All of the available art courses are listed in our OCS Course Catalog, but for your convenience, here is a list of the art classes that are offered at the Junior Senior High School.
7th Grade Art
This is a one semester (half year) course that will serve as a more in depth introduction to the basic art skills that the students learned in their elementary art classes. The course is designed to help build art vocabulary and knowledge, as well as introducing the students to the possibilities of more advanced art creation. The class meets every other day, on either A Day or B Day depending on the students' individual schedules.
8th Grade Art
This is a one semester (half year) course that will serve to build on the skills and knowledge taught in Art 7. Art vocabulary, art history, and art media skills will continue to be expanded on. Creative problem solving will be encouraged. There will still be a skills survey of drawing, painting, and three- dimensional art, with a focus on aiming to prepare the students for a year long course of art in high school. The class meets every other day, on either A Day or B Day depending on the students' individual schedules.
Studio Art
This class is open to all students in grades 9-12 and lasts for the entire school year. Studio Art is required for all art majors and is a pre-requisite for the advanced courses. Students are instructed on the four components of art education: production, criticism, art history, and aesthetics. Students will continue to create art projects while acquiring the knowledge of criticism, history, and aesthetics. Various drawing and painting techniques will be explored through a wide variety of media. Three-dimensional design will be introduced and students will have a choice of materials to work with. Creative problem solving will be encouraged. Students will be expected to keep a sketchbook that will be graded throughout each marking period.
Advanced Studio
Studio Art is a pre-requisite for Advanced Studio. Advanced Studio a year long class that is open to students grades 10-12. Students will continue to explore art criticism, art history, and aesthetics through their studio experience. Drawing skills will be emphasized as well as composition and design. Figure drawing and portraiture will be studied. Three-dimensional design and sculpture, printmaking, and an introduction to acrylic and/or watercolor painting will also be included. Creative problem solving will be encouraged. Students will be expected to keep a sketchbook that will be graded throughout each marking period.
Drawing and Painting
Studio Art and Advanced Studio are pre-requisites for this class. Drawing and Painting is a year long class that is open to students grades 11-12. Students will continue to explore art criticism, art history, and aesthetics through their studio experience. Techniques in acrylics, tempera, and watercolors will be expanded upon as well as introduced. Creative problem solving will be encouraged. Students will draw in various media as well as keep a sketchbook to develop references for their paintings, and sketchbook assignments will be graded throughout each marking period.
Portfolio Preparation
Studio Art, Advanced Studio, and Drawing and Painting are pre-requisites for this class. Portfolio Preparation is a year long class that is open to 12th grade students only. Portfolio review and preparation will be handled, especially to help those who are applying to college for art. Even if the student is not applying to art school, they will still create a portfolio as a summary of their high school art career. The students will continue to work and study in an area of choice with approval of the instructor. Students will be expected to keep a sketchbook that will be graded throughout each marking period.
Digital Imaging for Photography*
This course is a half year course worth 0.5 credit. This is an enjoyable course for anyone who has an eye for photography, or who would just like to take better photos. The practical and technical aspects of taking a great photograph are combined with an introduction to the elements of art and principles of design, with an eye toward taking great photos. You will work through a series of tutorials in Photoshop to learn the basics of digital imaging with a focus on photography. Skills and techniques are then applied to your own images. There will be a few classroom cameras for students to sign out overnight, but having your own digital camera is beneficial (a digital SLR camera is not necessary). Because cameras are shared with others needing equipment, borrowing a camera is contingent upon the student keeping equipment in working condition and using it in a timely fashion.
*This class is not currently available, but we hope to be able to offer it during a future school year.
ART 123 - Intro to Computer Graphics - for college credit through Onondaga Community College*
This course counts for college credit through Onondaga Community College. Studio Art is a pre-requisite and the class is only open to grades 10-12. The class meets every day for half of the year (one semester). The class is offered twice a year. An introduction to graphic design in a digital environment. This course examines industry standard software applications for page layout, illustration, and photo-manipulation. Students will learn the basics of the industry standard software Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.
*This class is not currently available, but we hope to be able to offer it again during a future school year.