Art Education
The Art Program provides courses for students interested in learning a variety of art skills or for the artistically talented student who is seriously considering an art career or profession. The art courses are divided into three categories: Fine Arts, Commercial Arts, and Crafts.
* These courses have been endorsed by Montgomery County Community College and have therefore been weighted at CP and Honors.
CERAMICS 1
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Traditional: 08215 Periods/cycle: 5
Students in this course will design and create clay projects using introductory clay techniques including hand building, wheel throwing, decorating, and finishing techniques. Projects will include wheel thrown mugs, bowls, plates, vases, and hand built boxes and vases. (Crafts)
CERAMICS 2
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: 74 in Ceramics 1
Traditional: 08225 Periods/cycle: 5
Students will continue to develop their clay skills by investigating new clay and glaze techniques. Projects include original designs in teapots, lids, pedestals, and large-scale works. (Crafts)
CERAMICS 3
Grade(s): 10-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: 74 in Ceramics 2
Traditional: 08235 Periods/cycle: 5
In Ceramics 3, equipment is available for wheel-work, mold making, and slip casting projects, as well as large kilns for hand building and sculpture. Students are encouraged to investigate processes that range in diversity from wood firing, raku, and salt glazing to stoneware and porcelain. (Crafts)
CERAMICS 4
Grade(s): 10-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Ceramics 3
Traditional: 08245 Periods/cycle: 5
Students develop themes from other cultures and diverse historical periods. Students will record their ideas, research glaze formulas, and document their pieces in a sketchbook. Students are encouraged to investigate processes that range in diversity from wood firing, raku and salt glazing to stoneware and porcelain. Students will investigate, interpret, and redefine an idea by attempting multiple solutions to art problems. Attempting to express such ideas in multiple ways guides students in thematic development. Equipment is available for wheel-work, mold making, and slip casting projects, as well as large kilns for hand building and sculpture. (Crafts)
DRAWING 1
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Traditional: 08315 Periods/cycle: 5
Drawing 1 introduces students to a wide variety of drawing techniques and materials. Students will create portraits, landscapes, figures, still life art, perspective drawings, and surreal art. Emphasis is placed on developing strong drawing skills. (Fine Arts)
DRAWING 2
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: CP, H
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Drawing 1 or teacher recommendation
Traditional: Periods/cycle: 5
Course numbers: College Prep (08325), Honors (08321)
Dual Enrollment: 3 credits via Montgomery County Community College contingent upon yearly instructor approval.
Drawing 2 students will build on Drawing 1 fundamentals using a variety of black, white, and color materials. The course emphasizes developing personal style, creative thinking, and advanced drawing techniques. The honors level course requires an additional writing assignment. (Fine Arts)
PAINTING 1
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Traditional: 08415 Periods/cycle: 5
Painting 1 students will learn techniques using watercolor, acrylic, and oil paints. Observation, imagination, and art history will inspire a wide range of projects. (Fine Arts)
PAINTING 2
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: CP, H
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Painting 1
Traditional: 08425 Periods/cycle: 5
Course numbers: College Prep (08425), Honors (08421)
Dual Enrollment: 3 credits via Montgomery County Community College contingent upon yearly instructor approval.
Building upon the skills acquired in Painting 1, students investigate the concept of color theory, expand their painting techniques, and apply this information to a variety of subject matter. The content includes portraiture, landscapes, still life, and abstract art. The honors level course requires an additional writing assignment. (Fine Arts)
SCULPTURE
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Traditional: 08515 Periods/cycle: 5
This course provides students with an opportunity to create three-dimensional works of art using a variety of materials including clay, wood, stone, wire, and plaster. Observation, real life, art history, and imagination inspire subjects for sculpture. (Fine Arts)
STUDIO ART
Grade(s): 11-12 Credit(s): 1.0 Weight: CP*, H*
Length: Year
Prerequisite: Drawing I, Painting I or teacher recommendation
Traditional Periods/cycle: 5
Course numbers: College Prep (08612), Honors (08611)
EXPLORE YOUR ARTISTIC STYLE! A serious approach is taken to develop personal style, refine drawing and painting techniques, and explore new art media. This course is not limited to students planning to attend art school after graduation. The honors level course requires an additional writing assignment. (Fine Arts).
