5002 Studio in Art
This is a full year foundation course with an emphasis on studio problem-based learning activities that explore the electives of the Art Dept. Students will work on a variety of project-based activities utilizing a variety of mediums, such as pencils, charcoal, pastels, water-colors, acrylic paints, pen and three-dimensional materials. Students will be required to demonstrate creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills using critical thinking and higher order thinking. Students will be expected to communicate and collaborate regularly regarding their art work and presentation of which will take place reiterating basic and digital literacy skills. At the end of this course students will be able to identify the Elements of Art and Principles of Design; demonstrate their creative and personal artistic expression; demonstrate the ability to be independent and self-directed learners; develop an appreciation for the history of art and art related careers; and demonstrate an understanding of global and aesthetic awareness. This course meets the Fine Arts requirement for graduation.
5006 Studio in Creative Crafts
The Studio in Creative Crafts is a foundation course intended to meet the Fine Arts requirement for students in grades 9-12. This survey course will meet the learning styles of all students by allowing for both traditional and non-traditional modes of learning through a deeper exploration of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Lessons will include creating art in areas of textiles, bookmaking, paper crafts, fiber arts and other 3-D media. Students will be engaged in a broad exploration of personal ideas and imagery created within the spectrum of Creative Crafts. This course meets the Fine Arts requirement for graduation.
5008 Studio in Media Arts
The Studio in Media Arts Course is a foundation course intended to meet the Fine Arts requirement for students in grades 9-12. This survey course will meet the learning styles of all students by allowing for both traditional and non-traditional modes of learning through a deeper exploration of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Lessons will include both computer and fine arts applications, art learning resources that support both visual and media arts history, aesthetic awareness, creative and performing based projects, careers in visual and media arts, traditional and contemporary methods of presentation and various formative and summative assessments. Students will be engaged in a broad exploration of personal ideas and imagery created within the spectrum of the visual and media arts disciplines. Classes may be taught in art studio classrooms, computer labs designed for Media Arts instruction. Students will use a mix of hands-on and digital tools. This course meets the Fine Arts requirement for graduation.
5102 Drawing and Painting
This is a full year course recommended for prospective art and design majors and is devoted to advanced exploration and experimentation in drawing and painting media, along with developing considerable efficiency in one or more major media. At the end of the course the student will be able to: demonstrate increased skill and knowledge of various paint medium such as ink washes, water color, mixed media, and acrylics; demonstrate a more extensive understanding of the art process by virtue of using rough sketches, visual research, and extensive planning to complete several projects; exhibit improvement in visual fundamentals such as lighting, perspective and proportion as well as new concepts of chiaroscuro and foreshortening; identify various artists by their style, use these styles to correlate compositional discoveries in their own work; prepare, present and display finished artwork.
5244 Sculpture
Get hands on with many types of materials including: wood, wire, clay, cardboard, stone, metal, silicone rubber, plaster, foam block, found objects and 3D computer programs for 3D printing. Sculpture is the oldest known form of art created by humans. You will learn how to create sculptures using classic and contemporary techniques including subtractive, additive or both, casting and joining. You will build realistic and abstract sculptures of a variety of subjects such as animals, portraits, figures, hands, creatures, and characters. You will learn to mount and display your artwork for viewing and art shows! Learn how to use your mind to visualize and your hands to construct artwork in three dimensions!
5122 Graphic Design
In this full-year course, you will learn how to design images to communicate ideas and messages. You will develop your skills with layout and design, typography, illustration, corporate identity (logos), and computer technology. Some of the software used include Adobe Photoshop CS6 and Adobe Illustrator CS6. You will also learn about copyright laws, printing processes and procedures. By the end of this course, you will have design and presentation skills that are essential in college courses and in the workplace.
5132 Creative Ceramics 1
This course is designed to introduce students to the basics of ceramics and techniques of rendering in a 3D space. The students will learn various hand-building techniques associated with the medium of clay. Students will be able to focus on the technical, historical, aesthetic, cultural and contemporary concerns of clay workers and sculptors of past and present to assist in shaping their own personal style. At the end of this course the student will be able to: demonstrate the numerous clay techniques and processes used in working with clay; acquire and apply vocabulary of clay usage and properties; research and study ceramic techniques and firing methods; evaluate pottery and sculpture according to its craftsmanship, function and technique; collaborate with their peers; demonstrate analytical skills towards the success of a 3D form and its aesthetic qualities; continue to use innovative and critical thinking skills to navigate through the ceramic process; and prepare, present and display finished art.
