| General Art | Sculpture | Drawing & Painting | Graphic Design | Yearbook | Photography |
General Art Major
Students who choose a General Art Major will develop a wide range of artistic experiences across the Visual Arts majors. Students who are interested in becoming an art teacher at any K- 12 level are especially encouraged to take this as a major. This course work would also be beneficial to students who wish to be an elementary or middle school educator as a wide repertoire of art skills is an asset to the to the classroom teacher. This major requires maintaining a personal sketchbook and portfolio.
Required & Recommended courses:
Art Fundamentals (prereq) Drawing & Painting I, Sculpture 1, Graphic Design I or Photography. Students may also wish to take the Advance Placement Art 2-D in their Senior year.
Sculpture Major
Students who major in Sculpture will develop advanced skills in the use of sculpture media, design, processes, and techniques. Emphasis shall be placed on the use of visual, spatial, and compositional concepts to communicate a range of ideas through sculpture. The content will include the following: The proper use and maintenance of tools and materials. Appropriate art vocabulary including the principles and elements of design. The additive and subtractive techniques of sculpture with critical thinking and evaluation. The historical and cultural perspectives pertaining to sculpture. Topics include the connections between visual arts, every day life and other subject areas as well as the personal and social benefits. Community service opportunities are often part of the regular program. Students will maintain a sketchbook and a body of 3D works.
Required & Recommended courses:
Art Fundamentals (prereq), Sculpture 1, II and Advanced Placement Art 3-D.
Drawing & Painting Major
Students who major in Drawing & Painting understand, identify and incorporate the principles and elements of design as they apply to drawing & painting. They explore and apply unique qualities in their drawing and painting and use the media and tools for its expressive properties. Students will understand the concept of artistic plagiarism and will strive for unique and personal creations. Students can demonstrate a variety of approaches to painting and drawing with expert craftsmanship. Students will produce and maintain a personal sketchbook and portfolio. The portfolio will include a wide breadth of materials and subject matter, works of high quality and a personally developed theme or concentration that results in a "body of related works".
Required & Recommended courses:
Art Fundamentals (prereq), Drawing & Painting I, II, Portfolio and or Advanced Placement Drawing or Art 2-D.
Graphic Design
Students who major in Graphic Design will learn to use of appropriate equipment and materials, art and computer graphics vocabulary, media, processes, and techniques that utilize the elements of art and princi-ples of design. The students will create individual and sequential images with formal, expressive, and con-ceptual elements.The technological and historical trends and events that connect computer graphics and other subject areas & careers. Community service opportunities are provided. The student will maintain a digital portfolio that includes breadth, quality and a concentration or personal theme.
Required & Recommended courses:
Art Fundamentals (prereq), Graphic Design I, II, Portfolio or Advanced Placement Art 2-D.
Yearbook Major
Students who are invited to be on the staff of the yearbook are students who have already taken the Art Fundamentals course and one year of computer graphics or have some experience in desktop publishing, digital photo manipulation and photography. The students develop a theme for the yearbook and then design the entire publication complete with journalistic stories and photographs that cover the entire school year. Student learn the elements and rules of desktop publishing, including paragraph styles, font and type styles, layout design, photo effects, headlines, captions and more. The class is a business-oriented class, moving at a fast pace with strict deadlines and heavy responsibilities. Students are required to do fundraising to help finance the cost of the yearbook. Strong work ethics and selfmotivation is required for any student to be a successful member of the staff. Distribution of the yearbook is done at the end of the school year and is one of the events that shows the rewards of this difficult, fast paced class.
Required & Recommended Courses:
Art Fundamentals (prereq), Graphic Design or Photography I, Yearbook 1, Yearbook II.
Photography Major
Students who major in Photography will develop advanced skills in photographic imagery, processes, and techniques, and to express aesthetic, emotional, and conceptual content related to varied subject matter. The content will include the following: use of photographic equipment, tools, and materials, art and photography vocabulary, media, software, processes, and techniques, elements of art and principles of design.Use of multimedia and emergent technologies are included as well as formal, expressive, and conceptual elements. The types and functions of cameras and film, use of light and exposure, darkroom and digital photographic processing. The technological, historical, and cultural perspectives, critical thinking and evaluation. The connections between photography and other subject areas are include as well as personal and social benefits. Students will maintain a photo notebook and portfolio.
Required & Recommended Courses:
Art Fundamentals (prereq), Photography I, II, Portfolio or Advanced Placement Art 2D (Photography).
