SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS 2026-2027
Hello, and thank you for your interest in AP Art and Design!
In order to maintain eligibility for the course, all interested students must complete AT LEAST 20 sketchbook pages BEFORE the first day of class in August AND complete three, 2.5 hour long (doesn't have to be all at the same time) projects, and a written assignment to assess your skill level and goals coming into the course.
PART 1: 20 SKETCHBOOK PAGES
Your sketchbook pages should reflect at least 30 minutes of work. It is advised that you date your drawings and put the amount of time spent on each drawing somewhere on the page.
You are also expected to use a variety of media. Some media you should consider using are as follows:
Pencil Mixed media/assemblage
Pen Colored pencil
Marker India ink
Acrylic paint Embroidery
Watercolor Collage
While the sketchbook pages do not have to be in a bound book, it is advised that you keep all of your images together and photograph them regularly as documentation. Keep a folder in your google drive for all AP documentation to keep organized.
All work submitted should be yours and yours alone. AP does not accept anything that is AI generated or copied from reference photos that are not yours!
AP Art and Design Portfolio Policies regarding plagiarism and AI use.
Your skill level/aptitude as demonstrated in these sketches will not be used to assess your eligibility for the course: rather, these sketchbook pages are an assessment of your commitment to practice and experimentation, both of which are essential for success in this course.
If you would like some ideas for your sketchbook you may click on this link for some prompts to get you started.
Click on this link for more ideas and expectations: Sketchbook Work Requirements
PART 2: THREE ART PROJECTS AND WRITING PROMPT
In addition to your 20 sketchbook pages, you are expected to create three separate art projects. These should be done on a separate background (canvas, paper, poster board, mixed media paper, etc...), and must be full page and must be at least 8" x 10" in size. Do NOT leave these assignments until the last day of Summer Break, as it will require about 8 hours of your time to complete.
The projects are as follows:
Each work submitted should be entirely your own design, composition, and rendering (no copying from photos on books, the Internet, etc., but you may work from your own photographs if you choose) and represent ~2-2.5 hours of work each.
You can use any 2D or drawing media (unless you are turning in a 3D portfolio) to complete your pieces, including but not limited to pencil, pen and ink, watercolor, gouache, oil, colored pencil, pastel, etc. No digital works will be accepted as summer work, but students may complete digital work for their portfolio during the year provided that they bring their own devices.
PROJECT #1: Still life drawing. This should preferably be drawn from life, but if you have to take a photo of the still life that is ok.
PROJECT #2: Portrait. Use any medium/media except for digital and photography. Can be from observation, a photo of a person, can be done from a grid, can be a self-portrait or a portrait of someone important to you. MUST NOT BE OF ANY CELEBRITY!!! Copying photos from online WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE TRANSFORMATION is considered plagiarism!!
PROJECT #3: A creative piece that you believe best demonstrates your skills in art and design. Anything you would like =)
You will then respond to the following prompt in 300 words or less, using a paragraph format either hand written or in google docs.
Why are you interested in taking AP Art and Design next year? Describe how you envision yourself utilizing this course to further your art-related goals.
You will turn this work into the Google Classroom site at the beginning of the new school year.
Students who do not submit both assignments in their entirety by the first week of school will need to make up the assignments on their own time and can only receive up to 70% credit for the work which will greatly impact their final grade for the semester.
Have questions?
Email: Linn.Zamora@gcpsk12.org
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