FINE ARTS: VISUAL ARTS

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: None 

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Art Foundations will work with a variety of media in this entry level class with an emphasis on drawing, painting, sculpture, and ceramics. Class activities will be designed to promote artistic growth through students’ interactions with traditional art materials, tools, and technical skills. Art Foundations offers students the opportunity to develop their understanding of art history, methods of art production and ideas concerning the significance of art. 

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: None 

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Drawing & Painting I will learn about materials, skills, and concepts used in creating two-dimensional artwork. There will be an emphasis on drawing, painting and a variety of mixed-media explorations. Students will acquire basic to intermediate skills while learning about the design elements and principles. These skills will develop the abilities necessary for moving on to Drawing and Painting II.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: Drawing and Painting I 

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Drawing and Painting II will further develop their understanding of two dimensional art and drawing/painting techniques.  Students will dive deeper into exploring art history and engage in class critiques to improve their art making process.  There will be an emphasis on painting; styles, techniques and materials while still applying their drawing skills through various projects.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: None

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Ceramics I will learn about materials, skills, and concepts used in creating ceramic artwork.  A wide range of tools, techniques and approaches will be used in class.  There will also be an introduction to the history of clay, a recognition of clay making cultures and a look at contemporary ceramists.  Areas of study will include: Handbuilding Techniques, Glazing & Decoration and an introduction to the Potter's Wheel.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: Ceramics I

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Ceramics II will further develop their understanding of ceramic sculpture techniques.  Students will hone their skills with clay through advanced wheel throwing and hand building projects.  There will also be an introduction to making mid fire glazes, processing local clay and raku firing .  Students will further their understanding of the historic aspect of ceramics by exploring the art and lives of prominent ceramic artists.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: None

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Sculpture I will learn about materials, skills, and concepts used in creating three dimensional artwork. A wide range of materials, tools, and techniques will be used in this class.  There will also be an introduction to historically well-known sculptors. Areas of study will include: woodworking, metal jewelry, soft sculpture, and mixed media. 

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: Sculpture I (or Art Explorations or Art and Design) 

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Sculpture II will further develop their understanding of three dimensional art and sculpting techniques.  Students will have the opportunity to work with new materials and design processes while also honing their skills with larger scale, community based, and installation work. 

Grade(s): 10,11,12 Prerequisite: Drawing & Painting II, or Sculpture II, or Ceramics II

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Advanced Art I will learn about various art styles in this studio course that begins with an in-depth study of twentieth century painting ranging from Impressionism to Post-Modern Art. Students will also explore the world of contemporary art through weekly readings and journal entries, with an emphasis on personal imagery and visual language. The areas of study include advanced painting, charcoal, colored pencil drawing, and mixed media explorations. Students will also begin creating an art portfolio and explore post-secondary options for art.

Grade(s): 10,11,12 Prerequisite: Advanced Art I

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Advanced Art II will create their own projects stemming from what they learned in Advanced Art I. Students may choose to explore a range of 2-D and 3-D medias as well as work on portfolio development. Students will also explore the world of contemporary art through weekly readings and journal entries, with an emphasis on personal imagery and visual language. The class will be structured similar to that of an independent study, and every three weeks the students will evaluate their progress with their instructor.

Grade(s): 11,12 Prerequisite: Advanced Art II

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Advanced Art III will create original artwork stemming from their own ideas.  A key focus of this course will be creating and building upon their art portfolio.  The class will be structured similar to that of an independent study, and every three weeks students will evaluate their progress with their instructor. 

Grade(s): 11,12 Prerequisite: Advanced Art III

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Art Studio will further develop their portfolio to possibly pursue art as a career. They will learn about the requirements for an art portfolio as it pertains to a variety of schools. The art portfolio may be used for college admission, scholarship opportunities or art competitions. The class will be structured similar to that of an independent study, and every three weeks students will evaluate their progress with their instructor.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: None

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Introduction to Photoshop will understand and use the fundamental workflow of Photoshop to create artistic imagery in this project-based course. Students will learn to effectively edit and combine images into seamless compositions, use adjustments  and effects, and paint digitally. Students with prior experience will be provided the opportunity to work at an accelerated pace.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: Introduction to Photoshop

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Photoshop & Illustrator Design will continue the exploration of digital media and build on their skills in digital art in this project-based course.  Students will use Adobe Illustrator to create vector based art while also expanding upon their Photoshop knowledge.  Students will create art from a design perspective through working from preliminary sketches to final digital compositions, exploring digital painting, illustration, and digital imagery.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: None

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Intro to Animation will create hand-drawn, and digital animation using Digital Drawing Monitors. Final projects will be created in Adobe Animate and Adobe Photoshop, focusing on artistic skills alongside software fundamentals. The class will focus on drawing for animation and understanding the principles of animation, as students work to tell original stories and develop a personal style.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: Introduction to Animation

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Advanced Animation will learn advanced 2D animation techniques in Adobe Animate and also create animations in Adobe After Effects. The focus will be on the use of motion studies, storyboard techniques, character and narrative development, and camera movement. Final projects will be presented in a digital portfolio.

Grade(s): 10,11,12 Prerequisite: Advanced Animation or Photoshop & Illustrator Design, or Graphic Design II

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Advanced Digital Art will continue to individually develop their digital art skills. In this contract-based, studio course, students will explore digital imagery and illustration, photography, animation and video. Students will work at their own pace, creating and building upon their digital art portfolio.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: None

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Graphic Design I will learn why the principles of design affect how we visually communicate. Students will create compelling designs by exploring and manipulating typefaces, creating graphics, and organizing layouts. This class will also provide students with a foundational understanding of typography, logo and icon design, and effective visual hierarchy.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: Graphic Design I

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Graphic Design II will learn to advance and expand their understanding of graphic design by building on the skills, concepts, and software programs from Graphic Design I. Students will learn about typography, publication design, branding/logo development, print production, and packaging design in addition to opportunities to explore graphic design as a profession through community projects and beginning portfolio development.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: None

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Photography I will learn to use a manual 35mm camera, develop their own film, and create high quality prints through traditional darkroom techniques. No prior knowledge of photography is required; students will be led from photography composition and design to dry mounting and presentation. This class has darkroom work, classroom assignments and digital computer work to successfully understand camera settings, photography methods and techniques.

Grade(s): 9,10,11,12 Prerequisite: Photography I

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Photography II will learn the concepts, tools and technology of digital imaging for photographers. Photography assignments will focus on discovering creative approaches to making compositions, lighting, and controlling exposure for outdoor and studio photography. Adobe Photoshop will be introduced for file adjustments and creative file manipulations. Students will learn how to prepare and present images. DSLR cameras are available from MHS for use in this class. 

Grade(s): 10,11,12 Prerequisite: Photography II

Credit: 0.5 Fine Arts Semester Course

Students in Photography III will learn to advance and expand their photography skills. This is a course for students who have been successful in previous semesters of photography and are ready to learn through teacher led and self-guided study. Students will create images with Digital Cameras and the use of Photoshop. Creative exploration of photography techniques will be a focus of this class. DSLR cameras are available from MHS for use in this class.