Art Program
The Art Department offers a number
of elective courses designed to give students the opportunity to study a broad
range of materials and techniques in visual art. Students may choose to take courses in several subjects or to
pursue one area of interest in depth.
Courses are studio based and designed to appeal to students with a wide
variety of abilities and interests. In
addition to learning basic skills and new ways to express themselves, students
will be introduced to both the history of art and contemporary trends in art.
Art stages I & II outline the
elective offerings in art. Stage II
(advanced level) courses require the successful completion of stage I
(introductory level) courses with a
(B) or better, or permission of the instructor. Stage II courses may be taken for credit for
more than one semester or year.
Stage I (Introductory Level)
Architectural Drafting and Design (Semester)
Ceramics (Semester)
Digital Imaging and Collage (Semester)
Photography (Semester)
Sculpture (Semester)
Video Production (Semester)
Two Dimensional Art (Semester)
Desktop Publishing (Semester)
Stage II (Advanced Level)
Advanced Ceramics (Semester)
Advanced Photography (Semester & Full Year)
Advanced two-dimensional Art (Semester & Full Year)
Advanced Topics in Digital Imaging and Multimedia
(Semester)
Two Dimensional Art One Semester – 2.50
Credits Course #808
For students in grades: 9, 10, 11, and 12
Prerequisites: None
Description: In this
course students learn the basics of two-dimensional design. Topics covered include drawing, painting and
the basic principles of design explored through a variety of processes and
techniques. Students will develop
confidence with observational drawing, handling color, shading, and proportion,
spatial relationships and aesthetics.
Projects will emphasize elements of design, technique, and the
exploration of students’ personal interests.
Students will look at and discuss the work of important historical and
contemporary artists, and have occasional written and/or drawing homework. The art studio is open to students most
afternoons and during unscheduled blocks throughout the day.
Evaluation: Evaluation
will be based on class work, projects, student journals, class participation, critiques
and final portfolios.
Advanced two-dimensional Art Full Year – 5.00 Credits Course #810
Advanced
two-dimensional Art One Semester – 2.50 Credits Course #809
For students in grades: 10, 11, and 12
Prerequisites: One semester of Introduction
to Art or Two-Dimensional Art or the equivalent.
Description: This
course is for students who have complete one semester of Two-Dimensional Art
and/or can demonstrate a thorough knowledge of basic techniques. Students will
explore more advance techniques and work in series with a variety of sizes and
formats. They will work on individual
projects to further their understanding of design and to produce personal and
expressive images. Students will
develop proficiency in any given medium through longer projects than were
possible in introductory level classes.
Subjects may include alternative and historic processes, painting,
printmaking, mixed media, and illustration.
The course will consist of projects, technical demonstrations, and study
of the history of art, regular class critiques and discussions. There are regular “at home” projects that
are required for the final portfolio.
The art studio is open to students most afternoons and during
unscheduled blocks throughout the day.
Evaluation: Evaluation
will be based on class work, projects, written work class participation, and
final portfolios.
Ceramics One Semester – 2.50 Credits Course #811
For students in grades: 9, 10, 11, and 12
Prerequisites: None
Description: Ceramics is a comprehensive course designed
to provide students with a strong foundation in the use of clay as an art
medium. Many different techniques of
clay modeling and decoration will be introduced through a series of challenging
projects. After students become
familiar with the possibilities and properties of clay, they will use their
knowledge to arrive at individual and creative solutions to design
problems. During the second half of the
class, students will be introduced to the basics of working on the potter’s
wheel. Students electing to take
Advanced Ceramics after completion of this course will have mastered the skills
they need for further study. Class
critiques as well as the study of past and contemporary ceramics artists and
trends will be an important part of this course.
Evaluation: Evaluation
will be based on class work, projects, student journals, class participation,
critiques and final portfolios.
Advanced Ceramics One
Semester – 2.50 Credits Course #812
For students in grades: 10, 11, and 12
Prerequisites: One semester of Ceramics.
Description: Advanced Ceramics builds on the
technical and artistic concepts introduced in Ceramics. This course is designed for students who
wish to pursue their interest in this art form in greater detail. It is structured to provide a broad range of
experiences that students can draw from and incorporate into their own unique
approach to the medium. A major focus
will be working on the potter’s wheel, but hand built projects and a variety of
decorating techniques will also is a large part of the class. Students will develop a body of work and
present it to the community through exhibitions. Class critiques as well as the study of past and contemporary
ceramic artist and trends will be an important part of this course.
Evaluation: Evaluation
will be based on class work, projects, student journals, class participation,
critiques and final portfolios.
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Photography One
Semester – 2.50 Credits Course #805
For students in grades: 9, 10, and 11,12
Prerequisites: None
Description: In this
course students learn the basics of photography. Topics covered include light and film, 35mm camera principles and
processes, exposing and developing film, and darkroom techniques. In addition to learning basic skills,
students will begin to use photography as a tool for seeing and exploring the
world in expressive and personal ways.
Students will complete various assignments, photographing both at home
and in class. Projects will emphasize
image composition, the camera technique, and the exploration of student’s
personal interests. Students will look
at and discuss the work of important historical and contemporary photographers,
and have occasional written homework projects.
Students may use their own cameras or borrow one from the school.
Evaluation: Evaluation
will be based on class work, projects, student journals, class participation,
and a final examination.
