There are three Art & Design courses that meet the requirements for the Fine Arts Credit. These foundational courses are: 5002 Studio in Art, 5006 Studio in Creative Crafts, and 5008 Studio in Media Arts. Students taking any one of these comprehensive courses are eligible to take art elective courses that require a prerequisite. Please CLICK HERE to see a visual guide of the following Art & Design courses.
5002 Studio in Art
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Local
Prerequisite: None
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading Level: Mixed
This is a full-year foundation course that is traditional Fine Arts based. Students will likely create drawings, 2D designs, 3D work, paintings, and digital media art and may use a variety of materials such as pencil, markers, pastels, collage, paint, and 3D materials. Students will be taught strategies for creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills using critical thinking and higher-order thinking. Students will learn to communicate their ideas through their artwork. At the end of this course students will be able to demonstrate their creative and personal artistic expression; demonstrate the ability to be independent and self-directed learners; develop an appreciation for the history of art and art-related careers; identify the Elements of Art and Principles of Design; and demonstrate an understanding of global and aesthetic awareness. A local final exam is required at the end of this course. This course meets the Fine Arts requirement for graduation.
5006 Studio in Creative Crafts
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Local
Prerequisite: None
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading Level: Mixed
This is a full-year foundation course based on Craft media and techniques including, among other things, weaving, fiber art, ceramics, handmade books, and baskets. Students will be taught strategies for creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills using critical thinking and higher-order thinking. Students will learn to communicate their ideas through their artwork. Students will be able to demonstrate their creative and personal artistic expression; demonstrate the ability to be independent and self-directed learners; develop an appreciation for the history of Craft and art-related careers; and demonstrate an understanding of global and aesthetic awareness. A local final exam is required at the end of this course. This course meets the Fine Arts requirement for graduation.
5008 Studio in Media Arts
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Local
Prerequisite: None
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading Level: Mixed
Students will make art in traditional and digital ways to explore the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Students will be taught strategies for creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills using critical thinking and higher-order thinking. Students will learn to communicate their ideas through their artwork. Lessons will include visual and media arts history, aesthetic awareness, creative and performance-based projects, and careers in visual and media art. Students will explore personal ideas and imagery created within the spectrum of the visual and media arts disciplines. Classes may be taught in art studio classrooms and computer labs designed for Media Arts instruction. Students will use a mix of hands-on and digital tools. A local final exam is required at the end of this course. This course meets the Fine Arts requirement for graduation.
5102 Drawing and Painting
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: 85% three-quarter average in Studio in Art, Studio in Media Arts or Studio in Creative Crafts and teacher recommendation.
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading Level: High
This is a full-year course recommended for prospective art and design majors and is devoted to advanced exploration and experimentation in drawing and painting media. There is a heavy emphasis on drawing/rendering from life (drawing what you see). At the end of the course, the student will be able to: demonstrate a more extensive understanding of the art process by using rough sketches, visual research, and extensive planning to complete several projects; exhibit improvement in visual fundamentals such as lighting, perspective, and proportion as well as new techniques such as chiaroscuro and foreshortening; identify various artists by their style, create dynamic compositions inspired by these styles, prepare, present and display finished artwork.
5244 Sculpture
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: None
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
Get hands-on with many types of materials including wood, wire, clay, cardboard, stone, metal, silicone rubber, plaster, foam block, found objects and 3D computer programs for 3D printing. Sculpture is the oldest known form of art created by humans. You will learn how to create sculptures using classic and contemporary techniques including subtractive, additive, or both, casting and joining. You will build realistic and abstract sculptures of a variety of subjects such as animals, portraits, figures, hands, creatures, and characters. You will learn to mount and display your artwork for viewing and art shows! Learn how to use your mind to visualize and your hands to construct artwork in three dimensions!
