Art & Design

Student Artistic Exploration Rooted in a Teacher-Directed Foundation

The Visual Arts program of Archmere Academy is an elective program that focuses on the creative investigation of two- and three-dimensional art and design. Expert art faculty guide students throughout the entire studio process, where students learn through directly through intensive hands-on studio experience. The art department faculty nurtures and encourages the realization of each student's own unique creative vision and voice and seeks to foster a sense of creative confidence in each student, regardless of their previous experience or skill level when entering the program of study.

Throughout the program, students learn about the broader historical context of art and design by examining aesthetics, art movements, and regular formal analysis of art works. A sequence of study takes students from predominantly teacher-directed foundation coursework in the ninth grade through more independent advanced electives, where students are encouraged to self-direct their artistic explorations. Throughout the program, students are expected to maintain sketchbooks and portfolios to document their research, creative process, and finished work. Students concentrating their elective courses in the Fine Arts program are expected to develop a body of work that demonstrates critical thinking, artistic development, and an authentic understanding of the elements and principles of art and design.

Our Curriculum is Modeled After a Fine Arts College

Students looking to enroll in our many studio art classes are required to satisfy two full semesters of foundation prerequisites: Introduction to Drawing and Introduction to Design, courses that introduce students to the fundamentals of drawing and design skills. Following these foundation courses, students may take a variety of elective courses in a wide range of media. Our broad variety of elective offerings provide broad learning experiences in a variety of traditional and contemporary media including painting, architectural design, digital art, ceramics, graphic design, and mixed media. Students concentrating their elective courses in the Art & Design program are expected to develop a body of work that demonstrates critical thinking, artistic development, and an authentic understanding of the elements and principles of art and design.

Recommendation for AP art courses is based on demonstrated technical skills and emerging personal artistic vision as evidenced in the student's portfolio. Students who have not been recommended for AP Studio Art and would like to be considered should prepare and submit a portfolio of 6-10 works of art in the AP course they wish to take. Recommendation is ultimately based on student’s demonstrated aptitude, attitude & achievement in previous art elective courses, that this student is capable and ready to undertake a college-level fine art course, one requiring them to be independent, self- motivated, focused, and committed.

In previous art electives, this student has demonstrated advanced and/or sophisticated creative and critical capacities and technical studio skills
In previous art electives, this student has demonstrated advanced and/or sophisticated creative and critical capacities and technical studio skills
Student consistently met or exceeded basic project requirements in other art elective courses, and has demonstrated originality, creative risk taking and experimentation in their solutions to class projects
Student has demonstrated a mature, disciplined commitment to their creative pursuits as evidenced by an excellent work ethic

Fostering Creative Vision & Critical Thinking: Skills for Our Modern World

We believe as a department that the creative and critical thinking skills used in art are necessary for equipping our students for a successful future. Creative skills are highly transferable: they cross inter-disciplinary boundaries and enable our students to think beyond the expected. We teach our students to be innovators, problem-solvers, and creative visionaries, encouraging them to always question convention and try new and untested approaches.

Introduction to Drawing

Introduction to Drawing

This class introduces students to the foundations of drawing from observation. Students will learn how to accurately depict space, proportion and form on paper with traditional drawing mediums. Introduction to Drawing consists of sketchbook assignments and larger finished drawings. Rooted in traditional drawing, we will cover object studies, still lives, self-portraits, architecture/perspective and portraiture. Both Introduction to Drawing and Introduction to Design are required prerequisite courses for Archmere’s advanced studio elective art classes.

Both Introduction to Drawing & Introduction to Design are required before taking advanced studio art & design electives.
Introduction to Design

In this class, students will study the Principles of Design and apply them to a variety of projects. Students will work with both 2D and 3D materials, ranging from cut paper, gouache painting, cardboard construction, foam sculpture and digital design with Photoshop. Topics of study include color theory & color mixing, proper application of paint, and additive & subtractive sculpture. Both Introduction to Drawing and Introduction to Design are required prerequisite courses for Archmere’s advanced studio elective art classes.

Both Introduction to Drawing & Introduction to Design are required before taking advanced studio art & design electives.
Junior Portfolio 2D Design

The Junior Portfolio 2D course provides committed juniors with an opportunity to develop skills and ideas from previous fine art coursework and to create an advanced body of work. A variety of 2D learning experiences and projects are designed to strengthen and develop student portfolios in areas of 2D Design and concept development. Students interested in preparing a portfolio for college admissions, fine art scholarships, and to prepare for AP Studio Art senior year are encouraged to take Junior Portfolio. Students are encouraged to take both semesters of Junior Art Portfolio (Junior Portfolio 2D Design (fall semester) & Junior Portfolio 3D Design (spring semester), however each course can be taken as a one-semester elective. Students will learn how to employ two-dimensional design principles to effectively communicate content in a personal visual language. Students will complete a variety of studio pieces over the course of the semester created using a range of processes, techniques, and materials including drawing, painting, digital art, sequential art and mixed media.

