The AP Studio Art course is for highly motivated students who are seriously interested in the practical experience of art and provides them the opportunity to do college level work. This challenging and rigorous course gives greater opportunity for individual progress and accomplishment, but demands significant commitment and is designed as an intensive year-long course requiring more time than traditional offerings. In the summer students are required to read The Blank Canvas: Inviting the Muse by Anna Held Audette. In the fall students decide upon a concentration. Other reading such as 100 Creative Drawing Ideas by
Anna Held Audette
; will be required to assist in developing each student’s concentration.
Students will develop breadth in their work by exploring visual principles and media techniques.
This course is based on the guidelines of the College Board. For both drawing and 2D students are required to submit a portfolio of 24 works that reflect the quality and breadth of first-year college level standards for evaluation at the end of the term. The AP exam for Studio Art is the submission of the portfolio in April. All portfolios are submitted digitally on the AP Central website. Quality works are required to be sent directly to the AP grading sites. Ultimately, works submitted for grading to College Board is decided by the student for either drawing or 2D. Although unlikely,
Statesville High School cannot be held responsible for artwork lost or damaged in the mail.
Students develop mastery in concept, composition, and execution as they compile their portfolios in drawing and 2-D Design. (Quality)
Students will show sustained investigation of all 3 aspects of the portfolio development, quality, concentration, and breadth- as outlined by the College Board.
Students develop a body of work investigating a strong underlying visual idea or theme from a specific plan. (Concentration)
Students experience a variety of concepts and approaches to demonstrate their abilities and versatility with problems solving, ideation, media, and techniques. (Breadth)
Students will show artistic growth by learning about art as an ongoing process over time and using informed and critical decision making.
Students will analyze, build, and improve their work through self-reflection and critiques with peers and teacher.
Students will incorporate ideas from art history, variant cultures, and today’s visual culture studies into their artwork, while learning about and maintaining artistic integrity.
Students will explore and develop personal interests and ideas as they develop an individual artistic voice.
This course has been developed for students who are interested in either the AP
Drawing Portfolio Exam or the AP 2-D Design Portfolio. All portfolios will address three major concerns: (1) a sense of quality in a student’s work; (2) the student’s concentration on a particular visual interest or problem; and (3) the student’s need for breadth of experience in formal, technical, and expressive means of the artist. Students should reflect these three areas of concern: quality, concentration, and breadth in developing a comprehensive portfolio of at least 24 college quality works. Students will meet with their teacher in deciding what portfolio to pursue- the Drawing Portfolio and the 2-D Design Portfolio.
In the Drawing Portfolio, student’s mastery of drawing can be demonstrated through a wide range of approaches and media. Mark making, light and shade, line quality, rendering of form,
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composition, surface manipulation, and illusion of depth are drawing issues that can be addressed through a variety of media, which could include painting, printmaking, mixed media, etc. Abstract, observational, and inventive works may be submitted. The range of marks used to make drawings, the arrangement of the marks, and the materials used to make the marks are endless. Students will produce a minimum of 24 works that satisfy the requirements of the quality, concentration, and breadth sections of the AP Studio Art
Drawing Portfolio.
In the 2-D Design Portfolio students will demonstrate their understanding of design principles as applied to a two-dimensional surface. The focus is on design- the purposeful decision-making about using the elements and principles in an integrative way. Any 2-D process or medium may be submitted, including, but not limited to, graphic design, digital imaging, photography, collage, illustration, painting, printmaking, etc.
Students will produce a minimum of 24 works that satisfy the requirements of the
Quality, Concentration, and Breadth sections of the AP Studio Art 2-D Design Portfolio.
1st 9 week term:
Students begin the course by discussing and viewing examples of AP portfolios. We also discuss what is meant by artistic integrity and make clear that any work which makes use of other artist’s work or published photographs must show substantial and significant development beyond duplication. The creative problem-solving process is addressed along with goal setting, the use of sketchbooks/journals, expressive line drawing, and experimentation with media and techniques. Assignments will be presented with the purpose of introducing students to the widest possible range of experiences in drawing together with highlevel problem solving skills. Students will discover personal directions, particular studio strengths and visual ideation interests. Students will be involved in 8 sustained and short-term, in class assignments. Students are also expected to complete self-guided critiques after each completed work.
