Art Appreciation

Credit: .50 per Semester

Length: 1 Semester

Level: 9, 10, 11, 12

Prerequisite: None

Course Description: Art Appreciation is designed for students interested in understanding, evaluating, and appreciating art. A broad range of artistic styles, media, and ideas are used to examine art's relationships and meaningful contributions to society and daily life. Students explore the following disciplines of art: art history and contemporary art, art criticism, visual culture, aesthetics of art, and studio production. Class activities include discussions, guest speakers, field trips, visual presentations, research, and art production. Art Appreciation is the prerequisite for all other Hellgate Art Courses.

You may enroll in the following course after receiving credit for Art Appreciation. 

Art Fundamentals:

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: Art Fundamentals is an introductory course in which students explore art and a variety of artmaking processes. Students should take this course if they want to experience a variety of art-making practices or are not interested in pursuing specific art pathways. Students also learn about concepts/big ideas that connect art and life through aesthetics, art criticism, art history, and art production. Students gain practical experience using various art media, such as drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, and mixed media. Students develop visual literacy and twenty-first-century skills through written, visual, and verbal expression.  

You may enroll in the following courses after earning a "C" or higher in Art Appreciation and/or completing Art Foundations.

Ceramics:

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: Clay techniques: hand-building, coil, slab, sculpted work, wheel throwing, and glazing will be taught in this class. The student will learn to work in a 3-dimensional form with functional and artistic applications for today's world.
• There is a $10 lab fee for this course.

Drawing:

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: The student will use various drawing techniques and materials, such as pencil, charcoal, chalk, pen, ink, etc. The student will experience these techniques in representational, nonobjective, and imaginary projects.
• There is a $10 lab fee for this course.

Painting:

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: The student will use various painting techniques and materials, such as oil, tempera, acrylic, and mixed-media painting. Through the use of color theory, tools, and mixing techniques, students paint in a variety of styles and media. Students receive an overview of contemporary and historical art masters and movements.
• There is a $10 lab fee for this course.

Printmaking:

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: Printmaking is an advanced art class designed to develop student artwork using intaglio, relief, and serigraph applications. Students receive a historical, cultural, and contemporary overview of printmaking. They create a body of work using a variety of styles and printmaking techniques.
• There is a $10 lab fee for this course.

Sculpture:

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: Sculpture develops an understanding of three-dimensional design and the nature of various materials used to create it. The student will experience work in various media such as wood, wire, styrofoam, paper and plaster, assemblage, and clay.
• There is a $10 lab fee for this course.

Watercolor:

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: Watercolor is designed to present watercolor methods and techniques to students at various levels. Students receive an overview of the history of watercolors. 
• There is a $10 lab fee for this course. 

Ceramics 2

You must earn credit for Ceramics 1 before enrolling in Ceramics 2.

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: Ceramics 2 is a continuation of the exploration of clay. The ceramics student will continue working with clay and surface techniques to create functional and sculptural works of art. Clay techniques: hand building, pinch, coil, slab, sculpted work, wheel throwing, and glazing will be explored in Ceramics 2. Students will research, design, and apply 3D skills to create a digital portfolio and a body of ceramic works. 
• There is a $10 lab fee for this course.

Conceptual Mixed Media

• Credit: .50 per Semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: Conceptual Mixed Media is a class for the seriously focused, thinking, experimental person. Approaches art with idea and experimentation as the primary focus. Students must be willing to play without a preconceived idea of the outcome. We are focused on art making as contemporary artists are, having a vision, able to process their intentions, and being willing to work with any and all available processes to see them to fruition.

Drawing 2

You must earn credit for Drawing 1 before enrolling in Drawing 2.

• Credit: .5 per semester
• Length: 1 Semester
• Course Description: This class is a continuation of Drawing 1, emphasizing advanced techniques, materials, and individual methods. Students will engage in conceptual and independent work while exploring contemporary and historical artists, styles, and applications.
• There is a $10 lab fee for this course.

Advanced Studio and AP Art:

To Register for Advanced Studio, you must have received a .5 credit for Art Appreciation, 1.0 Additional Art Credits, and Consent of Instructors.

• Credit: .5 per Semester
• Length: 1 or 2 Semesters
• Course Description: The serious visual art student will have the opportunity to pursue in-depth studies in different types of artistic problem-solving using a variety of media; research, documentation, assessment, and evaluation. A variety of materials and specific guidance will be provided during the progression of this class. The student will be responsible for working at advanced and maximum levels throughout the progression of this course. Some activities that may be included in this class would be further exploration of student-selected media, organizing a professional portfolio, writing an artist's statement, adding strength to the artist's weak areas in visual art, pursuing an in-depth approach to examining a specific style in art, studying the history of art, exhibiting artwork, visiting places in the community associated with art, etc.
• There is a $10 fee for this course, and you may need to supply your own specialty materials.