Ridgefield Public Schools

Art Foundation - High School

Art Foundation is a studio art class, where students work with drawing, painting, collage and sculpture materials. Projects may include drawing from the human figure and from the imagination. Students consider the use of color in art and explore its expressive possibilities. This class encourages students to develop their artistic voices and to use art materials and skills to communicate development of fundamental drawing and painting skills through observational and conceptual studio experiences. Students develop technical ability with experience and use of color, contour line, graded tone, foreshortening, mass, volume, scale, proportion, and perspective in drawing and painting. Students produce inventive imagery as well as work with traditional subject matter, such as the human form and the still life. Techniques utilizing pencil, ink, pen, brush, pastels, digital drawing, watercolor and acrylic paint are explored throughout the duration of the course.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How does an artist use the principles and elements of design to create truly original artwork?
How can your life experiences shape your own artwork, and the way you look at art?
How does an artist use various art media and art methods to best communicate thoughts, ideas, concepts, and emotions?
In what ways can art be beautiful and does art have to be beautiful?
How do the arts of the past continue to influence us today?
How can viewing or creating art impact your understanding of the world around you?

Drawing

FOCUS QUESTIONS

How does one examine spatial relationships and what techniques aid in this type of examination?
How are three-dimensional forms represented on a two dimensional surface?
How does the quality of line express emotion?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

Use the method of contour drawing
Experience drawing without looking at the paper (blind contour)
Use a pencil for sighting
Use a viewfinder
Observe 3D forms lit by natural and artificial light sources
Understand that line quality communicates emotion
Identify vanishing points and converging lines in the environment
Examine the proportions of the human face
Examine natural and manmade objects and environments
Learn to develop ideas for independent artistic research
Develop original concepts

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1-5 - Drawing Objects
- study simple three-dimensional objects and represent them on a flat surface using line and value

Objectives

Create drawings of umbrellas, bottles, or other objects arranged in a still-life composition
Draw showing the spatial relations between objects as well as a sense of composition.

Lesson Option 6-10 - Drawing with Expressive Line

Understand that artists create lines in many ways using traditional and non-traditional tools and materials and that there is no limit to the kinds and characters of lines it is possible to create.

Objectives

use at least 5 tools to create 50 different kinds of lines that may include: smooth, soft, sleek, rough, continuous, broken, stippled, dark, light, thick, thin, jagged, delicate, zigzagging, straight, fuzzy, sharp, wet, dry, curved, spiraled, etc.
Interpret emotions through mark making
Listen to 4 – 5 brief pieces of music that clearly communicate a variety of moods, and respond by expressing those moods using only line quality.

Examining the Content

shoot 20 – 30 photographs bringing the focus to the foreground, middle ground, and background.
shoot several photos that frame the area of focus in the center, and several where the area of focus is off-center.

Color/Painting

FOCUS QUESTIONS

How does a solid understanding of camera controls help us to make stronger photographs?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

identify controls for exposure, ISO rating, flash, and focus on his or her own camera.
describe the purpose of these controls

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1 - Exposure

create a series of 5 photographs experimenting with different ISO Ratings
create a series of 5 - 8 photographs experimenting with different shutter speeds, while allowing the camera to determine the aperture
create a series of 5 - 8 photographs experimenting with different shutter speeds, while keeping the aperture constant
create a series of 5 - 8 photographs experimenting with exposure compensation.

Objectives

learn that a strong grasp of camera controls allows photographers to determine how their photos look and what the photographs communicate.
learn that exposure (to light) is one of the most powerful creative controls available to a photographer.

Examining the Content

show evidence of fstops, shutter speeds, ISO ratings, and use of exposure compensation in 10 - 30 shots (film or digital)
print and mount one photograph and record exposure information on the back.

Lesson Option 2 - Focus on Focusing

create a series of photographs of the same three dimensional subject, with the focus on different depths within the subject

Objectives

learn that a strong grasp of camera controls allows photographers to determine how their photos look and what the photographs communicate.
learn that the ability to determine where the lens focuses is one of the most powerful creative controls available to a photographer.

