• Visual Arts Course Offerings

    ART 1 - Art 1 introduces the Elements and Principles of Art, the building blocks of an art work, through the exploration of different media. This class will include drawing and other 2D media usage such as pastels and paints, as well as 3D media. The course will define what each element and principle is and how it is used and recognized in an art work. An art analysis will be written on famous art works throughout the course. At the end of the course students will have had the opportunity to work with various art media while defining, recognizing and creating the Elements and Principles of Art.

     

    FOUNDATIONS IN ART - Foundations of Art is designed to open the student frequent opportunities to work with many art mediums. This course will allow the student to become familiar with the elements and principles of art. Exposure to various art mediums will enable the students to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of art to develop basic skills in art and to understand the visual language. This will allow the students to appreciate and understand how Art History has played a major role in the development of Art styles. By the end of the course, students will have been exposed to many different drawings, 2D and 3D projects.

     

    CULTURAL ARTS - Cultural Arts will enable students to be exposed to many art mediums from cultures around the world. Students will be participating in a variety of projects. Some projects included in this class will be batik, weaving, printing on fabric, mask making and art research. By the end of the course, the students will have learned the skill of handling materials, exploration of techniques, and the development of personal and individual style.

     

    FINE ARTS - Fine Arts will focus on media and composition in studio work. This course will include sketching, utilizing different medias, composition, design, and printmaking. This class emphasizes the personal investigation of methods and techniques related to acrylic painting and/or other water based media. Research on famous artists and their techniques and styles will be involved. By the end of the course, students will have been exposed to a variety of materials, and will have had the opportunity to develop techniques and personal styles.

     

    CERAMICS - This Ceramics course is designed to introduce students to various ceramic hand building processes and a working knowledge of wheel thrown pottery. Emphasis will be placed on the design elements; line, shape, texture, and color. The course will integrate the design and construction of ceramic ware using a full spectrum of artistic tools, techniques and materials. Functional as well as sculptural applications will be explored. The students will also learn surface decoration and glazing methods. Art History, Criticism, Aesthetics and Careers will be studied with a focus on Ceramics. It is also highly recommended for students with an interest in art and art related careers.

     

    INTRODUCTION TO SCULPTURE - Students who enjoy working with clay, plaster, wood, wire, found objects and mixed media will thrive in this class. Sculpture is a universal art form which challenges all of the senses in its creation and appreciation. The course concentrates on developing technical skills and artistic appreciation of successful three-dimensional artwork. Students will be introduced to sculpture techniques, combinations of media and resolution of 3-D design problems. Students will use a variety of methods, including assemblage, additive and subtractive methods, carving, manipulative methods and modeling. Creativity, craftsmanship, personal effort, critical thinking, are an intricate part of this class.

     

    PAINTING - Painting is one of the most classic and captivating forms of art. Today’s designers use concepts from painting and drawing to develop exciting and new designs. Color theory and basic drawing skills are essential in an introduction to painting, along with the art history of the great painters of the past and the contemporary artists of today. By course end students will have gained a foundation centering on the elements and principles of design such as color, line, shape, texture, value, space, balance, movement and unity. Through the use of these elements and principles students will explore different techniques and emphasize the importance of visual expression through specified media such as acrylic, oil, and water color paint.

     

    AP STUDIO ART - The AP Studio Art course is for students interested in a rigorous and focused study in art. Students will develop a quality portfolio that demonstrates a mastery of concept, composition and execution in 2D design, 3D design or drawing. This course is based on a student creating a body of work that demonstrates quality, concentration and breadth. The course will meet for a full year. On the academic model, as in any college level course, students will be expected to spend a considerable amount of time outside of class to complete assignments and doing homework and sketchbook assignments. Students must take the AP exam in the spring. Prerequisite: Two MHS art courses with a grade of 90 or above, portfolio review and teacher recommendation

     

    GRAPHIC DESIGN - Graphic Design is the future of visual communication. Today’s graphic designers depend on multimedia and the internet to provide exciting and new design concepts. Through the primary use of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop students will learn to communicate ideas through the creation of logos, packaging, advertisements, and other visual media utilizing techniques in typography, illustration and photography. By course end students will have gained a foundation centering on the elements and principals of design such as color, line, shape, texture, value, space, balance, movement and unity. Through the use of these elements and principles students will explore and emphasize the importance of visual communication. Prerequisite: Communications and Creative Media

     

    DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - In this course, students will become familiar with the skills necessary to pursue a career or hobby in digital photography. Students will learn the history behind photography and basic concepts of cameras as well as how the cameras work. Students will learn to utilize a digital camera/phone/tablet, and learn the principles of photography. Students will create and manipulate digital images using Adobe Photoshop, and learn the fundamentals of composition and design. Students will develop skills to input and export media in a variety of creative ways, create a digital portfolio and learn to communicate through the use of digital photography and multimedia processes. Students will print and display their work.

     

    DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY II - This course is designed build off of the skills learned in Digital Photography I. Students will focus on exploring more in depth camera techniques including controlling more of the manual settings. Students will focus on advanced editing techniques in Adobe Photoshop, as well as advanced lighting techniques. Students will explore increased creativity when it comes to composition and creating photographs. Students will explore further careers in photography and create a portfolio at the end of the course displaying their work. Prerequisite: Digital Photography I

     

    Extra Curricular Activities:

    Art Club