Welcome to Painting!

Description of Painting Class:

Students taking the class in painting engage in sequential learning experiences that encompass art history, art criticism, aesthetics, and production that lead to the creation of portfolio quality works. In the area of:

• art history, students search for meaning, significance, and direction in their work through an in-depth analysis of historical and contemporary paintings from a variety of cultural groups, identifying relationships between context, form, and function;
• art criticism, students search for meaning, significance, and direction in their work by critically examining the relationships between context, form, function, and meaning in their own work and in historical and contemporary paintings;

aesthetics, students search for meaning, significance, and direction in their work by formulating evaluations of historic and contemporary paintings, responding to personal questions about the nature of art, reflecting on their changing definitions of art, and assessing their ideas in relation to the art community; and

production, students search for meaning, significance, and direction in their work by choosing and evaluating subject matter, symbols, and ideas that communicate intended meaning in their artwork. In addition students: (1) use organizational principles and functions to solve specific visual problems, (2) apply media, techniques, and processes with sufficient skill to communicate intended meaning, and (3) use a variety of materials such as mixed media, watercolor, oil, and acrylics as well as techniques such as stippling, gouache, wash, and impasto. Students at this level produce works for their portfolios which demonstrate a sincere desire to explore a variety of ideas and problems.

Within this context, students: (1) create abstract and realistic paintings, (2) reflect upon the outcome of these experiences, (3) explore historical connections, (4) write about the process, (5) make presentations about their progress at regular intervals, (6) work individually and in groups, (7) find direct correlations to other disciplines, and (8) explore career options related to painting. Art museums, galleries, studios and/or community resources are utilized.

• Prerequisite: One year of 2-D Art
• A Core 40 and AHD course

The nature of this course allows for successive semesters of instruction at an advanced level provided that defined proficiencies and content standards are utilized. • A two credit course (1 year)