Studio Art Curriculum

Upper School courses run for a full year and offer one credit unless specified otherwise.

Honors classes are available at various levels in mathematics, foreign language, science and history. Advanced Placement examinations may be taken in English, mathematics, French, Spanish and American history. For specific Advanced Placement offerings, please consult individual department headings.

CONSORTIUM COURSE = offered by the Bethesda Independent Schools' Consortium.

 Advanced Placement Art History
 Drawing
 Advanced Drawing
 Painting
 Advanced Painting
 Printmaking
 Advanced Printmaking
 Sculpture
 Advanced Sculpture
 Ceramics
 Advanced Ceramics
 Photography
 Advanced Photography
 Digital Art

Advanced Placement Art History
open to Forms V and VI, (required for studio arts concentration students) one credit, six periods over an eight-day cycle
AP Art History is designed to provide an understanding and enjoyment of architecture, sculpture, painting and other art forms within historical and cultural contexts. Students examine major forms of artistic expression from the past and present and from a variety of cultures. They learn to look at works of art critically, with intelligence and sensitivity, and to articulate what they see or experience. The course includes visits to various local museums and galleries. No prior exposure to art history is required. This course prepares successful students to take the College Board Advanced Placement exam in art history, which is required. (Consortium course)

Drawing
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
A foundation course designed to facilitate and improve one’s approach to representational drawing. Special emphasis is placed on the recognition and ordering of basic visual relationships in still life, landscape, architectural, figure motifs, and on the practice of drawing as visual reasoning. As students begin to gain control of formal visual elements and progress to the advanced level, a wider range of subject matter and concepts are introduced.

Drawing 1 or Advanced Drawing must be completed within the first year of
the studio art experience in the Upper School.

Advanced Drawing
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
At the advanced level, student work focuses on a central theme or concept. Students develop a theme early in the semester and research artists that incorporate similar concepts and themes in their work. Daily activity is increasingly self-directed, supplemented with weekly discussions, readings, and assignments. Emphasis is on the development of individual style. Advanced students produce an end-of-year show and often submit their portfolios to the College Board Association for AP credit. * Please note: students must obtain permission from the Department in order to enroll at the Advanced level.

Drawing 1 or Advanced Drawing must be completed within the first year of
the studio art experience in the Upper School.

Painting
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
A beginning course in oil painting, primarily concerned with an introduction to the materials, conventions and languages of painting. Techniques will develop within the context of exploration and application. Content and meaning will be examined through observation and interpretation. The main goal of this class is to provide a strong foundation in the basics of oil painting so that students are familiar and comfortable with the materials and processes. However, students will be encouraged to develop personal approaches to convey their ideas, and develop creative intelligence to communicate and recognize meaning and expression.

Advanced Painting
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
At the advanced level, student work focuses on a central theme or concept. Students develop a theme early in the semester and research artists that incorporate similar concepts and themes in their work. Daily activity is increasingly self-directed, supplemented with weekly discussions, readings and assignments. Emphasis is on the development of individual style. Advanced students produce an end-of-year show and often submit their portfolios to the College Board Association for AP credit. * Please note: students must obtain permission from the Department in order to enroll at the Advanced level.

Printmaking
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
This course provides basic instruction into a wide range of printmaking techniques: monotype, acetate and solar plate etching, calligraphy and wood block printing. Special emphasis is on developing competent technical skill and exploration of compositional "layering” of visual information.

Advanced Printmaking
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
At the advanced level, student work focuses on a central theme or concept. Students develop a theme early in the semester and research artists that incorporate similar concepts and themes in their work. Daily activity is increasingly self-directed, supplemented with weekly discussions, readings, and assignments. Emphasis is on the development of individual style. Advanced students produce an end-of-year show and often submit their portfolios to the College Board Association for AP credit. * Please note: students must obtain permission from the Department in order to enroll at the Advanced level.

Sculpture
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
A course designed to explore the fundamental concepts and methods employed by sculptors. Concepts will be approached through the use of clay, plaster, foam, wood, metal and fiber. Sculpture students will be given assigned problems structured to study form in nature and the work of other sculptors. Students will employ basic elements of sculpture such as: form, mass, positive/negative space and texture to create works which will lead to a basic understanding of the inter-relationships of pure form.

Advanced Sculpture
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
At the advanced level, student work focuses on a central theme or concept. Students develop a theme early in the semester and research artists that incorporate similar concepts and themes in their work. Daily activity is increasingly self-directed, supplemented with weekly discussions, readings, and assignments. Emphasis is on the development of individual style. Advanced students produce an end-of-year show and often submit their portfolios to the College Board Association for AP credit. * Please note: students must obtain permission from the Department in order to enroll at the Advanced level.

Ceramics
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
A beginning course in ceramics that provides students with a basic working knowledge of the materials and forming methods employed by ceramic artists. Students use the potter’s wheel and a variety of hand-building techniques in order to complete a wide range of projects; sculptural and utilitarian in nature. The course expands on the common notions of ceramics and its function. Glazing and kiln firing techniques are also discussed.

Advanced Ceramics
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
At the advanced level, student work focuses on a central theme or concept. Students develop a theme early in the semester and research artists that incorporate similar concepts and themes in their work. Daily activity is increasingly self-directed, supplemented with weekly discussions, readings, and assignments. Emphasis is on the development of individual style. Advanced students produce an end-of-year show and often submit their portfolios to the College Board Association for AP credit. * Please note: students must obtain permission from the Department in order to enroll at the Advanced level.

Photography
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
A course designed to provide students with a working knowledge of a manual 35 mm camera and visual means to explore the creative potential of photography. Students will print and develop images in a well equipped darkroom and will also have access to digital cameras and printers.

Advanced Photography
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
At the advanced level, student work focuses on a central theme or concept. Students develop a theme early in the semester and research artists that incorporate similar concepts and themes in their work. Daily activity is increasingly self-directed, supplemented with weekly discussions, readings, and assignments. Emphasis is on the development of individual style. Advanced students produce an end-of-year show and often submit their portfolios to the College Board Association for AP credit. * Please note: students must obtain permission from the Department in order to enroll at the Advanced level.

Digital Art
one-half credit, semester course, six periods in an eight-day cycle
This course explores the creative potential of digital graphics and media. Students develop both technical and artistic skills using computers as a creative tool to generate original images. Software involved: Photoshop, DreamWeaver, Flash, Painter and Illustrator.