and teaches the material well. He is not an easy teacher if you're lazy or late often. He expects your attention and hard work, knows when he isn't getting it, and will grade you accordingly. He's friendly and kind of goofy (Tons of corny jokes during lecture). Also, his favorite word is "clout".
Nice guy corny jokes but awful instructor. He expects an incredible amount of work for a beginning art class that a lot of people are just taking for GE requirements. He expects as much work outside of class as my 5 unit Chemistry class call for.
This class was so boring that i think it affected my ability to comprehend anything he was saying. Do not take him if you are the type of person that gets bored easily! He does short notes for like the first 10 mins of class and leaves the rest of class time to look at slides. BORING!
This class was easy. No text was required which is cool. Quizzes every other week, depending on your schedule. Lectures are 10 - 20 minutes, then 45 minutes of looking at pictures... Quizzes are just basically vocab. Not much history involved though if you ask me. The guy is cool but so laid back. I'd say easy but boring... Really boring...
Show up on time, do the assignments according to instructions, pay attention and take notes, and it is an easy class. If you want to do your own thing or act like a high school student, take a different class.
Craig is a great teacher, tells jokes, and is very helpful. He does expect you to pay attention and do your work. MAKE SURE YOU TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF BEFORE CLASS. The projects are pretty labor intensive if you do them correctly. Tests are easy if you take notes. Just respect him and he will respect you back.
Mixed feelings about this class. I like the subject and the art. However, Craig seems a bit strict. He has no tolerance for breaking his classroom rules. It made me feel nervous around him AND I followed the rules. Turn off your phone, be on time, don't talk in class to your neighbor and you will be fine. Otherwise he will make you look Stupid.
No textbook, few notes, attendance ON TIME mandatory, no phones. For a good grade it is lots of work, especially if its a class where you also do a sketchbook. Very, very knowledgable about art. Tells jokes that aren't very funny, and he knows it, but he really just uses them when he can tell the energy level sinking. Lots of projector slides.
Worst teacher at ARC by far. Mean, angry person. Makes the worst jokes to make people think hes a nice funny guy but its all a trick. He has no soul.Do not take him i really hope you listen to me on this one. Ive gotten all As and Bs and he was the only grade ive gotten below a B and it was a D.
Craig is a great professor. I highly recommend taking him if you get the chance. He is strict on attendance and phones, but he's really only following the college's attendance policy, and phones distract from learning. He is completely against sexism and racism, and makes it a point to talk about equality and body positivity, which is great to me!
Craig's an awesome teacher. He gets the notes for the semester over with in the first couple weeks, and then it's on to the fun stuff. Technical assignments are boring, but that is because its technical, doesn't matter who's teaching it. If you study for the bi-weekly quizzes and show up to class with your phone off, you'll do fantastically!
Although he is strict about phones he gives enough breaks for you to check them. Craig is VERY clear about his reasons for grading and he will answer any questions you have. Class was very challenging but got an A because i asked A LOT of questions. Get ready to do a lot of magazine collage work and pasting! I recommend the summer session as well.
This is my third semester taking his classes. I am extremely intimidated and confused and it makes me want to LEARN it! An easy class doesn't challenge you and an easy teacher doesn't make you want to try harder! He really is a great guy and a very smart teacher! Take it all in and just do your best! And turn off your DANG phone! Geez!
You must produce 14 sketches every two weeks and 6 finished paintings + pass a written test with no less than a B! This would be fine except that his expectations for his students are much higher than his own standards for his work , that looks like a first grader produced it! I had more classes and it was impossible to keep up with homework.
During class everyone loved my work including the teacher, but what it seemed to be was that what he wanted was a lot of low level work much like his own rather than high level true to form type work, I get a' s and b's, got a C. His class is not worth time and effort(t/e).
You take this course, you will suffer. It is impossible to pay attention. Class is dull and boring, he has no flavor in teaching. Everyone falls asleep. He give a quiz every week. Makes you go to the art museum and write a HUGE on an art piece, as well as makes you DRAW the art piece. DO NOT TAKE HIM. Trust me...
His lectures are confusing, shows picture slides but doesn't identify the type of art. Doesn't give more than a 97 on art projects. I would not recommend taking a class from him. He is very opinionated about artist "my hero" or love to hate this artist. Shouldn't he not be judgmental? If you don't have to take his class - don't!
