Fine Art Course Descriptions

Upon successful completion of any advanced/intermediate art course, a student may elect to re-enroll in the same class ONLY ONCE. Teacher recommendation is required. (All art classes are subject to sufficient enrollment).  Students may elect no more than two art classes in any semester.  Two semesters of Art (Visual or Performing) are required for graduation.  All courses are semester only except for Honors and Advanced Placement courses.

Beginning and Exploratory courses cannot be repeated for credit.

 

Art Foundations
9 10 11 
This level 4 MYP course is designed for students with little or no art experience as an introduction to drawing, painting, and design. A variety of materials will be a primary focus of the class. Techniques to achieve desired effects will also be demonstrated.  Students will discover three aspects of their style:  technique, content, and subject matter.  Classical approaches and students' individual interpretations will assure understandings that will likely inspire election of more advanced classes.  Students are assessed on their knowledge and understanding, their application, their personal engagement, and their reflection and understanding.  A sketchbook is required.
 
  Intermediate Drawing
10 11 12
This course is a continuation of Beginning Drawing / Art Foundations. Students in this class need to understand the basic concepts of drawing and to have the ability to demonstrate them: systems of 1 and 2 point perspective; contour and gesture approaches; 3-D illusion with brightness gradient; basic geometric/volumetric forms and representative shapes. Individual interpretations, use of pattern in composition, appreciation of artwork by others, and craftsmanship will be emphasized. Various mediums and subject matter will be explored. A sketchbook is required.
(PREREQUISITE:  ART FOUNDATIONS)
 
  Intermediate Painting
9 10 11 12
Intermediate Painting is a continuation of Beginning Painting / Art Foundations. Students will review beginning painting concepts related to composition, color interaction and mixing. Knowledge of proper care and use of painting materials will be reviewed. This class will provide opportunities to increase representation skills as well as explore abstract compositions.  Individual expression and development of style may be experienced as students' skills and confidence increase. Movements and artists will be presented as they are relevant to the concepts presented. A sketch book is required.
(PREREQUISITE:  ART FOUNDATIONS)
 
  Beginning Pottery
9 10 11 12
This course is suited for students with little or no previous experience with clay. The students will learn various methods of working with clay, building projects, then glazing and firing them. The history of pottery, famous potters, as well as quality design will be introduced. Structured critiques will follow each project to help the students become familiar with the vocabulary: design/idea/form, craftsmanship and self-expression.
 
  Intermediate Pottery
9 10 11 12
Intermediate Pottery is a continuation of Beginning Pottery. The students need to understand the basic concepts of pottery from the outset. Aesthetic considerations including size/weight/expectations, function, design elements and principles, decoration, and others will be introduced or further explored and incorporated in students' designs. Basic drawing skills will be introduced for the purpose of visualizing and problem solving clay works.
(PREREQUISITE:  BEGINNING POTTERY)
 
  2D Design
10 11 12
This course will provide a solid background in design. Students will create commercial and graphic design elements and apply design knowledge to a variety of other projects. Students will find the experience from this design class a great foundation and very helpful in any future Visual Arts class. Assignments and information, pertaining to two dimensional design, from the development of ideas to the production of a product will be presented on a regular basis along with tools used to create including computers. (PREREQUISITE:  ART FOUNDATIONS, students who took Basic Design cannot take 2D Design)
 
  Basic Digital Photography
11 12
In this course we will explore digital photography in relation to fine art. Students will be given assigned lectures and writings, a number of photo taking and finishing projects, and will be asked to participate in class discussions to better understand the physical, conceptual, and theoretical characteristics of digital photography as it pertains to art and art making. Students will be introduced to the basic technology necessary for the production of their art work, as well as learning about the visual arts, how to look at and critique photography, photographic vocabulary, using tools such as framing, composition, "rule of thirds," light, texture, pattern, lines, symmetry, depth of field, distance, perspective, culture, space, balance, color and black and white photography, and be introduced to many works by well known photographers.
(PREREQUISITE: ART FOUNDATIONS AND HAVE A DIGITAL CAMERA WITH ADJUSTABLE SETTINGS) 
   
  Advanced Digital Photography
11 12
This course builds upon the skills of Basic Digital Photography and utilizes them in new ways throughout the semester. Students will explore advanced issues of composition, lighting, and story-telling through various assignments and guided projects. Students will develop and refine their technical and conceptual practices digitally throughout an expanded use of Photoshop and other editing software. Students will be able to develop a body of work that reflects a range of problem solving and ideation, and develops versatility with techniques to demonstrate their abilities. Students will research, keep art journals, have class critiques, and artistic dialogs that will inspire them as they create. Topics will include but are not limited to street scenes, portraiture, visual metaphors, social-documentary and history of photography. (PREREQUISITE: ART FOUNDATIONS AND BASIC DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY; ACCESS TO A DIGITAL CAMERA WITH CHANGEABLE SETTINGS.
 

