I loved this teacher. Had him first quarter for 2-D Design and I'll have him next quarter for color theory. He's a little monotone, but he has a great sense of humor and is open to many different ideas. He's very helpful and personable.

I had Harkins for 2D design, hated it.I didn't understand the point to his assignments until the end of the quarter.I took him for color theory, which I loved.He is very helpful, accessible, has a good sense of humor, and really pushes you to develop your concepts. His assigments are time consuming, but I got great portfolio pieces out of it.

I have him for colory theory and this is probably one of the nicest persons i have ever met my entire life. When you dont do your work in class you can see it bothers him but he still tries to get to know you. He normally gives an extra day to work on projects if the whole class is far behind. he fives you freedom to do what you want.

Harkins will resent you if you miss class or do poorly on a project. He doesn't expect you to do amazingly if you aren't a drawing major but he's got sort of an angry person inside if you don't do what he asks of you. the class is pretty much all studio days and then critiques. Ehh... if you could find a better teacher, take them.

i had harkins for 2-D design and for color theory and i absolutely loved him. in the beginning i wasn't so sure i'd be challenged enough but then towards the end of the class, the critiques were awesome. i really felt that i got a lot out of them. he really brought out a lot more of my creativity. his style kinda grows on you too...

I plan on being a Film Major so I was not looking forward to taking 2D design but Professor Harkins made me feel comfortable and that I could succeed in the class. He is also very helpful and nice.

He is a doll. I adore him. Enthusiastic, helpful, he is very fair, and he has an eye for potential talents. He's a joy. I will be taking him again asap.

He is nice and funny. I think he picks favorites a bit? and sometimes is not clear on what he wants on a project. overall I would recommend him

Very nice and helpful

He's fun, easy going and very likable. He gives you a lot of creative freedom on your projects, showing you examples and what he's interested in, but otherwise you do as you wish. He's very flexible to pushing around dates to fit the students and understands it's foundational and doesn't treat his class as the only one you are taking.

I took Harkins for 2D and again for Color theory. Very friendly and willing to help. Understanding when things go wrong with projects. Gets a bit irked if you don't participate in critiques. Projects are relatively easy.

GREAT professor. Prof. Harkins absolutely is willing to do everything in his power to help you to understand a project, concept, etc. He is extremely easy to talk to. He understands that sometimes he needs to explain things in different ways to different people. He offers lots of extra help. Guides without overpowering your work. Take him if you ca

loved him! he's a great professor, with actual fun projects! his critiques are also really helpful and i definitely learned a lot from the class! i had NO idea what this class was going to be, but he explained the projects clearly, and was approachable and available if you need help. quick to respond to emails. hilarious. love him.

Absolutely love him. Best professor I could ask for. I had him for 2D and Drawing, could do neither before his class. When I left, my results were amazing and now I love both subjects, which previously did not interest me at all. 2D was hard to grasp at first, but he spent a lot of time with me & made sure I understood the material. Great guy.

Very helpful, he actually wants you to understand what he is teaching! :) Really nice guy, but can still be harsh enough in critique to help you improve your work. But do not be late to or absent from class! He really looks down upon tardiness as disrespectful. I would always recommend Harkins to anyone taking Foundations classes at SCAD.

Prof Harkins is the best! I absolutely cannot fathom taking anyone else my first quarter. He is very clear and helpful on the work. He does not follow the syllabus word for word. I still see him to this day and he takes the time to critique my work from other prof's classes. Has one of my 2D pieces hanging in his kitchen! HE IS SO SO HELPFUL! !

Took 2D Design with him, and he is absolutely great! He's really passionate about 2D Design, and very helpful with ideas for projects. Projects are fun and the way he teaches is easy to understand. Some might call him vague and unsure of what he wants, but he's just giving you the freedom to do what you want for projects. Definitely recommended.

Generally good professor. He gave me good advice that helped me prepare for the Foundation Studies Portfolio Awards. Critiques focused more on the better artist's work. People complain that it's all still life, but still life art in DRAW100 is a DUH. I thought he was pretty mellow and kind.

