Art
AP Art History
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisites: Students will apply to the instructor for approval. Click here to apply
AP Art History is designed to provide the same benefits to secondary school students as those provided by an introductory college survey course in art history. This course will examine major forms of artistic expression from the ancient world to the present from a variety of cultures across the world. Students will learn to view and analyze works of art within their historical context and articulate what they see in meaningful ways. This course will help students develop an appreciation for art, understand the meaning, purpose, and function of art, and apply fundamental art and art historical terminology. Students will learn to analyze art within the context of historical evidence and interpret art by examining issues such as politics, religion, patronage, gender, and ethnicity. Students will develop complex thinking skills and articulate visual and historical concepts in verbal and written forms.
AP 2D Art & Design
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: Art II or Advanced Drawing and Painting. Students will also need to submit a portfolio presentation as part of their application.
Students must also complete the required application.
Advanced Placement 2D Art and Design offers students the opportunity to pursue college-level work in art. It is intended for the highly motivated student interested in the serious study of art. The AP 2D Art and Design program is a rigorous class in which students must provide clear evidence of concept understanding, visual organization, and technical skills. The coursework involves significantly more time than the typical high school art course. This course prepares the student for the AP Art and Design studio exam.
AP 2D Art & Design: Photography
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: Advanced Photography with a minimum passing grade of 90% and teacher recommendation
Students must also complete the required application.
Advanced Placement 2D Art & Design: Photography is open to students who have taken Advanced Photography. This photography course offers students an additional opportunity to pursue college-level work and is intended for the highly motivated student interested in the serious study of photography. As a course earning AP credit, this is a rigorous class in which students must provide clear evidence of concept understanding, visual organization, and technical skills. The coursework involves significantly more time than the typical high school art course. This course prepares the student for the AP Art and Design studio exam.
AP 3D Art & Design
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: Advanced Sculpture & Ceramics I and teacher recommendation.
AP 3D Art & Design is open to students who have taken Advanced Sculpture & Ceramics I. AP 3D Art & Design offers students an additional opportunity to pursue college-level work and is intended for the highly motivated student interested in the serious study of 3D art. The AP 3D Art & Design program is a rigorous class in which students must provide clear evidence of conceptual understanding, visual organization, and technical skills. The coursework involves significantly more time than the typical high school art course. This course prepares the student for the AP 3D Art & Design exam.
AP Drawing
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 12
Prerequisite: AP 2D Art and Design with a minimum passing grade of 90% or instructor recommendation
Advanced Placement Drawing is open to students who have taken the Advanced Placement 2D Art and Design course and offers students an additional opportunity to pursue college-level work. It is intended for the highly motivated student interested in the serious study of art. The AP Drawing program is a rigorous class in which students must provide clear evidence of concept understanding, visual organization, and technical skills. The coursework involves significantly more time than the typical high school art course. This course prepares the student for the AP Drawing exam.
Art I
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Art I is recommended for students who are interested in exploring a wide range of “hands on” activities. Typical areas of study may include drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture and fiber arts. The instructor will help students not only strive to produce quality finished products but also attempt to inspire diversified, creative thinking. In addition to learning the basic developmental skills and techniques in each area, this course will expose students to the works of famous artists and stress the design principles and elements of good composition. This course will prepare the student for advanced art courses.
Art II
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisite: Art I
In Art II, students continue exploration in the areas of drawing, printmaking, painting, three-dimensional construction, crafts, abstraction, and art history. Emphasis is placed on color and more advanced techniques and materials. Students will develop greater observational skills while creating a portrait. Typical areas of study may include drawing and rendering, pen and ink, painting on stretched canvas, advanced printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics.
Cartooning & Animation
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: Suggested only - Drawing or Art I
This mixed media drawing course explores cartooning and animation as an art form and a serious career path. It stresses the development of artistic expression using traditional techniques and contemporary materials. Drawing skills are expanded upon to exaggerate, distort, and manipulate visual elements. Drama, mood, original characters, proportions of the figure and facial features, and perspective are created in illustrations and panel cartoons. Famous cartoonists and literary works of cartooning are also studied.
Crafts
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed to encourage experimentation while developing an appreciation for and understanding of quality craft techniques. Emphasis will be placed on creative design, the function of a product, personal interpretation, the potential of materials, and good craftsmanship. Areas of exploration may include batik, fiber exploration, ceramics, and fabric design.
Digital Art Design
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
This course explores various phases of a commercial artist’s job. By using traditional techniques and digital technology, creative artwork through the use of visual and graphic design elements is produced. Drawing and computer skills to create high-quality, original layouts, illustrations, and graphic designs are expanded. Typical areas of study might include color theory design, corporate identity, expressive typography, media advertising, methods of printing, and vector illustration.
Drawing
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Students are taught strategies and techniques to heighten powers of observation and eye-hand coordination resulting in realistic line, shade, perspective and color drawings. Drawing styles, such as blind and modified contour, are explored using materials such as pencil, conte, pen & ink, pastel, colored pencil and mixed media. To be able to express one’s vision and ideas through drawing is one of the most important skills an artist can have. Taking this course first provides a strong base for taking other departmental selections.
