Department Chair: Mr. Ted Rausch

Fine Arts Department Mission Statement

The Fine Arts Department encourages all students to work to their fullest potential in music and visual arts & design. We offer students multiple pathways for success through courses aligned to the National Core Art Standards. National Core Arts Standards are divided into four artistic processes: Creating, Performing/ Presenting, Responding and Connecting. Curriculum in the arts will align and assess these key artistic processes. Students graduating from Portsmouth High School are required to complete a minimum of .5 credit in the arts. Students intending to pursue careers in the arts are encouraged to follow a rigorous path of study. We offer many courses at the Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) level as well as Rhode Island College Early Enrollment Program (EEP).

Expectations for Student Learning in Fine Arts:

Fine Arts courses are aligned with Portsmouth High School’s Core Values & Beliefs, all of the 21st Century Learning Expectations, and the National Core Arts Standards.

School-wide Learning Expectations Highlighted in Fine Arts:

Fine Arts courses are aligned with Portsmouth High School’s Core Values & Beliefs, all of the 21st Century Learning Expectations, and the National Core Arts Standards.

Expectation 4: Communicate effectively in a variety of formats.
Expectation 5: Interpret and design visual messages for specific purposes.
Expectation 6: Engage in work with integrity, both independently and collaboratively.
Expectation 7: Use technology to discover and demonstrate knowledge.

Visual Arts and Design

The Visual Arts and Design program supports all students as they work to their fullest potential within the art courses offered at Portsmouth High School. To provide students with multiple pathways for success, we offer foundation art, drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, art history, photography, sculpture, advanced art, museum studies and advanced placement studio art. A student that selects to fulfill their graduation requirement in the visual arts must demonstrate proficiency by fulfilling the National Core Arts Standards in Visual Arts and Design. In each course students learn about the history of art, potential career paths, how to look at and critically analyze art through reading, writing, critique and reflection of one's own work and the work of others. The department fosters cultivation of each student’s personal voice in communicating their vision through a range of media and processes. Students learn how to organize and document their work, and present to a variety of audiences both digitally and through an exhibition of their best work. The department brings in professional artists, alumni, art school representatives and industry partners to give students real world industry experiences. Students applying to college for art or a double major are supported through the application process of meeting portfolio requirements. Students visit museums and galleries to see historical and contemporary works of art to gain a broader global perspective of visual art.

The Career & Technical Education (CTE) Academy for Visual Arts & Design

The CTE Academy of Visual Arts & Design is a program designed for students interested in pursuing a career in the arts. Students will learn essential skills to be prepared to enter the workforce or to attend a two or a four year degree program in the arts. Students will learn to communicate effectively, solve problems critically, take initiative and manage their time on projects as well as demonstrate professionalism when working with peers and our industry partners. Students will demonstrate their skills by learning to work with a broad range of materials such as pencil, charcoal, collage, paint, printmaking, digital media, clay, and other 3D media.At all levels of our program, students will develop a global perspective of art and art history. Students will develop relationships and complete industry hours with our industry partners, the Portsmouth Artist Guild, the DeBlois Gallery and the Newport Art Museum. They will learn about careers in art history, art education, architecture, museum education, curatorial work and gallery exhibition.

In order to fulfill the requirements for the CTE program, students must complete the following three (3) courses with a B or better:

Level One: Innovations in Visual Art & Design (Honors)
Level Two: Advanced Visual Art & Design (Honors) EEP
Level Three: Advanced Placement/2D Art & Design/Drawing or 3D Art & Design

* Students in the CTE program are recommended to take AP Art History in addition to the three required courses to be prepared for a career in the field of visual arts & design, art history/ or architecture.

Students who are enrolled in the CTE Visual Arts & Design Academy will receive preferred status when registering for CTE courses.

Innovations in Visual Arts & Design- Honors

(CTE Level 1)

(1852) 1 credit

Full Year 🖼️ 🎨 Sample Syllabus

This course will provide students with hands-on experience in utilizing the design process for projects such as drawing and concept work, product design, architectural rendering, and three dimensional structural sculpture. Students will further their studies of art and design by critiquing examples of good design, along with composing his/her own design ideas. Students will be introduced to historical and contemporary artists relevant to this curriculum.

Advanced Visual Art & Design - Honors/EEP

(CTE Level 2)

(1855) 1 credit

Full Year 🖼️ 🎨 📚 Sample Syllabus

The essentials of drawing, color theory, two dimensional design and the elements and principles of design are reviewed, practiced and applied with an emphasis on exploring and developing a unique approach to these concepts and skills. Art history relative to the 19th and 20th centuries is incorporated throughout the course. This course is meant to prepare students to be successful in our AP Studio Art courses. Assistance with portfolio preparation and college information is given to those interested in pursuing a post high school education in art.

Recommendation: Innovations in Visual Art & Design (Honors), Drawing, and or Painting.

Note: Students may receive credit from Rhode Island Colleges Early Enrollment Program (EEP) with successful completion of the course. Students will be required to create and present a final portfolio consisting of 10-15 art works.

Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art Courses

Students must select one of the following AP courses and complete a final portfolio consisting of a sustained investigation of art work to be presented in a final senior thesis exhibition.

