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Trimester One:
Course Objective:
Develop a deeper understanding of design principles through engaging in-class activities.
Enhance student portfolios through reviews with the representative from MassArt.
To finish assignments in a timely manner. Doing so creates accountability, improving one’s time management skills, fosters creativity under constraints and encourages the completion of projects.
To experiment by trying new materials and media.
Requirement for Credit:
To complete all the in-class compositional activities
To produce a final artwork to be submitted to the Scholastic Art Award that utilizes the examinations of composition
Eulina Ji, Grade 12
Branham High School, San Jose, CA
Silver Medal, 2025
“Art is an opportunity to transform, to question, to provoke, and to push boundaries.”
-Tania Bruguera
WEEK ONE to WEEK THREE
Introductions and Class Assignment
Tonality/Value: NightHawks Study
Tonality/Value: SELF PORTRAIT with CUT PAPER
TONALITY ASSIGNMENT
Objective: Explore tonal value (light, medium, dark) using only colored paper, without drawing or paint.
Materials:
4–5 sheets of solid colored paper
Scissors/X-Acto knife,
Glue stick,
backing paper
Instructions:
Choose a photo reference (preferably a high-contrast black & white image of yourself).
Simplify values in the photo into 4–5 distinct tonal zones: highlight, light mid-tone, dark mid-tone, shadow, darkest shadow.
sketch the zones
With pencil, sketch out the different tonal zones (1-5) and label them on a transparency placed over your print out photo.
You may need to use a micron pen to get crisp lines on the transparency.
Is one color going to be the main background tone?
trace and cut shapes
using your labeled transparency, cut shapes from your colored papers to match these tonal zones.
Lighter papers = highlights
Medium papers = mid-tones
Darker papers = shadows
Before glueing, assemble the portrait by layering and arranging the tonal shapes onto a your main sheet of paper.
Refine edges so the tonal shifts feel intentional, not accidental. Smaller shapes take care as glue can be messy.
GLUE
1. Glue them down once you’re satisfied with the composition.
2. Reflection (short writing prompt):
Caroline's portrait
Skyler's portrait
Eliot's portrait
Joanna's portrait
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