The study of art is the exploration of human creativity. Art students leave the classroom not only with an appreciation of art, but also with a sense of empowerment because they have learned to become creative, original thinkers. Students see, feel, think, make aesthetic choices, explore a variety of media and self-evaluate as part of the studio experience. Higher level courses explore diverging interests. The search for original concepts, the integral development of technique and observational skills, and the cultivation of a respect for the elements of art and principles of design all foster a sense of limitless artistic possibilities for our students.
The curriculum strives to be extensive and varied. There are courses for both non-art major students and those who seek to specialize. Our introductory classes will include foundational multi-media experiences in the elements of art (Elements: Line, Shape, Space, Color, Texture, and Pattern) and principles of design (Principles: Balance, Unity, Rhythm, Proportion, Color Interaction and Relationships). Specialized classes will include Pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement Studio Art, Fashion Design, and Architecture.
Our curriculum accommodates students’ varied interests and art industry trends, providing our students with the ability to engage higher-level problem-solving techniques and develop fine-tuned technical skills. Upon completion, they will be able to produce professional grade portfolios and meet the admissions criteria of the most selective art schools. Our many goals will be achieved by an integration of four components in every course offered in the art curriculum: the Creative Component, the Critical Component, the Cultural and Historical Component and the Artistic Philosophical Component. Courses in the various areas are sequential in nature. Assessment is accomplished through teacher evaluation and student participation.
Course Descriptions
This is the basic art course in which students will acquire knowledge that is intended to lead to a mastery of skills related to the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design. In this course students will maintain an active sketchbook and journal and learn how to use a variety of media and illustrative materials. They will gain a historical knowledge of art by studying facets of art history and exploring artistic reference. Current trends and inspiration of the art world will be included in their studies. Museum and Gallery trips are planned.
Studio Art 2 is a second-year course that provides an opportunity for students to expand on the drawing and painting concepts introduced in Studio Art 1. Emphasis is placed on a deeper understanding of design principles, drawing techniques and painting skills leading to the development of abilities that are necessary for advanced art courses. Students are given more in depth problems to solve creatively while becoming more adept through a broad exposure to various media. Students will advance both technically and conceptually, preparing them for the next level of art at North Shore. Alongside refining their artistic skill set, the students will learn about 21st century art and have the opportunity to visit contemporary art institutions. Prerequisite: Studio Art I.
Advanced Placement Studio Art is a distinctive and rigorously demanding course of study which teaches students how to elevate their creative process, critical thinking, investigative skills and ‘student voice’ in preparation of effectively completing The College Board requirements of the AP Studio Art Exam administered at the end of the school year. The AP Studio Art Exam consists of a student developed body of successful artwork which will be submitted in a portfolio. The culmination of the student produced artwork during the school year is aimed at targeting and exploring their chosen sustained investigation which was selected in AP Art 1. The investigation focuses on a body of work based on a “Central Theme" and focuses on a process of INVESTIGATION, GROWTH and DISCOVERY. Students are required to attend to their sketchbooks and continuously explore and research their Art Assignment topics so that they may develop the vital skills needed to successfully complete their investigation. Prerequisite: AP Art I.
Advanced Placement Studio Art Goals & Requirements
Advanced Placement Studio Art is designed to:
- Help the student prepare for the College Board Advanced Placement Studio Art Exam in the 12th Grade in either Drawing, 2-D Design, or 3-D Design.
- Lead to mastery of content, technique, and composition, and reinforce the creative use of the elements of art and principles of design.
- Enable students to recognize successful solutions to creative problems.
- Encourage exploration of risk-taking and avoid trite or pedestrian solutions to the student’s choice of concentration central theme.
- Enable students to do self-assessment and self-reflection based on appropriate rubrics and critiques.
- Focus on personal creative growth and mastery of technique in preparation for the Advanced Placement Studio Art Exam in May.
- Teach students to work independently, responsibly, efficiently and in a timely manner toward their concentration while drawing on the resources they have acquired in previous art classes.
- Teach students to mat, mount, and photograph their own artwork according to College Board requirements.
- Allow students to demonstrate a connection between developing exemplary skills and reference a direct connection to historical, contemporary and social exploration of the arts.