5142 Creative Ceramics 2
This course is designed to further explore the techniques and concepts introduced in Creative Ceramics 1. At the end of this course, students will: understand and self evaluate at a higher skill and technical level, all aspects of clay preparation, clay construction and glazing applications, of which will be incorporated into a series of five pieces that reflect a common theme; prepare, present and display finished artwork.
5162 Cartooning
This course focuses on the development of cartoon characters and storylines. Students will be self-directed in researching, designing, creating and manipulating their characters in a variety of mediums including: traditional two-dimensional pencil and ink, computer rendering and three dimensional constructions. Students will problem solve independently and collaboratively to hypothesize, experiment, critically think and construct ideas through project based learning. At the end of this course, students will: demonstrate a progression from portrait and figure proportions to exaggerated expressions and figures; demonstrate effective cartoon lettering and perspective to supplement their action figure; create recognizable characters of famous people; produce professional style comic strips, single panel cartoon and graphic novel pages; and prepare, present and display finished artwork. Priority given to students who met fine arts req. with Studio in Media Arts.
5172 Animation
This course focuses on the movement and filming of characters, cartooning and story lines using traditional and digital media manipulation techniques. Students will imagine, communicate, experiment, and synthesize their ideas through digital literacy. At the end of this course students will be able to demonstrate a progression from fundamental movements of squash and stretch and metamorphosis, to complex character walk cycles; be introduced to the animation software Macromedia Flash, Blender, Maya; complete individual animations, from concept to drawing to sound, to final animation; and prepare, present and display finished artwork. Priority given to students who met fine arts requirements with Studio in Media Arts.
5007 Art & Game Design
What does a game designer do? Students in this course will invent characters, develop stories and settings, learn game theory and game play. Short animations will include dynamic graphics, levels, challenges and bonuses. Students will use Construct 2, an HTML5-based 2D drag-and-drop game editor. (Students do not need to know how to write code or be able to draw).
5005 Advanced Studio in Art
This course is designed to further develop students’ conceptual ideas through advanced understanding of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. The course will focus on further developing students’ skills and techniques in the Two and Three-Dimensional Arts and the Electronic Arts before moving on to an advanced elective. Students will work on project based activities that focus on creativity, innovation, responsibility, independence and self-directed learning. At the end of this course students will be able to: demonstrate critical and higher order thinking skills; execute and solve problems through the creative process; articulate and communicate their personal expression in the visual arts; identify various artist styles and art historical periods; present the beginnings of the portfolio development process; prepare, present and display finished artwork.
5171 Advanced Animation
This course explores additional media used in Animation. Students will be aware and use creative problem solving skills including: communication and collaboration, critical thinking and creative/innovative problem solving. The media arts room and projects will entitle us: flexibility and adaptability, to be innovative, self directed, to be aware of social and cross-cultural skills; to enhance our productivity, leadership, accountability and responsibility. At the end of this course, students will be able to work independently during class, undertake and create a series of animation pieces related to their individual style of work, demonstrate self-motivational skills and the completion of long-term goals and choose from creative and advanced styles of animation, such as Paper/Cell Animation, Computer Animation and Claymation.
5174 Studio in Photography 1 in Art
Explore your visual language with the use of the DSLR cameras and Adobe Suite computer programs. You will learn about the art of Photography, discuss its history and where photography is today in our ever-changing technological world. We will delve into different realms of photography including: documentary, portraits, landscapes, studio, street photography, and how to set up and create photoshoots. You will also learn about studio lighting vs. available light and how to capture the best composition. You will build a digital portfolio and website. Find out how to create better compositions, make amazing photographs, and display your work.
5176 Studio in Photography 2 in Art
This course is a continuation of Studio in Photography 1 in Art. You will draw upon your existing knowledge to compose photos and build your digital portfolio. You will dive deeper into the world of photography and develop your artist voice in your photographs. You will use DSLR cameras and further your skills in Adobe editing programs. You will even do a project with polaroid cameras! We study contemporary and historical photographers and the contributions they bring to the world of photography to help us understand why people take photographs and what they are about. Change the way you see the world to better enhance your compositions. “A trip to the grocery store is just a trip to the grocery store. Bring your camera with you on your trip and now the whole world has changed and can be viewed through the eyes of a photographer.” -John Free
5202 Advanced Art 1
This is a full year course with emphasis on moving towards self-directed projects and portfolio development. Students will create works based on the understanding of architectural space, sculptural forms as they apply to interior, exterior, still life and figurative compositions. The use of digital resources will be discussed and used as it relates to the application of the student’s individual projects. At the end of this course the student will be able to demonstrate drawing and painting techniques in various artistic styles; plan and move towards self evaluation in what becomes the final expression of the materials suited to their individual techniques and skill; produce 10-12 portfolio ready pieces that encompass both breadth and thematic images.
