• Art Courses

    Within every student lies a creative spirit. Our goal is to nurture students in ways that promote self-expression, and that help them communicate ideas to the world. Our course offerings provide knowledge and training that we hope will enrich their lives forever.


    STUDIO ART I
    Creativity and original thought are crucial to the success of students in today’s visual world. This course will help students understand and experience the fundamentals of the visual arts and creative thinking in the 21st Century. Throughout the course, students will work with a variety of traditional and modern materials and techniques, including drawing, painting, digital art, collage, printmaking, and sculpture to find new ways of giving expression and meaning to ideas.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Recommended for students who have not taken any art classes at the high school level

    STUDIO ART II
    This course builds on the principles of Studio Art I. The studio projects are designed to engage students in visual challenges that improve both technique and imaginative thinking.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Studio Art I or Art 9

    STUDIO ART III: THE ARTIST’S VISION
    Students will focus studio experience on the process of how works of art evolve from beginning concepts to finished compositions. Specific visual challenges and problem solving will progress to more individual expressive pieces free from traditional boundaries. Creative work in studio and homework assignments will prepare students for Advanced Art.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Art 9 or Studio Art I and Studio Art II

    STUDIO IN SCULPTURE AND CERAMICS
    Students will learn different methods and materials used by sculptors and crafts artists to create three- dimensional works of art that express each student’s individual creative vision. Emphasis on ceramic arts and the use of traditional and non-traditional methods and materials by sculptors throughout history will be explored. 
    1/2 unit of credit. No Prerequisite

    STUDIO IN SCULPTURE AND CERAMICS II
    This course will continue to build upon the skills and concepts of Sculpture and Ceramics I. Through hands- on projects, continuing sculpture students are challenged to expand their repertoire by exploring new mediums and techniques. Students are also expected to develop their own creative visions with more independent and complex projects.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Sculpture and Ceramics I

    ADVANCED STUDIO ART
    This course is designed for students preparing for Advanced Placement Studio Art. Complex visual challenges will be presented, and students will pursue a more sophisticated approach to painting and drawing in the creation of personal and meaningful works of art. It is expected that at the end of the year students will have developed a portfolio of quality artwork that may be presented to colleges.
    1 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Studio Art I or Art 9 and Studio Art II and Studio Art III

    ADVANCED PLACEMENT STUDIO ART
    The Advanced Placement Studio Art course provides high school students with college-level art experience, leading to the completion of a portfolio of work for evaluation by the AP examiners. The course is designed for students who have demonstrated maturity and a superior ability to express ideas, concepts, and techniques in two-dimensional works of art. Students who are highly motivated, who have had successful experiences in previous art courses, and who are willing to devote considerable outside class time to their artwork are good candidates for this course.
    1 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Studio Art I or Art 9 and Studio Art II and Studio Art III and Advanced Studio Art

    DIGITAL DESIGN
    In this course students will develop an understanding of how to create digital artwork that expresses each artist’s creative vision through graphic design. Students will be challenged to develop their visual and critical thinking skills through computer-based art projects; learning how graphic design and digital media have influenced our everyday life in various dimensions.
    1/2 unit of credit. No Prerequisite-This course satisfies the computer literacy requirement

    DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
    Digital Photography is an introduction to the use of the digital camera and the electronic darkroom (computers, Adobe Photoshop imaging software and related technologies) to create photography- based digital art. In-class work challenges students to explore the infinite capabilities of digital technology to select, edit, correct, restore, adjust, combine, manipulate, transform and represent images.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Black and White Photography and/or Digital Design - This course satisfies the computer literacy requirement

    DIGITAL ARTS II
    Digital Arts II is a continuation and extension of the concepts and techniques developed in the introductory digital classes. Digital Arts II students are challenged to match their facility in using the Adobe CS Design Suite with an understanding of design principles on a collection of personal, meaningful, thematically centered works. Students are expected to develop their own creative visions with more independent and complex projects, and will approach their work with an emphasis in either digital photography or digital design.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Either Digital Design or Digital Photography

    AP ART HISTORY
    This is an introductory college-level course in art history. The class surveys painting, sculpture, and architecture from the ancient world to the present, with an emphasis on understanding the visual arts as universal human expression. Through critical analysis, students will develop an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts of art, examining such issues as patronage, gender, politics, religion, and ethnicity. The class will culminate with the taking of the AP Art History Exam in May.
    1 unit of credit. Prerequisite- Grades 10-12

    FASHION ILLUSTRATION 
    Project Fashion is an introductory class in fashion design and illustration. Through an investigation of the history and relevance of fashion-as well as challenges in design inspiration, concept development, fashion illustration, and fashion digital studio-students will take part in each stage of the fashion design process. As the class culminates, students will gain experience by developing a complete fashion collection from concept to runway.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite- Studio Art I or II, Grades 10-12

    ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING
    This Course includes the study of house planning, design, and building construction. Students will design and develop floor plans, elevations, section and plot plans as well as a scale model of their own house design.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite- Grades 10-12. This course satisfies the computer literacy requirement.

    STAGECRAFT – (Semester Course)
    There is more to putting on a play than just acting. Find out what goes on behind the scenes. We will examine different styles of set design and construction, painting techniques and special stage effects. We will also look at lighting for the stage and the various roles of the backstage crews. A fun course for anyone interested in theater from a different point of view.
    NOTE: This class is offered with a flex-time component that requires attendance after school.
    1/2 unit of credit. No prerequisite. Meets requirement of either Art/Music/Drama or Practical Arts

    FILM AND VIDEO I – Semester Course
    This course deals primarily with actually video-taping original ideas and projects of the members of the class. Experience in camera technique and editing is a major part of the course. The course also explores the art of filmmaking from a historical perspective in order to give the student a deeper appreciation and an ability to assess the cultural and aesthetic impacts which film has on our society. Students use computers to edit video and sound and learn how to incorporate these elements into multimedia presentations.
     1/2 unit of credit. No prerequisite. Meets requirement of 1/2 Art/Music/Drama or computer literacy.

    FILMMAKING AND VIDEO II: THE SEQUEL
    In this course, students will continue the study of cinematic techniques, their mechanics and philosophies.
    Students will watch a variety of historical and contemporary films, concentrating on those which have an unusual point of view; such as, the works of Fellini, Bunuel, Warhol, Eisenstein, Allen, Kubrick, and Lynch Students will demonstrate an understanding of the genre by creating their own videos, and presenting analyses of selected films.
    1/2 unit of credit. Prerequisite – Film And Video I. Meets requirement of 1/2 credit for Art/Music/Drama or computer literacy