Course Information

Course Overview

Welcome to an exciting 2011-2012 year at R.S. McLaughlin C.V.I.! The visual arts curriculum provides grade 10 students the opportunity to work in a wide variety of media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and digital media. The goal of this course is to give the student a well rounded experience in many different areas of art. Students will also explore a range of subjects, methods and styles. Special interests of the students will also be incorporated into the program as much as possible.

Course Outline

Unit #1 Wrecked Journal and Digital Portfolio

Students will begin exploring their creative skills through traditional and methods through a “wrecked journal” or sketchbook.  The digital portfolio will be used to showcase art works over the course of your high school career.   Both the sketchbook and digital portfolio will be used throughout the semester.

Unit #2 Pocket Still Life Drawing

Students will practice a variety of drawing techniques used to create value.  Students will learn how to use artist drawing pencils to create the illusion of three dimensional space by drawing everyday objects. 

Unit #3 One, Two and Three Point Perspective

Students will be introduced to one, two and three point perspective techniques in architectural design.  Students will create a perspective drawing of a video game or dream house.

Unit #4 Greek & Roman Art History

Students will explore the art of the ancient Greek and Rome, identifying major concepts, philosophies, techniques and key artworks of the various periods.

Unit #5 Portrait Drawing and Clay Bust

Students will learn facial proportions and how to draw the human head.  Student will then be introduced to a variety of skills and techniques of clay manipulation and the final product will be kiln fired.  We will create a clay portrait bust the hand building techniques that we have learned in class. 

Unit #6 Is this landscape your landscape?  Canadian Art and the Urban Landscape

Students will explore works by the Group of Seven and investigate the role of the landscape on Canadian Identity.  Students will explore both traditional and digital colour theory.  We will create a final painting incorporating technique and theory skills to create a large acrylic painting of a contemporary urban landscape.

Unit #8 Final Assessment and Exam Review

15 %     Practical

15 %     Written Exam

Class Requirements

Art Kit

Student Workbook

Student Assessment

Student assessment and evaluation will encompass the four categories of the Achievement Chart.  Students will be provided with numerous and varied opportunities to demonstrate the full extent of their achievement of the curriculum expectations through a variety of assessment strategies.  These strategies include online blogs, quizzes, tests, written assignments, projects, research projects, presentations and a final summative evaluation.

Achievement Categories and Weightings