Projects follow the “Basics” taking the new medium, technique or concept and applying it to a finished work of art assessing the new skill acquired through Basics.  Projects ALSO build on previous skills.  Choosing to not participate or practice a skill will have a snowball effect.  Later Projects AND Classes will continue to add new skill, mediums, and concepts but will continue to build on ALL previous skill learned. 

The beginning and ending stages of growth look different from student to student.  Growth can only be accomplished by practice.  Practice happens when each assignment is done in the spirit of which it was assigned and not as busy work to appease your parent, teacher or anyone else.  The habits, practices and expectations that demonstrate effort are taught in class. 

Quarter 1

Finger Painting Landscape

Students are give a landscape photo and the primary colors plus white and black.  Students are not allowed to use traditional painting tools and must get creative in creating texture.  No brushes are allowed but students can use fingers, cardboard scraps, paper towel.... Students are asked to match all colors and textures using the primary colors and found materials.  Tempera paint is used.  

Watercolor Project

Students need to complete the watercolor basics before starting this project.  
​Macro of nature from photo.  AP students are encouraged to take their own photograph or create their own composition.  

Quarter 2

Acrylic Design Project: ~ great project to keep for your future AP Art Portfolio

Students need to complete the "follow along" acrylic landscape basics before starting this project.

​Creating Composition
~Student must show a thumbnail sketch and a collection of reference material before receiving a canvas.   Students must use reference material from at least 3 different sources. 
1. Horizon Line
2. V.P. off Horizon
3. Complementary colors touching
4. transparent area
​5. Cast shadow or reflection

Quarter 3

Oil Pastel Project​

Students need to complete the Oil Pastel basics before starting this project.

Photo of nature.  AP students are encouraged to take their own photograph or create their own composition.
​ 

​Color Pencil Project

Students need to complete the Colored Pencil basics before starting this project.

Free choice from photo.  AP students are encouraged to take their own photograph or create their own composition.

Quarter 4

Artist Marker Rendering - (completely new medium/assignment and student examples provided are from their own experimentation and not a guided assignment)

Students on an AP track are encouraged to use their own photographs and composition.  ​ 

VALUE: The two extreme tones or values are black (very dark) and white (very light). Recognizing the tone or value of a color, rather than the hue, is important to a painter because successful paintings have tonal contrast in them, or a range of values.  A painting with only mid-tones risks being flat and dull.  Value or tonal contrast creates visual interest or excitement in a painting.  A high-key painting is one in which the contrasts in value or tone are extreme, from black right through the range of mid-tones down to white. A low-key painting is one in which the tonal range is narrower.

For the purposes of this assignment students are asked to use 40% light value, 40 % dark value and 20% mid values with a limited color palette.  

RENDERING:  In visual art and technical drawing rendering means the process of formulating, adding color, shading, and texturing of an image.  When used as a means of expression, it is synonymous with illustrating.  However, it may be used for mere visualization of existing data regardless of any preconceived message or ideas to express.  Rendering is also a technique that can be used while designing packaging and branding.

A degree in fine art may is a general degree that can help propel almost anyone into an exciting art career.  These general art degrees will usually help aspiring artists learn the basics of all sorts of different forms of art, including painting and stencil making.  Degrees in architecture, illustration and graphic design can also be helpful for those interested in pursuing careers that use rendering skills.  ​

Extension Painting - Color Matching: 
​oil or acrylic paint

Students need to complete the Oil basics before starting this project.
Students will also need to complete a color matching exercise before starting this project.

​Students work with primary colors, brown, white and black only.  ​
Students will have a choice between a recreating a portrait from a photo or extending a landscape photo.