Advanced Drawing
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: Drawing with a minimum grade of 90% or Art I with a minimum grade of 85%
This advanced-level course focuses on the improvement of skill levels using more involved processes and materials. Subject matter areas covered in Drawing are reviewed and enriched through further exploration. Wider experimental use of the various media will be stressed as a means of furthering individual development in the ability to use pencils, pens, crayons, charcoal, pastels and chalks, transparent and opaque watercolors, and various combinations of media. Portraiture is explored.
Painting
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: Drawing or Art I
Students explore numerous subject possibilities through the excitement of working with color and a variety of paint media. Emphasis is on good composition, paint handling, and color theory. Creative approaches to idea and skill development and composition are stressed. Typical areas of study might include watercolors, acrylics, tempera, and mixed media.
Advanced Painting
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 semester
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisite: Painting
This advanced level course may be taken multiple times for credit and improvement of skill levels. This class will build on color and painting techniques learned at the beginning painting course. In addition to watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media, more sophisticated and complicated techniques are introduced (such as monoprint painting, large and extra-large / life-size canvas painting, etc.). The emphasis on personal expression to make a statement is stressed. This course enables students to add advanced color work to their portfolios.
Photography
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
This is a course designed to emphasize black and white photography as an art form. It stresses the principles of art and design, the study of famous photographers and their works, and the functions of the camera. Working in the photography studio, students are prepared to use 35mm cameras and various darkroom equipment/techniques to create photograms, enlarged prints, and pinhole photos.
Advanced Photography I & II
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: A minimum grade of 90% in Photography
This advanced level course may be taken multiple times for credit and improvement of skill levels. This course is designed to further a student’s understanding of photographic design and help promote creative problem-solving while exploring applications of black-and-white photography on an advanced level. Students explore and practice advanced darkroom techniques that will lead to more abstract photographs. Students are responsible for developing a professional portfolio for college or a possible career in a photography-related field. Due to the project-based nature of the course that develops individual artistic skills, students may take this course twice by experiencing different project foci and receive credits.
Digital Photography
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed for students to learn basic digital photographic concepts. Working extensively with Adobe Photoshop, students will create and manipulate digital photographs using a variety of editing techniques. Students will learn composition techniques, emphasizing work in the principles and elements of design while developing a portfolio of their work and honing their editing skills.
Portfolio/Advanced Studio
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: Students must have 2 art courses (one from each category): Art I, Drawing, or Painting AND Art II, Advanced Drawing, or Advanced Painting.
Creating a portfolio requires careful planning with an overall strategy. This is an advanced art course for the student who intends to go to a specific art school, take art in college, or make a career in the world of art. Further development of the skills already acquired in other art courses is stressed. Upon entry to the class, the student’s existing portfolio of collected artwork is reviewed. Each student is then guided to enhance the portfolio with diverse works to fulfill college and art school requirements. A variety of media, styles, techniques, and subject matter is covered. College and art school selection, portfolio presentation, and the interview process are explored.
Sculpture & Ceramics
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Concentration in this course is on three-dimensional art. Students work on a wide range of sculptural techniques both additive (clay, wire, foam board) and subtractive (carving) as well as assemblage (using found objects to create sculpture). This course also provides instruction and experience in the techniques of hand-built pottery with decorating and glazing experiments to enhance the finished piece.
Advanced Sculpture and Ceramics I & II
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: A minimum grade of 90% in Sculpture & Ceramics
This advanced-level course may be taken multiple times for credit and improvement of skill levels. This course is the logical continuation on an advanced level of the other Sculpture & Ceramics course. While materials are similar (clay, plaster, paper, cardboard, mixed media, etc.), the approaches to composition and form are conceptually more sophisticated. New, more advanced forms (beyond the simple cylinder) will be created on the ceramics wheel. More complicated sculpture techniques will be introduced, such as modeling a human head from clay and creating hand-built teapots. Due to the project-based nature of the course that develops individual artistic skills, students may take this course twice by experiencing different project foci and receive credits.
Video and Film I
Credits: 2.5
Course Length: 1 Semester
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
This course provides both a practical and theoretical knowledge of video production and film study that can be used as a basis for more advanced work, career preparation, or enhancement of personal skills. Students will learn how to use a video camera as well as how to script, direct, shoot, edit, and produce short video pieces. They will learn a new visual vocabulary through examination and discussion of famous historic and contemporary films. Hands-on production will enable students to transfer learned classroom skills to real-world production opportunities.
Advanced Video and Film I, II, & III
Credits: 5
Course Length: Year
Grade Level: 10-12
Prerequisite: Video and Film I and teacher recommendation
This advanced-level course may be taken multiple times for credit and improvement of skill levels. Starting from the strong theoretical and practical base begun in Video and Film I, students will further their understanding of video production and film study. Stressing film and video as an art form, students will develop sensitivity to the nuances of movement, further understand lighting and exposure, and master the basic tenets of good composition in the moving image. The advanced students will continue to use a prosumer camera and script, direct, light, shoot, and produce short video pieces. Emphasis will be placed on the non-linear editing of footage from classrooms and other shoots. The language of film continues to be a focus as historic and contemporary films are screened and discussed. Due to the project-based nature of the course that develops individual artistic skills, students may take this course three times by experiencing different project foci and receive credits. College credit may be earned for this course one time from Raritan Valley Community College through the Concurrent Enrollment Program for a fee.