Introduction to Visual Arts
Overview
Art is everywhere! Just look around you. It is in your home, your clothing, even in your hair.
This semester, you will be learning how to perceive the world through the artist’s eye.
Embarking on your artistic journey, you will acquire the content-specific vocabulary needed to
create, discuss, and analyze your work and those of your peers, as well as, make connections to
the Masters. You will be able to manipulate different materials to find your niche while drawing
upon different experiences that influence your work. You will learn about line, color, shape,
value, space, form, and texture and how to use them in a composition with balance, repetition,
unity, contrast, and emphasis (BRUCE).
Projects, class participation, writing assignments, and research projects will prepare to conquer
the world of art. So, when you go with enthusiasm to the Home Depot to select the décor for
your new bedroom, you will know exactly how the elements and principles fit together to create
a unified look. You will also be engaged in perceptive skills that will assist you in learning how
to look at objects as parts of a whole, use color to evoke emotion, and maybe, a little abstraction.
Your artwork will be uploaded to Artsonia.com for all of your fans to see what an awesome artist
you have become during the semester with me, Ms. Barth. Your projects will vary depending
upon the needs of the students in each of the classes, but be prepared to draw everyday objects,
drawing with the paper upside-down, and blending with your fingers. There may be a few
surprises along the way. If you have questions, I am here to help—just ask. You might be
teaching me something new. I invite each of you to stop and analyze the roses after you have
smelled them to see the world form the artist’s eye.