5245 Sculptural Innovations
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: Sculpture or Creative Ceramics 2
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
This half-year advanced course will enable students to further explore and develop sculptural and other three-dimensional artmaking. Students will learn new techniques in sculpture to express their creative ideas in art. For example, students will carve, cast, model, and assemble in wood, clay, plaster, and wire along with many other materials.
5122 Graphic Design
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: 80% three-quarter average in Studio in Art, Studio in Media Arts or Studio in Creative Crafts, or teacher recommendation
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading Level: Average/High
In this full-year course, you will learn how to design images to communicate ideas and messages. You will develop your skills with layout and design, typography, illustration, corporate identity (logos), and computer technology. Some of the software used include Adobe Photoshop CS6 and Adobe Illustrator CS6. You will also learn about copyright laws, printing processes and procedures. By the end of this course, you will have design and presentation skills that are essential in college courses and in the workplace.
5132 Creative Ceramics I
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: 80% average in Studio in Art, Studio in Media Arts or Studio in Creative Crafts
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
This course is an introduction for students to the basics of ceramics. The students will focus on learning hand-building techniques in clay. They will also explore the historical, technical, aesthetic, and cultural aspects of ceramics and be introduced to throwing on the wheel. Students will explore personal ideas and imagery in clay while using their innovative and critical thinking skills to prepare, present and display finished ceramic artwork.
5142 Creative Ceramics 2
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: 80% average in Creative Ceramics I and teacher recommendation
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
Students will learn advanced techniques, higher-level craftsmanship, and concepts beyond the foundational techniques in Creative Ceramics 1. They will further develop personal ideas, images, and forms through hand-building and wheel-throwing in clay. Students will engage in all aspects of clay preparation, clay construction, glazing applications, and firing methods. Students will have the opportunity to prepare, present, and exhibit a body of ceramic artwork.
5126 Cartooning
Grade: 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: Studio in Art, Studio in Media Arts or Studio in Creative Crafts
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
This course focuses on the development of original cartoon characters and storylines. Students will be taught how to research, design, create and manipulate their own characters in a variety of mediums including traditional two-dimensional pencil and ink as well as digital illustration. Students will learn to solve artistic problems independently and collaboratively as they hypothesize, experiment, interpret, and communicate ideas through cartoons. At the end of this course, students will: demonstrate a progression from realistic portrait and figure proportions to exaggerated expressions and figures; demonstrate effective cartoon lettering and perspective; create recognizable caricatures of famous people; produce professional-style comic strips, single-panel cartoons, and graphic novel pages.
5172 Animation
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
This course focuses on the movement and filming of characters, cartooning and storylines using traditional and digital media manipulation techniques. Students will imagine, communicate, experiment, and synthesize their ideas through digital literacy. At the end of this course students will be able to demonstrate a progression from fundamental movements of squash and stretch and metamorphosis, to complex character walk cycles; be introduced to various software including Flip-a-Clip, Stop-Motion Studio, and Adobe Premiere Pro; complete individual animations, from concept to drawing to sound, to final animation; and prepare, present and display finished artwork.
5007 Art & Game Design
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Local
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
In this course, students will use Construct 3, or a similar web-based game editor, to learn the fundamentals of game design, including character development, environmental design, and level design. Students will have the opportunity to collaborate with classmates in group projects and develop and strengthen their problem-solving and teamwork skills while creating fun and engaging games. Students will learn about the different roles and responsibilities of game designers, programmers, and artists. By the end of this course, students will be able to create their own games from scratch. No prior knowledge of coding is required.
5005 Advanced Studio in Art
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisites: 80% three-quarter average in Studio in Art or Studio in Media Arts and Creative Crafts and/or teacher recommendation.