2 nd 9 week term:
Students will be on their way to deciding a concentration and with the assignments from the first 9 weeks more ideas for individual concentrations should have generated. October 30 th is the deadline for deciding upon a concentration. We will discuss and view examples of the Concentration section of the portfolio so students can work out ideas. Students must plan an individual portfolio conference with the instructor about their choices for his or her concentration study. The list of possibilities for a concentration is endless. These examples are intended to show a possible range of ideas:
 A series of expressive landscapes based on personal experience of a particular space.
 A personal or family history communicated through the content and style of still-life images.
 Abstractions from mechanical objects that explore mark-making.
 Interpretive self-portraiture and figure studies that emphasize exaggeration and distortion.
 A project that explores interior or exterior architectural space, emphasizing principles of perspective, structure and/or ambiance created by light, etc.
Students will continue to develop a variety of works demonstrating their understanding of fundamental drawing issues. This will include examples of drawing from observation, invented or nonobjective forms, effective use of light and shade, line quality, surface manipulation, composition, various spatial systems and expressive line marking. Students should show a range of conceptual approaches to drawing.
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Examples:
 The use of various subjects such as the human figure, animals, landscapes, still-life objects, etc.
 The use of various spatial systems such as linear perspective, the illusion of 3-D forms, aerial views and other creative ways of organizing space.
 The use of various content; such as observation, expressive viewpoint, imaginary, social commentary, political statements, art history, visual culture and other personal issues.
 Arrangement of form in a complex space.
 Different approaches to represent form and space, such as rendering, gestural, painterly, expressionist, stylized or abstract.
 The investigation of expressive mark making.
A variety of drawing media is recommended, but if a single medium is chosen the work must show a range of approaches, techniques, compositions and subjects. By the end of the 2 nd
9 weeks, students will have completed 12 or more major works with a total of 12 slides containing images and self-guided critiques in the power point presentation for the semester.
Considerable time will be devoted to defining and describing successful approaches to the highly personal nature of concentration work through individual and whole-class assignments. Works should describe an in-depth exploration of a particular drawing concern. At this point each student’s concentration has already been decided; however students will plan a second individual portfolio conference with the instructor to establish the validity of the portfolio, in addition to ensuring the portfolio’s success.
Remember, upon submission College Board is looking for a process of investigation. In preparing for your submission give thought to the sequence of images when submitting. A commentary is required at the time of submission. It is highly recommended that a detail is not submitted unless absolutely necessary in the sections allowed.
Students will complete at least 12 quality works this term- roughly 1-2 works per week. Students will add to their power point presentations the additional 12 slides for the additional 12 works along with the additional 12 self-guided critiques for the semester. This will ensure there are a total of 24 works to be submitted to College Board. Artwork will be submitted digitally to College
Board in April.
1 st 9 week term:
Students begin the course by discussing and viewing examples of AP portfolios. We also discuss what is meant by artistic integrity and make clear that any work which makes use of other artist’s work or published photographs must show substantial and significant development beyond duplication. The creative problem-solving process is addressed along with goal setting, the use of sketchbooks/journals, self-guided critiques, expressive use of elements and principles of design, and experimentation with media and techniques. Students are also expected to complete self-guided critiques after each completed work. The students’ work in this section should demonstrate understanding of the principles of design, including unity, variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, rhythm, movement, repetition, proportion, and figure/ground relationship. Successful works of art require the integration of the elements and principles of design; students must therefore be actively engaged with these concepts while thoughtfully composing their art. The work in this section should show evidence of conceptual, perceptual, expressive, and technical range.
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The concentration requires each student to devote considerable time, effort and thought to an investigation of a specific visual idea.
2 nd 9 week term:
On October 30 th each student must have his or her concentration idea solidified and submitted to the teacher for guidance.
We will discuss and view examples of the Concentration section of the portfolio so students can work out ideas. Students must plan an individual portfolio conference with the instructor about their choices for his or her concentration study.