ALL STILL LIFES. Kinda gets old, that's the downfall. No exercises or any homework.. All still life work... If you're not very good at drawing, he's not for you. Straight forward class. Sit and draw.

Professor Harkins 2d Design class is well structured and informative. I found that many of the students who are aggressive towards him were those who were not comprehending the material (not doing the reading). Critiques were very beneficial and would help solidify a student's grade IF they used academic language. He does give quizzes so memorize!

LOVE LOVE LOVE PROFESSOR HARKINS! HE IS ADORABLE AND FUNNY AND SO NICE TO ALL HIS STUDENTS.HE IS EXTREMELY APPROACHABLE.HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM!

A very good teacher. His projects open for your creative idea. He really helps a lot even out of the classroom.

I JUST ADORE PROF HARKINS! He is my favorite teacher at SCAD and will always be! He is an absolute pleasure to work with.Helps students,holds extra help,takes rounds to check whether people are doing okay,grades well.He is everything u need a good teacher to be! I love him so much I COULD MARRY HIM! lol.A very charming personality too!miss him!

Prof. Harkins is the best teacher I've ever had. His explanations are not only easy to understand, but also delightfully entertaining. You can tell he loves his job, and loves to see people trying hard and improving. If you really want to be inspired to draw well, take him.

Harkins is a genuinely nice person. More importantly, he is extremely passionate about his job. His critiques and tips are all very positive and straight forward. He's a very hands on and demonstrative teacher, and he offers extra help! A+++

Awesome dude. Extremely helpful. Very considerate towards those who can't draw. You still need to spend time on his projects, though.

Professor Harkins is amazing! He's so sweet and approachable. He'll answer any question you have and he'll do it nicely. He's also really helpful with your drawings as well; he comes around and tells you what to fix and talks to you for a bit. I'm really hoping I can take him for more classes :)

Great professor. You learn a lot, but without going crazy with workload and stuff.

I loved Harkins. Drawing 100 was my favorite class first semester because of him. He is so calm and softspoken for a young man but every now and then he'd say some suggestive line and the class erupted in laughter. All projects were still life's but no homework besides the projects. If you are looking for low stress fun, take Harkins.

HE IS THE MAN. I'm a photo major and he taught me how to draw, by the end of the class I was actually pretty decent.I took him two years ago, but he's one of the best teacher's I've ever had. Lots of still life work, but he makes the best still life's to work from in all of Wallin. TAKE HIM you won't suck at drawing when it's over.

Harkins is a very sweet guy! He works with you individually every class and it is extremely helpful. He finds good things to say during critique even about the not so good projects. I don't really like drawing but I didn't mind going to his class. Low cost for supplies, no textbook, and tons of in-class time to work.

Harkins is a great teacher. his projects are basic, yet teach you everything you need to know about design. He helps tons, is funny, easy going, and wants you to do well. I'd take him for any class he is teaching.

Wasn't sure I made the right choice to come to art school until John's class made me feel like I was in the right place. Incredibly helpful prof, cares deeply for each student, projects won't make you tear your hair out 24/7, and really cute!

This man. This man is a flawless human being. At the beginning of his class, none of the concepts we learned about made sense to me. Now I understand and excel at them, all thanks to Prof. Harkins. He is so so helpful, and just a great guy. But I will warn you, he shows very shocking and explicit artwork sometimes.

Harkins is chill and inspiring. He helped my art grow leaps and bounds, and he creates the most beautiful still lives. He's excellent about one-on-one feedback, and his materials list is inexpensive. I would recommend any of his classes to anyone. I think he's an amazing guy.

I've always liked drawing but don't consider myself an "artist". Harkins' was great. He was always willing to help and had a positive attitude towards everyone! I really enjoyed this class!

Harkins loves design, and loves teaching design- when a student succeeds in a project he will notice. If you follow his guidlines and be creative, you will do very well. My only qualm was with the final project, which seemed anticlimactic.

GREAT teacher. Very helpful

Love this guy. He is not only funny, but he gives fantastic advice. His entire course builds on itself, so you never feel like you are left behind. Take him.

