Course Introduction

Welcome to Visual Art: Foundations

Course Introduction

In this class, you will learn about how human vision works and how it shapes how and what we think about the world around us. You will learn to see more powerfully. You will learn about how artists use the visual language to communicate with you every day. You will learn to become comfortable with the creative process: to make new things and to do things you never thought possible.

This class operates a little differently than traditional academic classes. In this class, you will learn primarily through the difficult process of making art and your art work demonstrates what you've learned when it's finished. There will be little traditional "homework" but there are many things a young artist should be doing outside of class time. You will occasionally need to come to the studio outside of class to invest more time in your work. It is impossible to "make up" missed classes in any other way than to spend the same amount of missed time in the studio outside of class. If you miss a class due to illness, sports dismissals, or field trips you should plan on spending time in flex block, before school, after school, study halls or other free time in the studio.

Research for projects, web searches, taking resource photos, updating your blog, doing sketches and studies can be done on your own and thereby save class for the more challenging work that I can help with. There will be some writing assignments associated with our creative work.

The time and effort you invest in your work are directly related to its success. For each project, we undertake we will work to establish a common understanding of what "success" means. Although I value your work above all and will do my best to help you find success, that work is reflected in the grades you earn for this course.

In general, these guidelines hold true:

If you make the best use of all available class time and accomplish the main goals of each assignment your artwork will be good and you can expect at least B's.

If you invest serious time outside of class, participate in the discussions in class and seek out a personal and unique approach to the challenges in each assignment, your artwork will be that much more amazing and you can expect A's.

If you waste class time by engaging in distracting chit-chat and behaviors, seek only to meet the minimum of expectations and do not makeup missed class time, your artwork will be incomplete and boring, so you'd be lucky to get a C.