AP Studio Art
11 12
In this year long class, students will work with a variety of media and have complex assignments. Expectations are high for these experienced students. Affective, cognitive and psycho-motor domains are stressed. The students have the freedom to select the media they use as well as the style: representational, abstract, or non-objective. As the title of the course implies, this is a class for advanced and experienced students.

Through goal setting and cooperative evaluation students are charged with creating a portfolio submission to the College Board for grading. Students will create works relevant to their chosen portfolio, Drawing, 2D, or 3D, throughout the year and assemble their portfolio near the end of the spring semester. Through Individual and class critiques students will evaluate their work and the work of other students to continually look for areas of strength and improvement. Students will also have ongoing one on one interactions with the teacher to evaluate progress and areas of growth.


(APPROVAL OF THE INSTRUCTOR IS REQUIRED. APPROVAL IS BASED ON AN OUTSTANDING RECORD IN PREVIOUS DRAWING, PAINTING, AND POTTERY COURSES, WITH A MINIMUM OF TWO HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS IN THE VISUAL ARTS. THE COLLEGE BOARD ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAM IS REQUIRED.)
*AP testing fee required by the Advanced Placement College Board
 
  AP Art History
11 12 
This course is designed to provide students the equivalent of an introductory college art history course including the understanding and knowledge of architecture, sculpture, painting, and other art forms within diverse historical and cultural contexts.  Students will examine and critically analyze examples of artistic expression from the past and the present and from a variety of cultures.  Students will also look at works in the context of their time of creation and relation to other works of art.  Although there are no course prerequisites, the course requires a commitment to academic work and students who have done well in other humanities courses (history, literature) or visual art courses are encouraged to enroll.
(THE COLLEGE BOARD ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAM IS REQUIRED).
*AP testing fee required by the Advanced Placement College Board
 
  Portfolio 
12
These students will primarily work independently but will schedule regular appointments with the instructor for critique. A portfolio of the students' work and slides of their work will be developed dependent upon their post high school goals. The students' work will be as specific or varied as needed to meet their goals. Information specific to the students' interests pertaining to post high school will be available for research.
(BY ARRANGEMENT ONLY)
 
  Design for Living
11 12
This course will encompass a variety of design issues.  Students will study Interior Design and Textile Design, as well as Graphic Art and Media Literacy. Students will learn about the history of design as well as actively participating in designing. Color, layout, and functional design will be the focus of the class. Evaluating media and discussion will apply to projects throughout the course.
 
 

IB Visual Arts
11 12 
The purpose of the IB Visual Arts course is to allow student to explore the visual arts through their own as well as other cultural contexts.  This exploration is meant to encourage creative thinking, problem solving and a respect for cultural and aesthetic differences.  Students will use a variety of media, subject matter and research skills to achieve a portfolio of both studio work and integrated contextual study of art through independent Investigation Workbooks.  Although students will work with both of these, they will choose between a portfolio that focuses on the Studio Work or on the Investigation Workbooks depending on their individual area of expertise (Option A vs. Option B).  Course content may be the same for SL and HL, however a more comprehensive and in-depth study is required of the HL student and therefore the criteria, although written the same, is used at the higher level for HL students.
 
Course Options:
 HL:     Option A (HLA): Studio Work: 60%;  Investigation Workbooks: 40%
            Option B (HLB): Investigation Workbooks: 60%;  Studio Work: 40%
 SL:      Option A (SLA): Studio Work: 60%;  Investigation Workbooks: 40%
            Option B (SLB): Investigation Workbooks: 60%;  Studio Work: 40%

 “Studio work involves practical exploration and artistic production.  Investigation work involves independent contextual, visual and critical investigation and reflection, both visual and written.” (Diploma Programme Guide for Visual Arts; IBO 2007).
(PREREQUISITE:  ART FOUNDATIONS AND ONE OTHER ART COURSE)