Course Overview

Foundation of Art builds a foundation of artistic knowledge in techniques, processes, and terminology. The course focuses on the elements and principles of design, as the basis for compositional design and aesthetic understanding. To provide a comprehensive study of visual art, the course introduces a diverse array of techniques and materials. They include drawing, painting, collaging, printmaking, and sculpting. Along with art-making, the class integrates art history from  Prehistoric time through the early Renaissance. Also, Modern and contemporary artists are discussed throughout the term.

Putting Ourselves in the Shoes of the Prehistoric Artist

Before students jumped into a discussion about the Great Hall of Bulls (Lascaux, France), they were directed to create their own bull paintings with only the materials and pigments that prehistoric people would have foraged and mixed. Through this experience, they had a great understanding of the complexity of the prehistoric person. Then, we discussed why ancient artists would have chosen to spent time and resources making artwork.

Junior High Art

Course Overview

Junior High Art is a semester course. JH Art introduces the foundation of 2-Dimensional and 3-Dimensional technical skills and terminology. We will explore different types of drawing and painting techniques, while learning about the properties and effects of certain media. From mark-making to contour line drawings, you will depict objects from life and from imagination. During the painting units, you will learn how to use watercolor and acrylic paint to mix colors, to mimic highlights and shadows, and to describe depth. Along with drawing and painting techniques, you will use your knowledge of the Elements and Principles of Art and Design to help guide your artistic choices. 

The AP Art History course explores topics such as the nature of art, functions of art, the purpose of art, the process of creating art, and responses to art. Through the investigation of diverse artistic traditions of cultures from prehistory to the present, the course fosters in-depth and holistic understanding of the history of art from a global perspective. Students learn and apply skills of visual, contextual, and comparative analysis to engage with a variety of art forms, constructing an understanding of individual works, and interconnections of art-making processes and products throughout history.