Art 3: Portfolio Development Honors/AP River Hill High School Art Department 2011-2012

Course Syllabus
Course Descriptions
The portfolio is a vehicle through which students synthesize knowledge they have gained of art appreciation and media exploration. To that end, Art 3 students will create work of the highest possible quality: work that documents a range of technical, formal, and expressive experiences, and work that begins to focus on a particular interest or problem. Art 3 students are expected to work beyond scheduled periods and to take the responsibility to leave the art room if the assignment requires. Students will maintain a sketchbook/journal. Art 3 students who are registered for Advanced Placement credit are expected to take the A.P. exam in May. Bear in mind that these students will be required to meet the National Advanced Placement Board requirements, which may require additional work beyond the requirements of this course. It is exceedingly difficult for an Art 3 student enrolled for onecredit to pass the Advanced Placement Studio Exam. Students and parents are asked to carefully consider the level that best suits the students academic and artistic goals. Students taking the AP Studio Exam will be required to create a digital Portfolio via Flickr, to write an additional artist statement, and willat all times throughout the yeardemonstrate exceptional commitment to creating art for this course.

Course Objectives
In this course you will build a portfolio of work that can be used for college admission and for advanced placement credit. If you are in Art 3 you will develop your abilities to: 1. Develop creative responses to given art problems through research, discussion and experimentation. 2. Maintain a sketchbook journal that demonstrates personal expression through the use of visual images, collected materials and written commentary. 3. Engage in collaboration and continuing critical dialogue with artists, instructor and peer mentors. 4. Compose an artists statement that reflects aesthetic choices and a personal direction developed over a period of time. 5. Identify and evaluate how artistic behaviors and problems solving skills are essential components for success in a variety of career fields. 6. Recognize and apply technical approaches through the use of a variety of media to develop a repertoire of visual experiences with a sense of quality. 7. Analyze and apply ways contemporary and master artists and cultures use concepts and ideas in a theme or series for the development of personal artwork. 8. Analyze and apply ways contemporary and master artists approach subject matter from direct observation. 9. Maintain a sketchbook/journal that incorporates personal expression through visual, collected and written commentary to employ as a reference and to generate future ideas.

10. Demonstrate independent pursuit of art making based on guided instruction in the development of a portfolio. 11. Maintain and refine digital portfolio of personal artworks for the purpose of participating in a web-based community. In addition Art 3 AP students will: 1. Establish criteria to be used in the development of personal artwork and defend artistic choices using sophisticated vocabulary. 2. Engage in periodic portfolio critiques to assess strengths/needs to develop criteria for further art works. 3. Recognize, provide, and accept constructive criticism for personal artistic development and peer mentoring. 4. Demonstrate independent pursuit of art making based on guided instruction in the development of a portfolio. 5. Analyze, evaluate and prepare personal portfolios to meet specific criteria for further educational and career goals, (AP, college entrance, work resume). 6. Select and apply materials and techniques to identify their potential in visual statements and develop mastery in their use. 7. Maintain a Personal Portfolio Plan, which will be attached to the inside of your portfolio folder. Your will be required to update the table of contents before submitting your work for a grade at the end of a marking period.

Requirements for the Portfolio

There are three essentials to every portfolio: 1.The portfolio work will be of the highest possible quality. 2.The portfolio work will document a range of technical, formal, and expressive experiences. 3.The portfolio work will begin to focus on a particular interest, theme or problem. In the building of the best possible portfolio, this course will focus on interpreting your own experiences, primarily through observation and experimentation. At the end of the term, the work in your portfolio should demonstrate your ability to do the following: Think creatively. Think critically. Take risks. Interpret the world around you. Experiment with techniques and concepts in a visual journal. Create a composition. Work in diverse media. Depict light. Depict space. Handle color. Draw/Paint what you see. Respond to or reinterpret works of master artists and artists from other cultures. Develop a series of thematically related works.

