Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School
12650 Brooke Lane
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772
301-780-2100
June 5, 2015
Congratulations!!
You have been recommended for or are already enrolled in Advanced Placement Studio Art for the 2015-2016
school year. The AP program is set up to offer student’s college level courses while still enrolled in high school.
You will spend the school year compiling a portfolio of work through class and homework assignments that will be
submitted to The College Board in May 2016. AP Studio Art will be offered as a full year course in which you will
submit a two dimensional design portfolio of 24-29 finished art pieces.
More specific information can be found at www.apcentral.com. You will probably have to register, but it is free.
There is a gallery of work, which gives details to the work on the yearly posters given out to each Studio Art
student. In addition, you will find example works listed under exams and you will have several ways to enter the
site. If you go directly to:
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/exam/exam_questions?course=all, then you will be able to click on the three
different portfolios at the bottom of the page. Select one and then you can proceed through all three sections:
Section I-QUALITY;
Section II-CONCENTRATION, and
Section III-BREADTH
An update will occur shortly. The QUALITY section will list the scores given, the CONCENTRATION will include
the written commentary, and the BREADTH will be compiled from different people’s works. You will be able to go
through the site in several ways, but do not be discouraged by the work, but inspired to be creative and really
express yourself.
THIS IS NOT A COURSE WHERE YOU GET TO DO WHAT YOU WANT.
The course is set up with the Prince George’s County Public School Art curriculum requirements in addition to AP
standards. It is offered for anyone possibly planning to attend college, whether as an art major or not. Students will
send their portfolios to be “read” (graded) by a committee of college and high school art instructors who assess it as
if it had been completed by the end of the freshman year of college. The students who have scored the highest
have been the ones that made every deadline, both in and out of class assignments. They have a larger body of work
completed by the middle of the third grading quarter of the school year, which make the selection of pieces to be
sent an easier decision.
DON’T PANIC!
The class is diverse and each of you should end the year with a different portfolio. The requirements will be tough,
but you would expect that in a college setting and you would not have been selected if I did not feel you had the
ability to handle the workload successfully. The requirements are clearly defined and will include in class
assignments, out-of-class production assignments, regular critiques, matting works, written papers, and selfevaluations. Work completed prior to this year is acceptable in the portfolio. In addition, you will have weekly
Scholastic Art readings. We will start off the school year developing a BREADTH of work and you will have to
select your CONCENTRATION, or area of individual study by the end of October. You should select a course of
study during the second grading period to foster the development of this concentration. Your QUALITY work will
be selected from these two sections.
Summer Assignment
Part 1:
Now, for your summer homework. These five pieces are due the first day of school, August
23, 2015, and we will be having our first graded critique and self-assessment based on these
works. The work should demonstrate quality, strong technical skills, and a clear understanding
of the elements and principles of art.
FIVE FINISHED WORKS:
2 pieces in black and white......................…any two different media of your choice
1 piece in color.............................................any dry media of choice
1 piece in color.............................................any wet media of choice
1 mixed media piece.....................................at least two media should be used, collage
is not allowed in this work
At least two of your summer works must deal with VALUE. You may produce more than five works as long
as all the work is quality and considered “finished.” No studies allowed. Backgrounds need to be fully
resolved if working two-dimensionally. Size should be a minimum of 8” x 10” and no larger than 18” x 24
“. The goal of the summer assignments is to keep you visually thinking, and to get you to experiment and try
stretching your range of experiences and expressions. If you feel rusty, I would suggest start drawing everyday
objects from around your house and move into figurative work.
Part 2:
Summer Sketchbook Assignment
Michael Bell's 31 Nights.
Objective:
1. Establish an ongoing practice of exploration of "ideation", giving expressive visual form
to ideas, feelings and concepts
2. Develop a body of personal work over a period of time that addresses a broad variety of
topics and media that can be easily customized to emphasize inquiry, research, discourse
and/or critique.
3. Generate work that is intentional.
4. Present their work for critique within their group or class.
5. Defend the criteria for evaluating their finished work.
5. Reflect on their experience of being part of this process.
Rationale:
Within the scope of this 'practice', as facilitators, we gain valuable insight to the authentic art
practice of our students. In practice, our students have received recognition from reviewers at
portfolio days, used their sketchbooks for portfolio requirements for college and continued
their sketchbook practice into their college experience.
Activity: Summer Sketchbook Challenge! (20 pages)
Self Portrait: (10 pages)
1. Introductory Portrait
2. Spiritual
3. Physical
4. Intellect
5. Emotion
6. The Beast, challenge
7. Lost and found, Identify
8. Purity of Purpose, Growth
9. A warrior’s journey, Passage
10. Celebration
Transformation (5 pages)
1-5:transformation of one thing to another, this can be an ani-morph, (human to animal, animal
to human, plant to human, robot etc. 5 distinct images that show gradual time based change.
Inspired by: (3 pages) work inspired by selected quotes, or a lyric from a song etc)
Nirvana - Come As You Are Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Come as you are, as you were
As I want you to be
As a friend, as a friend
As an old enemy, Etc.
Your Choice (2 pages) (using your choice of theme, idea, emotion or concept)
1. 3-Dimensions (1 page pop –up, flash etc page)
2. Altered Photo Collage (cut, paste etc) manipulate found images
Resource: This Is the Michael Bell Project we used the first year. It was confusing and
somewhat cumbersome. Most of the Students did 31 Nights.
Dykstra_MBELL_Handout.pdf
Class Supplies
You will need to have the following list of supplies by the first day of school. You can purchase
these supplies from any craft store such as Michael’s Arts and Crafts or A.C. Moore Arts and
Crafts.
● Art Portfolio Case min size 30 x 24
● Color Pencils
● Sketchbook
● Drawing Pencils
● Drawing Easers
● Flashdrive 2G and blank CD's
● 3 large pieces of black mat board (due in April)
● Paint and Brush (if you plan to paint)
● Any additional art medium that you are comfortable using.
If you have any questions, I can be reach via email at jamila.bellamy@pgcps.org all summer. I will most likely
respond to your within 24 hours. Enjoy your free time, but don’t forget about art.
Good luck,
Mrs. Jamila A. Bellamy
Art Department Chair/
Computer Graphics
Dr. Henry A. Wise High Schools