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Advanced Photography Full Year – 5.00 Credits Course
#807
Advanced Photography One Semester – 2.50 Credits Course #814
For students in grades: 10, 11, and 12
Prerequisites: One semester of Photography or
the equivalent.
Description: This course is for students who have completed at least one
semester of photography and/or can demonstrate a thorough knowledge of basic
techniques. In it students will explore
more advanced photographic techniques and work with various films and camera
formats. They will work on individual
projects to further their understanding of photography as an expressive medium. Subjects of study may include alternative
and historic processes, photographic murals, digital imaging, photojournalism,
and collage. The course will consist of
photographic projects, technical demonstrations, and the study of the history
of photography, and regular class critiques and discussions. Most of the photography assignments will
consist of both homework and classroom projects.
Evaluation: Evaluation
will be based on class work, projects, student journals, class participation,
and a final examination.
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Video Production One
Semester – 2.50 Credits Course #813
For students in grades 10, 11, and 12
Prerequisites: None
Description: This
course will introduce students t the basic techniques and aesthetic of video
production. Students will learn how to
use various formats of video equipment including VHS, Hi-8, and mini DV, and
will plan, produce and complete short video productions. Using a hand-on approach, student will lean
the skill involved in production planning, script preparation, shooting of a
program, and post-production including non-linear editing, assembling music and
voice-overs. Students will edit video
primarily on Macintosh computers using Avid Cinema and Adobe Premiere. The class will explore the role of
television and film in society as well as how to talk about and critique
television and film from both a creative and technical point of view.
Evaluation: Evaluation
will be based on class assignments, quizzes, exams and the quality of the final
project.
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Sculpture One Semester – 2.50 Credits Course # 815
For students in grades: 9, 10, and 11,12
Prerequisites: None
Description: This
course will focus on the basic visual language of sculpture. Students will utilize a variety of materials
and techniques as they explore the basic element of three-dimensional
design. Class projects are designed to
encourage students to express their own experiences through sculpture. Emphasis will be placed on the use of a
variety of materials such as wire, string, paper, cardboard, wood, modeling
clay, plaster, plastic, metals, and found objects. Slide presentations and discussions of contemporary and historical
trends in sculpture will help students to develop and understanding and
appreciation for three-dimensional art in our culture and throughout the world.
Evaluation: Evaluation will be based on studio work, projects, student journals,
class participation, critiques and final portfolios.
Architectural Drafting and Design* One
Semester Course
#720
For students in grades: 9, 10, and 11,12
Prerequisites: None
Description: In this course students will gain an understanding of the various
skills involved in the field of architecture.
The basic design concepts of architectural design will be taught through
sketching, drafting and model building.
In addition, students will learn about the history of architecture, as
well as the forms in which it is practiced today, by meeting with visiting
architects who will present their work, join the class for critiques, or
discuss their use of the topic being studied at a given point in the
course. Visits to the DeCordova Museum,
the Gropius House and other local sites are an important aspect of the
course. Students will produce a
portfolio of work including drafts, final drawings, free hand sketches as well
as three-dimensional studies and models.
Studying the evolution of architectural styles and how they have been
influenced by technology and society today will provide students with
applicable knowledge in the field. The
goal of the course is to provide a sampling of skills from the world or
architectural engineering. There are
regular “at home” projects, which are required for the final portfolio.
Evaluation: Evaluation will be based on class work
projects written work, class participation and final portfolios.
*Offered in alternated years beginning 2001-2002
(Courses #710, #715, #720 and /or #808 can be taken to
prepare for this course.
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Digital Imaging
and Collage One
Semester – 2.50 Credits Course
#725
For students in grades: 9, 10, 11, and 12
Prerequisites: None
Description: In this course students will develop the
skills necessary for manipulating and producing images using the computer. Emphasis is placed on a basic understanding
of the computer as a creative tool including painting applications, design and
composition, montage preparing images for the web, resolution, scanning,
digital cameras and printing. Students
will work in the school’s computer lab on Macintosh computers and will use a
variety of programs including Adobe PhotoShop and Morph. They will use the computer to create
original designs, as well as to combine existing images and photographs. Creative problem solving, personal
expressing, and competence gained in the practical use of the two computer
programs will be stressed. An understanding
of how to navigate through a Macintosh or Windows computer is helpful though
not required.
Evaluation:
Evaluation will be based on class work, projects, written work, class
participation and final portfolios.
Advanced Topics
in Digital Imaging and Multimedia One Semester – 2.50
Credits Course #726
For students in grades: 9,
10, 11, and 12
Prerequisites: Successful
completion of Digital Imaging and Collage or its equivalent.
Description:
Students in this course will apply their previous experience with
digital imaging toward more complex projects and software as they develop a
portfolio of digital work. They will
continue to create digital montages that demonstrate a good understanding of
the software and of aesthetic concepts related to composition and idea
development. The class will work
primarily with Adobe PhotoShop, Morph, Infini-D and web design. Part of the class work will involve combining
images to create moving digital collages.
Emphasis will be placed on student creating proposals for their own work
intended for high-resolution printing or web site content. Student will publish their work to CD as
well as the web. Internship opportunities
will also be explored
Evaluation: Evaluation will be based on class work,
projects, written work, class participation and final portfolios.