Examining the Content

shoot 20 – 30 photographs bringing the focus to the foreground, middle ground, and background.
shoot several photos that frame the area of focus in the center, and several where the area of focus is off-center.

Printmaking

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What is new to Photoshop and how can it help us to make art?
How does digital imaging software change the way we use and understand photography?
How do text and images interact to communicate meaning?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

locate and Identify the relevant new tools and techniques on the Photoshop screen
apply these new tools to a photograph

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1 - What’s New?

create an image that shows the effects of one or more of the new tools and manipulations available in the most recent version of Photoshop.

Objectives

learn that technological developments can open up new creative possibilities

Examining the Content

create a photographic image that demonstrates one or more of the relevant tools and manipulations.

Lesson Option 2 - Text and Image

consider the work of Barbara Kruger and other artists who combine photographic images and text to create graphic compositions that provoke questions about society.
create a unified image in Photoshop that combines his or her own photography with text in a graphic way in order to communicate or question an idea about our culture.

Objectives

learn that images and words are powerful modes of communication and that they can strengthen each other.

Sculpture

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What are the special qualities of darkroom and digital photographs?
What are some of the ways to convert a color digital photograph into a black and white photograph?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

show at least two ways to make a black and white photograph

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1 - Darkroom Photographs

create photographs using darkroom printing methods

Objectives

learn that traditional darkroom photography has its own methods, environment, and aesthetic which yield unique creative results.

Lesson Option 2 - Converting a Color Digital Photograph to Black and White

create a black and white photograph from a color digital photograph
analyze the contrast and composition of the photo and make any necessary adjustment.

Objectives

learn that there are several ways to convert a color image into black and white, and that each way offers particular advantages and ways of manipulating the tones in the final image.

Abstraction

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What are some of the ways a landscape can be photographed?
Where can beauty be found?
What are some strategies we can use to make photographs at night?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

describe features of a traditional or typical landscape photograph
describe possible ways to make photographs outside of that tradition
D\describe various ways of exposing landscape photographs

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1 - Typical and Atypical Landscapes

consider a variety of traditional and non-traditional landscape photographs from historical and contemporary photographers such as Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, Laura McPhee and Virginia Beahan, and images from the International Center of Photography’s Ecotopia Exhibition.
consider the conventions of postcard photography
describe traditional and nontraditional features of these images

Objectives - The student will . . .

learn that the genre of landscape photography has its own conventions and that by playing within these rules, or by creatively breaking them, he or she can communicate personal responses to and ideas about our environment.

Lesson Option 2 - Atmospheric Perspective

describe the effects of atmospheric perspective in the work of artists such as Leonardo a Vinci and photographers such as Bae Bien-U
determine when weather conditions are favorable for shooting photographs of mist and fog.
select scenes where mist or fog are fading the appearance of colors and values in the distance, and bringing things in the foreground into a greater saturation
frame and shoot photographs of this phenomenon

Objectives

learn that atmospheric moisture can create a sense of depth in a painting or photograph, because of the contrast between the saturation of subjects in the foreground with the faded quality of the background.

Lesson Option 3 - Where can Beauty be found?

consider the possibility of finding beauty and inspiration in unusual places
seek beauty in unusual places
create images of beauty in places where one might not expect to find beauty

Objectives

learn that beauty is not limited to particular places and things, but can be coaxed out by an attentive and perceptive seeker.
learn that he or she has a great amount of power in selecting and framing images that can make viewers perceive something they may have never noticed.

Lesson Option 4 - Shooting at Night

identify the controls for flash, exposure, and self timer on his or her camera
explore a variety of ways to make photographic images in the evening and night
describe the distance range of the flash settings

Objectives

learn that long exposure times, different flash settings, and the self timer setting all serve to aid the photographer in making photographic images of dark scenes.