Homework
As this is a Honors/Advanced Placement course, a minimum of three hours of outside work is expected each week. Most often, for each marking period there will be three assignments, each taking nine or more hours to complete. As the long-term homework assignment allows for the greatest individual interpretation and creative problem solving, the expectation is substantial. Significantly, these are also the works that colleges tend to be MOST interested in because the homework problems have the greatest latitude for personal interpretation. Therefore these works are primarily responsible for getting you into the college-level art program of your choice. The homework is given more weight than individual classwork assignments. Therefore, any student not submitting homeworkor submitting hastily-prepared homeworkwill be unlikely to pass that marking period. Thanksgiving break, Winter Break, and Spring Break are homework-free (AP students may need to prepare for May exams during Spring Break). Homecoming weekend and Prom weekend as well as 2 other weekends of the year will be homework-free. As assignments for this class are often independently driven, ongoing, and involved, these homework-free times do not preclude ongoing or long-term work. Students that need extra time may find working during these breaks necessary.

Sketchbook Requirements
Throughout each quarter, you will be expected to continuously work in your sketchbook, in addition to your other class and homework requirements. Suggested prompts will be provided for you to explore in your sketchbook. Sketchbooks will be submitted at the close of each quarter for grading.

Assessment and Grading

We will assess each art problem while it is in progress and/or when it is complete. This may take the form of written reflections, individual critiques, peer commentary, or (most often) group critiques. Intelligent, thoughtful, and open-minded participation in the assessment process is mandatory, and will affect your marking period grade. Individual projects will not be assigned grades. However, if at any time you would like additional feedback or are unsure of your progress, please see me at any time. At the end of every marking period you will assess your own progress, reflecting on your finished works, your processes, and your participation. After completing the grade assessment, you will submit your entire portfolio, your visual journal, and your self-assessment to me for a letter grade. Submitted work must be in pristine condition. Ensure that your work is not smeared, creased or torn; and is chronological order.

Other important items that will affect your life:

Field Trips
You are expected to attend one field trip this yearone in the fall, the second in the spring. You will be given 6 weeks advance notice to ensure that you can arrange to miss your classes that day. We usually return to school by 2:00 p.m. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of seeing art beyond River Hill High School. As a member of the Art 3/Art 4 class, you are declaring your passion for art, and with that, you have a responsibility to educate yourself about art in the world. Therefore, you should view these field trips as not merely a diversion, but rather a profound educational experience. Exhibits

we see will directly relate to work we are undertaking in class. In the past these field trips have directly (or indirectly) influenced students choices for their artworks, Independent Studies, and college majors. Also, we always have a good bit of fun! Finally, for at least one of the field trips, I recommend particular museums/exhibits/artworks for you to seeeveryone in the class may have a different set of recommendations. The fee for each trip could be between $5 and $10, plus the cost of lunch. Any student unable to attend the field trip will be required to write a research paper analyzing a work of art. Students enrolled in this class for double credit, should expect to do two research papers.

Art Exhibitions
There are multiple opportunities for students to have their work exhibited both school and countywide throughout each school year. Following various class units, artwork may be selected to hang in the school lobby or various display cases. In March, Howard County will be displaying artwork for the annual Youth Art Month exhibition, for which two pieces of artwork per school will be selected. Also in March will be an exhibition titled PaperCraft, in which each teacher will select three pieces of artwork to display at the Howard County Center for the Arts.

National Art Honor Society

The National Art Honor Society encourages and supports outstanding artistic scholarship, service to the school and community, artistic endeavors, and good citizenship. Student members of this organization exemplify these standards, and work to promote an awareness of art and to support the education process at River Hill High School and in the community. Membership is open to all students who have completed an art course with a 3.0 average. Past NAHS activities have included: mural painting, gallery and painting trips, public sculpture projects, elementary art days, coffeehouses, postcard exchanges, T-shirt printing, etc.. NAHS members are eligible for scholarships at many art colleges and universities. The first meeting open to members will be in mid-September; an announcement will be made in class.

Advanced Placement
Students may apply in three areas: 2-D Design, 2-D Drawing, 3-D Design. You are required to submit 24 digital images of your work and five original/actual pieces (no larger than 18 x 24-inches) by the end of April or beginning of May. Specific dates will be given in class. If you plan to attend college and to study art, advanced placement credit enables you to place out of introductory courses, and to go directly into upper level studio courses. While I recommend that everyone take the AP exam, you must be aware that if you do not give 100% in this course for the entire year, you are unlikely to earn a 4 on the examthe minimum score necessary to place out of college-level studio art courses. If you earn an A average for the Art 3 and Art 4 courses, statistics show that you will likely earn a 4 or better on your AP.

