FINE 130Introduction to Digital Imaging
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Arts
- Subject
- Fine Arts
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
This online course is an introduction to current imaging software that students use to explore contemporary topics through digital imaging. This course is taught from a fine arts perspective.
Prerequisites
None listed.
Antirequisites
Notes
- Studio course.
Leads to
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| STU 081 | 7523 | 0 / 250 | Online or by arrangement |
| STU 701 | 8088 | 87 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Reviewed on UW Flow
70% liked it74% easy61% useful
From 122 ratings and 26 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Natalie Hunter is an unfair marker. I got a 60 on the first assignment and I asked to redo it. I emailed her for tips and got a regrade being a 74. Things I worked on for hours got low 70s. Things I did under 30 mins barely excited 75. This course was hard, grading is very abstract and after following all her insturctions and making something I thought was creative and cool she would crush me with a 70.
Dec 2023 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Very easy to get 70s, but if you're aiming for something higher, lower your expectations and don't get too invested in your assignments otherwise you're going to have a very frustrating time in this course. While I'm very grateful to have learned many photoshop skills (I was brand new to photoshop), this class was extremely frustrating. The assignments were interesting, but the feedback from Prof Hunter is vague and unhelpful, and sometimes isn't event included for assignments worth 15-20% of the grade. For one assignment, many people didn't get feedback from the prof at all because we had gotten peer feedback (her words). I really enjoyed doing the assignments at first but having no way to…
Aug 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
The course teaches you from the very basics, or well it redirects you towards already made tutorials online and kinda expects you to go from there. Don't be fooled if you feel amply skilled in any adobe suite software, the marking scheme of this is odd and unpredictable. There are pieces I spent hours+++ on to get hit with 70s even 60s, and some I made together in half an hour to get a 95. It's good to try and become familiar with photoshop for yourself but if you are using it as a bird course to boost you mark look for another course
Mar 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
received low grades with no feedback on how to improve.
Nov 2022 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This class sounds awesome in theory. I took a class kind of like this in high school and I loved it so I thought it would be a good class to get my arts credit out of the way. I took it online in the spring and no matter how good I felt about an assignment and followed the instructions it seemed like I never met expectations. Weirdly enough though when I would argue a grade on an assignment I was proud of, the prof would go back and take another look and whoop-de-do 10% was added to my grade. It seems like the prof/TAs (doesn't say who marked it) don't even take a good look at your artwork or even artist statements.
Aug 2022 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
135 posts and comments in 110 threads mention FINE 130, October 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2024
would like to learn how to draw and create 15 points, 2 comments
u/Mother_Promise_8524: “… The FINE130 course is way too intimidating. I would like to learn how to draw from scratch. Does anyone provide this service? I would like to spend 1 hr a week and slowly get better. For cooking, I watched youtube videos. And learned how to cook steak and soup. …”
FINE ARTS Classes 2 points, 1 comment
“Hi friends, Is anyone taking ANY FINE ARTS this fall term? Are they hard - or easygoing classes? Can you recommend any to take this term or next winter term? Thanks :)”
u/Beginning_Try3235: “… I took FINE 130 and 150, also 230 can be fun if you want to work with printmaking. …”
Winter 2024
What are some online bird courses with no exam offered on Winter 2024? 6 points, 5 comments
“Other than Clas 104”
u/Neko101: “FINE 130 is about photoshop and it was kind of fun. …”
Fall 2023
Easier elective 1 point, 2 comments
u/Sweet_Trifle352: “Is HEALTH 100 easier or should I take FINE 130? I have some experience with photoshop in media arts in high school but I did not really enjoy it that much but want to take more FINE courses the next year and get a minor. …”
CS383 computational digital art studio 18 points, 2 comments
“Anyone interested in taking this course in winter 2023? This course combines digital art and computer science skills. I have emailed Prof. …”
u/Comfortable-Sea3708: “Did you end up taking the course? If so, how was it? I'm considering it for winter but I also need to get an override because I've only done FINE130.”
What computer lab should I go to if I need to use Adobe Photoshop? 1 point, 1 comment
u/ShamefullyEmmy: “The title. I'm taking FINE130 and this week I am going to be on campus... Since I won't have my PC with me I need to find somewhere I can go in order to work on projects in Photoshop.”
Spring 2023
What do you guys think about FINE 130 2 points, 5 comments
u/somebodywithbig: “\”
Winter 2023
bird/online course next term 28 points, 28 comments
“I will be traveling a lot next term, and I won't be physically at Waterloo for more than 2-3 days a month. What are some bird/online courses that I can take next term?”
u/Major_Truth418: “FINE 130. you do 7 assignments in total and I never read any content from the course, bare minimum effort got 86”
Is here anyone who took FINE 130 before? 3 points, 2 comments
u/dalbit__: “I applied this lecture because I had some interests of photoshop, that's it. But it looks like to be hard for getting good grades. 1. Do you think is it going to be okay even I never did photoshop before? …”
Spring 2022
Bird Courses over the past two semesters 0 points, 4 comments
“I am looking to find a few bird courses people have taken over the last two semesters. Providing the rubric or anything like that would be great!”
u/Alternative_Moose589: “Geog 225. FINE 130.”
Winter 2022
Is FINE 100/150 hard if I'm bad at drawing? 2 points, 9 comments
“I want to choose FINE 100/150 as an elective since it seems interesting plus it would be a nice change of pace from the rest of my courses. …”
u/carrot_donut: “If you wanna try digital art instead, I’m taking FINE 130 right now, which is an intro Photoshop course!! I didn’t know any Photoshop before taking it, and I’m really liking it :)”
Easier of these two: FINE 130 vs REC 100? 3 points, 0 comments
u/bolton-js: “Seeking an easy online elective. Which of these two has the lower time commitment, and is easier to score higher in? Leaning towards FINE 130, however, I have never used Photoshop before. Thanks!”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them