Advanced Placement Art I is a distinctive and rigorously demanding course of study which teaches students how to elevate their creative process, critical thinking, investigative skills and ‘student voice’ in preparation of effectively completing The College Board requirements of the AP Studio Art Exam administered at the end of Senior year. The AP Studio Art Exam consists of a student developed body of successful artwork which will be submitted in a portfolio. The culmination of the student produced artwork during the school year is aimed at conceptualizing and targeting their sustained investigation. The Sustained Investigation section of the AP Art and Design portfolio is a series of works that are very consistent in theme and approach or it may evolve and develop as the visual idea is explored, ending in a different place than where it began and will be scored according to a three-point scale for each of four separate sets of criteria: inquiry; practice, experimentation and revision; materials, processes and ideas; drawing skills. Pre-requisite Studio Art I.
Advanced Placement Studio Art Goals & Requirements
Advanced Placement Studio Art is designed to:
- Help the student prepare for the College Board Advanced Placement Studio Art Exam in the 12th Grade in either Drawing, 2-D Design, or 3-D Design.
- Lead to mastery of content, technique, and composition, and reinforce the creative use of the elements of art and principles of design.
- Enable students to recognize successful solutions to creative problems.
- Encourage exploration of risk-taking and avoid trite or pedestrian solutions to the student’s choice of concentration central theme.
- Enable students to do self-assessment and self-reflection based on appropriate rubrics and critiques.
- Focus on personal creative growth and mastery of technique in preparation for the Advanced Placement Studio Art Exam in May.
- Teach students to work independently, responsibly, efficiently and in a timely manner toward their concentration while drawing on the resources they have acquired in previous art classes.
- Teach students to mat, mount, and photograph their own artwork according to College Board requirements.
- Allow students to demonstrate a connection between developing exemplary skills and reference a direct connection to historical, contemporary and social exploration of the arts.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the world of fashion design. They will acquire knowledge and skills related to the principles of fashion illustration and design by utilizing a range of media and a variety of techniques to create versatility in their work. Students will learn the proportions of the fashion (croquis) figure. They will learn through the elements and principles of design as they pertain to fashion, design terminology for apparel and recognition of design styles are also included as components of the course. Students will be required to demonstrate creative use of inspiration and design experimentation through various projects and a design journal and will be assessed on their knowledge of terminology, styles and applicability of the elements and principles. Museum and fashion show trips are planned.
This design course further encompasses the fashion design process from inspiration through production learned in Fashion Design I. Focus is on developing the fashion silhouette and fabric rendering techniques using a variety of materials. Students will study the interconnectivity between fabric weight/texture and garment representation based on rendered croquis. Principles and creative standards common to all design fields will be introduced. Projects will deal with pragmatic and creative issues. Assignments are progressive so that students will have the opportunity to establish their professional identity. They will utilize a range of media and a variety of techniques to create versatility in their work and portfolio. Additionally, sewing basics will be introduced to students. Students will be exposed to how a historical timeline of fashion is reflective of society. This will help illustrate the ways in which material use has been affected by the technological changes in manufacturing. Museum, fabric store trips, and fashion show trips are planned. Prerequisite Fashion I
This design course further encompasses the fashion design process from inspiration through production learned in Fashion Design 2. Focus is on draping, sculpting and 3D textile design and exploration. Projects will deal with pragmatic and creative issues. Assignments are progressive so that students will continue to have the opportunity to establish their professional identity and brand. They will utilize a range of media and a variety of techniques to create versatility in their work and portfolio. Museum, fabric store trips, and fashion show trips are planned. This course aims to broaden and deepen the students' awareness of fashion as a discipline as they work on completing a portfolio for presentations to colleges. Prerequisite: Fashion Design II.
This is a course in which basic fundamentals of architecture are examined and perfected. While design will be the main emphasis for this level and the student should have a good background in basic mathematics. Students will learn about the design process and explore the architectural concepts of space, form, function, and technology. Students will learn how to create mechanical and freehand drawings, draw in 1, 2 and 3pt perspective, interpret and create floor plans, create orthographic and isometric drawings, understand drawing to scale and read blueprints, construct scale models, consult with groups on various approaches to design problems, address environmental concerns and conservation efforts, learn to render architectural styles, explore the history of architecture, reference the internet for architectural sources and create computer renderings using CAD. Trips to or visits by working architects are anticipated.