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading level: Mixed
This course is designed to further develop students’ ideas in art through advanced understanding of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. The course will focus on further developing students’ skills and techniques in two and three-dimensional arts and in digital artmaking to an advanced elective. Students will work on project based activities that focus on creativity, innovation, responsibility, independence and self-directed learning. At the end of this course students will be able to: demonstrate critical and higher order thinking skills; execute and solve problems through the creative process; articulate and communicate their personal expression in the visual arts; identify various artist styles and art historical periods; present the beginnings of the portfolio development process; prepare, present and display finished artwork.
5171 Advanced Animation
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: Animation
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
This course explores additional media used in Animation. Students will be taught creative problem-solving skills including communication and collaboration, and critical thinking in art. At the end of this course, students will be able to work independently during class, develop a series of animation pieces related to their individual style of work, demonstrate self-motivational skills and the completion of long-term goals and choose from creative and advanced styles of animation, such as Paper/Cell Animation, Computer Animation and Stop Motion.
5174 Studio in Photography 1 in Art
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: None
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average/High
Explore your visual language with the use of the DSLR cameras and Adobe Suite computer programs. You will learn about the art of photography, discuss its history and where photography is today in our ever-changing technological world. We will delve into different realms of photography including documentary, portraits, landscapes, studio, and street photography, and how to set up and create photoshoots. You will also learn about studio lighting vs. available light and how to capture the best composition. You will build a digital portfolio and website. Find out how to create better compositions, make amazing photographs, and display your work.
5176 Studio in Photography 2 in Art
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: 80% average in Studio in Photography
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Low/Average/High
This course is a continuation of Studio in Photography 1 in Art. You will draw upon your existing knowledge to compose photos and build your digital portfolio. You will dive deeper into the world of photography and develop your artist voice in your photographs. You will use DSLR cameras and further your skills in Adobe editing programs. You will even do a project with Polaroid cameras! We study contemporary and historical photographers and the contributions they bring to the world of photography to help us understand why people take photographs and what they are about. Change the way you see the world to better enhance your compositions. “A trip to the grocery store is just a trip to the grocery store. Bring your camera with you on your trip and now the whole world has changed and can be viewed through the eyes of a photographer.” -John Free
5246 Fashion Illustration & Design
Grade: 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: Studio in Art, Studio in Media Arts or Studio in Creative Crafts
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
This is a half-year course to introduce and explore three-dimensional forms/concepts in Fashion. Students will learn to design, illustrate, and create wearable objects. Students will be introduced to basic skills in hand sewing and sewing machines. By the end of the course, students will have developed a concentrated collection of pieces that are both personally meaningful and inspired by fashion trends, history, and global cultures.
5202 Advanced Art 1
Grade: 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: 85% average in Drawing & Painting and/or teacher recommendation
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading Level: Average/High
This is a full year course with an emphasis on moving towards self-directed projects and portfolio development. Students will create artwork with the help of general prompts. The object is for students to begin to problem-solve creatively, set up imagery on their own, and have a better understanding of architectural space and forms as they apply to interior, exterior, still life and figurative compositions. Students will investigate purposeful style and use a variety of drawing and painting mediums, often with students selecting the best medium for their creative idea. The use of digital resources will be discussed and used as it relates to the application of the student’s individual projects. By the end of this course, the student will produce 6-8 portfolio ready pieces that encompass both breadth and thematic images.
5212 Advanced Art 2
Grade: 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: 85% three-quarter average in Advanced Art I and teacher recommendation.
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading Level: Average/High
A full-year course for the self-directed student emphasizing continued development of a college portfolio. At the end of this course students will be able to: develop a body of work that demonstrates additional risk taking and problem solving in technical and expressive modes of making art; visually communicate and adapt one or more of the following: abstractions of mechanical objects, psychological imagery, architectural space and social concerns; and prepare, present and display finished artwork.
5201 (AP) Advanced Placement in Studio Art
Grade: 12
Exam: AP Exam (2024-2025 fee $99)
Prerequisite: 85% three-quarter average in Advanced Art I and teacher recommendation.