5212 Advanced Art 2
A full-year course for the self-directed student emphasizing continued development of a college portfolio. At the end of this course students will be able to: develop a body of work that demonstrates additional risk taking and problem solving in technical and expressive modes of making art; visually communicate and adapt one or more of the following: abstractions of mechanical objects, psychological imagery, architectural space and social concerns; and prepare, present and display finished artwork.
5201 (AP) Advanced Placement in Studio Art
This course is part of the College Board Program giving students the opportunity to pursue college-level studies and receive advanced placement or credit upon entering college. This credit applies to those attending non-art schools and seeking a non-art degree. The course is designed as an intensive one-year program, or may be extended over a two year period of Advanced Art in the junior year and AP in the senior year. Students need to be self motivated and able to set long term goals. Strictly mandated is an established portfolio with a minimum of 12 images reflecting the student’s breadth of experiences with a variety of materials and techniques. These images should be thoughtfully planned. It’s strongly recommended that the students contact the teacher prior to enrollment as the instructor needs to review the portfolio. Upon completion of a satisfactory portfolio, the student will then pursue completion of a concentration. A concentration is a body of related works based on an individual’s interest in a particular idea expressed visually. The process focuses on personal artistic investigation, growth and discovery. This course is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement in Studio Art exam. It is expected that students will sit for the AP exam in May. The AP Portfolio is the state-approved assessment for the Arts Pathway.
5302 Portfolio Prep
A full-year course for the self-directed student emphasizing continued development of a college portfolio. At the end of this course students will be able to: develop a body of work that demonstrates additional risk taking and problem solving in technical and expressive modes of making art; visually communicate and adapt one or more of the following: abstractions of mechanical objects, psychological imagery, architectural space and social concerns; and prepare, present and display finished artwork.
The portfolio prep class is geared for highly motivated seniors interested in preparing and strengthening their portfolio. This course helps to ensure that students are prepared to meet their individual artistic goals after high school. Students will create their own objectives for the class based on what they need for their portfolios, their chosen medium, and areas of visual interest. This is an excellent opportunity to take risks and try out ideas that have not been suitable for the projects given in previous art courses. Students must be proficient in the mediums they choose, and have the initiative to take it to a higher level with the teacher as a mentor. This framework provides the student with time to create the art they want while obtaining the feedback they need to improve it to make it better. Areas of concentration may include but are not limited to Drawing, Paint, 2D design, mixed media, sculpture, printmaking, and photography. Because this course is meant to supplement the intermediate and advanced curriculums of the art department, students will take this class in addition to the art classes they are taking in their sequence, not as a replacement for an advanced level of study. Students interested in art should consider taking this class even if they are not planning on pursuing an art career or majoring in art in college as many colleges are now providing scholarship money to students who submit their art portfolio as a supplement to their application. Portfolio Prep is a supplemental course. Students must take this course in conjunction with another art elective, not as a replacement.
5173 Studio in Film
This course will focus on creative film making. Students will become engaged with the artistic language of film. Through a variety of visualization exercises students will learn storytelling and expression as they develop their skill with the camera. Students will be producing and editing their own film concepts which can range from narrative to abstract pieces. Emphasis will be placed on learning computer editing, lighting, sound, technical camera skills and collaboration in a project based learning setting. Students will be self-directed in imagining, experimenting and producing short and long sequenced films. They will problem solve using media and digital literacy. At the end of this course students will have written, shot and edited a 5-10 minute video.
5180 Advanced Media Arts
This course is intended to explore more advanced concepts in Media Arts through the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Continued access to large format and 3D printing will be available to students when creating works. Students will be expected to participate in project-based problem solving activities where creativity, innovation, responsibility, independence and self-directed learning will be explored. Students will explore and create traditional and contemporary modes of visual communication through various computer applications to include, but not limited to, Adobe Master Suite, Photoshop, Introduction to Web Design, Introduction to Gaming Design, Introduction to Film and Introduction to Animation. At the end of this course, students will be able to: respond to a collection of media-based artwork that demonstrates an understanding of social, cultural and/ or political experiences, demonstrate critical and higher order thinking skills; solve problems through the creative process, articulate and communicate their personal expression in the Media Arts, identify various artist styles and art historical periods; prepare, present and display finished artwork.
Please click here to see a visual guide of the above mentioned Art & Design courses.