I would take another class from him again, but only if it was the only art class I was taking. He requires more work than any prof I've ever had for art.BUT-you will improve in his class because of this. I did have trouble with sketchbook studies - his judgement on one set of my sketches was so harsh that I didn't bother turning in the next one.
Don't take this course unless you have to. When showing off previous students work of what our assignment was suppose to be he never clearly said whether any pieces did well, only pointed out pieces that the person accomplished. Also has a ridiculous cell phone policy. Well kick you out for 2 sessions if he sees you in class with it.
This was the worst professor I have ever had. All you do is take notes for ten minutes and then just look at slides. Trust me this is not a luxury-its boring. Quizzes every other week and all of them are cumulative plus a midterm and final. If you are doing bad he doesn't help all he says is make flashcards. Do not take him you will fail if you do
Craig was teaching a class, Figure Sculpting he had never taught before and instead of taking it easy on students in his class he decided to be completely unhelpful and rude when it came down to asking his opinion or for his help. you could send him emails for help but if he didnt like you he would take forever to respond. worst teacher ive had.
Craig is the worst professor I have ever had! He speaks very rudely to his students, telling them how "bad" their art is when realistically they draw much better than he does, and he provides no constructive criticism what so ever. His grading is opinionated as well. Creativity gets you nothing but an F in his class. Someone fire him already!
I took his Design summer class and it was the hardest A i have ever earned, BUT i loved his class. The rumors are true that he is tough, HOWEVER, he enjoyed answering all the questions I asked him. He knows his stuff in design theory and you will learn a lot about composition and look at abstract art in another way. Incoming of corny jokes!
I took two painting courses with Craig in 2003. He was extremely important in helping me learn to paint. I am now in the MFA program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Craig had expectations that were consistent with developing good art making (a drawing a day, for example). I continue to benefit from his teaching.
I enjoyed art history with Professor Smith. He didn't require a book and there was no homework. Show up, take notes, be respectful, and you'll pass! When I missed a test due to a scheduling issue he let me retake it no problem. A very nice man!
Avoid at all costs. The mood in the class was very somber. Very low energy kinda guy.
Make sure to do your homework project before you step in the class. Lecture is pretty boring sometime but all of them will be on the tests/finals. He's a very tough grader and strict too in my opinion so work hard!
class seemed to be easy, grades were high, but unexpectedly, I got C in eservices. He doesn't use D2l, hard to contact him via email, he hates cell phones. WEIRD
If you're that student who will be late more than once, you will not pass his class. If you're late 3 times, he marks you 1 day absent. 3 absences getting dropped. If he can't drop you he will lower your grade. Quizzes and exams are easy if you take notes and pay attention with his slideshows. Sometimes he tells unfunny corny jokes. I got the D
Easy if you go and pay attention. Take some notes and then look at slides to go over the notes, that's it for every class. Except for weekly quizzes on Wednesdays worth 15 points, easy points if you study. 3 test in total which if you did good in the quizzes then its an easy grade. Just study the material and your good. No hwk. NO PHONES!
Extremely harsh grader. Doesn't realize that most people are in his class for general ed reqs, not all art majors. Doesn't really answer questions or offer much help. Doesn't show much mercy with grading so if you can't draw coming in you'll have a hard time just passing. He'll kick you out for 2 days for any phone incident. avoid at all costs
Just to say the least, he is so bad i had to dropped the class and wait another semester to transfer. Rude and idiotic.
Craig is a really funny guy. Had him for Photography, Adv. Photo, and Art History. Expects a lot of you, but if you make the effort you will get the grade you deserve. Gives constructive art feedback.
Craig is a ok professor. He gives out a lot of drawing assignment, but hey that's what they do. Just do the work and you will pass! If your lazy and don't want to draw, don't bother taking his class cause you will not pass!!!
I thought this class would be fun, but that's a big NOPE! He requires you to do HOURS of drawings outside of class. I have no drawing expierence and he expected me to draw a portrait WHAT!?! His class is for intermediate or expert artists because he wants you to already to have the skills to draw.
He makes you do seven drawings per two weeks. Makes you put away phones two or three minutes before class starts with threat of removing you from class for two periods. Has terrible artwork for an art teacher. Tells terrible puns. Tough grader. Changes directions or is not clear about them most times, even after clarification. Do not take.
