AP 3D Design Course Syllabus. Overview of Program

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1 AP 3D Design Course Syllabus Overview of Program Our visual arts program is a four year intensive program with Design, Drawing and Studio classes which include painting, printmaking, jewelry, sculpture and ceramics. Our students take foundation classes their freshman and sophomore year and specialize in 2D or 3D studios their junior and senior year as well as their AP art classes. In the design classes, a focus on 3D design foundations is also included. Once in the AP 3D design class, students are also taking other 3D classes to aid in completion of their portfolio requirements. [C2] Our classes meet for 80 minutes, every other day, and students are expected to work before and after school as needed to complete their work in a timely manner. Course Description The course is outlined to the students during the first week of school. We discuss the individual sections of each portfolio Quality, Concentration and Breadth along with slide examples of each section from former students and the College Board. Students are expected to produce work that develops mastery in concept, composition, and execution of ideas. [C1] Summer Work The AP 3D Design students have taken sculpture, ceramics or jewelry making for two years including the Foundations. We push the development of ideas in their sketchbook. Because this is a 3D class, plagiarism is usually not an issue. We teach the difference between being inspired in their own work by another artist and merely copying the artist's work. [C7] In the spring I meet with the interested perspective students to go over the course requirements and expectations as well as give them their summer work list. They are required to create four projects from a list of prompts and creative problems. [C4] Some examples are as follows: create a functional piece of clothing without using fabric, use nature objects and re assemble them to make an ode to nature, using any material except pop sickle sticks, construct a piece that is based on puns or figures of speech; EX: pigs in a blanket or dog tag, make an abstract sculpture at least 15 tall using only scrap pieces of wood and either hot glue or wood glue, interpret a poem, folk tale, fairy tale or famous legend using a choice of media, create an animal out of found objects using trash, wood pieces, Styrofoam, small boxes, cardboard, old spoons or forks, etc.,

2 create a trophy to honor an achievement using materials of choice, build a self portrait using found objects (abstract) or clay (realistic), represent a human organ in three dimensions using various materials, re create a normally small object (nail clippers, a nut, a screw) in giant size using cardboard, paper mache, and paint. First Semester The first half of the year is focused mainly on creating their breadth work for their portfolio. [C4] The pace is fast and students may work late after school or as needed. The students are able to deeply immerse themselves in the process of creating art and develop mastery in concept, composition and execution. [C2] The projects deal with a variety of artistic problems as well as media. The students work with additive and subtractive approaches to sculpture as well as assemblage. They deal with space and the round. Each project has its own set of elements and principles of design. These are discussed at the onset of the project as well as during the final critique. After each assignment is finished, we critique the work in group setting and the pieces are graded on a six point rubric which correlates to the College Board grading scale. In verbal critiques, students are expected to speak about their own work and their peers work using the appropriate vocabulary to make informed observations, decisions, and comments. [C6] Documentation of their work is in digital format and the students are required to keep a jump drive to store their images so they can be cleaned up and edited. We will photograph ongoing throughout the year with all of the breadth work photographed the fall semester. This gives the students the opportunity to see their portfolios take shape. This also is a quick indication of what may be lacking in an individual s body of work. [C5] [C6] These are possible breadth projects. [C2] [C4] Paper Tube Sculpture: Students will first create 100 paper tubes out of phone book pages. With the 100 tubes, two finished sculptures will be created dealing with balance and symmetry/asymmetry. The finished sculptures are to be painted when completed. (line, space, and balance) Figure study: Using about 5lbs of clay and a live model, students will create a figure study in class that will be fired. (scale, proportion, and movement) Plaster forms: Using plaster and carving tools (chisels, knives, sandpaper) students will create a curvilinear form in the style of Henry Moore. (value, form, and harmony)

