ART
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun.”- Mary Lou Cook.
Students will explore a variety of artists, art processes and materials such as drawing, painting, printmaking, two & three-dimensional design, and digital art. Student artwork will reflect aesthetics & cultural and historical contexts. Emphasis is placed on understanding the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Throughout time, artists have looked to works of the past as well as their contemporaries for inspiration. Participating in field trips to museums and community events like club meetings and mural painting helps to foster these interpersonal connections, that are essential for developing young artists. Creativity StARTS here!
ART Electives
Studio in Art (9, 10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: None
This foundational course gives students a variety of art-making experiences in a traditional art studio setting that meets the State art requirement for graduation. Students will be able to explore a wide range of methods and materials involved in drawing and painting, graphic design, printmaking and 3-D design. The elements of art and principles of design are emphasized, as students learn to use these concepts and tools as a means towards greater self-expression.
3-D Design I (9, 10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: None
This foundational course meets the State art requirements for graduation and will focus on developing skills needed for hands-on experiences in 3-D media. Projects will include experiences in ceramics, sculpture and crafts. In addition to elements of art and principles of design, the history and significance of 3-D design in today’s society will be emphasized.
Graphic Arts and Media Design (9, 10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
This course is structured to meet the State art requirement for graduation and is a foundation course. Utilizing the MAC computers, students will explore current practices in graphic arts and media design including social media using software applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Faces, Apple i-Life Suite and online resources to produce digital photographs, advertisements, cartoons, campaign posters, newsletters, brochures, and CD album covers. Other productions involve multimedia use of Garage Band and creative digital drawing/painting studio experiences on the computer.
Graphic Arts and Media Design II (10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: Graphic Arts and Media Design
Utilizing the lab, this course provides students with advanced opportunities to further explore I-Life Suite, Adobe Creative Suite to produce web page-content, animation, anime characters, podcasts, movies, and skills involved in making multimedia digital portfolios. This course will place emphasis on preparing students to enter the competitive field of digital art and media.
3-D Design II (10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: 3-D Design I
The objective of this course is to provide the students with an opportunity to develop more advanced skills in 3-D media. Emphasis will be placed on advanced techniques in ceramics, sculpture, jewelry making, and crafts. In addition to elements of art and principles of design, the history and significance of 3-D design in today’s society will be emphasized.
Drawing and Painting (9, 10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: Studio in Art, Graphic Arts, Explorations in Art and Media Design or 3-D Design
An in-coming 9th grader may take this course upon completion of the high school equivalent of Studio in Art at the middle school. This course is structured to enable the art student to develop his/her talents in two-dimensional representation. Emphasis will be placed on developing the student’s drawing skills through a series of simple perceptual exercises and direct observation drawing projects, as well as on expanding the student’s abilities to think creatively. Each student will be encouraged to explore various methods, use of materials, techniques and mixed media towards developing their own unique style as an avenue for enhanced personal expression. Completed artwork will be featured on display and should be suitable for inclusion in a personal portfolio.
Advanced Drawing & Painting (10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: Drawing and Painting/or permission of the Art Department
This course is designed to assist students in furthering their drawing abilities in both direct observation and conceptual and imaginational styles. For the drawing component, a variety of drawing media, methods and techniques will be explored, and the topics are influenced by class interest. They may include: still life, figure drawing, proportion, anatomy, perspective and space, mark making, rendering, design and composition. In the painting component, students will have an in-depth experience using a variety of paint media and techniques while exploring a more personal approach to expressing form, content, meaning and context. For this, the formal study of composition and color theory will be integrated into the painting experience. As a fundamental skill for all forms of artistic expression, Advanced Drawing and Painting is recommended for all art majors. Additionally, this course is recommended for preparing students for AP Drawing or AP 2D Design in a subsequent year.
Sculpture (11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: 3D-Design II
This course is designed to allow the students to explore sculptural design and expression through both additive and subtractive processes. The students will be able to experiment with many three-dimensional approaches including, but not limited to figurative or non-figurative sculpture that involve modeling, casting, metal work, ceramics, fiber arts, assemblages and found objects. Students are encouraged to explore a personal, central interest and are free to work with a variety of media that address sculptural design issues.
Advanced Sculpture (11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: Sculpture or permission of the Art Department
Advanced sculpture develops skills in spatial relationships, utilizing different materials and safe studio practices. The application of these ideas is emphasized through collaborative work, the understanding of the language of sculpture and documentation of process. Students investigate the works of a diverse group of sculptors and also participate in regular critiques. Students are encouraged to continue to explore a personal, central interest and are free to work with a variety of media that address sculptural issues.
