The Visual Arts Department teaches skills and promotes understanding and exploration of creativity and talents. Students are exposed to a diversity of art forms, building understanding and appreciation for visual human artistic expression. Upon graduation, students will be prepared for further academic studies in the arts, as well as having gained a life-long appreciation for the visual arts.
This course is designed for novice art students. Coursework emphasizes improvement of drawing ability, application of the elements and principles of art, introduction to composition, and use of various materials and techniques. This course satisfies the prerequisite for all Visual Art 2 courses.
UC/CSU approved course
This course is designed for novice art students and requires a basic understanding of computers and digital media. Students will learn and apply the elements and principles of design to various digital art projects including digital drawing and painting, photography, animations, and novice video production pieces. They will use both desktop computers and iPads to create and manipulate images using Adobe Creative Suite and Affinity Designer. This course and Visual Art 1: Studio are similar, and it is not recommended that students take both courses. This course satisfies the prerequisite for all Visual Art 2 courses.
UC/CSU approved course
Priority enrollment is given to seniors, then juniors and finally to sophomores.
Visual Art 2/Animation is a continuation of the techniques introduced in Visual Art 1 with emphasis on motion graphics and character design. Drawing exercises are followed by digital design and animation. Students in this course create 2D animation using Adobe software such as Photoshop and After Effects.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Visual Art 2/Cinema Arts is a continuation of Visual Art 1 and provides an introduction to film/video production using DSLR camera equipment. Students will learn the technical aspects of cinematic production through writing and story creation, directing, producing, cinematography, lighting design, audio engineering, and editing with Adobe Premiere Pro. While most work is done inside class, there are several projects that will also require extensive work outside of class. Critical thinking skills will be acquired by analyzing film and electronic media for creativity and content.
UC/CSU approved
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Visual Art 2/Cinema Arts 2 is a continuation of Cinema Arts 1 and provides an extension of the materials learned in the previous year, including pre-production, production, and post-production work. This course is recommended for students wishing to pursue post-secondary educational opportunities in the media arts. Students will work independently to analyze film materials and genres, then apply this information to inform their craft. Students will be required to write and plan their projects in and out of class with extensive filming work to be done outside of class.
UC/CSU approved
Prerequisite: Instructor approval required
Visual Art 2/The Book as Art is a continuation of the techniques introduced in Visual Art 1 with emphasis on creating handmade books as works of art. Students will create books using a variety of methods, and after mastering basic techniques, they will progress to individualized study, allowing for personal expression. Students will be exposed to related studies in order to enhance opportunities for specialization and self-expression, such as paper sculpture, paper marbling, paper making, and creation of paste papers.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Visual Art 2/Digital Photography is a continuation of Visual Art 1 with further emphasis on visual concept development. No previous photography experience is necessary. Students learn and apply the visual and technical characteristics of Masters of Photography through composition, exposure and artistic technique. SmartPhones, iPads and popular photography apps are used for image capture
and editing.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Visual Art 2/Drawing is a continuation of the techniques introduced in Visual Art 1, with emphasis placed on advanced drawing skills. Students will use a variety of media, which may include graphite, charcoal, colored pencil and ink.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Visual Art 2/Graphic Design is a continuation of the techniques introduced in Visual Art 1 with emphasis on personal and innovative thought in visual problem solving. Using Adobe software, students will apply the elements and principles of design to create a variety of industry related projects.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Visual Art 2/Painting is a continuation of the techniques introduced in Visual Art 1, with emphasis placed on advanced painting skills and understanding of color theory. Students will use a variety of media, which may include watercolor, acrylic, and pastel.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Visual Art 2/2D-3D Design is a continuation of the techniques introduced in Visual Art 1, with emphasis on a variety of projects, using techniques such as assemblage, papier-mâché, collage, and sculpture.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Studio Art AP: Portfolio is a course designed for highly motivated and self- directed students. In this course students will continue to develop sketchbook practices, studies, and portfolios, and expand their capacity for artistic thinking and art making. Students will engage in the practice of researching, creating, questioning and evaluating practices that will result in the production of original art that is intentional and technically sophisticated, and demonstrates a mastery of art making materials, tools, and approaches.
Through art creation (drawing and painting, mixed media); observation; documentation; and study of historical and contemporary art and artists, students learn to work with artistic themes and concepts. This will lead to an in-depth, sustained investigation culminating in a personal series. The first portion of this course will explore the development of artistic themes, art making tool, materials, as well as past and present techniques used in art making.
During the second semester students will focus on their personal series through sustained investigation. Students will frequently engage in both formal and informal critiques in where they will make critical judgements of their own work and that of their classmates. Students will develop artist statements that express the intent, conceptual framework and material process and practices that are inherent in their work. In the final segment of this course students will present their portfolios and collaborate in the curation of a digital Gallery as well as a pop-up exhibition space.
UC Approved
Prerequisite: VA1 and VA2 and/or approval by AP Studio Art instructor
Visual Art 2/Modern Art is a continuation of Visual Art 1, with emphasis on examination of the trends and movements of the last 100 years. The course examines art, sculpture, photography and architecture. The first half of the course looks at the basic movements of the first fifty years (surrealism, Dadaism, cubism, etc.). The second half of the course examines the emerging styles of the last fifty years (pop, earth art, performance, video, new illusionism, etc.). A specific focus is on the Bay Area art scene.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
Visual Art 2/Western Art is a continuation of Visual Art 1 with emphasis on studying how artistic styles, movements, schools, techniques, and personality influence the development of the humanities. Ranging from prehistory to the present, this course will offer students a solid foundation in the evolution of the humanities, allowing students to make clear connections to the world of art around them today.
UC/CSU approved course
Prerequisite: Visual Art 1