If you can draw, he is 100 percent easy. I don't like that he cannot teach you how to draw without sitting and doing part of the drawing himself. He gives great lectures and advice though. He knows his stuff.

Professor Harkins was great. He makes sure you understand everything and will talk to you individually on every assignment. He is very into non-obective and abstract art though so if that's not your thing the class will be a little tougher for you.

He is a really nice professor! Because this is a studio class so we hardly use textbook, well, I don't have a text book... I got an A, BTW. Drawing100 class is still life drawing, not difficult to learn!

Let me preface this by saying that I am a transfer performing arts major with literally no experience in design. Harkins is amazing! He helped me with understand every single project and to grow with every new topic. I honestly learned so much in his class and gained such confidence in my work. He was very supportive and encouraging. He's the best.

I recommend him to everyone! He is so passionate when it comes to Design, and he pays attention to each student, helping them test out ideas and more. Always extra help sessions. Very inspirational. Prof. Harkins is in love with what he is teaching which makes the class so beneficial. ALSO: He is secretly quirky!

Professor Harkins is an awesome teacher! He loves what he teaches, and therefore teaches it well. Because he is friendly, gives good feedback, and discuses questions with students, everyone in his class respects him. It is a hands-on class, and he provides an ample amount of group work, or participation. I would take this class again.

He was very chill and down to earth, he doesn't really push you or motivate you to do the work he kind of just tells you to do it, until the critique comes and he tells you what he thinks then.

very nice and helpful guy

I loved this class, although it was a bit hard. Harkins is an amazing professor, he speaks so eloquently about whatever the topic is in class. You can almost breathe the amount of passion in his voice, I would take his class again 100%. be sure to study for the quizzes and do all the assignments. He's there for your success so talk to him hes funny

One of my favorite teachers at SCAD. He loves what he does and his passion is inspiring, definitely take him if you can.

Harkins is amazing! He's very passionate about what he's teaching and what he does. He's into abstract a lot and a lot of times he tries to force you into abstraction, but he still appreciates any form of art as long as it looks good. I'd definitely recommend him!

Great teacher and super nice. He is always there to give feedback and help you along. Definitely have to try to go above and beyond if you want an A.

Great teacher in helping you develop your technique and learning new techniques. You'll learn to use new materials (or get a great review). His lectures go a bit long, so it can become a bit repetitive and takes a while to get to the point. Otherwise, he's very friendly, and willing to help you when you need it. He also takes care of his students.

He makes you work on creating better artworks. Also, he gives back a lot of great feedback as to how to get better at one's artwork.

Harkins was a fabulous design teacher! He was very helpful if you need it and he's got a good sense of humor. He's SUPER passionate about design so you won't do well in his class if you don't engage yourself.

He is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE THIS MAN. He's been my favorite professor so far. He's a fair/easier grader and is always consistent. You will have to work, but he will always be there to help you along the way and push your ideas further. He's hilarious and always laughs at himself, super passionate about what he teaches. If you have him, bless you- i wish i could again.

Professor Harkins is absolutely amazing, solid man, respectful and very clear what he is doing. Recommend!

I LOVE JOHN! His instructions for projects are very clear, and he provides lots of examples. He's totally passionate about what he's teaching, and while he prefers abstract art, he doesn't push that on your ideas nor does it affect your grade on projects. He's super helpful when it comes to developing ideas and I learned a ton in this class!

He gives really good feedback!

he is very encouraging and helpful. the best instructor ever

He was a genuinely cool guy, I loved hearing his feedback. His class environment was classy & calm, he plays a lot of jazz and rock music. He's easy to talk to on top of all that. He is a tough grader though, but you will know exactly why you got the grade you did. Show up to the extra help sessions and he will give you more hands on help for an A.

Professor Harkins is genuinely concerned with all of his students and their progress, which is incredibly helpful! He's respectable yet very down to earth, and easily approachable. He's wiling to explain concepts and projects as often as you need, and is a pleasant person to be around. He provides all text online in PDF form. Take Him!

I loved taking professor Harkins. He is such a caring person and offers good feedback on your drawings even if you are just a beginner. Highly recommend taking if you are advanced or beginner.