Photography (10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: None
Photography provides artists ways to capture things exactly as they see them and literally freeze time. In this course, students will take photographs of varied subject matters and demonstrate knowledge of the basic operation of a digital camera. Students will learn different techniques and methods of composition to help them explore various aspects of photography and its use. Students will also learn and demonstrate use of Photoshop tools. Students will be introduced to photographers and the history of photography. By the end of the course each student will be able to discern qualities of finished photographs and have created a body of work.
Yearbook Publishing (9, 10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: None
This course is designed to give students an introduction to the field of publishing. The class will focus on creating an original publication from idea to completion. Students will utilize publishing software, such as Herff Jones eDesign, and Adobe Photoshop to experiment with graphic design, journalism, and photography. The main goal of the class is to publish the TZHS yearbook. This course can be taken multiple times.
AP ART Courses
Advanced Placement Art and Design (formally AP Studio Art)
Full Year, 1 credit
Description: The AP program in Art and Design enables highly motivated students who are seriously interested in the study of art to perform at the college level while still in high school. AP work involves more commitment, time and accomplishment than the typical high school course. Expectations and the workload are in accord with entry-level college courses. The AP Studio Art Portfolio is a performance-based exam rather than a written exam. The projects are challenging and the classroom critiques will enable you to learn how to analyze and assess your own work as well as that of your peers so artistic growth can be cultivated. The College Board offers three portfolios: 2-D Design, 3-D Design, and Drawing. The AP portfolio should be viewed as the culminating experience in a student’s high school visual arts training. You are required to complete one of the three portfolios offered. The portfolio will encompass a variety of themes, ideas, artistic issues mediums and materials, subject matter and approaches to making art. Independent thinking is highly valued. Permission of the art faculty is required.
The Three Portfolios:
Drawing PortfolioPrerequisite: Advanced Drawing and PaintingIn the Drawing Portfolio, your mastery of drawing can be demonstrated through a wide range of approaches and media. Light and shade, line quality, rendering of form, composition, surface manipulation, and the illusion of depth are drawing issues that can be addressed through a variety of means, which could include painting, printmaking, mixed media, etc. Abstract, observational, and inventive works may be submitted. The range of marks used to make drawings, the arrangement of the marks, and the materials used to make the marks are endless. Photography, digital imaging, videotapes, three-dimensional work, and photocopies of you work in other media may not be submitted.
2-D Design PortfolioPrerequisite: Advanced Drawing and Painting, or Computer Graphics, or PhotographyDesign involves purposeful decision-making about using the elements and principles of art in an integrative way. In the 2-D Design Portfolio, you should demonstrate your understanding of design principles as applied to a two-dimensional surface. The principles of design (unity/variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, rhythm, repetition, proportion/scale, and figure/ground relationship) can be articulated through the visual elements (line, shape, color, value, texture, space). Any 2-D process or medium may be submitted, including, but not limited to graphic design, digital imaging, photography, collage, fabric design, weaving, illustration, painting, printmaking, etc. Videotapes, three-dimensional works, and photocopies of your work in other media may not be submitted.
3-D Design PortfolioPrerequisite: Sculpture, or Advanced SculptureDesign involves purposeful decision-making about using the elements and principles of art in an integrative way. In the 3-D Design Portfolio, you should demonstrate your understanding of design principles as they relate to depth and space. The principles of design (unity/variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, rhythm, repetition, proportion/scale, and figure/ground relationship) can be articulated through the visual elements (mass, volume, color/light, form, plane, line, texture). The issues can be explored through additive, subtractive, and/or fabrication processes. Examples of approaches include figurative or non-figurative sculpture, architectural models, metal work, ceramics, and three-dimensional fiber arts, among others.
Advanced Placement Art History (10, 11, 12)
Full Year, 1 credit
Prerequisite: None
The course is open to students who have a desire to understand the relationship of art to society while familiarizing themselves with the great masterpieces of art and architecture from around the world and through the ages. This college level course is especially recommended for students who have taken, or are currently taking AP or Honors World History, English or Foreign Languages. At the conclusion of the course students are encouraged to take the AP exam for college advanced placement or credit. In addition, multimedia computing and presentation equipment will be utilized to view and create art history projects. At least two field trips to art museums are planned during the year.