Digital Images
Students applying to the College Board, to college art programs, and to organizations offering art scholarships will need to present reproductions of their artworkusually 24 works in digital form. The instructors in the art department will be happy to set you up for shooting your work, but you will need to provide digital storage or CDs, in addition to uploading them to your digital portfolio. This year, you must make arrangements with me in advance to photograph your work during class time. Only on rare occasions will you be able to photograph work after school. Therefore, plan ahead: Allow ample

time for shooting. While I want everyone to succeed, I cannot be responsible for assisting you with your photo documentation if you have waited until the last minute.

Letters of Recommendation
If you have an A-average in my classes, I am most happy to write letters of recommendation, provided you have followed the protocol outlined by the guidance office. (If you have consistently turned in work late, or of less than your best efforts, please do not ask me to write your letter if you do not want me to mention all the facts.) Make sure you ask me for a recommendation well in advance of your application deadlines.

Scholarship Opportunities
Many opportunities for scholarships come up during the school year. Make it your habit to check the Art Announcements Board by the entrance, where I will post these competitions. You are encouraged to take advantage of any opportunity that is presented. I will make all of the pertinent application information available to you, but it is up to you to take the initiative to follow up on it. Any additional slides, recommendations, or input you might need from me is, of course, available upon request, in the timely manner mentioned above. I am always happy to help excellent students pursue their goals!

materials
All materials are required, unless otherwise noted. A hardbound sketchbook. (This is required immediately!!) Choose the size that feels right to you. You might purchase a blank sketchbookas sold in art supply stores and bookstores, or you might wish to find or purchase a second hand book that you could re-create as your own. A tackle box, ArtBin, or other box to store your materials, approximately 10-12 in length. You will be able to store this in the art room. During the first week you will be given an individual supply of pencils, eraser, charcoal, etc., that you will be required to keep in your materials box. Should you lose your supply, you are responsible for replenishing it. Materials that are simply used up in the process of making art will, of course, be replenished by our art department supply. You will have the opportunity to obtain a cardboard portfolio during class the first week. Always know exactly where your portfolio is stored! This is your prize possession! Guard it as such! You may want to purchase a more sturdy portfolio than what you are given in class. The cost of this will be your responsibility, and should be a minimum size is 30 x 40-inches. Watercolors, pastels, Prismacolors or other materials that you will need in large quantities, must also be purchased by you. For instance, if your Independent Project will be almost exclusively oil pastel, you should purchase your own setwhich you will, no doubt, need to replenish frequently.

I provide paint for our first oil painting. At that time, if you wish to continue working in oil, students must purchase Winsor & Newton Artisan Water-soluble Paints (OR other similar brand as recommended by the instructor). A minimal, high-quality set is available for about $34. The colors you are required to have are: Cadmium Yellow Cadmium Red Permanent Alizarin Crimson French Ultramarine Viridian (Green) Yellow Ochre Titanium White (largest tube available) The art department will provide you with one new 1-inch long-handled brush for your personal use, but you are welcome to purchase you own, higher quality brushes. (There is also a plentiful classsupply of used brushes of various sizesand various states of decay. These must be returned to the sink storage, whereas your new 1-inch brush is your personal brush, and must be stored with your materials.) You will need to bring in a metal coffee can with lid, tall plastic jar with lid, or a glass jar (spaghetti sauce jars work great!) with lid for paint solvent to be stored when we begin oil painting. This should be labeled with your name. The art department will provide paper, cardboard, and/or other painting supports. If you wish to paint on more than one stretched canvas, see me! Ill point you in the right direction for purchasing supplies. On occasion you may be asked to collect found materials or to bring in objects. This should not incur any additional funds. The art department will supply the rest of your materials for the year. It may, however, be the case that you wish to purchase your own materials for use at home. If so, take your student I.D. (for 10%-20% discounts) and check out any of the following retailers for art supplies: Utrecht Baltimore (www.utrecht.com) 1-800-223-9132 Chase Street (near MICA) Pla-za Baltimore 410-625-2276 Cathedral Street (near MICA) Baltimore, MD Maryland Institute College of Art Store 410-225-2276 1300 Mount Royal Avenue Baltimore, MD