IHS Visual Arts Department
Fremont, CA
"Creativity takes courage."
-Henri Matisse
The Visual Arts Department at Irvington High School has one main goal: teaching to the whole student through artistic practices and personal expression.
In the Visual Arts classroom, students are taught:
to learn creative techniques and practices
to commit and follow through with their ideas
to think visually, to find meaning in their work
to observe their work deeply
to share their work and reflect on it
to go outside of their comfort zone and explore new ideas
to see the connections between art and the communities that surround them.
COURSE OFFERINGS
In the Art 1 course students will explore various media used in drawing, painting, sculpting, printmaking, and other two and/or three dimensional art forms. The basics of design and composition will be studied, including space, line, shape, form, texture, and color. Art from various cultures will be presented.
In the Art 2 course students will continue to explore various media used in drawing and painting. Pencil, colored pencils, charcoal, chalk pastels, and acrylic paint are some of the materials used. The Elements of Art and Principles of Design will continue to be studied as well as various artists and cultures.
Students who enjoy working with their hands and working within 3D space can develop their new sculpting skills in these courses. Clay, cardboard, found-objects, and papier-mâché are some of the materials used. This course includes an introduction to the potter’s wheel and traditional ceramics.
These courses are designed to provide students with a solid grounding in digital photographic essentials focusing on the power of contemporary software tools. Students will have hands-on access to the latest photographic equipment. Instruction covers digital & alternative photography essentials, Adobe products, lighting, set design, studio configuration, field issues, camera operation, and Darkroom processes.
The Advanced Placement Art courses enable highly motivated students to perform at the college level while still in high school. Students spend the year developing their portfolio in and outside of class. This portfolio is viewed as the culminating experience in a student’s secondary school visual arts training. It serves as a performance-based exam offered by the College Board. They will have the ultimate decision on whether or not college credit is received.
This course is equivalent to a two-semester introductory college course that explores such topics as the nature of art, making of art, and responses to art. Students investigate a specific set of 250 works within ten content areas ranging from Global Prehistory (beginning 30,000 BCE) to Global Contemporary (present).