AP STUDIO ART (2-D DESIGN/ 3-D DESIGN/DRAWING)
Grade(s): 11-12 Credit(s): 1.0 Weight: AP
Length: Year Fee: AP Exam fee
Prerequisite: 2 Fine Arts courses or teacher recommendation.
Traditional: 08620 Periods/cycle: 5
*Summer assignment required*
This course is designed for students who may plan to major or minor in an art-related area. It enables students to develop a portfolio that meets college level art requirements. Students interested in college credit for this course must submit an AP Studio Art portfolio in May for evaluation by The College Board. Guided by the AP Studio Art teacher, students develop independent art goals. (Fine Arts)
DIGITAL ART & DESIGN 1
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Traditional: 08715 Periods/cycle: 5
Adobe PHOTOSHOP will be used to alter photos and develop basic graphic design and image manipulation skills. Projects may include restoring old photographs; combining two or more images (ex. Animal Hybrid); digital painting; and creating posters and ads for print and web. (Commercial Arts)
DIGITAL ART & DESIGN 2
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Digital Art & Design 1
Traditional: 08725 Periods/cycle: 5
Adobe PHOTOSHOP & ILLUSTRATOR will be used to further develop students’ skills in graphic design. Students will create illustrations and designs to produce projects such as page layouts, menus, scientific illustration, posters, t-shirts, corporate identity packages, logos, and package designs. (Commercial Arts)
DIGITAL ART & DESIGN 3
Grade(s): 10-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Digital Art & Design 1 and 2
Traditional: 08735 Periods/cycle: 5
Designed for students seeking to major in graphic design, this course provides students the opportunity to compile a professional, interactive CD portfolio of their work. Students will focus on layout, corporate identity and marketing through the design of a variety of pieces of their own creation such as comic book characters, interactive designs, yearbook or magazine layouts, and promotional items. They will enhance their application of the software Adobe PHOTOSHOP, Adobe ILLUSTRATOR and Adobe INDESIGN. (Commercial Arts)
ANIMATION
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Digital Art & Design I
Traditional: 08815 Periods/cycle: 5
This course is an introduction to computer animation. Students will use programs such as Adobe ANIMATE, Adobe PHOTOSHOP, and Adobe ILLUSTRATOR to aid in their designs, as well as online software. Students will design characters, storyboards, character animation, and web animation. Students will have the opportunity to use photographs and sound clips in their animations. (Commercial Arts)
YEARBOOK DESIGN
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5/1.0 Weight: ST
Length: Semester/Year
Prerequisite: Digital Art & Design I (preferred) and/or instructor approval
Traditional Periods/cycle: 5
Course numbers: Semester (08925), Year (08935)
Students learn aspects of yearbook design and production. These aspects include, but are not limited: to publication design, photojournalistic writing, organization skills, and teamwork. Students in this class are responsible for the creation and production of a certain number of assigned page layouts. Page layout assignments include: collecting and taking photographs, conducting interviews, writing captions and stories, organizing the information into well designed page layouts, meeting deadlines, and editing the pages for spelling errors and misinformation. The overall class goal is to yield high quality yearbook pages. Students learn skills that range from using computer software programs such as Adobe BRIDGE and Adobe PHOTOSHOP to using digital cameras. Leadership opportunities are available. It is recommended that editors of the yearbook take this course. Class work time may be required outside of the regular class period. Students in this course are required to be part of the Yearbook Club and will be required to attend after school meetings as much as possible. Teacher consent, through interview, is required to take this class. This class may be repeated for credit. (Commercial Arts)
FUNDAMENTALS OF ART THERAPY
Grade(s): 9-12 Credit(s): 0.5 Weight: ST
Length: Semester
Traditional: 08945 Periods/cycle: 5
This course provides an introduction to art therapy theory, a modality in which the creative process is used to facilitate exploration of self-awareness to improve well-being. Students will explore the origin and foundations of art therapy and investigate its theory and practices. A wide range of techniques and materials in the two and three dimensional arts will be surveyed. Career opportunities in this area will be investigated.