COURSE STRUCTURE

AP Art and Design has been structured in such a way that all students, regardless of skill level or experience, are able to learn and practice fundamental concepts in art-making. We will begin from the ground-up by exploring the Elements of Art and Principles of Design and how several modern and contemporary artists have applied these concepts to a visually and ideologically cohesive body of work. Beginning with work in their sketchbooks, students will explore their own artistic expression using thoughtful prompts and exercises, then have opportunities to expand upon their ideas through small-scale projects and activities. Eventually, students will develop an inquiry question that will serve as a guiding compass for a portfolio of work, using the skills developed throughout the course to then execute those works at full scale.

This course is divided into three distinct sections that correspond with each of the steps in this process: Exploration, Investigation, and Application. The fourth section, Conclusion, wraps up the year with collaborative activities and hobby-oriented arts.

EXPLORATION

This course will begin with an exploratory curriculum: you will be encouraged to try several different media, tools, and techniques, and given resources and prompts to explore modern and contemporary art and art-making. The key of this phase of the course is to keep an open mind and try new things, and to not devote too much time or energy to one single project or idea.

During this phase, we will be focusing much of our attention to daily prompts in our sketchbooks. Each prompt will center around one or more of the Elements of Art or Principles of Design AND a modern or contemporary artist. Our projects during this phase will entail expanding upon one or more completed sketchbook prompts to create small-scale, completed 'mini-projects'.

INVESTIGATION

Partway through the first semester, you will begin work on your Sustained Investigation (see 'THE AP PORTFOLIO' below for more information). Using the sketchbook prompts and mini-projects completed in the Exploration phase as a guide, you will develop an artistic and ideological focus for a portfolio of related works that you will be working on from this point all the way through the second semester. This phase will involve largely self-guided research, writing, creating prototypes, and work in your sketchbooks.

If you are applying for arts colleges or other post-secondary programs that require a portfolio for your application, then you can align the needs of the application portfolio to your Sustained Investigation.

APPLICATION

Once you've determined the subject of your Sustained Investigation, you will formally plan out your works and spend the majority of class time working on them. You will be expected to create and adhere to a schedule for creating your artworks, and receive regular feedback from both your peers and your teacher. During this time you will submit Biweekly Progress Checks: these mini-reports will be completed every two weeks and update your teacher on the progress of your work. Students submitting AP portfolios will also be composing the written elements of their portfolios at this time and preparing their works for submission to the College Board. The Application portion will end in early May.

CONCLUSION

Following AP exams, students are invited to collaborate with one another on a group art project. To wrap up the school year we will have a 'Hobbies' unit where students are encouraged to explore more 'arts-and-crafts'-oriented materials and methods like needle felting, tie-dye, and knitting.