AP Studio Art Summer Assignments

Transcription

1 AP Studio Art Summer Assignments AP Studio Art is a college level course requiring a 3-part portfolio. In order to meet the demanding portfolio requirements, it is important to create impressive artwork during the summer. These summer assignments help alleviate the pressure during the school year of producing the many quality pieces needed for a successful portfolio. You will need to dedicate a substantial amount of time to this. Do not put it off until the end of the summer. Each artwork created over the summer should have a MINIMUM of 5 hours of work put into it. You will be graded not only on completion-but also effort. All summer assignments are due - and will be critiqued and graded, during the first week of school. The portfolio is based on proficient use of Design ELEMENTS (space, line, shape, form, value, color, texture) and PRINCIPLES (unity, variety, balance, emphasis, contrast, rhythm, movement, repetition, proportion, figure/ground). Attached is a handout defining these design basics. Refer to this as you plan, create and complete the assignments. AP PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS: BREADTH - 12 pieces of artwork showing mastery of varied media, styles, techniques, and subject matter. *The artworks you are creating over the summer is for this portion of the portfolio. CONCENTRATION - 12 pieces of artwork exploring a single visual theme in depth. The art should show investigation and growth or the development of an idea centering around a theme of your choice. * You should start thinking about and developing your concentration idea during the summer. You can access information about the concentration section of the AP Studio Art portfolio at the College Board website under the course description for AP Studio Art. QUALITY 5 original pieces of artwork. They should be your very best and may be selected from the pieces in your breadth or concentration portfolio. No smaller than 8 x 10 or larger than 18 x 24 (including mat). Now the fun part, you get to make art over the summer! One of the goals for your summer assignments is to keep you thinking visually, and to get you to experiment and try stretching your range of experiences and expressions. Your summer assignments should be high quality, and demonstrate strong technical skills. Pace yourself - work consistently. Don't wait until August! Feel free to me during the summer with any questions or photos of your work in progress that you would like for me to critique: krichardson@mariemontschools.org Work hard and enjoy your opportunity to explore and excel in art. Have a great summer. Mrs. Richardson

2 Part 1: REQUIRED BY EVERYONE!! 40 points (20 pts for EACH gallery visit) GALLERY/MUSEUM/ART EXHIBITION REVIEWS. Go look at some good ART! Visit TWO (2) art exhibitions over the summer. They can be art galleries, local art centers, museums, art festivals, etc. Take your sketchbook with you, and render the work as well as your response to it. (It is a good thing to jot down your thinking process in your sketchbook as well as draw in it.) For EACH Gallery/Museum/Exhibition you visit, answer the following questions in your sketchbook: 1. List the gallery/museum/exhibition name. (Name, location, general information) 2. Choose your favorite artwork from that particular gallery. 3. Sketch a picture of that favorite artwork in your sketchbook. 4. Below your sketch, write down the name of the artwork and the name of the artist who created it. 5. Write down what you see in that artwork. -What is the subject matter? -What medium was used metal, paint, clay, etc. -Describe the colors being used? -What art style is being used Cubism, Realism, Abstraction, etc. 6. Describe the issues being explored by the artist in the artwork. 7. Explain what you like about this artwork. Why were you drawn to it? 8. Did the work affect you in a positive way or a negative way? Explain? Part 2: REQUIRED BY EVERYONE!! 60 points PHOTO FILES. Grab your camera!!! It is important to have photo files as reference for your artwork. It is WAY better to use your own photo as reference than some random photo from the internet. It is hard to show personal voice in an artwork when using someone else s photo! Besides, you might end up with some great photos to use in your Breadth portfolio! Photograph the following using a 35mm camera: 1. Ten or more images of a single subject matter. (i.e.: a building, a car, a flower/plant, etc.). Zoom in close for some of your photos. Be creative and dynamic in your choices. 2. Ten or more images of another single subject matter of your choice. Again zoom in for some of the photos. 3. Ten photos depicting scenes from well-known landmarks in Mariemont or Cincinnati.

3 Part 3: Complete at least 5 projects from the following list of project assignments below. 100 points EACH *If you choose to do more than the 5 that is required, that would be great-because you will be that much farther ahead when school starts in the fall. Projects are worth 100 points each for a total of 500 points. Pieces should be no smaller than 8 x 10 and no larger than 18 x 24 in size. These pieces will be used for the Breadth section of your portfolio and the emphasis on this section of work is variety of media, styles, approaches and subject matter. Remember: the assignments are about quality, not quantity! FYI: The maximum size allowed by AP for the Quality portfolio is 18 x 24, this is why I listed it as your maximum artwork size. 1. Create a nontraditional portrait of someone you know. Create the portrait using the optical mixing technique similar to that used by Georges Seurat (Neo-Impressionism). However, instead of paint you are to use an unexpected material to create your portrait. Only use one material, not a combination of materials. For example: m & m s, rubber bands, colored paper clips, pieces of colored balloons, buttons, etc. **PHOTO: Photo students create a similar project, but then take 20 creative photos of your creation from multiple perspectives, angles, etc. Some photos should show your creation from a frontal view. Some should only show close-ups, some from angles. The close-up photos will look like abstractions. 2. Create a self-portrait that expresses a specific mood/emotion. Moods/Emotions: anger/rage, melancholy/loneliness, happiness/joy, etc. Work with lighting and values. You can use pencil, colored pencil, charcoal, or pastel. Drawings must use a 10-point value scale with a wide range of strong darks and lights. Strong lighting can be used to achieve this dramatic effect. Use color to enhance the psychological atmosphere. Consider the environment/setting. Research portrait artists for inspiration. **PHOTO: Photo students take a self-portrait that expresses a specific mood. Think about the effects of color and how it conveys the individual mood. Research online to study various artists self-portraits and their styles and techniques. Check out Cindy Sherman, and Vivian Maier, etc. 3. Still life arrangement of at least 3 reflective objects. Reflective surface can be glass or metal. Something should be reflected in the objects. Set up the objects on a cloth-covered table, and place a lamp near it to create dramatic lighting. Render as accurately as you can. Research still-lifes. **PHOTO: Photo students take 20 photos of this reflective surface still-life from multiple angles. 4. Extreme close-up of food, almost to the point of abstraction. Very detailed. Cut up fruits and veggies and look closely at the insides for interesting abstract qualities. Use color and a strong composition. **PHOTO: Photo students take 20 close-up photos of the food from multiple angles.

