Knowing how to communicate through art is important to every student’s future. The goal of the art program is to prepare students to be competent in visual thinking, learning, and creative communication—a must to be successful in the future, which most certainly will utilize more and more visuals in varied materials to express information and ideas. The interests of all students can be explored and mastered through a wide variety of art courses.

Students learn to develop skills needed to communicate visual ideas in an effective way. Specifically, students have an opportunity to explore and master visual skills through a broad range of sequential courses using a wide variety of traditional materials in drawing, painting, designing, ceramics, sculpture, and in the more modern media of computer graphics.

Through the Art Department, students also learn from the best. Students study the work of critically acclaimed artists in order to use the artists’ proven communicating skills to create their own art, and be capable of creating visual information for assignments/ reports for their academic classes at MMRHS.

Students in every course have the opportunity to submit their art work to local, regional, and national art competitions.

Possible enrichment activities in each course could include presentations by professional artists, videos, slides, live models in drawing and painting classes, and visits to museums, galleries, and art studios.  One credit fulfills the graduation arts requirement.

FOUNDATION ART I                                                                                        Credit: .5

Grades 9-12                                                                                                        Prerequisite: None

One semester course

Foundation Art I teaches any student that he/she can easily learn to draw. Drawing is what all types of artists use to imagine. Through learning to draw, students develop visual thinking, learning, and creative communication skills which they can utilize in reports for academic classes at MMRHS, and later, in a career.

Drawing skills are developed through a study of concepts and techniques using black and white media that includes professional drawing pencils, charcoal, India ink, and crayon. These drawing skills are then utilized in an introduction to basic painting, 2D, and 3D in Foundation Art II, the second half of the total course.

Students also become familiar with art styles, history, criticism, and develop personal artistic judgment as part of the process of learning to be creative.

This course is the prerequisite for Foundation Art II. Together these courses provide the foundation for other art courses offered at MMRHS.

Foundation I and II are offered in both the fall and spring semesters.

FOUNDATION ART II                                                                       Credit: .5

Grades 9-12                                                                                        Prerequisite: Foundation Art I

Drawing skills mastered in Foundation Art I are utilized in Foundation Art II through color when learning basic painting, 2D and 3D design concepts and techniques . A variety of art materials and techniques are explored.

Students continue to become familiar with art styles, history, criticism, and develop personal artistic judgment in the process of becoming more creative. Creative communicating skills can be utilized to enhance academic reports/assignments at MMRHS.

Foundation Art II and I prepare students for other art courses offered at MMRHS.

DRAWING                                                                                           Credit: .5

Grades 10-12                                                                                     Prerequisite: Foundation Art I and II

In this course, students will expand on drawing techniques acquired in FAI and FAII and will focus on pure drawing methods in all forms of media. Classic drawing techniques and methods of the Masters will be explored, with an emphasis on drawing from life. The first steps in drawing techniques will be on training the human eye to truly ‘see’ the subject being drawn . Emphasis will be on obtaining realism of the human form, gesture and action drawings, landscapes, technical and perspective drawings, still-life and contour drawing, and line techniques. Students will work in pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, conte, oil sticks and pastels. Students will also maintain a sketchbook along with weekly drawing exercises.

ADVANCED ART                                                                               Credit: .5 or 1

Grades 10-12                                                                                     Prerequisite: Foundation Art I and II

In Advanced Art, students raise established basic art skills to a higher level through creative thinking and problem solving. An in-depth study of techniques and concepts is made in drawing and painting. In addition, students are exposed to 3-D design. There is an emphasis on technique, craftsmanship, and presentation of work in learning the process of making art. Through the process, a creative personal style emerges.

There is further study of art styles, history, and criticism as a source of inspiration, and to develop artistic judgment.

Advanced Art students are invited to attend professional level workshops in addition to experiencing enrichment activities mentioned in the introduction to art courses.

An introduction to art career opportunities is also presented.

STUDIO ART                       Credit: .5 or 1

Grades 10-12                     Prerequisite: Advanced Art or approval of the Art Department

This course is designed to allow art students the opportunity to concentrate on long term projects with a focus of interest developed by the student. Through the process of making art, creative thinking is stressed based on the art concepts and techniques developed in previous art courses. Besides making personal art, mastered creative communicating skills can be utilized to enhance academic reports/assignments at MMRHS.

This course provides students the opportunity to use a variety of media based on their personal style and interests. Craftsmanship and presentation of work is also stressed.

According to personal preference, students study art styles, history and criticism to further develop their aesthetic and a solid portfolio of work to present along with an application to an art or academic college or university, or an employer.

Professional level workshops and internships are made available to Studio Art students along with enrichment activities mentioned in the introduction to art courses.

SCULPTURE/3D DESIGN I                                                              Credit: .5

Grades 10-12                                                                                     Prerequisite: Foundation Art I and II

In this course students design, imagine, solve, experience, and produce through their hands. Students first learn how to create sculptural objects based on the basic art concepts learned in Foundation I and II. Then students additionally learn three dimensional concepts and the techniques to control materials such as paper, wire, straws, thread, plaster, wood, and other materials in the 3D form.

This course teaches students to make different materials suit various needs in a variety of projects.  For inspiration, students study sculptors from ancient to modern times.

CERAMICS  I                                                                                       Credit: .5

Grades 10-12                                                                                     Prerequisite:  Foundation Art I and II

In this course students learn to appreciate the process of building, coloring, and firing clay based on concepts learned in Foundation Art I and II. Students learn hand building techniques using the methods of coil/additive, molds, slab, and pinching in creating practical and sculptural pieces. A focus is made on the technical processes of glazing and firing clay.

CERAMICS II                                                                                       Credit: .5

Grades 10-12                                                                                     Prerequisite:  Ceramics I

Ceramics II allows time for the dedicated ceramist to further develop and refine the skills begun in Ceramics I. Students continue to utilize slab, coil, and reductive process while also incorporating new techniques such as slip molds, stackable structures, and larger mosaics. Alternative styles of coloring ceramics are also explored such as oxide stains and slip glazes.

The creative process is emphasized and stretched as the student risks failure to find success. Students are invited to explore the unlimited possibilities of ceramics.

DESIGN COMPUTER GRAPHICS                                                Credit: .5

Grade 10-12                                                                                       Prerequisite:  Foundation Art I and II

This course focuses on the role of design in visual communication and the use of the computer as a design tool. We begin with a comprehensive study of design elements and principles as a basic means of organizing two-dimensional space. We also look at how the world of advertising uses the elements and principles to communicate and persuade its audience. Using Adobe Creative Suite we learn the basics of both vector and raster based images. We spend most of our time with Illustrator and Photoshop. One project will use InDesign a page layout program.

In addition, the class often works with local businesses and organizations, to produce promotional materials to support the mission of the business or organization.

PORTFOLIO                                         Credit: .5

Grades 11-12                                     Prerequisite: Studio Art, or approval by the Art Department

Portfolio is a course for Architecture, Fine Art and Photography students that are interested in creating a significant body of artwork. Students will choose their own ideas, define the parameters, necessary medium and techniques to effectively communicate what it is that they are expressing. Emphasis will be put on evolution and development of ideas and creative problem solving within their own defined parameters.

The course is designed to start in the spring semester of your junior year and continue through the fall semester of your senior year so that portfolios are ready for college applications. Summer work will be expected. Art teacher permission is required.