Offering: Full year (1 credit)
Reading Level: Average/High
AP Studio Art is a course for students capable of doing college-level studio work while they are in high school, who are willing to devote the time and energy necessary to complete a rigorous and challenging course designed for the college-bound student. This course is designed as an intensive one-year program (including summer work*). Students need to be self motivated and able to set long term goals. For this class, students will select an AP portfolio (discuss options with your art teacher), and will be guided to develop a body of work that demonstrates inquiry through art and design. In addition to finalized pieces of art, the portfolios include process documentation and written information about the work presented. The class is designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement in Studio Art exam where students submit their art portfolios for evaluation based on specific criteria, which include skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas and sustained investigation through practice, experimentation, and revision, guided by questions. It is expected that students will sit for the AP exam in May.
*Summer work is required, students will meet with the teacher at the end of the previous year to discuss.
5302 Portfolio Prep
Grade: 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: Studio in Art, Studio in Media Arts or Studio in Creative Crafts and/or teacher recommendation
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
The portfolio prep class is geared toward highly motivated seniors interested in preparing and strengthening their portfolios. This course helps to ensure that students are prepared to meet their individual artistic goals after high school. Students will create their own objectives (with guidance from the art teacher) for the class based on what they need for their portfolios, their chosen medium, and areas of visual interest. This is an excellent opportunity to take risks and try out new ideas. Students must be proficient in the mediums they choose, and have the initiative to take it to a higher level with the teacher as a mentor. This framework provides the student with time to create the art they want while obtaining the feedback they need to improve it to make it better. Areas of concentration may include but are not limited to Drawing, Painting, 2D and 3D Design, Mixed Media, New Media Art, Website Building, Sculpture, Printmaking, Photography, Film (still and moving), Branding, Fashion Design, Illustration, Cartooning, Animation, Vlogging, Influencing, Original Computer Based Music/Sound Creation, Videography and Editing. Because this course is meant to supplement the intermediate and advanced curricula of the art department, students will take this class in addition to the art classes they are taking in their sequence. Students interested in art should consider taking this class even if they are not planning on pursuing an art career or majoring in art in college as many colleges are now providing scholarship money to students who submit their art portfolio as a supplement to their application. “Just be yourself, there is no one better.” ― Taylor Swift
5173 Studio in Film
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: None
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average
This course will focus on creative filmmaking/videography. Students will become engaged with the artistic language of film. Through a variety of visualization exercises, students will learn storytelling and expression as they develop their skills with the camera and editing software programs. Students will be producing and editing their own film concepts which can range from Narrative Drama, Comedy, Action, Public Service Announcements, Music Videos, Visual Art/Experiment, and Documentary/Mockumentary. The focus will be placed on learning computer editing, lighting, sound, technical camera skills, and collaborating with peers. Students will be self-directed in imagining, experimenting, and producing short sequenced videos and films. Students will write scripts, shoot sequences with digital cameras, and edit videos and sound in computer-based software programs.
5180 Advanced Media Arts
Grade: 10, 11, 12
Exam: Portfolio
Prerequisite: 80% three-quarter average in Studio in Art, Studio in Media Arts, or Studio in Creative Crafts.
Offering: One semester (½ credit)
Reading Level: Average/High
This course is intended to explore more advanced concepts in Media Arts through the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Continued access to large format and 3D printing will be available to students when creating works. Students will be expected to participate in project-based problem solving activities where creativity, innovation, responsibility, independence and self-directed learning will be explored. Students will explore and create traditional and contemporary modes of visual communication through various computer applications to include, but not limited to, Illustrator, Photoshop, Audition, Substance, as well as Tinkercad, Cura, and Cricut. At the end of this course, students will be able to: respond to a collection of media-based artwork that demonstrates an understanding of social, cultural and/ or political experiences, demonstrate critical and higher order thinking skills, solve problems through the creative process, articulate and communicate their personal expression in the Media Arts, identify various artist styles and art historical periods; prepare, present and display finished artwork.