Intermediate/Advanced Art

In this unit, you will explore printmaking as both an artistic process and a method of repetition. You will design and create your own collagraph printing plate, experiment with ink and repetition, create a radial print, and use your printing plate to transform a handmade portfolio into an original work of art. Throughout the unit, we will focus on craftsmanship, balance, repetition, unity, harmony, layering, and intentional color choices. Essential Questions How can artists

Project Overview In this project, you will create a portrait of a human or animal that demonstrates a strong understanding of: Value Stippling (Pointillism) Using only dots, you will create the illusion of form, light, shadow, and texture. Your artwork should show a clear light source and thoughtful use of value to create depth and realism. Learning Goals Students will: Understand the history of Pointillism and Neo-Impressionism. Practice observational drawing skills. Demonst

Project Overview For your midterm, you will demonstrate your understanding of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design learned during the first semester. You will begin by accurately drawing a classroom still life using observation skills such as: Sighting and measuring Object placement Proportion Negative space Observation from life Once your drawing is complete, you will transform it into a finished artwork that demonstrates your understanding of: A medium of your choic

Unit Overview In this unit, students will explore watercolor as a painting medium through technique practice, experimentation, artist studies, and original artwork. Students will learn foundational watercolor skills, experiment with a variety of watercolor effects, and apply these techniques in two major projects inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe and Sonia Delaunay. Students will complete: Watercolor Flower Sketchbook Warm-Up Watercolor Technique Sampler Pages Georgia O’Keeffe Ins

Side Project – Semester 1 Project Overview This long-term project is designed to strengthen your portrait drawing skills while exploring creative ways to use text as a drawing tool. Throughout the semester, you will work on this project whenever you finish another assignment early or have downtime during class. Using a reference photo of your choice, you will create a portrait using a combination of grid drawing, text value, and pen & ink techniques. Instead of shading tradit

Unit Overview The sketchbook is one of the most important tools artists use. Throughout this unit, students will learn how artists use sketchbooks to practice skills, record observations, brainstorm ideas, reflect on their growth, and develop creative habits. Students will personalize their sketchbooks, create organizational systems for daily warm-ups, and complete a decorative name page that showcases their creativity and craftsmanship. Students will explore the elements of

“Your Story, Your Voice, Your Pages” What is a Zine? A zine (pronounced zeen) is a small, self-made book where you have complete creative control. There are no rules, no limits—just your ideas, your style, and your voice. Zines are often: Personal or expressive Handmade or digitally designed A mix of images, text, collage, and design A way to tell a story, share ideas, or explore a theme This is your final project, and it should represent you as an artist. Essential Questions

Introduction Our art classes are collaborating with Ms. Cisneros’s English classes to bring poetry to life through illustration. English students have written powerful verse poems inspired by Long Way Down. Your role as an artist is to visually interpret and elevate their words. Project Overview You will be assigned a poem (shared via Google Docs). Read and analyze the poem carefully. Create an original illustration that represents the meaning, mood, and themes of the poem. Y

Introduction You have probably seen Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting The Starry Night, but did you know he was also highly skilled at drawing with pen and ink? Van Gogh created many ink drawings based on his paintings and often sent them to his brother, Theo. These expressive drawings will inspire us as we learn fun and useful ink drawing techniques. Essential Question How can artists use pen, ink, and watercolor techniques to create texture, value, and expressive landscape

Introduction In this project, you will learn about contemporary quilt artist Bisa Butler and her vibrant portrait quilts. Butler uses colorful fabrics to celebrate people and culture. You will create a portrait of someone you admire using fabric, paper, or a combination of both . Instead of drawing with pencils or paint, you will build your portrait using color, pattern, and shape . You will also explore how colors and patterns can carry meaning and help tell a story about

