Upper School - Visual Arts Courses

List of 8 items.

• Drawing

  Drawing is a course with an emphasis on building specific drawing skills, including observation, composition development, and application of value. In this course, students apply abstract ideas and themes to their work as they examine how artists apply the principles of design to add orginization to their pieces. They start to look at art with a more focused eye towards composition, and they participate in class critiques. Projects include drawing, oil pastel, and mixed media collage.

  
  

  Students who successfully complete Drawing will be able to:

  • Recognize the principles of design
  • Extrapolate from an existing work to create a new, abstract design
  • Investigate themes of identity and individuality through art-making
  • Explore a range of different drawing materials

• Sculpture

  Sculpture is an introduction to creating art in three dimensions. Students explore the elements of space and form while designing work that ranges from abstract to realism. Materials may include wire, cardboard, plaster, found objects, wood, stone, mixed-media, and ceramic sculpture. Sculpture is a one-term class offered to eighth and ninth graders.
  Students who successfully complete Sculpture will be able to:

  
  

  • Design, plan, and execute a scaled sculpture
  • Undersand armature sculpture
  • Care for their materials and maintain a clean workspace
  • Address space and work with three-dimensional artwork

• Ceramics

  This course is an introduction to the pottery studio, with an emphasis on hand building and ceramic construction. Students are challenged to think in three dimensions as they plan, draft, and build pieces that often combine function and form. Students learn techniques ranging from pinching to slab construction in an expansive, clay-only studio. In addition to building, students explore glazes and glazing techniques from dipping to antiquing.
  
  

  Students who successfully complete Ceramics will be able to:

  
  

  • Understand methods of clay construction; pinch, coil, slab
  • Understand glazing techniques
  • Care for their materials and maintain a clean workspace

• Pottery

  This course provides students an introduction to the art of throwing pots.  Students will explore the art of combining form and function while developing proper technique on the potter’s wheel.  The class teaches students how to center, raise and shape their own pieces ranging from mugs to bowls.  Students will also learn how to trim and glaze their ware.  Students are asked to maintain a clean, organized workspace and are given the responsibility of taking care of and reclaiming material.

  
  

  Students who successfully complete Pottery will be able to:

  
  

  • Center, raise and shape functional ware
  • Understand the value in combining form and function
  • Explore how artistic design affects usable objects
  • Participate in maintaining a communal studio

• Digital Photography and Media

  Digital Photography and Media is a course in the basics of photography using digital cameras. Students focus on composition and techniques of image capture; topics include camera usage, file format, exposure, white balance, lighting, creativity, and image editing software. Students learn to use Adobe Photoshop Elements to manipulate, correct, and edit images; students also explore advanced Photoshop techniques such as drawing within the program, combining images, and creating images from a blank canvas.

  
  

  Students who successfully complete Digital Photography will be able to:

  
  

  • Understand the basic functions of a digital camera
  • Manipulate digital photos using Adobe Photoshop
  • Develop their ability to compose interesting photos 
  • Define photo-specfic vocabulary such as aperture and shutter speed

• Painting

  Painting class explores the principles of design through the process of making paintings. Working from both photographs and from life, students develop compositions and mix colors to depict their subjects. Students work in a range of media, including oils and acrylics. This is a one-term class offered to eighth and ninth graders.
  
  Students who successfully complete Painting will be able to:

  
  

  • Develop original compositions
  • Demonstrate understanding of color mixing
  • Replicate colors they see
  • Care for their materials and maintain a clean workspace

• Watercolor

  This course introduces students to the art of watercolor and the various techniques associated with the medium. Students will explore how watercolor can achieve quick compositions that encourage artists to consider color and value when developing their compositions. Students consider the principles of design as they engage in a wide array of projects.

  
  

  Students who take this course will be able to:

  
  

  • Identify the common characteristics of watercolor paintings
  • Implement techniques such as washes and layering
  • Demonstrate proper brush and pigment control
  • Care for their tools, materials and studio space.

• Advanced Studio Art

  This advanced ninth grade course is a full-year immersion in the art studio and is graded as a full academic course on par with math, English, history, science, and world language. Students are selected for Advanced Studio Art based on portfolio review by the visual arts faculty. Students complete work in two-dimensional media, including drawing, pastels, drypoint etching, mixed media, and acrylic painting. They visit galleries and explore the work of contemporary working artists. Exhibit opportunities exist at the School and in the larger community.
  
  Students who successfully complete Advanced Studio Art will be able to:

  
  

  • Improve their understanding of compositional theory
  • Develop a personal artistic voice
  • Explore a wide range of drawing and two-dimensional materials
  • Recognize how social issues can be expressed in art 
  • Care for their materials and maintain a clean workspace