Visual Arts Comprehensive 1
Visual Arts Comprehensive I is a prerequisite to all other visual arts courses; a full credit must be earned before enrolling for the next course in the sequence.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to visual arts and to set a basic foundation upon which a deeper understanding of the field may be built. During the year-long visual arts course, students will have many opportunities to draw, paint, and create a variety of art pieces. They will learn techniques used in art-making that will raise their skill levels and develop confidence in their abilities. Along with making artwork, students will examine and analyze works by renowned artists from major art periods throughout history.
There will be a lot of independent work and time management will be essential. Although there will be ample time provided in class to work on projects, it might be necessary to complete work at home. Students may need to bring in objects or supplies throughout the year to help with projects.
The pace of this course is fairly quick; students who do not use class time wisely or who are absent may have to complete classwork and/or projects at home to meet the specified due dates.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to visual arts and to set a basic foundation upon which a deeper understanding of the field may be built. During the year-long visual arts course, students will have many opportunities to draw, paint, and create a variety of art pieces. They will learn techniques used in art-making that will raise their skill levels and develop confidence in their abilities. Along with making artwork, students will examine and analyze works by renowned artists from major art periods throughout history.
There will be a lot of independent work and time management will be essential. Although there will be ample time provided in class to work on projects, it might be necessary to complete work at home. Students may need to bring in objects or supplies throughout the year to help with projects.
The pace of this course is fairly quick; students who do not use class time wisely or who are absent may have to complete classwork and/or projects at home to meet the specified due dates.
Visual Arts Comprehensive 2
Pre-requisite: Visual Arts Comprehensive I
This Advanced Level Art course is intended for students with a high level of artistic ambition and motivation. Students will increase technical skills, develop a more sophisticated approach to process and subject matter, and create a portfolio of individual work. In this class, students will keep an artist journal to explore artistic process, experiment with materials and analyze work. Through experimentation and refinement, each person will create a body of work that includes observational drawing, mixed media and a variety of self-chosen media. The studio environment of the class will be used to support analysis, reflection and refinement of work.
There will be a lot of independent work and time management will be essential. Although there will be ample time provided in class to work on projects, it might be necessary to complete work at home. Students may need to bring in objects or supplies throughout the year to help with projects.
The pace of this course is fairly quick; students who do not use class time wisely or who are absent may have to complete classwork and/or projects at home to meet the specified due dates.
Visual Arts Comprehensive 3-5 (Honors Art)
Pre-requisite: Visual Arts Comprehensive II
This course is primarily independent study with the teacher acting as facilitator. Students must be self-starters and able to work independently. Your teacher will be available to assist/coach you, but you need to provide your own enthusiasm and ideas. For this course, you are expected to already be familiar with your elements & principles, art criticism and art history; and had some experience with drawing, painting, and 3D techniques.
Course work will focus on concept development through production and creativity and through the study of master artists with emphasis on constructing personal visual statements that communicate feelings and ideas. Students will focus on portfolio development as they continue to develop skills in producing high quality works of art while creating more complex visual statements. A wide range of materials and processes will be explored, and students will have the opportunity to focus on a chosen subject or medium.
This class is not an “easy A.” “A” means mastery and will represent both excellent art making skills and knowledge/reflection demonstrated in written summaries.
Ceramics 1 & 2 (Returning Fall 2023 - in our new ceramics studio)
Pre-requisite: Visual Arts Comprehensive II
This class will introduce students to building with clay. Emphasis will be placed on the design elements; line, shape, texture, and color. The students will acquire knowledge of form, volume, and space relationships through a focus on hand building techniques; pinch, coil and slabs. Functional as well as sculptural applications will be explored. Students will learn about the historical background, aesthetic traditions, and artistic properties of ceramics through a variety of studio experiences. Various decoration techniques for finishing work will be introduced.
Ceramics 2 students may be introduced to the craft of wheel thrown pottery on a limited basis. Various glaze and decoration techniques will be introduced.
AP 2D Art & Design
This course is by teacher recommendation only, and is primarily a sophomore level course.
AP 2-D Art and Design is an introductory college-level two-dimensional design course. Students refine and apply 2-D skills to ideas they develop throughout the course.
Students create a portfolio of work to demonstrate inquiry through art and design and development of materials, processes, and ideas over the course of a year. Portfolios include works of art and design, process documentation, and written information about the work presented. In May, students submit portfolios for evaluation based on specific criteria, which include skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas and sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision, guided by questions.
AP Art and Design courses are for all students who are interested in inquiry-based thinking and making. Prior experiences learning about and making art and design and a foundational understanding of art and design materials, processes, ideas, and skills are needed for success.
IB Visual Arts
This is a two year course for juniors and seniors only. You must apply to the IB program during your sophomore year.
The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts.
Supporting the International Baccalaureate mission statement and learner profile, the course encourages students to actively explore the visual arts within and across a variety of local, regional, national, international and intercultural contexts. Through inquiry, investigation, reflection and creative application, visual arts students develop an appreciation for the expressive and aesthetic diversity in the world around them, becoming critically informed makers and consumers of visual culture.
