Course Description

Advanced Studio Art - Drawing & Painting is designed for students who loved their experience in the beginning DP courses and would like to challenge themselves with a more advanced, self directed study in the fine arts of image making. As with the beginning classes, the emphasis is on approaching the world of art-making as a means of artistic expression. Students who have nothing to "say" artistically will have a difficult time in this class.

In this advanced class, students will be producing a "body of work" that represents their own artistic vision. Students will also be expected to advance their knowledge of the technical aspects of drawing and painting.

This course may be repeated for credit, with the following sequence of emphasis:

First time - BREADTH - Students make a wide variety of art projects, using many different approaches and techniques. The goal is to show competence in a range. (12 projects.*)

Second time - CONCENTRATION - Students choose a single theme or topic or approach, and artistic journey obsessing in one area. This concentration must be proposed and approved by the instructor before beginning the class. (12 projects)

*Third time - QUALITY - While all art classes focus on quality, this course focuses on refining and furthering a very professional portfolio, website, and other aspects of finding your artistic voice. This course can be taken as a seminar - (like independent study contract with teacher)

Students, with instructor consultation and approval, create their own program of study - projects, research, timeline. They create assignments that take place over several weeks with weekly checks on progress. Additional smaller (daily-ish) assignments allow students constant practice and challenges. Students will be required to visit one visual arts museum, gallery, or opening per quarter of class to further their involvement and inspiration from other artists.

Major overarching goals of ADVANCED STUDIO ART - DRAWING & PAINTING:

• Students have maximum autonomy to create personal portfolios to use in public exhibits and/or AP Studio test submission.

• In consultation with the teacher, student makes 18 week plan for projects, research, skill-building & documentation. Adjust and revise as work progresses.

• This course focuses on a sustained investigation of all three aspects of the AP 2-D design portfolio: quality, concentration, and breadth. But it is not an AP course yet. Student aims for at least 12 fully finished photo projects.

• *CRAFTSMANSHIP… What makes a Project Finished?:

  • Further develop the use of key concepts of successful composition to arrive at finely crafted drawings and explorative paintings. With this in mind you’ll be developing your knowledge in these areas:

    • Use exploration of representational and abstract artworks to achieve high impact images.

    • Use elements of design to express creative ideas.

    • Dive deep & explore materials to gain a wider range of expertise.

    • Maintain creative momentum when pursuing an artistic ideas on a regular basis.

    • Present artworks to the public, including off-campus.

    • Discuss and argue for what makes good quality images. Create unified bodies of work with each investigation…

    • Find a venue to show your artwork at in the community.

SUMMARY

Each of the quarter themes offer a conceptual focus within which students of different media maintain a conversation about their goals and challenges. More specific project ideas will develop out of classroom discussion and personal investigation within each theme. Moreover, project ideas develop out of exploration of materials. Development of students' art and ideas are anchored in study of art history and contemporary artists.

Using the concept of representation in art, students explore works that create the illusion of reality but implies more than what is visually there thus making a statement. Teaching emphasizes how to create 'realistic' works of art and using chosen media with expertise.

Central inquiry questions:

• Why is building skill in ‘representing’ important?

• What is the relationship between craftsmanship and impact of resulting work?

• When we ‘represent in art,’ what function does that serve in the culture?

• What are a variety of ways artists have made powerful representations?

ASSIGNMENTS:

All students will have 3 weeks to prepare a variety of works to address the concepts and questions taught with regard to making representational art. They will have to investigate various process and materials in order to make a mini-portfolio on this theme. The types of works and quantity will be arrived at through class discussion of the central issues in representational art-making.

DP

Artists/Movements/Topics studied: Dali, Rubens, Rembrandt, Rivera, Arcimboldo

Possible Project Types: Still Life, Figure/Portrait, Landscape & Nature, Veristic Surrealism, Pop art

Media choices: Pencil, watercolor, conte crayon, acrylic paint, linocut printmaking

PHOTO

Artists/Movements/Topics studied: Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Edward Weston, Arturo Herrera, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Lee Freidlander, Shirin Nesat

Possible Project Types: Still Life, Figure/Portrait, Landscape & Nature, Veristic Surrealism

CERAMICS

Artists/Movements/Topics studied: Robert Arneson, Greek Pottery (narrative), Brett Kern

Possible Project Types: Trompe l’oeil object, Production Series, Sculpture portrait

Artist using technique and inquiry to share what is beautiful, interesting, surprising in their own observations of the world. Often, an emphasis on perspective and space is employed.

SUMMARY:

Each of the quarter themes offer a conceptual focus within which students of different media maintain a conversation about their goals and challenges. More specific project ideas will develop out of classroom discussion and personal investigation within each theme. Moreover, project ideas develop out of exploration of materials. Development of students art and ideas are anchored in study of art history and contemporary artists.

The notion of art-making as personal expression seems relatively new in the course of (at least Western) art history. The function of trying to express ideas and feelings visually is at the heart of this unit.

Central inquiry questions:

• What's on your mind?

• What’s important?

• What needs to be celebrated?

• What political or social issues need change?

• How to use symbolism?

• What are your methods for bringing clarity to your work?

• What ‘story’ do you want your art to tell?

ASSIGNMENTS: All students will have 8 weeks to prepare a variety of works to address the concepts and questions taught with regard to making expressive (emotionalist) art. They will have to investigate various process and materials in order to make a mini-portfolio on this theme. The types of works and quantity will be arrived at through class discussion of the central issues finding way to express inner feeling and thoughts through art-making.

DP

PHOTO

CERAMICS

Evaluation

Rubrics & Proficiency Scales are used to assess art and writing in the course. However the most effective method of assessment is critiquing by the observers. Critiquing by classmates can be threatening but the students need to learn to accept criticism as well as praise for their artwork. The works of art are judged as to whether or not the art meets the standards set by teacher and class together. These standards consistently involve an assessment of impact, craftsmanship, use of materials, composition, and then any other criteria by the classroom community, (but especially the teacher.) Additionally, class critiques are about improving & deepening how we talk about art, and learning to express what we 'see' verbally and in writing.

Exhibitions & Website

Student will be required to exhibit their best works in on-site and off-campus shows. Also, online presentation in the form of a website is required. Students will be using self-made websites to organize and show their work to the wider world. The website will also be a place to share their written work about the concepts in the class.

UNIT ASSIGNMENTS

Each unit will have a week-long review period and class critique. This will also be the time for website posting. During this time students are not only getting graded for their artwork, but also being evaluated for the feedback they give other students. This is the time to practice talking about art in an academic way, and also simply as an 'art-appreciator.' The critiques are not only about improving the quality of our art, but also about the quality of our arguments about art.