VISUAL ARTS I is a year-long course designed
to boast critical thinking habits, improve collaboration and
participation, grow creativity and develop communication skills
through creating, writing, and talking about art, with an emphasis on studio
habits.
Golden Ratio Paper Collage
Students integrated math into art by exploring the Golden Ratio within the human face. Students used the "Mask of Divine Proportion" to collage the planes of the face together, using a variety of colored, patterned, and textured paper.
Stylistic Figure Agamographs
Students did independent research on various art styles. Students then chose two art movements to represent in their projects. Each student drew a figure drawing that was then traced onto two separate pieces of paper, and each decorated according to one of the styles that they chose. After the drawings were complete, students constructed an agamograph; an image that changes in appearance according to the angle it is viewed from.
Posterized Pop Art POrtraits
Layered Faces & Tessellations
Students combined the art styles of M.C. Escher and Barry McGee to create expressive faces over a tessellated background, creating contrast.
"We as Individuals" 3-D Caricatures
Students learned about transformative social change, and talked about what it meant to "Be the change you wish to see in the world." They then developed two different caricatures; one of which reflected one of the characteristics that they have that they wish they would see more of in society. The result was a two-sided, 3-D caricature that gave insight to different sides of each student.
Magazine Clipping Scratchboard
Students created emphasis using contrast, line, and pattern, inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt. Each student found a figure in a magazine to dictate their design. Only the "flesh" portions of the figures were used. All other parts of the image, the clothing, accessories, props, and the backgrounds, had to be created by etching into the scratchboard.
One-Point Perspective Drawing
Scholars were tasked with creating a space that showed depth by using the one-point perspective drawing technique. Students had a great deal of autonomy, as they were allowed to create any kind of space they wanted.
Collaborative Tape Drawing: One-Point Perspective
Students worked in groups of 2-3 to create a one-point perspective drawing of a room on the art tables. Students were tasked with a checklist of many items to include in the space. Using tape allowed students to show that their orthogonal lines all led to the vanishing point. Then, students drew over top of the tape to define their "main lines."
Abstract Landscape
Scholars learned about abstract and representational art, and how they can be different or overlap each other. Students chose a landscape from their imagination to try to represent through abstraction. They exaggerated or simplified colors, shapes, and feelings to create dynamic and vibrant representational abstract landscapes with oil pastels on black paper.
Community Message Rock
Inspired by Tyree Guyton's Heidelberg Project, students designed a painting on a rock that they provided. The painting needed to reflect a message of their choosing to be relayed to their communities. Students had the autonomy to be as ambiguous or straight-forward as they pleased. Once the paintings are complete, students will place the rocks in meaningful places within their communities.
Elements & Principles of Art
Students took visual notes on the Elements of Art, and then learned about the Principles of Art through creating Andy Goldsworthy-inspired temporary organic pieces in groups.