This course is for the student who has completed the requirements for Introduction to Architecture 1 and plans possibly to pursue his or her architectural studies as part of their college education. Students will reinforce skills they learned in the earlier course and focus in on design techniques, as well as review and study the history of architecture, build scale models from plans and build vertically, understand shape, convex and concave, space, light, acoustics, circulation, enclosure, boundaries, path, threshold and portal, understand the use of planes and their relationship to patterns, consider issues dealing with commercial/ public space, render hand illustrations using a variety of media, become aware of the need for conservancy and the need for buildings that reflect respect for environments and future generations and learn about the history and evolving technologies of modern architecture. Emphasis will switch to vertical construction and consideration of public space vs. private space as well as architectural production as a process of analysis, critique and synthesis. Students will study architectural design as a mode of cultural communication and imaginative experimentation. They will work at a variety of scales, with a variety of techniques in a variety of research situations while being asked to comprehensively address architectural problems. This course aims to broaden and deepen the students' awareness of architecture as a discipline as they work on preparing a portfolio for presentations to colleges: Pre-requisite Architecture I
Students will reinforce skills they learned in the earlier courses and focus on design techniques, as well as review and study the history of architecture. Emphasis will switch to conceptual design and planning on larger urban scales. Students will study Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportation, communications, and distribution networks and their accessibility. They will work at a variety of scales, with a variety of techniques in a variety of research situations while being asked to comprehensively address architectural problems. This course aims to broaden and deepen the students' awareness of architecture as a discipline as they work on completing a portfolio for presentations to colleges. Prerequisite: Architecture II
Portfolio Development is a new course offered at NSHAHS. We are trying to bridge the gap between HS and College by preparing students for the next step in an art career. Students will create a series of new works that span from drawing, painting and mixed media, showcasing a core understanding of a variety of materials as well as the courage to experiment and break the traditional boundaries of each medium and subject matter. Our objective is to provide students with a professional portfolio that can offer admission to high-ranking universities with scholarships. In addition to creating art, our Portfolio Development course will prepare students to become fluent in the art language. Through artist statements, participating in group critiques, and photographing and digitizing artworks, students will become familiar and comfortable in speaking about not only their own art, but others’ works as well. Prerequisite: Studio Art II, or AP Art I.
The Open Studio
The Open Studio Policy affords extra studio time outside of scheduled art classes. Students from the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades use our Open Studio Policy to continue artistic pursuits or projects. These projects are either art course-based, a personal independent study [SN1], or college portfolio development.
The Open Studio Policy enables students to develop a strong, independent work ethic and essential time management skills while earning extra credit points toward their scheduled art classes.
[5 Days Per Week]
After School Art Clubs
Students are exposed to a wide variety of introductory courses in NSHAHS’ After-School Art Clubs, which are available to all students grades 9 through 12.These courses are available after school in the Art Studio, four days a week (Monday -Thursday), from 4:45pm to 5:45pm.
Courses include:
- Drawing and Painting
- Ceramics
- Fashion Design
- Sewing
- Architecture
- Digital Photography
- Sculpture, Stained Glass
- Jewelry Making
- Book Illustration
In each course, students will learn and explore the basic elements of art (Elements: Line, Shape, Space, Color, Texture, and Pattern) and principles of design (Principles: Balance, Unity, Rhythm, Proportion, Color Interaction and Relationships). By joining each after school art course, students will dramatically improve their creative development as the skill sets learned and acquired in each course overlap and enhance one another.
Students will learn the history of fashion design and designers both past and present. They will learn to draw and render designs with emphasis on the figure. Proportion of the model (croqui figure) in relation to clothes, body movement, anatomy, and gesture will be explored. Students will be encouraged to work in a variety of media and materials. They will translate concepts into designs and illustrate their own fashion collections.
Master the art of hand stitching techniques to create 2-D works of art. Learn the process of using a sewing machine to make clothing and various accessories. Collaborate with the fashion club to make fashion illustrations come to life.
Students learn the basic foundations of drawing and painting necessary to create successful work. They experiment with a variety of media, supplies and materials while learning and utilizing proper technique. Students are exposed to art history and artists both past and present as inspiration for creating both 2D and 3D pieces of artwork.
Students learn the exciting and diverse medium of clay, the very substance of earth itself. Instruction includes the history of ceramics, the use of the potter’s wheel, and the properties of glazing and firing. Many techniques involved in creating 3-D and relief forms in clay are covered—texturing, coil, strip and slab construction, pinch pots, and centering.
Students explore a variety of sculptural media in order to gain greater knowledge, sensitivity, and understanding of the three-dimensional form. Skill, craftsmanship, and technique are explored as they relate to personal expression. Sculptural techniques studied include modeling, carving, casting, and construction.
Faculty