Prof. Harkins is very caring and genuinely cares about his students' progress. When saying things about your projects, he's great at using positive reinforcement. The only grades you have in this class are 5 drawing projects. As long as he sees that you put the time in and that you're improving, you'll pass the class.

I enjoyed this class a lot. I learned a lot and I didn't feel like I was spending too much money on the materials he assigned. I feel like the professor really respected each students' individual ability and really wanted us all to do well.

Prof Harkins is an amazing teacher. I really respect his love for art and art making. He keeps the assignments open ended, and gives great feedback to work on for the next one. Super understanding, and just overall a kind and caring guy. I also really like how he introduced different artists similar to the work in class. you will love him.

Hands down my favorite professor so far. He is so, so kind. He is a terrific teacher who lets you explore your strengths. Took him for drawing 100 and color theory. Also helped me outside class in my sophomore year. He is super helpful and the kind of teacher wholl forever be there for you after your graduate. I respect him a lot.

I'm a Dramatic Writing major, so coming in I was incredibly scared about this, but Professor Harkins is incredibly easy to talk to and doesn't care about someone's skills in drawing. He just cares about understanding color and how it can be used in visual art. This course was difficult for me, but I did have some fun and managed to pass in the end.

His classes allow students to grow as artists. He encourages exploration, and values each students unique qualities.

Coming in with no drawing experience whatsoever, I was really nervous about this class, but Harkins helped me out so much. He is really nice and very patient, so if you don't have drawing experience don't worry he will help you out.

Not a very difficult class when taken with Harkins. He understands that not everyone is a painter and lets you work in other mediums of your choice. Although his projects are very open, they lack structure and guidance to what your final outcome should be. Very caring and knowledgeable and will help you out in any way he can!

I love him so much

I took drawing with Prof. Harkins during my first quarter at SCAD. I am not usually one for traditional drawing, but this class was fun, interesting, and he gave helpful critiques that I felt helped me improve a lot. I would highly recommend his class whether you're already passionate about drawing, or if this is your first class.

Incredible professor. Took him for DRAW100 with essentially no experience and he helped me develop my skills in a major way. Took him again for DRAW101 and I now feel confident in my ability to draw. His DRAW100 projects are almost all still lifes, but each one will help you develop important skills. He is extremely helpful when you're struggling.

He likes to make a lot of weird, funny noises as he draws in class. His feedback is super helpful and really helped me develop my skills in drawing still lifes. His class is rather still life heavy though, but he really sits down and helps you get down what's going on up on the display shelf. He's super fun and outgoing and I would take again.

I hate drawing. He got me through this class with an A. Amazing prof and would take all his classes if I could.

One of my absolute favorites. This class is all field trips - you meet around town and sketch the whole class. He approaches his teaching as more of a fellow artist and friend than a mothy professor, and gives very heartfelt feedback. Just very sweet, funny, and down to earth. If you have an extra elective slot, take 242 with Harkins! He's a treat!

This man is so wonderful. I took Design 100 with him, and I cannot recommend him enough. He is kind, understanding, and overall a great professor. I learned a lot with him. Whenever I felt discouraged, he helped me get out of that negative headspace. Please take him, you will NOT regret it. He makes the class so fun and interesting. I'll miss him:(

Professor Harkins is a great guy, and his class was pretty fun (despite being virtual). He gives a ton of work time in class, and checks in on his students a lot. He's super understanding, too. His demos can be quite boring in my opinion, but his feedback is very helpful and he knows what he's talking about. Don't hesitate to ask him for critique!

I had DSGN100 with Professor Harkins and he was amazing. He's very thoughtful and cares about his students. If you have a question he'll have no problem explaining to you. I love that he mainly focuses on projects and really cares about your development as and artist! I'm currently taking his DSGN101 class as well.

Loved this class, he does a good job teaching virtually and he understands the struggles of his students. As long as you show a bit of effort, he'll probably give you a good grade. Offers to review your work in basically every class, but you don't have to show anything if you don't want to/don't have a lot done yet. Great guy!