Personally, I'm on the fence on whether or not I like this guy. He has interesting things to say, and the puns he does are pure gold, but he can be a bit uppity and rude. Either way, he makes his grading process clear and is always willing to give advice and help you get a good grade. There's no reason you shouldn't do well in the class if you try.
I took professor Smith's class and found it to be a huge letdown. I've taken several other painting and drawing classes in the past. But unfortunately I can't recommend. Mr. Smith. He seems to lack the ability to communicate clearly in regard to instruction. Conceptually he must have some grasp on the material, he simply fails at communicating.
He's a good teacher, however it can be hard to score well on quizzes and tests because the art pieces are really subjective, so instead of a right or wrong answer, it's usually the MOST right answer, which and be tricky, especially for those students who take his class and aren't actually art majors.
Not a great teacher. He can be crabby and the way he teaches isn't enjoyable. Class is pretty dry and boring. Attendance is very strict and he hates cell phones, will kick you out of class for two periods if he sees one. Also doesn't post grades online. If you do have to take him, don't take him in the morning or you will fall alseep
He was an okay teacher. I personally didn't have a problem with him, but it did seem as if he gave better grades to the students who didn't even try.
Grades on skill. Extremely high standards. Very arrogant. Tells really annoying jokes all the time. Very nit-picky & always says how "bad" students' art is. Crazy sketchbook requirements. No room for imagination, very specific criteria. Thinks phones are the devil, doesn't even allow listening to music while painting. Takes the fun out of painting.
Big disappointment. Difficult assignments - portrait paintings, landscapes etc and never teaches on how to paint. Sits in his chair reading art books. At end of semester a hard quiz. Miss more than 2 questions, he takes 30 points off your final project. Does give good feedback. CRAZY sketch book expectation. The class spirit is somber. Do not take.
This class was such a letdown. This guy is so disconnected I can't believe he thought he could offer any insight as a teacher. He sits and reads about art instead positively interacting with students who are there to learn. Too bad.
Hes not a good professor at all. All he does is lecture for a third of the class and then talk about art the other two thirds. Be prepared to be put asleep by him. All he grades by is quizzes and tests and if you dont remember and memorize youll fail the class. He doesnt use canvas either so be prepared to be in the dark about your grade.
Highly strict grader and exhaustive sketch requirements. We spend hours on them outside of class; he always says something is lacking. No constructive tip or at least a compliment. It doesn't seem like he understands that we learn differently. His directions are unclear or change unannounced. It is said to be a "beginning" class. In reality, NO!!!!
He is horrible. Hard to understand what he wants , doesnt explain well. He has a lot of stupid rules. Would not take again
Get ready to figure out oil painting all by yourself, because he doesn't teach a single thing about it. Tons of sketchbook homework, and expects a ton of time and effort out of it, and MUST draw from 3 categories, all of which are expected to be in realism. With each subsequent painting I hated what I was making more and more.
with this stress we are having because of the Coronavirus, he makes everything more stressful. each email he sends us we have to send him images, and not that only, if the images are wrong you have to email them again with new images, this should be done in 24 hours. we have a quiz each week, the midterm is 5 questions 20 points each. he is awful!
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY! he is not a good professor.
Frustrating in person. COVID-19 adds insult to injury. I check my messages regularly and one email had missing instructions at the start of a gap for the next assignment. Even so, he says I'M mistaken even though it's the truth. Even if you email him the pictures requested, he may say they're missing or wrong, and you have to send them again.
worst professor at ARC ever, I am a straight-A student, and I can't keep up with his sh*t. even though we are under stress with the whole pandemic, he just doesn't make anything better. do not take him, you will regret this.
DO NOT TAKE. Projects are extremely time consuming (7) Projects are collage making from magazines that are old You cant have a cellphone in sight (NO EXCEPTIONS) or get kicked from 2 class periods. Lectures are extremely boring!(20 min notes and look at art pictures for 2 hours on the projector while he talks). He isn't interesting or funny either.
Rudest professor Ive ever had to encounter. When asked to clarify wether he received my email & to get clarification on my grade, he said he isnt obligated to respond to anyones emails nor provide grade checks. But hes a professor? Rude, doesnt communicate well either. Not my prof of choice, but he took over our class after another prof. 0/5.