3 Assemblage form: Using an assortment of wooden shapes provided, Students will assemble them to create an interesting sculpture. Wooden pieces may be cut, drilled and altered prior to assembling. Finished sculptures need to be painted. (rhythm, repetition, color and emphasis) Cast Plaster: Students will create a form to be cast in plaster out of foam core and (line, form, texture and proportion) Found object / social commentary: Using either organic or man made objects of your choice; students will create a sculpture that reflects a current event or social perspective. (emphasis, shape, space) Welded Assembly: Students will create a welded metal assemblage using scrap metal and repetitive motifs. (balance, line, repetition, and space) Chair: Students will create a chair that they can sit in. (intensity, texture, variety, balance, unity) Review sculpture: Students will create a sculpture from one of their reviews of choice. (movement, proportion, shape, value, color) In addition to breadth projects; supplementary activities and projects add depth to our program. They include visitation to area museums and creation of artist inspired artwork (i.e.: Noguchi) as well as fieldtrips to the arboretum to create earthworks inspired by Andy Goldsworthy. Our location in the Arts District with access to the Dallas Museum of Art, Trammel Crow Center for Asian Art, and the Nasher Sculpture Garden provides ample opportunity for on site art experiences and inspiration. Area professional artists hold periodic talks with the students about their work for further stimulation. The students are allowed to draw inspiration from other artists but are not allowed to plagiarize. Copyright issues are discussed with the students early on. [C7] Sketch books are a key in guiding the students from inspiration to their own interpretation. [C5] Second Semester Throughout the first semester while making their Breadth projects, students are thinking and formulating their Concentration ideas with their first piece due before the winter break. The second semester is devoted to the creation of the Concentration portion of the portfolio. Students produce a body of work that is well planned and investigates a theme or an idea. They may work in a variety of media or stick to one medium with a central theme running throughout. [C3] I show them images of previous students work and we discuss these prior to the development of ideas. With feedback from instructor and peers, the students take off in their

4 work with a critique every two weeks to update progress and grade the pieces. They are expected to average a piece per week or work on two at once so that in our bi weekly critique, we look at two pieces per student. Our critique time is crucial to keeping the ideas fresh and coherent. The development of the Concentration is an ongoing process that uses informed decision making and critical thinking skills to refine their ideas. [C5] [C6] Students should complete at least 10 Concentration pieces by the end of April. The following are examples of types of work previously submitted for the concentration portion of the portfolio: a series of hand thrown and altered ceramic canteens, work dealing with spikes in a variety of media, three dimensional representations of curvilinear sketches in a sketchbook, clay cartoons of a self portrait caricature animal, silver cast rings dealing with the natural elements or fire, earth, water and air, hand built ceramic forms reminiscent of sea anemones, plastic tape figures that show movement of the human form, clay vessels representing the student s family members, series of busts in a variety of media. Students are working on their Concentration until the second to third week of April in order to photograph and document their work. [C2] [C3] After their work is finished we work on their written statements and label the portfolios to submit in May. Selection of Section I The work is photographed in an ongoing basis in order for the students to visually see where their progress as well as to help them choose the pieces for the section I, Quality portion of the portfolio. Students are to pick the very best pieces from Concentration and Breadth sections to complete the Section I of the AP 3D portfolio. The students have a strong knowledge of Quality from critiques, portfolio evaluations, and competition beginning in their freshman year. [C1] [C2] Reviews Viewing work of other artists through attendance at museum exhibits and gallery openings allow students an opportunity to develop their skill in observing and analyzing the work of professional artists. [C6] In addition, the gallery/museum experience provides them with outstanding sources for ideas for their own work. AP students are required to see two exhibits per semester and to write a review about that exhibit within two days of attendance at the gallery or event. The

5 review should contain an introductory paragraph about the gallery or museum. Then there should be 3 paragraphs which describe and analyze three different pieces included in the exhibit. The closing paragraph should include one specific art ideas that the student would like to try. These ideas might be concerned with subject matter, composition, media or technique, scale, narrative or stylistic treatment. [C5] [C6] Resources Magazines Art in America American Craft Ceramics Monthly Studio Potter Clay Times Pottery Making Illustrated Bibliography Shaping Space, Paul Zelanski, 2007, 3 rd edition, Thompson & Wadsworth Principles of Form and Design, Wucius Wong, 1993, John Wiley & Sons, Inc