Visual Arts

Offered to 10th-12th grade students with Department Approval

This course is provided for students who show a high proficiency in visual art. It provides an intensive, interdisciplinary approach to contemporary art that is born out of ideas and employs the materials, practices, and processes required to express them. Emphasis is placed on artistic research, the development of ideas, and the exploration of materials and processes, and meanings as conveyed through them. The course includes a writing component and integrates the generation of a student’s body of work with an awareness of the context in which the work will be presented.

Students are encouraged to use whatever media works best for their concept. Regular group critiques and discussions are conducted in order to emphasize a more sophisticated understanding of the media and how to use that media to communicate their ideas. Prerequisite: Art II, Drawing and Painting II, or teacher recommendation

Offered to 9th-12th grade students

This is an introductory course designed to acquaint the student with the greatest achievements of world painting, sculpture, and architecture, with works that have inspired people of all cultures throughout time. Art Appreciation will encourage students to question the nature of art and its relevance to daily life; it will introduce students to the elements and principles of design, focusing their attention through thematic projects and research.

Prerequisite: none

Offered to 9th-12th grade students

This class has been structured to emphasize the technical and logistical aspects of drawing and painting, in order to give each student the tools to be able to explore their personal thematic approach. It will reinforce the foundation of visual art: the elements and principles of design and visual vocabulary.

The beginning of the semester emphasizes drawing techniques that investigate line, value, shape, texture, color and composition color theory and basic technical aspects of drawing and painting (use of medium, emphasis on palette work, mark making). The remainder of the semester emphasizes instruction in more sophisticated methods of development of the painting, preparatory drawings completed in a larger format that help expand how to use subject matter from various sources, and presentations on both historical and contemporary artists that inform and empower each students towards recognizing the myriad ways that painting can be used to communicate an idea or philosophy. Students describe, analyze, interpret and evaluate artwork during written and verbal critiques. The course synthesizes previous knowledge and challenges students to think creatively, and critically, and develops confidence in visual problem solving and communication.

Prerequisite: none

Fine Arts-50.0213711 Drawing and Painting II (Elective) (S)

Offered to 10th-12th grade students

This course further explores the elements and principles of design and visual vocabulary, composition, drawing, and painting as a unique form of communication. Students will develop a suite of images that communicate a connecting theme or concept. Each student needs to complete extensive research and preliminary drawings before beginning any of their studio paintings. Drawing is a major part

Offered to 10th-12th grade students

This course further explores the elements and principles of design and visual vocabulary, composition, drawing, and painting as a unique form of communication. Students will develop a suite of images that communicate a connecting theme or concept. Each student needs to complete extensive research and preliminary drawings before beginning any of their studio paintings. Drawing is a major part of this class, and work done on drawings is a major part of the semester grade. Drawing is emphasized because this is where each student works through all the important foundational aspects of their work – more sophisticated conceptual development, technical and perceptual drawing problems, allowance for exploration, growth and communicating the concept over the entire suite of images. Regular group critiques and discussions are conducted in order to emphasize a more sophisticated understanding the media and how to use that media to communicate their ideas. Students describe, analyze, interpret and evaluate artwork during written and verbal critiques.
Prerequisite: Art I/ Drawing and Painting I

Offered to 9th-12th grade students

This course will introduce students to the basics of three-dimensional forms using wood, stone, clay, wire, and a variety of media. Students will explore design in three dimensions with emphasis on form, space and concept. The projects in this class focus on the use of modeling/manipulation, additive, subtractive, and substitution sculpting techniques. Study of culture and the historical and contemporary creation of three-dimensional art will be accomplished through projects, classroom discussion and lectures.

Prerequisite: none