AP Studio Art 2D Design: Rationale and Explanation of Course and Portfolio
Congratulations on deciding to pursue AP Studio Art! This course is both challenging
and rewarding. It will require much work both in and out of the class. This syllabus will
outline your responsibilities as a student in this course.
The AP Studio Art program is meant to give students a studio experience commensurate
with that of a first-year college art class. This means that you will have the freedom to
choose your path of work and study in many cases; it also means that you will be
responsible for meeting deadlines and learning techniques and information that might be
presented in a college level art course.
The Studio Art 2D Design course is designed to lead towards the completion of a
portfolio that showcases your mastery of the principles and elements of design. The
principles (unity, variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, rhythm, repetition,
proportion/scale, and figure/ground relationship) are explored and revealed through the
elements (line, shape, color, value, texture, and space). Additionally, the course will
cover the following instructional goals, as articulated by the College Board AP Course
Description Book:
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Encourage creative as well as systematic investigation of formal and conceptual
issues
Emphasize making art as an ongoing process that involves the student in informed
and critical decision-making
Develop technical skills and familiarize students with the functions of the visual
elements
Encourage students to become independent thinkers who will contribute
inventively and critically to their culture through the making of art.
Course includes group and individual student critiques and instructional
conversations with teacher, enabling students to learn to analyze and discuss their
own artworks and those of their peers
Course teaches students to understand artistic integrity as well as what constitutes
plagiarism by helping students develop a personal “voice” through understanding
and analysis of outside work with historical context.
These goals will be met through class assignments and critiques, and students will
demonstrate their mastery of technique and design concepts through the creation of an
AP portfolio, which consists of three sections:
Quality (Section I)
This section of the portfolio consists of five (5) works that best exhibit student strengths
and mastery of concepts. These works show how students synthesize form, technique,
and content to produce strong works of art. They will be selected at the end of year, close
to the submission date and can be any works produced by the student. We will further
discuss requirements for these works later in the course.
Concentration (Section II)
This section of the portfolio will consist of twelve (12) works that show the exploration
of a specific visual concept or topic. These works show how the student plans an
exploration and the interaction with the topic that takes place. It should show growth in
understanding of the concept or topic as well as being technically masterful work that
exhibits understanding of the principles of design.
Breadth (Section III)
This section of the portfolio will consist of twelve (12) works that show the range of
understanding student has of both media and principles. The work should show a variety
of approaches to the concepts of 2D Design. It is possible to complete this section of the
portfolio in just one medium, though it is more common to display the student’s ability to
use a variety of media.
Because this course is being taught with a focus on photography as the students’ medium
of choice, students will have the option to complete the entire portfolio using this
medium; however, we will also explore other media that are related to or work well with
photography and can provide other options for the portfolio. These include, but are not
limited to, printmaking, collage, and digital manipulation of artwork. Students may
choose to work with other media as well, should they choose. All work submitted for the
portfolio should show evidence of exceptional quality, thoughtfulness and decisionmaking, a sense of confidence and verve. They should address complex visual ideas
and/or conceptual ideas, show an imaginative, inventive, and confident use of the
elements and principles of design, successful engagement with experimentation and/or
risk-taking, be notable for sensitivity and/or subtlety, and show purposeful composition.
Student responsibilities
Students have the following responsibilities:
 Adhere to the course schedule and syllabus as closely as possible. Art is an ongoing process, and work may not always be complete on schedule; however,
evidence of progress and effort should be clear in all critiques. Students must have
something to show at the critique in order to receive a grade of A or B at the
critique.
 Homework: There will not be many specific homework assignments, but students
should work at home as much as possible. All shooting will be done at home. In
addition, when students are working on assignments that involve other media,
they should work at home when possible, so that the limited class time can be
spent editing and participating in critique as much as possible. Any other
homework assignments should be completed in a notebook.
Please note that there is an assignment due EVERY WEEK. Students should
plan to spend time on weekends shooting, so that film or digital shots are
available for work on Monday in class.
 Negatives/contact sheets: Students will be expected to turn in negatives and
contact sheets (in the case of digital work, students should turn in a digital flash
drive) periodically to demonstrate progress. Each notebook check will be graded
based on the provided rubric.
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Outside readings and critiques: Students are expected to read one outside critical
or technical article per week and respond to it using the provided response page.
Students may choose to substitute an approved book on photography for several
of these articles. Articles should be copied and attached in notebooks and will be
graded at the time of notebook checks.
Museum visits: It is important to view art in real and professional settings. In
addition, more can be gained from seeing an artwork in person instead of on a
computer screen. Because of the small size of our class, fieldtrips are not feasible
this year. Students are expected to complete museum visits on their own,
preferably one per cycle. Students will complete the Museum Log sheet and place
it in their notebook after each visit.
Supplies: Students should be shooting at least one roll of film (or digital
equivalent) per week, either for class assignments or for their own ideas and
topics. AP Art does not stop when there is no specific assignment; students should
be working on their own ideas and topics as well. Because Carnegie no longer has
a darkroom, students will be expected to either provide their own film and
printing means or to use a digital camera. Some digital cameras may be available.
Grading
Grades will be based on two principles: participation/completion and quality. Because the
course is largely self-directed, with teacher aid and guidance, students will be graded on
their daily participation and the completion of sufficient works in a timely fashion.
Because this is an AP course, with quality expectations included in the portfolio, student
works will also be graded for quality, using a rubric to assess some of the specifications
set down earlier. The flowing percentages will be used:
Critiques
Notebook Check
40%
25%
(includes negatives, contact sheets, time logs)
Assignments
15%
(includes article response, museum logs, and other)
Participation
20%
The notebook will be assessed two or three times during each cycle to provide progress
reports. Participation will be assessed weekly. Critiques are held every 3-4 weeks, with
the dates as follows:
Specific assignments and schedule
Semester 1:
8/27- 9/7
Breadth
Review Principles and Elements of Design
8/28
Review summer work
9/6
Elements and Principles of Design Picture Set 1
9/12
Picture Set 2
9/20
Picture Set 3 /Critique (Breadth assignment 1 due)
9/27
Picture Set 4
10/4
Picture Set 5
10/18
Picture Set 6/Critique (Breadth assignment 2 and 3 due)
10/25
END CYCLE 1
11/1
Picture Set 7
11/8
Picture Set 8
11/15
Picture Set 9/Critique (Breadth assignment 4 due)
11/29
Picture Set 10-11
11/11- 12/13 Develop and propose Concentration topic
12/6
Picture Set 12/ Critique: 12 Breadth works selected (Breadth assignment
5-6 due)
12/13
12 Breadth works complete and scanned: turn in on a flash drive