Visual Arts Courses

The introductory level courses offer an in-depth study of individual art areas. Some of these courses also serve as prerequisites for higher level.

Grades 10-11-12 I Credits: 2.5

Partner Art is designed with an inclusion model in mind. Peer models will work together with classified students receiving specialized programming through a curriculum designed to cultivate and promote student leadership, peer mentoring, collaboration and creativity. The focus of this class will be to provide students with a variety of creative experiences in a variety of different art forms. Peer assisted learning will be used to cultivate partner relationships. Students interested in being placed in the course as a peer model will complete an application and be selected to participate in the course.  Approximately two students per semester will be selected for placement. 

Related Course:

1798 - Partner Film and Acting

Available in the Performing Arts catalog.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5

This course will afford students the opportunity to explore the uses of science fiction in the movies from the beginnings of filmmaking until today. Unit topics will include: “Humans and Technology," “Knowledge Isn’t Always Power," “The Search for Meaning," “Strange Phenomena," "Science Fiction as a Critique of Society,” and
"People in Time and Space." Film clips and full feature films will be shown from a variety of different Science Fiction movies. This is the perfect course to complement the full year Film Appreciation course or to be taken all on its own! 

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 5-5

The course helps the student to become a film critic and to develop an awareness of film’s special language—the terms with which screenwriters, directors, and directors of photography speak.  Classics, contemporary cinema, foreign films, short films, television shows, and documentaries are shown to expose students to a variety of genres.  Films from the birth of this technology to the present are screened, compared, analyzed, and discussed.  The class focuses on both the history of the film and the style in which the production was shot.  Film clips will also be utilized to show examples of certain types of filmmaking techniques.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5

The art of storytelling through pictures comes to life in this exciting new course! With comic books, editorials, caricatures and children's books, you’ll interpret a variety of texts - short story, poetry, interview, editorial non-fiction, essay – through the techniques and media of a professional illustrator. You’ll get a chance to experiment with painting, drawing, printmaking and design tools to develop a personal style. Whether you are interested in pursuing illustration as a career or just have a story to tell, Illustrating the Written Word is for you!

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5

This course will focus on two- and three- dimensional animation, the elements of art and principles of animation. Skill development emphasizes the interactive use of drawing and design fundamentals, 
story boarding, set building, composition and imaging, editing, lighting, audio and sound creation, as well as discussion of the creative process and critique. Students will be introduced to the 12 principles of animation and will stress their importance while creating original story-driven work. The techniques of still framing, stop motion, and claymation will be used with Mac computers and Creative Cloud Adobe Photoshop, large Wacom digital tablets and digital cameras. Why just watch cartoons when you can learn to create your own?

Grades 10-12 | 2.5

Students are made aware of the varied occupations and careers that comprise the commercial art field through projects that emphasize visual communications. Basic and advanced activities along with layout principles are introduced and explored through Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and digital tablets. The course highlights the importance of visually exploring and discussing the creative process through skill development and critique. The course is 100% computer based (Mac). Projects may include, but are not limited to layout and lettering design, corporate and personal logos, posters, invitations, CD covers, cereal box covers, soda cans, business cards, and contests for meeting the needs of the client. This course serves are a pre-requisite to Digital Graphic Arts & Design Workshop.

Grades 11-12 | Credits: 2.5

Within this course, students are introduced to the basic functions and proper use of the airbrush.  Masking methods, freehand illustration techniques and design principles are applied to class projects.  Care and maintenance of the airbrush are stressed.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5

Students will design and create 3D forms using additive and subtractive methods. A variety of materials such as paper, board, wire and plaster may be used to explore relationships of volume, texture and space. This course serves as a prerequisite to Sculpture Workshop.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5

Students learn to create living spaces by designing floor plans and elevations to scale. Principles of design such as color, pattern, and texture are then applied to the students’ designs to complete the process. Board work as well as computer aided design will be used.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5

Students learn basic hand-building techniques for forming clay and treating clay surfaces, including ceramic staining and glazing. Throwing techniques on the potter's wheel will be demonstrated. This course serves as a prerequisite to Ceramics Workshop.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5

The course introduces the basic principles of photography and photographic composition. Thirty-five mm and digital cameras are used. Composing images when taking pictures is emphasized. The basic darkroom techniques, developing film, making proof sheets and enlargements are experienced. With digital photography, students use computer applications such as Photoshop and InDesign. Cameras, film photo paper and chemicals are supplied for basic assignments. This course is a prerequisite for Photography Workshop.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5

Students will develop miniature sculptural forms as functional jewelry. Students gain basic sculptural and body adornment skills using various materials.   Embellishment of both 2 and 3D surfaces through selected materials and techniques are accomplished.

Workshop level courses are for those students seeking to intensify their study in a specific area of the visual arts. These courses build sequentially on technical skills and concepts introduced in the prerequisite courses. Students are expected to work independently and think critically throughout the art making process. Classroom discussion, outside assignments  and  art  journals are vital components of these courses. Students can continue their work in a given area of study by taking workshop levels two and three.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 5-5

In this innovative, workshop-based course, students will collaborate with peers and teachers to find, write, photograph, and publish stories for school periodicals with special focus on the creation of the Yearbook.  The course will have two teachers; one who focuses on photography & graphic design, and one who focuses on journalistic writing.  Students may select a focus of either graphic design or writing, or may explore both.  All students will produce material that is ultimately published in a school periodical.  Students should be self-motivated, self-directed, independent, and of high integrity.

