with grades 9 - 12
My three sections of this compensatory high school's art course began with a survey and some drawing. Then each student completed an autobiographical comic strip.
Follow up assignnments could have included 2 or 3-point perspective modified by tracing and comics with differentiated objectives.
 |
| Line with pen |
 |
| 1-point perspective + shading 1 - 3 objects |
 |
| Colored pencil |
 |
| Pencil and watercolor |
In timed intervals students explored using ink with water after counting tones of grey in a Richard Diebenkorn still life. Some tried brushwork with opposite hands.
 |
Painting exercises began by reading excerpts from Interaction of Color by Josef Albers. Students acrylic painted on paper, mixing 1 - 4 greys through near equal ratios of primary colors and white. They practiced toning a single primary or secondary color. Some additionally studied complementary and mixed tertiary colors.
 |
| Complementary |
 |
| Tertiary |
Students each made still life paintings from observation of 1 - 4 fruits and vegetables. They were allowed to use white and black to tone light and shadow.
 |
After introduction to 19th and 20th century paintings in relation to music and writing, students made two paintings using open-ended color to interpret independent selections of music/sound or literature/text. They presented their music/literature sources while classmates tried to identify the corresponding visuals.
A modified assignment allowed these students to improv paint on glass after discussing a preselected jazz music video. They also recorded painting, printing, then video edited.
Classes were assigned to read an article on realist painting and practiced in the school's art studio. They chose stretchers from 8 to 24-inches, stretched and gessoed canvases for acrylic paintings based on their own digitally printed photographs. More experienced students were asked to use detailed photographs. A few students worked directly from observation of their photo printouts. Some preferred a method to draw graph coordinates and match areas of information on their canvas to their equally gridded photographs. A few used a makeshift projector–a 6B pencil to trace a horizontally reversed photo then rubbed onto the canvas.
Photo realism painting on canvas modifications included following instruction and some exploration with Photoshop for contact printing digital negatives with cyanotype.
Another landscape painting assignment could focus on watercolors, nighttime photographs, double exposures, or more Photoshop. My photo club were given various film/camera instruction.
Next, classes discussed the 1920's Surrealist movement and a few abstract expressionist artworks. They first explored various media.
Pencil with collage
Charcoal on butcher paper
Inks on canvas
More processes/materials could include papermaking and oil paint.
Classes tried surrealist painting with acrylic on canvas and small wood panels. Additional instruction covered writing about their work plus silkscreen-stencil printing. While modified painting included: collage, mod-podge ink transfer, drawing.
Continuing in surrealism classes collaborated–transitioning end frames of an individual animated sequence into the first frame of a partners. Some surreal video and animation resources:
Students registered their drawings using animation bond paper, peg bars, and makeshift light tables. They maintained an organized portfolio of their work before scanning and were introduced to Aftereffects, software used to create this video. Modifications included animating torn paper collage and photocopied images.
After reading 1984 by George Orwell, classes looked at a sculpture using video surveillance and a computer ad based on the 1949 novel. Students were assigned to depict something they consider evil, and selected materials to best express their idea.
Classes were encouraged to consider the AP Art exam by either creating an artwork about a self-selected artist or their own independent study plan/artwork with option to write 150-words.
 |
| 11th grader, Kehinde Wiley |
 |
| 10th grader, Phillip Guston |
 |
| 9th grader, untitled painting |
 |
| 12th grader, animation idea |
Drawing + Painting explored some printmaking:
Solar plate etching
Cut stencil and spray-paint
Stamp and monotype
 |
 |
| Print display |
New visual art courses at this high school could offer semester or full-year enrollment and still combine: drawing, painting, foundational studio art, advanced studio art, printmaking, photography, video, sculpture, art history.