The arts program cultivates each student’s potential to become an artist. Studio experiences stress the development of artistic skills, introduce students to a variety of media, and encourage individual expression. Trips to museums and galleries expose students to the resources of New York City and to the rich diversity of creative endeavor.
CLASS VIII: STUDIO ART
In Studio Art VIII, students explore a variety of processes and concepts, which enable them to express themselves more fully and more creatively. Assignments in drawing, painting, color and design, and sculpture focus on the development of technical skills necessary for self-expression. Projects provide experiences with traditional media as well as digital technologies.
CLASS IX: STUDIO ART
Studio Art IX has as its primary focus the development of the students’ artistic skills through a wide variety of projects in drawing, painting, color and design, and sculpture. Projects provide experience with traditional media as well as with digital techniques. Students are prepared to make a smooth transition to the more conceptual in Studio Art X. For the World Civilization project, studio art is integrated with the Humanities IX curriculum.
CLASS X ELECTIVE: STUDIO ART
In Studio Art X, students continue to develop skills in drawing, painting, color and design, and sculpture, while expressing their ideas and concepts through a variety of media and techniques. They study volume and form in space and the effects of chiaroscuro (light and shadow). They explore portraiture and the figure through drawing and painting, with an emphasis on anatomy, proportion, and scale. They draw from Roman portrait busts at the Metropolitan Museum, paint large-scale self-portraits in acrylics, and sculpt life-size self-portraits in terra cotta. Students keep a sketchbook as an integral part of the course.
CLASS XI ELECTIVE: ADVANCED PLACEMENT STUDIO ART: 2-D DESIGN
Design involves purposeful, informed and critical decision-making about using the elements and principles of art in an integrative way. In the 2-D Design Portfolio, the student develops and demonstrates an understanding of design principles as applied to a two-dimensional surface. The principles of design (unity/variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, repetition, proportion/scale, and figure/ground relationship) are articulated through the visual elements (line, shape, color, value, texture, space). Any 2-D process or medium may be used, including graphic design, digital imaging, photography, collage, fabric design, illustration, painting, and printmaking.
CLASS XII ELECTIVE:
ADVANCED DRAWING / ADVANCED PLACEMENT STUDIO ART: DRAWING
Students in Advanced Drawing work toward the mastery of concepts and the execution of ideas. They demonstrate their understanding of the fundamental drawing concerns. Projects include drawing from observation, as well as working with invented or non-objective forms. The effective use of light and shade is explored, as is line quality, surface manipulation, composition, various spatial systems, and expressive mark-making. Through an ongoing process of experimentation, critical decision-making, and problem-solving, students produce work of high quality using a wide variety of drawing and painting materials and techniques. Students who complete the requirements for Advanced Placement level work, submit their portfolios to the College Board.