UPPER SCHOOL COURSE OF STUDY | 2022-2023
Visual and Performing Arts The Visual and Performing Arts graduation requirement is 1½ credits. One credit must be a course. The half credit may be a semester course or one of the options listed on page 33. Courses must be taken for a full year unless otherwise stated. VISUAL ARTS Ceramics I Explore the basics of wheel throwing and hand-building in an introductory ceramics studio course. The course includes a historical survey of functional and sculptural ceramic ware and an examination of clay, glaze, decoration methods, and the firing process. Students design a motif and create original tableware for daily use and make realistic and abstract sculptures. Note: This course can be taken for a full year or fall semester only. It is open to students in grades 9-12. Ceramics II Students expand on their knowledge of Ceramics, refining their wheel throwing and handbuilding skills and take a deeper dive into Ceramic surface treatments.Utilizing coil building, slab building, pinching and wheel forming methods, students begin to make more complex forms. Students have the opportunity to focus on personal interest projects.This course covers the use of special construction techniques for creating large-scale ceramic objects and forms and surfaces for architectural spaces. As part of the experience mold making and slip casting techniques are taught. Students work with low fire and mid-range clays. Finishing processes include underglaze, slip colored glazes, majolica, sgraffito, stenciling and cold finishes. Instruction is given learning how to fire electric and potentially pit firing. Prerequisite: Ceramics I. Ceramics II may be taken for one semester
Media Arts I Media Arts I is a foundation course which introduces the basic design elements of line, shape, texture, value, and color and illustrates how they are applied to the world of digital design. Students gain a basic knowledge of a variety of digital applications and their practical and aesthetic capabilities through the hands-on use of computers, scanners, and digital cameras, and begin to develop unique and personal expressions in art and design. Emphasis is placed on creative problem solving and independent thinking through sketchbook use in which they record their explorations and discoveries. Students are introduced to Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign. Note: This course is open to students in grades 9-12. Media Arts II In Media Arts II, students build on their skills and knowledge of design elements and principles developed in Media Arts I. Each project explores real-world applications of core design concepts such as composition, typography, and imagery as they apply to practical visual solutions for commissions, editorials, web and app design, and identity branding systems. Students engage in conversations, experimentation, and hands-on applications of traditional and digital graphic design tools, materials and procedures employed in the communication art and design industry. Students continue to use sketchbooks, and deepen their knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Students are also introduced to web and app design using the program Sketch. Prerequisite: Media Arts I. Media Arts III Students in Media Arts III explore advanced graphic design projects and topics using digital 3D design, augmented reality design, animation, and web and app design/prototyping. This class expands on topics in visual marketing, emphasizing and studying diversity, equity, and inclusion in branding, product design, and advertising campaigns, demonstrating the importance and impact of DEI work in graphic design and art. Prerequisite: Media Arts II.
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