One of the nicest professors I have encountered!! Every class was upbeat and exciting. He made difficult techniques easy to learn.

This man is extremely caring and does not cease to understand the struggles of those who are just taking the class for credit. His enthusiasm for the subject does wonders. I must say, sometimes, he trails off into lectures which tend to be a little boring but he is a joy and a great choice for a design professor.

I started my SCAD career with Professor Harkins. The man was SUCH a breath of fresh air. He's an abstract artist, but don't let that intimidate you. Harkins knows how to connect with his students and personalize his feedback and critiques, and he's a great guy to bounce ideas off of. Also, he's a super sweet guy that makes you WANT to be an artist!

Professor Harkins is probably the best professor I've had to date. He's so kind, very talented, and genuinely wants to help you learn and improve. He'll explain the material as many times as you need him to and will never get mad at you for asking questions. Was super sad to have to turn in my final project!

John is an extremely creative person and pushes you to be your best as an artist. Always has ideas on how to improve your work. Sketchbook class with him was great because the class was super chill and the critiques were very helpful. Just explore the possibilities of drawing and you will do well. He loves non-traditional media. Fun to talk to!

My favorite professor Ive had so far, super kind, and I look forward to class!

HE IS MY MAN. So kind and absolutely hysterical all the while an amazing prof who really cares about his students and is a truly talented artist who knows how to bring out the best in your work. He allows for so much creative freedom and there is no busy work. His classes fill up so quickly because everyone adores him. I'm taking him next year! :)

Harkins is an amazing professor. Always super insightful and expectations were clear. We had free choice with medium and how we went about doing our projects. If I was ever having trouble he was always able to help. If you get the chance to take his class, do it!

Amazing professor, I dare to say this was my favorite class ever. He gives excellent feedback, is respectful, professional, maintains a great and calm studying and working atmosphere. As long as you follow what he says and pay attention to his feedback and to his lectures, you will have great grades. Super clear, 100/10 would recommend

I love Professor Harkins. He's so nice and relatable and so helpful. In critiques you never feel criticized, he's very nice and constructive about it. He makes you want to try your best and he'll definitely recognize hard work. Would definitely recommend.

Prof. Harkins is a very talented artist and a great teacher who cares about his students. He gives really helpful feedback and makes the classroom feel more welcoming. A lot of class time is spent working on our projects which is nice because we get in-class feedback from him. Project criteria is always very clear too. I would take him again!

He is just wonderful! Fosters a relaxed yet hard-working environment that makes you feel comfortable while also stretching you to become a better artist. You'll see what you're truly capable of. Showed up to class crying and he told me to go to his secret spot where I cried for 20mins, after he came up to me and asked if I was okay. King.

They are really cool and understanding.

I loved Harkins. He made drawing so much fun and is just an awesome person. He taught me so much. He is really collaborative and gives strong feedback to improve your skill. His class is set up perfectly, you have about 2 weeks for each project, with an in-progress critic to really solidify your drawing. He is a fair grader for sure!

Professor Harkins is the best teacher I have had yet. He is always positive and caring and always gives you room to improve regardless of skill level. As someone who is still new to drawing, I always felt supported by him to go the extra mile. He fosters an environment where you're bound to improve and make work you're proud of. Take him.

Very caring and understanding. He teaches drawing very well and gives good feedback. I wish I could take him again.

My fav Prof this quarter. He cares about your projects and wants you to improve. He is very kind and passionate about his job. Be careful about how you approach your projects; you might have a great idea, but if it doesn't align with his criteria, you'll get a lousy grade. Take your time with project books; they're a definite grade booster.

The layout of this class is amazing. You have 5 projects each worth 20% of your grade. Professor Harkins will introduce the project&lecture for the 1st class, give you a work day next class, and then have critique day be the 3rd class. He cares about each project & will spend 5-20 mins talking to each student about their work. Would recommend!1

I absolutely loved Professor Harkins, he was honestly one of the best teachers I've ever had and I wish I could take him again but he is taking a gap year. His feedback was always professional, kind, and incredibly helpful. His class was super interesting but definitely not easy, you have to work hard and push yourself. Wish I had more words!!