2012- 2013 AP Studio Art: Drawing Syllabus

Course Content

Our high school has developed this course to accommodate students who have expressed an interest to investigate art to a higher level by completing the AP Drawing portfolio. Students will be expected to solve creative problems using their knowledge and their ability to apply an understanding of the elements and principles of art and design to assemble a body of work that will demonstrate a high level of understanding and growth in making a drawing portfolio with attention to concept, composition and execution. (C2, C3, and C5) Students will submit a portfolio with three components: Quality, Concentration, and Breadth. (C1)

All course content will follow the AP Course Curricular Requirements as listed on the AP Central Web Site and the AP Central Poster.

Student Learning Objectives/ Expectations

During this course students will:

  1. Show an understanding of what is required in the AP Drawing Portfolio. Students will use thewebsite for AP Central and the poster to glean required information and examples for the exam/portfolio they will complete.
  2. Complete all three required sections of the Drawing Portfolio: (C1)
  3. Breadth of 12 high quality finished pieces (additional requirements to follow in objective 6)
  4. Concentration of 12 high quality finished pieces (additional requirements to follow in objective 7)
  5. Select 5 best pieces to be submitted with electronic portfolio (additional requirements to follow in objective 8)
  6. Keep a daily sketch book to practice and explore a variety of approaches in drawing techniques for class assignments and to resolve solutions to composition and creative ideas. (C4, C5)
  7. Students are expected to create original work through observation and/or imagination.This course will stress artistic integrity throughout the class. If reference photos are required, students are encouraged to take their own photos. When students use published photographs or designs they must go beyond duplication to manipulate the image to illustrate an original idea. (C7)
  8. Attend class and spend 5-10 hours a week outside of class creating artwork. Our school is set up on an alternating A Day/ B Day schedule with classes of 87 minutes. This means that students are only in my class 2-3 times a week. In order to complete projects in a timely manner, students need to spend additional time outside of class in order to complete their portfolio on time (between 5-10 hours a week).
  9. Students will use a variety of mediums, techniques and approaches to develop at least 12 Breadth pieces for the AP portfolio. In addition to its creation, each student will judgehis/her breadth pieces against the key scoring descriptors in both group and individual critiques: (C6)
  10. Investigation of a broad range of visual concepts and composition
  11. Decision making in terms of experimentation, risk taking
  12. Originality, imagination and invention in using the elements and principles of design in drawing composition
  13. Intention, purpose and direction
  14. Confident, evocative work that engages the viewer
  15. Technical competence and skill with drawing materials and media
  16. Understanding the use of digital or photographic sources
  17. Appropriation and the student’s voice
  18. Image quality
  19. Overall accomplishment and quality
  20. Defend concentration pieces against the key scoring descriptors in both group and individual critiques: (C6)
  21. Integration of the topic of the concentration and the work presented
  22. Decision making and discovery through investigation
  23. Originality and innovative thinking
  24. Evocative theme that engages the viewer
  25. Growth and transformation
  26. Technical competence and skill with materials and media
  27. Understanding the use of digital or photographic processes
  28. Appropriation and the student’s voice
  29. Image quality
  30. Overall accomplishment and quality
  31. Photograph and assemble an electronic portfolio and submit it to the College Board for grading and possible college credit.
  32. Write and present research papers as well as critiques of influential artists.
  33. Investigate college options and entrance requirements.

Course Curricular Requirements

(Taken directly from the AP Studio Art 2011-2012 workshop handbook produced by the College Board)

C1. The course promotes a sustained investigation of all three aspects of portfolio development – quality, concentration, and breadth – as outlined in the AP Studio Art poster throughout the duration of the course.

C2. The course enables students to develop mastery “quality” in concept, composition, and execution of drawing.

C3. The course enables students to develop a body of work investigation a strong underlying visual idea in drawing that grows out of a coherent plan of action or investigation (concentration).

C4. The course teaches students a variety of concepts and approaches in drawing so that the student is able to demonstrate a range of abilities and versatility with technique, problem solving, and ideation (breadth). Such conceptual variety can be demonstrated through either the use of one or the use of several media.

C5. The course emphasizes making art as an ongoing process that involves the student in informed and critical decision making.

C6. The course includes group and individual student critiques and instructional conversations with the teacher, enabling students to learn to analyze and discuss their own artwork and those of their peers.

C7. The course teaches students to understand artistic integrity as well as what constitutes plagiarism. If students produce work that makes use of photographs, published images, and/or other artist’ works, the course teaches students how to develop their own work so that it moves beyond duplication.