Students interested in taking AP Studio Art senior year are encouraged to enroll in one or both of the Junior Portfolio courses, as they provide an experience to work in series, develop a portfolio for college admissions and the Scholastic Art Awards Portfolio category.

Prerequisites: Introduction to Drawing and Introduction to Design
Junior Portfolio 3D Design

In Junior Portfolio 3D Design, students will strengthen their portfolios in three dimensional design. Students will learn how to integrate three-dimensional design principles to create three-dimensional works of art and design including sculpture, architecture, installation art, fashion, and applied/industrial design. Students will apply the design process as a systematic approach to creative decision-making to create sophisticated solutions to a variety of creative problem-solving and design challenges.This course provides committed juniors with an opportunity to develop skills and concepts introduced in previous coursework to create an advanced body of work. Students interested in preparing a portfolio for college admissions, art and design art scholarships, and to prepare for AP Art & Design senior year are encouraged to take Junior Portfolio. Throughout the course, students will also participate in both formal and informal class critiques to sharpen their critical thinking skills and expand their artistic vocabulary. Student performance in JP2D and or JP3D will be considered when recommending students for AP Studio Art senior year.
Students interested in taking AP Studio Art senior year are encouraged to enroll in one or both of the Junior Portfolio courses, as they provide an experience to work in series, develop a portfolio for college admissions and the Scholastic Art Awards Portfolio category.

Prerequisites: Introduction to Drawing and Introduction to Design
Description of AP Portfolio Courses

The AP Art and Design course framework presents an inquiry-based approach to learning about and making art and design. The course focuses on concepts and skills emphasized within college art and design foundations courses with the same intent: to help students become inquisitive, thoughtful artists and designers able to articulate information about their work. AP Art and Design students develop and apply skills of inquiry and investigation, practice, experimentation, revision, communication, and reflection. As in introductory college courses, students in AP Studio Art courses will need to work inside and outside the classroom and beyond scheduled periods. Maintaining a sketchbook or a visual journal will be a course expectation, and will support the depth of learning expected of AP students. Constructive, formative critiques—essential in college classes—are equally important in AP Art and Design. By observing, discussing, and analyzing works of art and design, students learn to evaluate their own and others’ work based on relationships of materials, processes, and ideas. Students’ individual and collaborative evaluations of work—both in progress and completed— develops their understanding of how components of a work interact to produce an overall effect. The course provides formal and informal opportunities for students to develop an understanding of context, interpretation, and how their work relates to art and design traditions. Possibilities for thinking and making are expanded by frequent interactions with diverse works of art and design through research, museum visits, and critiques. The AP Studio Art Exam structure consists of two sections: Five Selected Works (40% of score) and 15 Sustained Investigation Works (60% of score).

Though there is significant potential overlap in the primary areas of focus for each of the three AP Studio Art courses offered, the skills emphasized in each course is distinctive. Click on AP course titles for course descriptions.

Successful AP Portfolio submissions will demonstrate:

§ Visual evidence of advanced 2-D, 3-D, or drawing skills

§ Visual evidence of synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas

§ Visual evidence of the written idea in all five works of art

A comprehensive Course & Exam Description can be found at this link.
Recommendation Criteria for AP Art Courses
Recommendation for AP art courses is based on demonstrated technical skills and emerging personal artistic vision as evidenced in the student's portfolio. Students who have not been recommended for AP Studio Art and would like to be considered should prepare and submit a portfolio of 6-10 works of art in the AP course they wish to take. Recommendation is ultimately based on student’s demonstrated aptitude, attitude & achievement in previous art elective courses, that this student is capable and ready to undertake a college-level fine art course, one requiring them to be independent, self- motivated, focused, and committed.

In previous art electives, this student has demonstrated advanced and/or sophisticated creative and critical capacities and technical studio skills

Student is an independent, self motivated and curious learner. Student is not dependent on the teacher for creative pursuits and idea generation.

