Art
Art Department Staff
Loren Marquardt - Rebecca Scheetz - Mindy Tutko - Abigail Warren - Melissa Woodland
Art education makes an important contribution to the broad spectrum of the educational welfare of the students and former students in the community. Success, personal satisfaction and happiness in the future call for individuals with foresight, imagination, and creative skills. Art education at the high school level teaches students how to achieve these goals by intensifying their horizontal and vertical learning activities in Art. Art in our schools has a responsibility to help each student develop his or her maximum potential along lines that are in harmony and acceptability with the philosophies of the school, community and society in general. In endeavoring to establish an individual personality, the energies of young people are always seeking some form of expression. Art lends itself readily to a form of education that guides expression along creative lines and appeals to the varying types of personalities found among high school students.
Art courses must be taken in sequence order: Art 1, Art 2, Art 3 and Art 4. Cartooning has a prerequisite of Art 1. Other electives include Clay Construction and Clay Construction 2, Contemporary Crafts, which does not have a prerequisite, and Portfolio Development and Lafayette Experience, which require completion of Art 1 and 2.
Course Availability
Art 1 520010 1.0 Cr. 9,10,11,12
This course is an introductory course for those with a genuine interest in drawing and design. The development of basic skills is essential for all future work in the Easton Area High School art curriculum. In Art 1, the major emphasis is on the elements of art and principles of design. Each element: line, color, shape, value, texture, form, and space is explored, as well as the principles such as balance, repetition, movement, contrast, unity, and dominance. Students are required to complete homework assignments and keep sketchbooks. Note: The CY Art 1 course does not fulfill the requirement for Art 2 (520020) because there is no studio component in the Cyber course.
Art 2 520020 1.0 Cr. 9,10,11,12
Art 2 continues to relate the basic elements and principles of art and design through disciplined creative experiences. Through the study of contemporary and historical art, students will develop an understanding of the role art plays in society and how to relate art to the decision-making processes in daily life. Art 2 teaches how to create using technical skills, individual sensitivity and knowledge of related art history. A variety of media is used, while students develop both technical and cognitive skills. Students are required to complete homework assignments and keep sketchbooks.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Art 1 with a suggested minimum average of 75 or higher.
Art 3 520030 1.0 Cr. 10,11,12
Art 3 prepares students for more independent creation through performance assessment. Class projects will allow students to strengthen their artistic development, express individual creativity, explore creative possibilities and gain a greater understanding of the world of art and its relationships both to contemporary society and throughout history. The emphasis of this course will be on promoting higher order thinking skills through synthesizing knowledge of art history, culture, aesthetics and criticism for the enhancement of the individual and art production. Students will use a range of two and three- dimensional material. The students will be required to keep a sketchbook and utilize web-based resources for a digital portfolio.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Art 2 with a suggested minimum average of 75 or higher.
Art 4 520040 1.0 Cr. 11,12
Art 4 is the culmination of learning that has taken place during their previous art courses. Students have an opportunity to do more independent research into various types of art. It also stresses goals and time limitations. Communication skills are encouraged to develop their artistic style and voice. Self-analysis is increased through teacher/pupil and student dialogue. Students will be expected to use an extensive range of media with competency while focusing on areas of specialty. Students will utilize online platforms and digital portfolios.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Art 3 with a suggested minimum average of 75 or higher.
Cartooning 520505 0.5 Cr. 10,11,12
Cartooning centers on character development. Students are required to design original characters using a variety of techniques, historical references, and imagination. Students will explore a variety of visual storytelling techniques. iPads will be used to assist with animation of character work. The history of animation will also be included as part of the course of study.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Art 1
Clay Construction 520400 0.5 Cr. 11,12
Clay Construction is an introductory course in hand built pottery. Students will learn basic hand building techniques such as coil and slab construction during the creation of various types of pottery. The pottery pieces created range from sculptural to functional and will require students to think in a third dimension when designing their work. Students will also explore traditional decorative techniques during the construction and glazing of each piece. Strong design and good craftsmanship will be emphasized throughout the class.
Clay Construction 2 520401 0.5 Cr. 11,12
All assignments will involve advanced hand building (coil, slab, pinch pot) or the potter’s wheel. Traditional pieces will be created throughout the course including vessels, teapots, dinnerware, etc. Non-traditional pottery will be sculptural or architectural in nature, exploring direct modeling techniques. Additional glazing, surface treatment and decorative techniques will be introduced throughout the class.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Clay Construction.
Art Portfolio 520050 1.0 Cr. 11,12
A portfolio is the single most important determining factor whether a student will or will not be accepted as an art major in a university or college. Juniors and seniors anticipating applying to college as any type of art major will need to produce a diversified portfolio. This portfolio should include a variety of artwork, with an emphasis on conceptual thinking. This course will provide students an opportunity to create such a portfolio, which demonstrates their artistic skills, craftsmanship, creativity and ability to communicate visual ideas and images. It is highly recommended that this class be taken during the junior year. Students will be asked to work more independently and to observe strict due dates.
Prerequisite: Art 1 and 2.
Lafayette Art Experience 520510 1.0 Cr. 11,12
This course held in conjunction with Lafayette College emphasizes creative and critical thinking skills and challenges concepts of art. This is a unique and special opportunity for the serious art student to work with the artists-in-residence at Lafayette College, engage in complex projects that are often collaborative or community-based, and exhibit their work at the Grossman Gallery of Art on Lafayette College’s campus. This program will expose students to art, museums, and galleries in and around Easton. Students are required to attend class on Lafayette’s campus Tuesdays and Thursdays, following the A/B schedule, from 1:30 until 3:30 pm. Prerequisite: Art 2 and/or art teacher recommendation
*Special Note: There will be a bus from the high school to Lafayette; however, students will need their own transportation home.
Contemporary Crafts 520504 .5 Cr. 9,10,11,12
Contemporary Crafts will offer students the opportunity to construct and build challenging projects using a variety of materials and mediums. Emphasis will be placed on problem solving, construction techniques and the aesthetic principles of art and design. Students will be asked to do research on a variety of historical, contemporary, and pop culture crafts as they explore the design and function of everyday objects. This course is meant for students who enjoy working with three-dimensional form.