4 5. Buildings in a landscape. Draw on location or take a variety of photos to draw from later. Old churches are great for this. Make sure perspective is correct. **PHOTO: Photo students take 20 close-up detail photos of these buildings. 6. Nature close-up. Get outside and take your camera or sketchbook and do a series of nature closeup sketches. Select your best one to do a final render drawing in pencil. Concentrate on values and textures. Must use a 10-scale value range!! **PHOTO: Photo students take 20 close-up detail photos in Black & White. 7. Fauvist painting. Create a Fauvist style painting of a Mariemont or Cincinnati landmark. Look up examples of Fauvist artists on the internet (Henri Matisse, Andre Derain, Maurice Vlaminck, Raoul Dufy). These artists are known for their use of: arbitrary or unnatural color, short swirling brushstrokes, distorted form, and fragmented black outlines. **PHOTO: Photo students take 20 photos of landmarks and manipulate in Photoshop to give them a Fauvist-feel (i.e.: alter the colors in Photoshop, etc.) 8. A drawing, painting or mixed media piece depicting an unusual interior. Show the inside of a closet, cabinet, refrigerator, your car, under the car hood, or the interior of anything you chose. You may take some photos with your camera as reference to draw from. This should be very detailed work. **PHOTO: Photo students take 20 photos of unusual interiors. 9. Contrast of textures. Place 3 eggs on a towel, cloth or crumbled paper to create an interesting composition. *(Feel free to choose other smooth objects if you do not want to use the eggs). Draw in pencil or colored pencil (layer your pencil to get rich color). Pay attention to the smoothness of the eggs/objects against the rough quality of the towel, cloth or paper. Imply a light source and use a wide variety of values. **PHOTO: Photo students set up the eggs/objects on a textured surface listed above. Use a strong light source and take 20 photos emphasizing contrast of light and textures. 10. Surrealism. Research Surrealism (historical and contemporary). Read what the different surrealist artists say about their artwork. Create a work in the surrealist style. You may want to do this as a mixed-media piece. Have fun with it. Look at the works by Rene Magritte and Salvador Dali for inspiration. **PHOTO: Photo students take a variety of 20 random images that you can work with in Photoshop to create a surreal image. You will actually use these photos for a later project during 1 st semester. Look at the works by Jerry Uelsmann and Erik Johansson for inspiration.

5 AP Studio Art Hints: Draw directly from life instead of using reference photos, whenever possible. If you must use a photo, take your own or use a photo from the public domain. Attach the photo to the back of the work. The AP Readers (Judges), as well as art schools love to see a drawings made from life. Use quality materials for your art. Good materials make it easier to create good work. Use at least 80 lb white drawing paper and either canvas boards or stretched canvases for painting. Spend a minimum of 5 hours on each piece. Most high quality pieces will take longer than this! Use a sketchbook to plan your artwork (thumbnail sketches, jot down notes, glue in reference images, and do color studies when needed). All pieces should be fully resolved. No studies! In order to help you do this, it is highly recommended that you do 3-5 thumbnail sketches for each piece before starting your final. This will help you create stronger compositions. The best sketchbook is a hardbound 8.5 x 11. Use a variety of media, even combining them for mixed media. Use a complete range of values. All drawings must be complete with a full 10-scale value range. Apply the elements and principles of design to all of your artwork if you don t know them, you need to learn them before the FIRST DAY OF CLASS! DO NOT SIGN YOUR NAME TO THE FRONT OF YOUR WORK or place any identifying marks on the front as per AP Guidelines. Be sure to write your name on the back. Read about art! Read art magazines, such as The Artist s Magazine and International Artist. You will find these in local libraries. Check out books about famous artists in the library while you are there. Study the images in the books. Search the Internet for artists dealing with the same subjects as you. Study their work, philosophy, life and influences. Also...become familiar with the AP website. It s full of valuable information for you and your parents as well as lots of examples of student portfolios: AP PHOTO TIPS: Always take more pictures than you think you need. A good photographer takes hundreds of photos in one photo shoot! Sometimes, you never know what you will like until you go back into the studio and look at them on the computer. Often times you will be surprised by which photo ends up being the best one. It does not take long to take extra photos and you will be thankful you did. A good photo is about subtleties approaching the same subject from several different vantage points, camera angles, angle of views and proximity. Photography should be physical you need to walk around your subject shooting as many variations as possible. Take a camera with you as much as possible. You never know when a great opportunity for interesting subject matter or lighting will appear. Also, look at other photographers work; read photo blogs and magazines such as Photographers Forum, etc. And finally, spend time experimenting in Photoshop so that you become proficient at it. There is always something new and interesting to learn.

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