Aesthetics

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What are the purposes of documentary photography?
Can photographic images help to improve social and environmental conditions?
What can photographs made in public places tell us about our society and our moment in history?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

consider and Describe the work of photojournalists and street photographers
identify a subject, topic or place that he or she will document with photography

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1 - Portrait and Interview

consider the work of several documentary photographers such as Fazal Sheihk and Zana Briski
create a list of questions that will yield interesting responses from a subject whom they do not know well
communicate to their subject the purpose of the project and ask for his or her participation
create a photographic portrait of that same person by taking at least 30 shots.
select 1 – 3 photographs to print and mount
evaluate the interview text to determine which are the most significant parts and include those parts in the final mounted presentation

Objectives

learn that the process of photojournalism requires a respectful, open attitude and a willingness to push beyond one’s immediate circle of friends.
learn that asking the right question can open up new areas of understanding between people
learn that presenting a subject’s photograph and words together creates a powerful portrait.

Lesson Option 2 - Street Photography

consider the work of street photographers such as Garry Winogrand and Alfred Eisenstaedt
identify a public place or event to document
evaluate different ways to approach this assignment
create one or more candid photographs of people in public places

Objectives

learn that candid photographs of people in public places can be revealing of our culture and time

Personal Exploration

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What are the purposes of the photographic images we see in newspapers, magazines, television and film?
How can these images affect our perception of self and others?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

collect images from the media (there may be a particular topic, such as images of a particular gender, or an event)
describe the images
evaluate the images from various points of view, such as the maker of the image, the publication, the subject, a high school student etc)
listen openly to the opinions of others
discuss their own interpretations
consider possible ways to approach these kinds of images in the future

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

photographic images are powerful and can be used for a variety of purposes
he or she has the intelligence and power to interpret media images

????????Seeking Inspiration from Historical and Contemporary Art

FOCUS QUESTIONS

Why do artists visit museums and galleries and how does looking at art, and reflecting on art influence the making of art?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

identify the work of a particular artist
describe the qualities in the work of that artist that interest the student
describe the qualities in the work of that artists that have been determined to be significant by critics or scholars in the field
apply Photoshop skills and methods to adjust the student photographs

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1 - Homage Project

evaluate the work of an artist they admire
select something significant such as a method of working, color palette, choice of subject, etc that is particular to that artist
create their own original photos based on this one selected thing

Objectives

artists feed their creativity by looking at the work of other artists
artists making original work do not copy the work of others, but rather mine it for useful inspiration
artists use their minds to reflect on the ideas in art

Lesson Option 2 - Art History and Photoshop

select a significant work of art from history
analyze the position of the figures and the lighting in the work of art
plan a way to reproduce the lighting conditions in the studio
recruit a volunteer to pose
communicate the project and the student’s ideas to the volunteer
create photographs based on the historical work of art
evaluate the historical work of art, and the photograph to determine what adjustments need to be made in Photoshop
create a Photoshop image which is a seamless blending of the two images

Objectives

learn that art history is full of compelling images of people
learn that lighting is a central element in photography, as well as in painting
learn that studio lighting can be arranged to produce areas of light and shadow of greater and lesser intensity
learn that Photoshop offers a number of ways to adjust color, value, and opacity

Time

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What is special about the relationship between photography and time?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

Describe at least three ways that photography can document a moment in time, or the passing of time.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1 - Time

consider the various camera settings that allow a photographer to record images of movement & change over time (fast and slow shutter speeds, continuous shooting etc)
consider Henri Cartier-Bresson’s idea of “The Decisive Moment”
consider Nicholas Nixon’s “Brown Sisters” series
consider other photographs that creatively deal with time
plan a way to document a subject over a given amount of time
create a photograph or a series of photographs showing the effects of time

Objectives

learn that photography has a special ability to capture moments in time, and to document in a palpable way the passage of time.

Photography and other Art Media

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What are some other art materials that can strengthen the impact of photographic work?
How does the material used affect the communication of an idea?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

identify a subject or topic of interest

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

Lesson Option 1 - Photography and Other Art Media

explore a topic of interest using photography
create a series of photographs inspired by the topic or subject
consider the work of various artists who incorporate photos into books or who use photography as a starting point for artworks
consider possible materials that could be related to the photographs and which could be used to help communicate the ideas in the photographs
create a book, sculpture or other physical form in which to incorporate his or her photographs

Objectives

learn that physical materials can be employed by artists to communicate ideas

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