AP 2-D Art and Design: Drawing

(CTE Level 3)

(1864) 1 credit

Full Year 🖼️ 🎨 📚 🎓 Sample Syllabus

This course covers portfolio preparation for students attempting to receive College Board credit in studio art. This course is designed for students working two-dimensionally. During the summer and the first quarter, students will research and finalize an area of investigation. work on developing their skills across a wide variety of subject matter and media. Students selecting the 2D-Design Drawing strand will work in drawing. During the remainder of the year, students will create a self-directed body of work that exemplifies their skills and interests in either drawing. The class period will serve as their advisory and assignment period, students are expected to have the skills and motivation to work independently to fulfill the assignments.

Requirement: Minimum grade of B or better in Advanced Visual Art & Design Honors (EEP) or permission of the instructor.

Note: Students wishing to fulfill Digital Photo Portfolio requirements must take Digital Photo 1 and Advanced Digital Photo or instructor’s permission.

AP 2-D Art and Design: Photography & Graphic Design

(CTE Level 3)

(1860) 1 credit

Full Year 🖼️ 🎨 📚 🎓 Sample Syllabus

This course covers portfolio preparation for students attempting to receive College Board credit in studio art. This course is designed for students working two-dimensionally. During the summer and the first quarter, students will research and finalize an area of investigation. work on developing their skills across a wide variety of subject matter and media. Students selecting the 2D-Design Photography strand will work in digital photography. During the remainder of the year, students will create a self-directed body of work that exemplifies their skills and interests in graphic design or photography. The class period will serve as their advisory and assignment period, students are expected to have the skills and motivation to work independently to fulfill the assignments.

Requirement: Minimum grade of B or better in Advanced Visual Art & Design Honors (EEP) or permission of the instructor.

Note: Students wishing to fulfill Digital Photo Portfolio requirements must take Digital Photo 1 and Advanced Digital Photo or instructor’s permission.

AP 3-D Art and Design

(CTE Level 3)

(1861) 1 credit

Full Year 🖼️ 🎨 📚 🎓 Sample Syllabus

Students in this course may also be concurrently enrolled in Advanced Ceramics and/or Sculpture. During the summer and the first quarter, students will research and finalize an area of investigation. During the remainder of the course, students will create a self-directed portfolio/body of work organized around a central visual idea that exemplifies their skills, media preferences and a thorough investigation of their interests. The class period will serve as an advisory, an assignment, studio and critique period. Students are expected to have the skills and motivation to work independently to fulfill assignments and requirements outside of class. Students in the CTE program will also be required to meet with an industry partner/mentor at various points throughout the course for critique and portfolio reviews.

Requirement: Completion of Advanced Visual Art & Design-Honors/EEP with a B, Advanced Ceramics and Sculpture, and instructor’s permission.

AP Art History

(1859) 1 credit

Full Year 🖼️ 🎨 📚 Sample Syllabus

This course offers students a global perspective of art history. Students will have the opportunity to explore, in depth, the history of art from ancient times to the present. Through readings, research, visual images, videos, and museum visits, students will view significant artworks from around the world. Writing skills will be important in the description, analysis, and comparison of these works. Students will participate in classroom discussions and analyze significant historical events, art periods, styles, specific artworks, and issues or themes that connect these artworks as well as culminating projects reinforcing artistic concepts.

Recommendation: This course is highly recommended for students enrolled in the CTE Academy of Visual Arts & Design and for students planning on attending art school or those who enjoy the study of architecture and history.

Students in the Academy may also select to take additional visual arts & design courses to build their artistic skills and the breadth of their portfolio.

Visual Arts & Design Courses

The following Level I courses have been designed to establish a foundation in the visual arts. Level I courses are open to all students, Grades 9-12.

Graphic Design

(1609) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 🌐 Sample Syllabus

In this foundational course, students are introduced to the foundations of graphic arts & design. The focus of the class is to have students explore various opportunities available in the graphic design industry. Students will have opportunities to investigate conceptual and visual problem solving with actual production methods, using both traditional & contemporary industry standard equipment and computer based design software. Emphasis is on design elements & principles, basic computer application, layout and design methods. This basic course is designed to build basic graphic art & design skills needed by graphic designers, production technicians, and other opportunities in entry level design based careers. This course may be used to fulfill the technology graduation requirement.

Graphic Design- Advanced

(1616) 1 credit

Full Year 🎨 🌐 Sample Syllabus

The focus of the advanced graphic communication class is to provide in-depth studies and build upon prior knowledge learned in the foundational Graphic Design course. Students will be able to troubleshoot and solve production and design problems. The students will produce and manipulate images, create documents and design using traditional and contemporary methods. Students will use the process that graphic designers utilize to create their advertisements and graphics involved with websites, apps, television, magazines, newspapers, billboards, 3D printing, and animation. Publication software, Vector Art software and Image editing software are studied in depth. The Advanced Graphic Design course prepares students for further studies in graphic design and communication in college, or intermediate positions in the design industry as commercial and graphic designers, production technicians. A final portfolio is required from all students. The opportunity will be available to be ACA certified in Adobe Photoshop.