Students are encouraged to explore a personal, central interest as intensively as possible; they are free to work with any idea in any medium that addresses 2-D design issues. Your concentration must give focus and have the direction required for a concentration suitable to be graded by College
Board.
The list of possibilities is endless, and these examples are only intended to show a possible range of ideas.
Examples of concentrations:
 A series of works that begin with representational interpretations and evolve into abstraction.
 An exploration of patterns and designs found in nature and or culture.
 A series of landscapes based upon personal experience of a particular place in which composition and light are used to intensify artistic expression.
 Design and execution of a children’s book.
 A series of political cartoons using current events and images.
 Abstractions developed from cells and other microscopic images.
By the end of the 2 nd
9 weeks, students will have completed 12 or more major works with a total of
12 slides containing images and self-guided critiques in the power point presentation for the semester.
Students will plan a second individual portfolio conference with the instructor to establish the validity of the portfolio, in addition to ensuring the portfolio’s success. Students must continue to keep a sketchbook and complete self guided critiques after each completed work. In this section the artworks you submit should demonstrate your understanding of the principles of design. Be sure to include unity/variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, rhythm, repetition, proportion/scale, and figure/ground relationship. Thoughtfully apply the principles while composing your art. Show a range of conceptual approaches to 2-D design. Again the list of possibilities is endless.
Examples:
 Work that employs line, shape, or color to create unity or variety in a composition.
 Work that demonstrates symmetry/asymmetry, balance or anomaly.
 Development of modular or repeat pattern to create rhythm.
 Color organization using primary, secondary tertiary, analogous, or color relationships for emphasis or contrast in a composition.
 Work that investigates or exaggerates proportion or scale.
Students will complete at least 12 quality works this term- roughly 1-2 works per week. Students will add to their power point presentations the additional 12 slides for the additional 12 works along with the additional 12 self-guided critiques for the semester. This will ensure there are a total of 24 works to be submitted to College Board.
Artwork will be submitted digitally to College Board in April. College Board is looking for a process of investigation. In preparing for your submission give thought to the sequence of images when submitting. A commentary is required at the time of submission. This should be done prior to the end of the 9 weeks. The commentary may be revised after.
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Students are asked to demonstrate drawing skill through carefully selected examples of your work. For the Drawing portfolio student’s mastery of drawing should be apparent in the composition, concept, and execution the works, whether they are simple or complex.
For the 2-D Design portfolio students should choose works that best demonstrate their mastery of design issues. Students must choose 5 actual works that they feel best represent their accomplishments and fit within the size limit. These 5 works are to be submitted to
College Board via mail in April. The works may come from the Concentration and/or Breadth section, but they don’t have to. Flat paper, cardboard, canvas board, or unstretched canvas is acceptable. The work may not be larger than 18” x24”, including matting or mounting. Works that are smaller than 8” x10” should be mounted.
Portfolio Development (60%)
*In-class assignments.
*Individual assignments/planning.
*Weekly submissions of Sketchbooks; with a new work each week, and/or Self-Guided Critiques.
*Power Pont slideshow presented at Midterm (12 works & 12 self-guided critiques) and Final Exam
(24 works & 24 self-guided critiques).
*Grading is based on the evaluation rubric as established by the College Board.
Class Participation (40%)
*Productive use of class time.
*Proper and safe use of materials and equipment.
*Cleanup duties and storage of work.
*Participation in critical discussions- group and individual.
*Preparing work for show, slides, and submission digitally.
In April, students will install and show their work that has not been mailed to College Board in the
Statesville Art Crawl. We will finish any slides, writing, portfolio reviews and critiques as well.
Then it’s time to celebrate the year’s work!
AP Central
Apcentral.collegeboard.com
AP Studio Art Teachers Guide. New York: the College Board, 2009-2010
AP Studio Art Poster. New York: the College Board, 2009-2010
AP Studio Art Slide Show and Commentary CD, 2009
Themes of Contemporary Art by Robertson and McDaniel
The Blank Canvas: Inviting the Muse by Anna Held Audette
100 Creative Drawing Ideas by Anna Held Audette
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