Form & Content 9 Course Overview

Mr. Pelham

zpelham@innovationcharter.org

Mr. Pelham Extra Help: Monday at 3:15pm

Departmental Philosophy

Creative thinking and expression is an increasingly important aspect of contemporary society, a tradition of all world cultures, and an innate human instinct. Having an understanding of basic technical principles; exposure to a diversity of  artists, styles, and movements from art history and contemporary art; and the freedom to create expressive pieces of art are all integral to empowering students with both the skills and creative vocabulary to be successful creative thinkers, audiences, and artists.

Policies

Late Policy

If a student is not able to turn in a major assignment on time, he or she must make arrangements with the teacher within 24 hours of the due date. At the discretion of individual teachers, students may be provided extra time to receive partial credit on major assignments. Make-up assignments must be submitted within 7 calendar days (1 week) from the original due date. Assignments submitted before the 7 day window will receive a lower grade in the Work Habits strand (5 points lost for every day late) but fully assessed in all other strands. Assignments turned in after the 7 day window will be graded as a zero in all strands. Late homework must be turned in by the next class.

Academic Integrity

Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. If students are caught cheating or intentionally passing off another’s work as their own they will receive a failing grade for the assignment, must re-do the assignment for no credit, and risk a failing grade for the semester.

Behavior

All students must be present and punctual to all classes with a good attitude, put effort into all assignments, and show respect for all students and class materials.

Strands

Students are evaluated based on departmental strands which designed to make departmental values clear to students. All assignments are in some way related to departmental strands.

Execution

How well students use techniques for materials and processes in assignments.

Comprehension

How well students comprehend content they are exposed to through assignments.

Exploration

How well students explore content through personal expression in assignments. 

Work Habit

How well students use time to execute, comprehend, and explore all class assignments.

Subjects & Assessment

Technique Study

Students will learn about a variety of visual art techniques and processes through mixed media studies.

Modernism

Students will learn about movements in Modernism and create projects in which they explore the style or idea of each movement.

Artist Essay

Students will be assessed on essay on a Modernist artist’s life and work.

Sketchbook

Students will be assessed on sketchbook assignments.

Participation

Students will be assessed on their participation in class discussions and activities.

Effort

Students will be assessed on the effort they put into their work, not on talent.

Honors Options

Choose at least one option and complete all aspects of the assignment for honors credit. You may receive further honors credit by completing more than one project option.

1. Proposal

Submit proposal for a project which includes a series of three pieces. Proposal must be approved by teacher.

2. Reviews

1. Visit Museum of Fine Arts and write a 500 word essay on your experience, concentrating on the meaning of one exhibit you saw, describing specific pieces and reviewing the work by providing an account of your subjective opinion of the pieces in the show. You must provide both a ticket stub and photographic proof of your visit to the museum.

2. Choose a piece of art from anytime in art history that you love and write a 500 word review which includes a description of the work, relevant contextual information about the artist or time period, and analytical explanation of why you love the piece. Provide image of piece with paper.

3. Choose a piece of art from anytime in art history that you hate and write a 500 word review which includes a description of the work, relevant contextual information about the artist or time period, and analytical explanation of why you hate the piece. Provide image of piece with paper.

Honors Option 1: Series

This option consists of making a series of at least three pieces of art. Work may be in any medium or material including, but not limited to, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, video, ceramics, and digital. Projects may not be completed in groups. A series is works which are in some way related, either by form or content, and in some way exhibit a progression or development. Though it may be narrative, it does not need to be narrative in order to be a series. The intention of this option is to push you to create a series of thoughtful works of art, not just to make random unconsidered pieces. You must first submit a proposal with your ideas for your project. Once your proposal is approved you may begin. You must conclude your project by writing a statement in which you explain and reflect upon the meaning of your project.

You must meet with your teacher after school a minimum of three times throughout the semester to discuss the development of your series and to show the teacher your progress.

Proposal

A proposal is a document which artist’s write in which they outline a piece of art they would like to make. The proposal should be typed, edited, and printed, and handed in for the teacher’s approval. You should make time to meet with the teacher after school during the teacher’s extra help time to discuss your proposal and get the teacher’s approval. Use the questions provided below to write your proposal. Your answer to each question should be a minimum of one paragraph.

What is it?

Explain in detail what exactly you would like to make. What materials would you use? How big would each piece be? What would it be an image of or what shape would the object be?

What is the intention?

Explain what the meaning of your projects is. What do you want people to understand when they look at it? What is your intention for the meaning of your pieces?

Is it worth doing?

Why is your project worth doing? What larger theme or idea about life does your project relate to? Why should it exist?

Artist Statement

Artist statements must be typed, edited, and printed to be handed in. You should show at least one draft of your statement to your teacher before submitting a final copy. Statements should describe what your project is and what it means.

What is it?

Explain in detail what exactly you would like to make. What materials would you use? How big would each piece be? What would it be an image of or what shape would the object be?

What is the intention?

Explain what the meaning of your projects is. What do you want people to understand when they look at it? What is your intention for the meaning of your pieces?

Honors Option 2: Reviews

This option consists of writing three reviews. Each review should be a minimum of 500 words. Reviews should be typed, thoroughly edited, and printed before handing in. A review should express the opinion of the writer, describe the series or individual work, and should express some point-of-view which indicates what the reviewer believes to be good or bad about art in general. These are not summaries or reports. They are reviews which will require both objective observation and subjective opinion. You should expect to write and edit several drafts, and to bring drafts to your teacher for their feedback. Your final draft must include at least one photograph. Use the attached handouts to help write your reviews.

You must meet with your teacher after school a minimum of three times throughout the semester to discuss the development of your series and to show the teacher your progress.

Reviews

Museum

Visit Museum of Fine Arts and write a 500 word essay on your experience, concentrating on the meaning of one exhibit you saw, describing specific pieces and reviewing the work by providing an account of your subjective opinion of the pieces in the show. You must provide both a ticket stub and photographic proof of your visit to the museum.

Love

Choose a piece of art from anytime in art history that you love and write a 500 word review which includes a description of the work, relevant contextual information about the artist or time period, and analytical explanation of why you love the piece. Provide image of piece with paper.

Hate

Choose a piece of art from anytime in art history that you hate and write a 500 word review which includes a description of the work, relevant contextual information about the artist or time period, and analytical explanation of why you hate the piece. Provide image of piece with paper.

                                           Modernism                    

Modernism was an influential period of mostly European and American art history which spanned from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. Modernism was not one consistent style or set of ideas, but rather a period of time where artists began to rethink art on a fundamental level. Modernist art revolted against tradition and the idea that it must present simple, moral, realistic depictions of the world. Artists sought to create work which reflected the uncertainty, instability, and complexity of life at the time. This new perspective was inspired by great technological, scientific, social, and political change that impacted how people lived their lives and saw the world. An important theme of modernism was the idea that there was a clear progression to art, and that all artists should try to make something new that had never been done before, in order to continue the progress of modern art toward the goal of creating art which truly captured the modern world.

Movements

1. Impressionism

9. Suprematism

2. Post-Impressionism

10. Dada

3. Symbolism

11. Constructivism

4. Art Nouveau

12. De Stijl

5. Fauvism

13. Bauhaus

6. Expressionism

14. Art Deco

7. Cubism

15. Surrealism

8. Futurism

16. Abstract Expressionism