Art IV: Personal Directions in Art Studio

Advanced Placement G/T – Honors

M. Brennan – www.hhsart4.blogspot.com
606M(1 credit) 607M(2credit)
(AP Studio Art: Drawing, 2-D Design, and 3-D Design)

Course Description
In this course, students develop a body of work informed by research of contemporary and master artists, cultural
exemplars, and peer dialogue. The portfolio reflects a breadth of experiences, concentration on a specific theme,
and quality execution of artworks. Each student defends the portfolio in a personal artist’s statement. Students
in Art IV will continue to build on the body of work begun in Art III. Art IV students are expected to create work
that is more technically refined and intellectually challenging. To this end, students will be required to make work
of larger scale, of greater challenge, or of more considered personal or conceptual exploration.

Art IV students are expected to follow a structured timeline that combines some teacher directed assignments
with the freedom of work done from independent proposals. Students will regularly meet with the teacher to
discuss personal goals, expectations and portfolio progression. Individual plans and proposals will help direct
students towards meeting their future college/career goals.

Art IV students will, in addition to the above, develop their abilities to:
-complete and exhibit a final, retrospective body of work in a chosen location at the end of the year, which
demonstrates a theme that is supported by a written statement of purpose.
-compose an artist statement in defense of your personal aesthetic viewpoint.
Students are also given homework assignments due several weeks out, and we will have class critiques on the due
date of the homework. Critiques are required part of class participation. Students are expected to discuss their
own work, the work of their peers, and the work of master artists in written and verbal form.

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
-Take risks
-Interpret the world around you
-Experiment with techniques and concepts in a sketchbook/visual journal
-Create a successful composition
-Work in diverse media
-Depict light
-Handle color
-Draw what you see
-Develop a series thematically related works
 Independent Proposal
Students in Art 4 will submit a written proposal that outlines what they want to accomplish in the first semester.
Students will state specific objectives of what they want to accomplish, ideas they want to work with, concepts
they plan to explore and how they plan on accomplishing it. This includes media, size, and number of pieces.
Research of contemporary artists and ideas/theories about art is also expected. Students will maintain an “Artist
Log” in which the “collect” the names and their responses to artists the teacher presents on a daily basis.

Portfolio Plan Binder

You will need a binder for this course to keep track of your assignments, worksheets, printed text, an Artist’s Log
and schedules. I will provide you with dividers for each section.

Homework
As this is an advanced art course, a minimum of three hours of outside work is expected each week. This includes
sketchbook and monthly home assignments. 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.

Assessment and Grading

Overall, you will be assessed on your ability to:
• Maintain an artist’s portfolio
GRADES ARE WEIGHTED AS
• Keep an artist’s sketchbook/visual journal FOLLOWED:
• Effectively critique your own and your peers’ work
• Successfully use design and compositional space.
• Develop knowledge of master arts and cultures’ 30% Home Assignments
artwork. 30% Classwork/Artist’s Log
• Complete classwork, home assignments, and
sketchbook work on time.
30% Sketchbook
• Meet requirements to complete a mid-year and 10% Critiques/Artful Reading
final portfolio review
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, online peer commentary, or (most often) group critiques. Intelligent,
thoughtful, and open-minded participation in the assessment process is mandatory, and is 10% of your grade. At
the end of every marking period you will assess your own progress, reflecting on your finished works, your
processes, and your participation. Submitted work must be in pristine condition. Insure that your work is not
smeared, creased or torn.

Final works of art will be evaluated based upon the following components:

1. OBJECTIVES Meeting the criteria or objectives for the specific assignment.

2. STUDIO SKILLS Proper handling of materials, responsible use of time, respect for others and their work,
clean-up and class participation
3. DESIGN Thoughtfulness to the composition and its relationship to personal ideas.
4. CRAFTSMANSHIP/PRESENTATION Neatness and respect for your work should be evident in the
appearance of a COMPLETED assignment

AP Credit/Honors Digital Submissions/Portfolios If you are an Honors student, or are registered as an AP student
but end up NOT taking the exam, you will submit a digital portfolio containing your BREADTH portfolio and
CONCENTRATION portfolio to me. You will not, however, get the AP credit. It is expected, and encouraged, that
you follow through with the AP test if you are registered as an AP student. Digital portfolios are to be maintained
by the student through the photo-sharing site Flickr.

Another thing to know is that MOST universities accept the AP credit; meaning, that having a “4” or better on your
transcript will get you out of your Drawing I class, for example, and place you in a higher level class), BUT several
art schools, such as Maryland Institute College of Art, do not accept AP credit in lieu of getting out of their
Foundation year classes. This is just so you know……

Open Studios will happen on Thursdays until 5:00. This is a time when the studio will be open so you can work on
paintings, work on homework assignments, just want to hang out, whatever. There will be times when I will schedule
a figure drawing session, for example.

Letters of Recommendation I will be happy to write a letter of recommendation for students that maintain a B or
better throughout the year. If you need a reference for college, a job, or any pre-college program, I request that
you ask me at least 2 weeks in advance.

Copyright Students are not allowed to work from published photographs or other copyrighted work. Many
students will come into the program with the idea that there is nothing wrong with drawing from
photographs, and many of them are quite accomplished at it. Nonetheless, it a practice that we do not
allow in any class and strongly discourage out of class. Even if students take their own photographs, the
resultant image has a distinctly flat and stiff look about it. Copyright issues tends to be an issue in the
drawing and 2D classes, admittedly, there are specific things that students could only reference
through a photograph (such as certain animals). In these instances, students thoroughly understand
that the image is merely for reference and must be transformed through their individual expression in a
three-dimensional media.
Art IV – Honors and Advanced Placement

Dear STUDENTS and PARENTS/GUARDIANS:

I look forward to having your student in Art 4 H/AP this year. This will be quite a challenging year for your
student – he/she will be asked to solve thought-provoking art problems at a demanding pace that exhibits higher-
level thinking and remarkable craftsmanship. The resulting portfolio will allow your student to apply to the college
art program of their choice and/or digitally submit their portfolios to the CollegeBoard in May for the Advanced
Placement exam. Follow our progress on our blog www.hhsart4brennan.blogspot.com as well view students’ digital
portfolios at www.flickr.com/groups/hhsart4.

“Ms. Brennan went over the syllabus, course content, and class structure. I know what Ms. Brennan’s grading
policies are. I understand the expectation of working independently. I have read this syllabus and
understand what is expected of me in Art 4 H/AP .”

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