Assessments & Grades

Grades are assessed on an individual basis and need to reflect the individual progress that has been achieved by each student. We use the AP Scoring Guidelines as we critique student work. Each piece of work will be critiqued by: (1) the artist,(2) 3 official peer reviews and (3) the teacher before the project deadline. This allows changes to be made before the artist considers the piece “done”. Artwork that receives an overall grade lower than a 3 will be reworked and resubmitted for a higher grade.

Each AP student will develop his or her own unique body of work. Therefore students will submit an outline of their intended pieces to be completed during each term. Each term has an assigned category (breadth/ concentration) and number of pieces to be completed, as listed below.

Each term is broken into 2 sections for students to receive grades.

Portfolio 70% (3 main factors to influence grade)

Completed required number of high quality art pieces for current term.

Studio Time 30%

Mandatory attendance

Efficient use of studio time

Weekly Schedule: This schedule lists the topics to be covered each week. Each class period is 87 minutes 2-3 times a week due to alternating A/B days. Each class will start with a 20 minutes lesson/ discussion of the topics listed below. Students will take notes in their sketch book. Topics will include: Art History, Principles of Art and Design, Types/Styles of Art, Postmodern Principles of Art and Techniques of Art. Topics are divided and spread out through the year in order to cover/review concepts from each category each term. This demonstrates to art students that you can have a continuing experience from studying all aspects of Art.

Term 1 / Weekly Approach (20 min lesson in the beginning of each class) / Assignments
Week 1 / Introduction to AP Art and its requirements. / 1. Write out my term plan to complete 8 breadth pieces. What techniques, styles and principles will I use in each piece?
2. Meet with instructor to determine what if any previous art work may be used for the AP portfolio.
Week 2 / Overview of Principles of Art / Mark making studies with pencils, pens and brushes. Experiment with different media.
Week 3 / Overview of Principles of Design / Tessellation experimentation
Week 4 / Importance of Artist Intent and Communication between Artist and Viewer / Figure drawing assignment
Week 5 / Realism / Self Portrait assigned
Week 6 / Cubism / Breadth work studio time
Week 7 / Appropriation / Breadth work studio time
Week 8 / Layering / Breadth work studio time
Week 9 / Color Theory/Schemes / 8 Breadth pieces due for final class critique
Term 2 / Weekly Approach / Assignments
Week 10 / Perspective / 1. Write out my term plan to complete 4 breadth and 3 concentration pieces. What techniques, styles and principles will I use in each piece?
2. Perspective piece assigned
Week 11 / Impressionism / Distorted perspective assignment
Week 12 / How to develop a concentration / Meet with instructor to review concentration ideas.
Week 13 / Hybridity
Week 14 / Pointillism / Concentration Studio Time
Week 15 / Expressionism / Concentration Studio Time
Week 16 / Juxtaposition / Concentration Studio Time
Week 17 / What is an Artist Voice? How to develop voice. / Concentration Studio Time
Week 18 / 4 Breadth & 3 Concentration pieces due for final class critique
Term 3 / Weekly Approach / Assignments
Week 19 / Lines in depth (implied to actual, simple to complex) / Write out my term plan to complete 7 concentration pieces. What techniques, styles and principles will I use in each piece?
Week 20 / Abstract / Concentration Studio Time
Week 21 / Art Nouveau / Concentration Studio Time
Week 22 / Folk Art / Concentration Studio Time
Week 23 / Movement and Rhythm / Concentration Studio Time
Week 24 / How to photograph and submit work digitally to College Board / Photograph Art work and prepare for digital submission
Week 25 / How to do an Artist Devotional / Sign up for Artist Devotional
Week 26 / Artist Devotional (Each student will choose an Artist to highlight in class. They will assemble a 15-20 slide PowerPoint that demonstrates the history, style and techniques used by the chosen artist. Presentations should be 10-15 minutes in length.) / Photograph Art work and prepare for digital submission
Week 27 / Artist Devotional / Photograph Art work and prepare for digital submission
Week 28 / Artist Devotional / 7 Concentration pieces due for final class critique
Term 4 / Weekly Approach / Assignments
Week 29 / Artist Devotional / Write out my term plan to complete 2 final concentration pieces. What techniques, styles and principles will I use in each piece?
Week 30 / Artist Devotional / Selecting quality work, preparing digital photos, matting quality work and finalizing concentration statement
Week 31 / Artist Devotional / Selecting quality work, preparing digital photos, matting quality work and finalizing concentration statement
Week 32 / Artist Devotional / 2 Concentration pieces due for final class critique
Week 33 / Artist Devotional / AP portfolio Due for Exam
Week 34 / Artist Devotional / School Art Show in gallery - install
Week 35 / Artist Devotional / Art Show opening
Week 36 / Artist Devotional
Week 37 / Artist Devotional / Take down Art show in gallery