Theme: Spring Awakening Spring is a time of growth, renewal, rebirth, and becoming . For this project, you will create an original artwork that responds to the theme Spring Awakening in a way that feels meaningful to you. This is a choice project , meaning you choose your medium and subject , but your work must show planning, intention, and connection to the theme . 🎨 Project Overview You will: Choose a medium you want to work in Research an artist who works in that same m

Introduction In this unit, you will develop your colored pencil skills by working on black paper . This process is different from drawing on white paper because you begin with the darkest value and slowly build light, color, and detail on top. This project focuses on creating strong contrast and emphasis while exploring how artists choose specific materials to communicate ideas and emotion. Learning Goals During this unit, students will: Develop skill and control using co

(Approx. 2–3 Weeks) Introduction Animals have been an important subject in art throughout history. Artists have created paintings of animals to show emotion, personality, symbolism, and connection . There is even a specific genre called equine painting , which focuses on portraits of horses. In this project, you will create a close-up animal portrait using monochromatic watercolor techniques , inspired by contemporary animal portrait artists. Learning Goals During this lesso

Introduction: Mandalas A mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol used in Hinduism and Buddhism to represent the universe. Mandalas are typically constructed using circular and geometric shapes and are designed with radial balance , meaning the design repeats evenly from a central point. In many spiritual traditions, mandalas are used to: Focus attention Establish sacred space Support meditation and reflection Teach spiritual concepts In this project, we will explore manda

Introduction “Zoomed-in” or close-up still lifes are a theme many artists explore as part of their creative process. Instead of drawing the entire arrangement, artists crop, zoom, and focus on details, allowing ordinary objects to take on new meaning — and sometimes even become abstract. By changing the viewpoint, artists can emphasize shape, color, texture, and movement in unexpected ways. Essential Question Can a zoomed-in viewpoint of a still life take on new meaning or be

Each day, you will have 30 minutes to complete a sketchbook activity from the following list. You get to choose which activity you want to work on. The prompts are organized by category; you are responsible for labeling each activity with the corresponding category and prompt number. You are accountable for finishing your sketchbook activities if you are absent or do not finish them in class. Quick Drawing Prompts A grouping of seashells A single flower with all its leaves,

Materials Vine charcoal, compressed charcoal (if available), charcoal pencil, blending tools, kneaded eraser, and paper towel. Stage 1 — Practice (Skills Lab) A. 1-minute gestures (10 mins) 10 gesture drawings of faces or figures (loose, fast) B. Value scale (10 mins) 7-step scale using charcoal (practice pushing DARK) C. Subtractive drawing (20 mins) Tone the page with charcoal. Lift lights with a kneaded eraser. Add darks back in with compressed charcoal. D. Portrait featur

Big Idea Graphite is about control, value range, and realism . Your goal is to make your drawing look 3D and intentional. Materials Graphite pencils (2H–6B if available), blending stump/tissue, kneaded eraser, regular eraser, ruler (optional), drawing paper. Stage 1 — Practice Assignment (Skills Lab) ✅ REQUIRED Title: Graphite Control + Value Bootcamp Due: Before thumbnails Step-by-step A. Value Scale (10–15 min) Draw a rectangle divided into 7–9 boxes . Box 1 = pure white

Find 1 artist in your new-to-you medium (or closest hybrid). Choose 1 specific artwork and bring 1 clear image + simple caption: Artist, Title, Year, Medium, Dimensions, Source link (museum/official site preferred). Write 5 quick notes: 3 visual features (layering, texture, color, scale, repetition), Meaning/context (whose past? what story?) Echo of the past (how time is made visible) Technique to adapt (name the process) Where it goes in your piece (which layer/area) Holmes

Use the following to research Artists to inspire your quarterly projects: National Gallery of Art (USA) — A vast online collection; over 60,000 works are freely downloadable under open‑access terms. National Gallery of Art+1 The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) — Provides nearly 500,000 public‑domain images from their collection, free for use. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Art Institute of Chicago — Over 50,000 images available under Creative Commons CC0 (public domain).