COVID 19 UPDATE: DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS, not an EASY A! His quizzes and exams are easy to pass and fail. 1 question is like 25pts(T or F/multiple choice). Since there's no canvass you have to message him and ask your current standings. HE won't TELL YOU IF YOU'RE PASSING or FAILING. Tbh, I didn't learn anything from him.
Gave off a rude Demeanor, his notes in canvas and every assignment was not organized it was all just placed in grades which made things difficult , and his notes were horrible . Nothing matched up to quizes and he didnt provide any helpful Information in sed notes .
RUDE!! Does not care about his students and does not help in any way shape or form- like actually, not over exaggerating and this is coming from a student that actually cares about doing their work and school. Avoid taking him if you could.
Lecture and quizzes are easy but the lab is really tough, hard to please him with your work. but if your not taking the lab then its fine.
The only thing that is graded are the quizzes, the answers are pretty much all in the notes but the way the quizzes are set up is horrible. They are always only like 4 questions and 10 questions for the midterm/final but worth A LOT of points. So just missing like one question will a have a BIG impact on your grade. I had an A until the final :(
The only thing I learned from his internet-rant-style lectures is that HE is better & knows more about art than us because that's all he talked about. Time-consuming lab projects (which all were the same collage-making). One time, I submitted mine for review & he said "Looks great" submitted it for final, THEN he gave me a C & told me it was awful.
He seemed simple. Sent email lectures and images w/weekly 5 equation quizzez which we used lectures to answer. I Copied and pasted From His Own Lectures!!Emaild a question he replied all CAPS that I didnt understand his directions. I never got quiz scores so guessed I was doing good. Found out he gave me a D. I have Never received such a low grade.
The way the class is set up in canvas is very confusing and disorganized, the notes are more of opinions and the occasional definition of a term, he is incredibly rude and pretentious. He doesn't actually teach anything but wants perfect work and will not give you credit if he doesn't think your work is good.
I really wish I could drop this class now. This teacher (doesn't even get enough respect from me to call him a prof) IGNORED my messages for help for the mandatory assignments and it counted against my attendance. He just expects you to know everything he does. He is barely even a teacher! He is so vague you can't tell if he answered you or not ugh
soul-sucking and joyless. if you want someone to talk down to you while simultaneously refusing to do their own job (teach), i would implore you to take his class.
Most stressful and unreasonable professor I've ever had. He expects us to read a definition, know exactly what the hell it's talking about, and create something perfect. For some reason we're all supposed to know how to do everything. Let's just forget there are beginners who need more patience and help. DO NOT TAKE HIM.
I was really excited about this class, however its the worst class Ive taken in my two years at this school. Need help? Dont bother asking he will just send you some passive email with no direction. Canvas is extremely messy, weve been online for a while he should learn to use it right since we have to. His class made me less interested in art.
Youll regret it.
Prof Condescending and confusing. Class easy. He doesn't have basic English mastery and contradicts himself. Says one due date, gives another. Inconsistent. He becomes very rude if asking questions when not confused. Craig Smith sucks. He is knowledgeable but is honestly one of the worst professors to be under. Ever.
Smith expects everyone to know everything off the top of his head. Doesn't lecture. Just gives crap notes. Changes up due dates at the drop of a hat. Rude and don't bother asking questions. (Felt like that was a no-no.) Dude knows his stuff but is a horrible teacher. Doesn't actually teach. Does not deserve to be a professor Avoid at all costs.
I can get passed the rudeness Im sure we have all dealt with difficult professors one time or another. What I cannot stand is that asking a question felt like a really bad thing and he would get frustrated. He doesnt lecture he just writes messy notes. Would be nice if he could use zoom or post pre recorded videos. No effort from him, 0/10.
Yet another professor who doesnt like teaching online therefore his effort is about 2/10. If we are expected to know how to use canvas I really dont want to hear it from my professor about how much they dont like it. Maybe this is what triggered him to become easily frustrated when asking questions. Avoid this class if you can.
Fun and easy class. I took the 6 week online asynchronous summer class. The only things graded were the weekly quizzes, mid term, and final and they were all multiple choice. All lectures are posted in Canvas and if you read them carefully, you'll find all the quiz answers there. I thought it was a fun class, follow directions and you'll get an A.
he makes submitting work so freaking difficult because hes so picky about what size your image is and it has to be jpeg
He's a great teacher, If you read the modules you're going to pass.