Grades 11-12 | Credits: 5 | Course prerequisite: Publisher's Workshop

In Part II of Publisher’s Workshop, students will continue to collaborate with peers and teachers to find, write, photograph, design & publish stories for the Yearbook & EBHS Bear Hub, with a special emphasis on developing workplace leadership skills.  Students will explore higher level concepts involved in publishing including topics like media/photojournalism law, news literacy, story package planning, and how to grow readership. Students will be required to take on a leadership role and delegate journalistic and publishing assignments while also completing editorial review of peer contributions.  Students will continue to hone their chosen specialties within the course and seek to discover their personal writing, photography, and/or graphic design style by presenting a culminating thesis presentation showcasing the growth and development of their chosen specialty. This course will run concurrently with Publisher's Workshop.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5 | Prerequisite: Grade of B or better in Digital Graphic Art & Design Level I (or grade of A in 9th grade Intro to Digital Graphic Art & Design)

A second step to the precursor Level I class, students will continue to be made aware of the varied occupations and careers that comprise the commercial art field through projects that emphasize visual communications. Advanced activities along with layout principles are stressed and explored through Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, digital tablets, and digital cameras. This course is 100% computer based instruction (Mac) and is designed for students looking to build a portfolio in order to major in the Graphic Arts as well as the student who just enjoys the creation of digital art. Projects include, but are not limited to typography, 100 triangle composition, metalwork and coin creating, photo mosaic and photo colorizing composition.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5 | Prerequisite: Grade of B or better in Introduction to Photography

Photography Workshop is a sequential course that builds from the basics in the introductory course. Students are introduced to photographic accessories including lenses, different format cameras, use of color filters and studio lighting.  Conceptual images, as well as digital and computer enhancement, will be explored. Emphasis is placed on photographic techniques found in the works of the experts, unique images and mastery of composition through shooting and printing.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5 | Prerequisite: Grade of B or better in Introduction to Ceramics

This course provides a greater concentration in all areas, including hand building, glaze chemistry, kiln loading and firing, clay making and the potter's wheel.  Instruction is individualized, allowing students to develop their own ideas and areas of concentration. Advanced students are expected to help in the introductory classes and to produce quality work on the potter's wheel.

Grades 10-12 | Credits: 2.5 | Prerequisite: Grade of B or better in Introduction to Sculpture

The  Sculpture  Workshop  is  for  students  with  a  strong  command  of  the  fundamental  elements  and principles of art who are interested in further developing visual artistic sensibilities in 3-dimensional artwork. In building a portfolio and by maintaining a sketchbook, students experience a variety of concepts, techniques and approaches designed to encourage creative as well as systematic investigation of formal, technical, and expressive issues in a 3-dimensional format.  This course will provide an opportunity for students to continue to develop original sculpture by exploring the plastic possibilities of various concepts, forms, and processes.  Among the materials that may be used are stone, clay, plaster, wire, metal, plastic, wood, Styrofoam, foam core, and found objects.

Grades 12 | Credits: 5-5 | Prerequisite: Students must satisfy an application process including interview, written statement, and samples of prior work.

This course is designed for the advanced visual arts student and attempts to help students qualify for credit in Advanced Placement in colleges. Students will be required to create and submit an extensive body of 2-dimensional work.  It requires a high degree of commitment to studio work and to the purposes of a program designed to meet college standards. Students can choose to prepare for either the AP Drawing Portfolio or the AP 2D Design Portfolio.

Grades 11-12 | Credits: 5-5

This course examines the developments in painting, sculpture and architecture from ancient times to the 21st century.  Designed to foster student understanding and enjoyment of works of art, this course aims to develop their ability to examine art intelligently, acquainting them with the major forms of artistic expression in their own time and cultivating an understanding of art from other times and cultures.  No prior experience in art is assumed.  Indeed, students who have done well in other humanistic studies such as history and literature, or in any of the studio arts, are especially encouraged to enroll.  The course attempts to help students qualify for credit and advanced placement in colleges.  It requires a high degree of commitment to academic work and to the purposes of a program designed to meet college standards. However, the course may be taken for high school credit only.  Students electing Advanced Placement Art History have the option of receiving high school credits in either art or social studies. 

Meets NCAA Core Course Requirements.

Grades 12 | Credits: 5-5

Humanities is a once-in-a-lifetime, seniors only arts course where we talk about human experiences that everyone who has ever lived dealt with. Through wacky activities, hands-on explorations and collaborative play, you will experience the arts, performances, history, philosophy, cultural figures from the past and present and learn something about yourself in the process.  Don’t leave high school without taking this class! 

A Sampling of What We Study:

• Get rebellious by joining a Punk Band
• Create beauty by sculpting the human form with Play-Doh
• Emote through Live Poetry Performances
• Relate to nature through a Recycled Fashion Show
• Explore musical diversity by creating a Song Remix
• Combat intolerance through Graphic Design
• Express your opinion through Protest
• Give back to your world through a Community Service Start-Up
• Follow society’s rules through 18th Century Dance
• Connect with your inner child through Outdoor Play
• Find Society’s boundaries with Graffiti Tags

Meets NCAA Core Course Requirements.