Student consistently met or exceeded basic project requirements in other art elective courses, and has demonstrated originality, creative risk taking and experimentation in their solutions to class projects

Student has demonstrated a mature, disciplined commitment to their creative pursuits as evidenced by an excellent work ethic
AP Drawing

The AP Studio Art Drawing course provides an opportunity for serious and committed seniors to earn college credit for their art and design portfolios. The AP Studio Art course provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in studio art foundations. Students will be expected to solve creative problems using their knowledge of elements and principles of art and design. Students will use a range of conceptual approaches as well as show technical skill in a variety of mediums and art processes. In addition, students will acquire and demonstrate familiarity of traditional and contemporary approaches to art. Class assignments will challenge students to set and achieve creative goals. The course challenges students to develop a cohesive body of work investigating a strong underlying visual idea in Drawing that grows out of a student-driven plan of action, inquiry, or investigation.

Prerequisite Courses: Introduction to Drawing, Introduction to Design, and at least one studio art course.

Approval Standard: Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course and will be determined by 1) student performance on major assessments and active engagement in classroom activities, with emphasis on the second semester and 2) the consistent and independent work ethic necessary to succeed in an advanced-level course.
AP 2D Design

The AP Studio Art 2D Design course provides an opportunity for serious and committed seniors to earn college credit for their art and design portfolios. The AP Studio Art course provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in studio art foundations. Students will be expected to solve creative problems using their knowledge of elements and principles of art and design. Students will use a range of conceptual approaches as well as show technical skill in a variety of mediums and art processes. In addition, students will acquire and demonstrate familiarity of traditional and contemporary approaches to art. Class assignments will challenge students to set and achieve creative goals. The course challenges students to develop a cohesive body of work investigating a strong underlying visual idea in 2-D design that grows out of a student-driven plan of action, inquiry, or investigation.

Prerequisite Courses: Introduction to Drawing, Introduction to Design, and at least one studio art course.

Approval Standard: Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course and will be determined by 1) student performance on major assessments and active engagement in classroom activities, with emphasis on the second semester and 2) the consistent and independent work ethic necessary to succeed in an advanced-level course.
AP 3D Design

The AP Studio Art 3D Design course provides an opportunity for serious and committed students to earn college credit for their fine art portfolios. The AP course provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in studio art foundations. Students will be expected to solve creative problems using their knowledge of elements and principles of art and design. Students will use a range of conceptual approaches as well as show technical skill in a variety of mediums and art processes. In addition, students will acquire and demonstrate familiarity of traditional and contemporary approaches to art. Class assignments will challenge students to set and achieve creative goals. The course challenges students to develop a cohesive body of work investigating a strong underlying visual idea in 3D Design that grows out of a student-driven plan of action, inquiry, or investigation. Students should choose either a Ceramics Focus or a 3D Design Focus (architecture, fashion, industrial design) for their AP3D portfolio.

Prerequisite Courses: Introduction to Drawing, Introduction to Design, and at least one studio art course.

Approval Standard: Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course and will be determined by 1) student performance on major assessments and active engagement in classroom activities, with emphasis on the second semester and 2) the consistent and independent work ethic necessary to succeed in an advanced-level course.
Painting

In this introductory painting course, students will build upon their foundation coursework as they explore color theory and composition, as well as a variety of painting techniques, approaches and styles. Students will learn the fundamentals of color mixing, painting processes and technical skills. Moving from primarily instructor-led exercises and assignments, students will first learn how to accurately translate light systems in observational paintings and then transition into assignments inviting abstraction, personal content, and student-driven exploration. The course also provides an historical overview of major art movements and painting styles to develop a broader context for student work while also developing an aesthetic appreciation for stylistic variety in painting approaches.

Prerequisites: Introduction to Drawing and Introduction to Design
Graphic Design & Video

Students have the unique opportunity to transfer their two-dimensional skills into technology-based applications and expand their creative capabilities. In this course students will explore the many forms of digital art. Students will learn all the necessary skills and techniques to create original photography, graphic design, video, and animation. With access to the Adobe Creative Suite software, students will use Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and After Effects to create their projects. Coursework includes performing collaborative project-based learning that promotes social responsibility and supports creative professional skills. Students will practice design processes, analytical thinking, interdisciplinary strategies, teamwork, visual communication, research strategies, and project production that will enrich their academic experience well beyond the classroom.

Prerequisites: Introduction to Drawing and Introduction to Design
Ceramics

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the skills and techniques of working in clay. Students explore hand building techniques with an emphasis on the coil method to create three-dimensional sculptural forms. Students will also learn basic wheel throwing skills on the potter’s wheel. Students will work with both low-fire and mid-range clay and glazes. This course will emphasize surface design and experimentation with graffito, painting, and carving. Students will develop an understanding of the sculptural and functional possibilities and processes of working with clay to develop their own personal and expressive language.

Prerequisites: Introduction to Drawing and Introduction to Design