I dont know why this Professor has so much bad ratings. His class was my favorite and easiest. His online class is easily and simple to understand. Submitting homework is easy, just use the correct size. If you submit the wrong work he will let you retry, make sure its before the work is due. I would definitely take his class again.
He doesnt let you resubmit anything if you made a mistake; even if theres extra time to submit. I had a 79.89% and asked if there was any kind of work I could do to bump my final grade and he refused. He is not flexible or understanding in any way.
Prof. Smith has the most unreasonable tests and quizzes. If you get one question wrong, you lose quarter of the score. His notes are all over the place. He is not helpful or understanding in any way and definitely doesn't help his students to be better in class or get good grades. Even though the class is quite easy, he makes it 10 times harder.
Literally the easiest class I ever took. Homework for the week can be finished in 15 min. Everyone who is complaining about the class being hard must have never used a computer and can’t read instructions. Just because the work is easy don’t put it off last minute, because you are allowed to fix work for 100% credit.
These reviews made me think I was signing up for hell on Earth, but this is the easiest class I've ever taken. The setup is a bit weird and he wants the images a specific way, but it's seriously not hard to figure out. Copy/paste his notes into a big doc and control F during quizzes/tests.... he literally tells you to. Took me like 30 mins a week
dude is the worst, the class was asynch. but his attendence was viaquizzes..that YOU ARENT ALLOWED TO MAKE UP IF U MISS, meaning u fail. the dude is not understanding at all, failed to tell us these things. made us read his long posts. if you also have memory issues, DONT TAKE THIS CLASS. otherwise, upload pics exactly how he asks to & DO RESEARCH!
I would say this teacher is horrible Bec I am in high school and taking courses here an I got a iep an is failing his class Bec of him he is very disrespectful an Hates students who is struggling an has problems iep he told me he only helps kids who is passing his clas he needs to be fired
Gives you notes to copy & save for the tests. Weekly homework assignments that are simple & easy. If you submit work early on he lets you keep trying til you get 100% (with feedback). You can use the artists he gives for examples at bottom of the notes & still get 100%. If you are failing it is because you slack off & procrastinate. EASY A!
Reading these reviews I assumed I wasnt going to pass or would even have to drop the class at one point. I was beyond worried. I don't know why he has so many negative comments. I took his online class & passed with an A. Literally the easiest class you'll ever take! If you're not passing that's definitely your own fault. I'd take this class again!
RUN RUN RUN . This professor is absolutely horrible . Did everything I could to pass this class , late night homework , studied his terms on the syllabus that made no sense . I thought this course to be one where it was a beginner art class , WAS NOT . My class started with 25+ , ended up with 4 . If you want to keep your sanity , DONT DO IT
He seems to enjoy teaching just for the sake of sneering down his nose at his students. Instead of teaching you anything, he will humiliate you for not already knowing. Everything seemed geared to 'get you.' He will take words that have multiple meanings and fail you for not choosing the definition he personally likes best. 0/10 don't take him
Kind guy. Tough critic
easiest class ive ever taken, posts weekly notes and has you submit pictures from the internet that pretain to the notes and does quizes every other week and thats it, its simple but i genuinely didn't learn a thing so if you want to learn i don't recommend but if you just want to get a ge over with then take him
Way too much homework (57 drawing assignments in total) and not at all understanding about late work. Critiques very harshly and grades based on his opinion of the quality rather than effort. He will fail you for being 5 minutes late, having your phone sticking out of your back pocket, chatting as you work, or just because your drawing is "bad."
Even though I took the online class and never once spoke to him he gave off the impression that he thinks he is much better than everyone else. The class is not hard, but it is also annoying to have to read through his notes where he just rants about things he hates about the art world. He just seems like a crabby guy, always mad about something.
Professor Smith is a very tough guy and he will be snippy when his students make a simple mistake during the two minute gesture drawings. His "glossary" feels more like his opinions than an actual glossary and his critiques are also harsh. It seemed like he only helped some students who he thinks are better than the ones who are struggling.
Great professor, the class might be a little difficult for some but I would recommend taking him.
Overall good class. The entire semester I had no problems with the workload and notes that we took on different types of art. Fairly easy class. His tests were weighted so much. I held an A and B up until the final which I recieved 7/10 on and it tanked my grade to a C. Tricky questions and only one attempt landed me a very low grade.
