High School Art

Art I
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: None

The Art I course is open to all students interested in art and does not require any previous art experience.  Students will have the opportunity to play with different media and try different techniques related to drawing, painting, and clay. Students will learn skills that will allow them to participate in future art classes. This class will promote creativity, idea generation, and artistic experiences.

Art II
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I

Art II is a continuation of the Art I experience. Students will experience drawing, painting, and clay and will also explore a sampling of other methods which may include textiles, mixed media, and jewelry. Students will be encouraged to continue to develop broader technical skills, creativity, and original thinking. Successful completion of this course allows students to participate in any of the specialized art classes offered.

Graphic Design I
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: None

Graphic Design will introduce students to computer generated art and graphic design. Students will learn Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator and create logos, posters, letterheads, business cards, and other computer generated art.  The focus of this course will be on design skills, layouts, typography, and careers in graphic design.  This course is for beginners and advanced graphic designers.

Graphic Design II
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Graphic Design I

The students will work in collaboration to create designs on “real world” graphic design projects for the school district and various companies. Students will also design a web portfolio for their work.

Ceramics I
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I and Art II

This class explores the various areas of creating with clay, specifically hand-built, wheel thrown pottery. The student will have the opportunity to learn glazing and decorating techniques.

Ceramics II
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, and Ceramics I

The students in Ceramics II must be able to successfully throw on the potter’s wheels. Students will have the opportunity to go more in depth with the throwing process on the potter’s wheel, develop and create more glazing, and decorating techniques.

Ceramics III
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, Ceramics I, and Ceramics II

Students will have the opportunity to go more in depth with the throwing process on the potter’s wheel, develop and create more glazing, and decorating techniques.

Digital Photography
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I and Art II

Professional-grade digital cameras are used in this class. Students will learn the fundamentals of photography including: how to use a camera, manual settings, shooting for good composition and emotional impact, the history of photography, and photo manipulation within industry standard software.

Drawing I
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I and Art II

This course will give students the opportunity to apply and advance their drawing skills with various mediums, such as graphite, ink, charcoal, colored pencil, and other drawing media. Students will learn and review drawing methods to demonstrate skills in still life and portraits drawing. Students will also explore deeper conceptualization and draw inspiration from surrealism and abstract art.

Drawing II
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, and Drawing I

This course builds upon skills developed in Drawing 1. Students will work independently alongside Drawing I students with teacher assistance. Graphite, charcoal, and color pencil will be reviewed. Skills in other media such as ink and pastels will be further expanded. Students can also focus on establishing work for their portfolio in preparation for college art programs.

Drawing III
Offered to grades: 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, Drawing I, and Drawing II

This course will provide students with additional opportunities to progress their drawing skills. The students will work independently alongside Drawing I & II students. Students will create five original compositions using their choice of media that challenges their skills and interests. Students will also create work for their portfolio in preparation for college art programs.

Jewelry and Metalsmithing I
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I and Art II

This course will develop student’s skills in constructing jewelry objects through the use of sawing, wire wrapping, cold connections, and soldering techniques. By the end of this course, students will have produced a variety of  properly sanded, filed, and polished jewelry items.

Jewelry and Metalsmithing II
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, and Jewelry and Metalsmithing I

Students will expand their knowledge of jewelry making techniques by exploring advanced skills such as 3D cold connections, enameling, lost wax casting, and advanced sweat soldering.

Jewelry and Metalsmithing III
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, Jewelry and Metalsmithing I, and Jewelry and Metalsmithing II

This course is offered to those students who wish to pursue jewelry making after high school. Students will be expected to create a portfolio and body of work that demonstrates skills in casting, soldering, and sculpting with metal.

Painting I
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I and Art II

This course is an introduction to painting with acrylic and watercolor mediums. Students will be exposed to a variety of painting techniques and art history movements to broaden and develop their knowledge. Developing creativity, critical thinking, and awareness of personal styles are the main goals of this class.

Painting II
Offered to grades: 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, and Painting I

This class is an accredited DMACC course. It will provide students a more in depth study of painting techniques through the use of acrylic paint. The assignments will be given with an emphasis on landscape, still life and portrait as well as developing a personal style. Subject matter and concepts for creating a painting will be developed through the use of essential questioning and developing the artist’s voice from within. 

Painting III
Offered to grades: 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, Painting I, and Painting II

This course will provide students the opportunity to build their painting portfolio, creative thinking skills, and studio practices. Individual assignments will be developed by the student and approved by the teacher with the goal of creating a body of work that exhibits their personal style.

Sculpture
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I and Art II

Students will learn to create 3D works of art in both relief and freestanding styles. Students will explore a variety of mediums: clay, plaster, wire, paper, concrete, and other found objects.

Textiles I
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I and Art II

This is an exploratory studio class where students learn different processes using yarns, fabric, beads, and various fibers to create artworks. Students will produce artwork which could include wall hangings, tapestries, dyed fabric or clothing, and small soft sculptures.  This is a class that encourages students to be creative using these techniques alone or combined to create unique pieces.

Textiles II
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I, Art II, and Textiles I

This course provides students a more in-depth experience working with the fiber arts that were introduced in Textiles I. Additionally, requirements to successfully complete the class includes the use of the sewing machine on projects and a series of works in one medium to convey a personal concept. 

AP 2D Design
Offered to grades: 11, 12
Length: 2 Terms
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: None, but prior enrollment in Art I, Art II, Drawing I, and Painting I is highly encouraged.

AP 2-D Design is an Advanced Placement, dual credit DMACC class that meets for two terms. It is for students who are seriously interested in the practical experience of art. Students will create a portfolio of 2-D works that demonstrate understanding of design, 2-D processes and skills, and a sustained investigation of a topic of their choice. Originality and student voice are a critical part of the portfolio. Students can use any mediums that are considered two dimensional. This class is not based on a written exam for AP credit; instead, students will submit a portfolio for AP evaluation at the end of the school year.

2D Mixed Media
Offered to grades: 10, 11, 12
Length: 1 Term
Category: Elective
Prerequisite: Art I and Art II

Students will experiment mixing 2 dimensional elements of printmaking, painting, drawing, photography, and sculpture – and it is sometimes not quite flat at all! Printmaking is an artistic process based on the principle of transferring images from a template onto another surface, most often paper or fabric. Printmaking techniques we will use are reduction, collagraph, drypoint etching, and mono-print. Mixed Media can also include just about anything found.