Recommendation: Graphic Design with a minimum grade of C. Successful completion of Digital Photo I or permission of instructor.

Introduction to Visual Arts & Design

(1821) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 Sample Syllabus

This course provides an introduction to the visual arts. Students will learn to utilize the Elements of Art to develop their visual literacy skills and communicate more effectively through the visual arts. This class provides the essential information and basic skill building opportunities that are necessary to begin to design, problem solve and create visual art projects.

Recommendation: For 9th & 10th grade students that are looking to fulfill their Fine Arts credit.

Digital Photo I

(1840) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 🌐 Sample Syllabus

This course will introduce students to a variety of major topics, artists, and styles of photography throughout the world. The focus will be on straight and altered photography, using Photoshop and other digital imaging technologies. Students will study photography’s role in society. Students will learn the fundamentals of the art of photography and composition while developing their own aesthetic vision. Students develop electronic portfolios to demonstrate achievements in visual literacy utilizing the photographic medium.

Advanced Digital Photo

(1871) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 🌐 Sample Syllabus

The goal of this course is to expand and explore photographic styles, utilize studio lighting, and build portfolios. Students also work with Photoshop and complete multiple series of works that demonstrate skill in the photographic medium utilizing traditional and altered techniques. Career opportunities in photography will be explored. The class serves as an ongoing critique/assessment venue, preparing students for further study. Students are expected to demonstrate the skills and motivation to work independently outside class, in addition to what they produce in the lab/studio. Advanced Photo is a continuation of Photo I.

Recommendation: Successful completion of Digital Photo I or permission of instructor.

The following Level II studio courses require the appropriate foundation courses that are listed above. The courses are open to students in Grades 10, 11, & 12.

Sculpture

(1845) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 Sample Syllabus

All students will explore methods for creating three-dimensional forms while learning a variety of techniques and methods for working with various media. Students will begin with basic building skills to increase their ability to communicate ideas three dimensionally. More complex processes such as armature sculpture, direct carving, and assemblage will be introduced as students work with materials such as paper, wire, plaster and found objects. Sculpture throughout art history will provide the inspiration for many projects.

Recommendation: Students may enroll in this course if they have successfully completed Introduction to Art, Ceramics and 3D Exploration, or Innovations in Visual Arts & Design.

Drawing

(1863) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 Sample Syllabus

This course offers students an opportunity for a concentrated development of drawing skills. Approximately one half of the course is devoted to the practice of basic drawing skills including, contour drawing, gesture drawing, sighting, basic perspective, and value study. The other half of the course provides the student with the opportunity to apply these skills in the creation of more sophisticated and individualized compositions. Media include pencil, charcoal, pastel, pen and ink, ink wash and scratchboard.

Ceramics & 3-D Exploration

(1868) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 Sample Syllabus

This course allows students to explore ceramic works of art and additional materials. Students will construct clay projects using handbuilding techniques with an emphasis on sculptural design. Students study the lifestyles, techniques and production of various cultures throughout history, as well as contemporary works of art. While working in clay, students will have an opportunity to experiment with various methods of creating structures, working the surface and glazing. Additional materials and projects may be introduced to expand skills in the 3-D arts.

Printmaking

(1841) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 Sample Syllabus

In this course the student explores the processes of creating works of art through the medium of printmaking, including but not limited to monotypes, monoprints, relief and etching. Students will study historical works that relate specifically to printmaking. A drawing background would be helpful for this course.

Recommendation: Students may enroll in this course if they have successfully completed Drawing, Introduction to Art or Innovations in Visual Arts & Design Honors.

Painting

(1862) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 Sample Syllabus

The painting student is encouraged to uncover, explore and develop his/her own creativity and artistic potential through working with a variety of painting styles and media. Principles of strong composition and color theory are an important part of the course. Painting media include tempera, watercolor, acrylic, oil, oil pastels, and mixed media. It may be helpful and/or necessary for students to purchase some of their own supplies in order to complete projects outside of class

Recommendation: Students may enroll in this course if they have successfully completed Drawing, Introduction to Art or Innovations in Visual Arts & Design Honors.

Advanced Ceramics

(1869) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 Sample Syllabus

This course is designed for students who have developed a serious interest in ceramics and want to expand upon their basic knowledge to develop more creative and original artworks. Emphasis is on individual approaches to building and wheel throwing. Course offers 3D portfolio development and preparation for AP 3D Studio Art.

Recommendation: Students who have successfully completed Ceramics & 3D Exploration may follow this course with AP 3D Studio Art.

Museum Studies

(1870) 0.5 credit

Semester 🎨 Sample Syllabus

This course is open to junior and senior students interested in all aspects of museum/gallery operations. Local museums and art educators arrange for a variety of trips that expose students to historic sites, museums and galleries in the community. Students will explore various types of museums with a focus on the role played by curators, education directors, registrars, librarians, managers and endowment specialists. The curriculum will include studio art projects inspired by the work viewed in galleries and museums. This course will conclude with a culminating art exhibition.

Recommendation: Enrollment open to 11th and 12th grade students.

Note: Museum Studies is taught partially off campus and transportation will be provided by the school district.