All the negative reviews are accurate. Smith is extraordinarily condescending. Do not ask questions,he could care less. Pay attention to due dates on his messy canvas, they can change without notice. Follow his instructions to the letter,use no original thought or opinion,c/p notes the day he posts & ctrl+f for quizzes. I'm surprised he is employed
This professor is extremely hard to please. He will show you art that he likes from previous students but he always says "but i would change this about it" He always has something negative to say. His exams are super heavily weighted.
His grading scale is different than normal, so I ended with a B even though I had a high 90%. He did not curve my grade when asked, which is fine, but he was not kind about it, nor was he kind in general.
RUN AWAY FROM THIS GRUMPY PROFESSOR! No matter how hard you try on your artwork and no matter how good it is, HE'S NEVER GOING TO BE 100% SATISFIED! He will find something bad about it and mark you down by a lot of points.
his assignments were a brain blast. Be prepared to do impossible tasks, try to do everything according to weird criteria and learn his invented terms. I ended up with a C... C! I'm just shocked. I worked my entire semester, not missing a single lecture to get this! I literally got an A in English (even though I'm not good at it its my 3rd lang)
So many instructions that are not detailed. Does not provide examples for his picky instructions for mainly visual learners like me. Gives out assignments with no teaching on how to do them. Please avoid this class.
He does not have modules and you are unable to look back at old assignments. Very little instructions but grades very inconsistent. Even though it is art class, you have very limited creativity in what you chose.
His class was interesting and I feel like I learned a lot. His course description was -very- clear on everything. Save all the notes because you won't have a chance to see them after the week is over. Read quiz/test questions thoroughly and match them to your notes because they 100% have to match and if one word is wrong the answer will be wrong.
He says "art has principles" and is never "artsy fartsy subjectiveness". Rules mean Good or Bad art. You must do his assignments just as he demands; he has nitpicky rules and no flexibility. He IS knowledgeable. But he's so unfriendly he has no connection with his students, no one ever stays to chat or ask questions, we all just book it.
Grades to.hard and acts like a kid than an adult
What's wrong with him literally he has such weird schedules and he constantly changes the time when tbe assignments are due.
Has specific requirements when submitting images to him and if you don't follow them or don't reaching his standards, he comments "X", having no other explanation, so his "feedback", not helpful. His dates also very confusing, and if you missed it, there is no way you will be able to make up for it, even if it'll boost your grade up a letter.
I literally did my work perfectly and was at 89% but this guy had to make an assignment due on Friday but then change to fricking Wednesday. Like why just why. Seriously f off
WARNING NEVER TAKE HIS CLASS
He's just a very bad teacher overall, onky reccomendation is that try to not be in his class if possible.
What is nice in this class are the "free" films (sarcasm). He barely teaches and prohibits the use of phones, as if we were born during his era. He pushes his students to work independently, with little connection to what he taught. Expect to struggle unless you already have enough experience, as he often says, "you are kidding yourself.
2 yrs and still refsue to look at or do art. Im an engineering major,this is my only B. I worked extremly hard, 20+ hrs/week. I had an A in EVERY assignment except the final and some quizzes. I am not an artist; BUT, I felt inspired at first. During the final project I choose a style of he encouraged through his feedback. G-B 4ever Art!
Despite giving my best in the class, Professor Smith's standards are exceptionally high. He anticipates a high level of work like creating a Mona Lisa, seemingly overlooking the fact that this is an introductory class.
Do not enroll in his class. He is extremely unfair and often changes the due dates of the class without warning. I get A's in all of my classes, but I only got a C in his.
Professor Smith's class is quite challenging, but using resources like unstuck ai alongside the textbook can really help. Stay on top of the shifting deadlines and follow his detailed instructions precisely for the best chance at success.
Honestly the worst experience I've had at American River College. Felt hopeless in the class and he made me feel dumb about asking questions.
Condescending, VERY long class period, HW: requires high amount of sketches each week, says he "knows" what's from our sight and what's from a photo source. He can't trust tech(email & phones, too). Says fanart, anime styles, etc "isn't art." Treated beginning class like boot camp. Try to question him, he threatens to lower your grade by 1 letter.
Professor expects very high quality work when this is an fundamentals class. So it's many beginners but expecting the quality of people already experienced with collages, while using the strictest form of it
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
73%
Textbook Required
57%
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