Art - Mamaroneck Union Free School District

MHS Art Department

Visit the dedicated MHS Art Department website for news, information, and amazing examples of our students' work.

The Art Department promotes that students think and act creatively and intellectually, to express their ideas in visual form, and to understand the history of art and its place in the larger culture. Students are challenged to communicate through images, and engage in visual problem solving in a context that extends beyond the walls of the classroom.

Students work in various media such as drawing, painting, photography, design, ceramics and video. Frequent exhibitions in our Palmer Art Gallery provide students with an authentic learning opportunity, allowing them to share their work with the entire school community.

The Art Department strives to meet the needs of all students: those who are aiming for a career in art -- as well as those who want a well-rounded and creative high school experience. The department believes that good teaching comes from leading by example and embracing its subject. All members of the department not only teach art but are practicing artists as well.

Art Foundation

This course offers a comprehensive foundation experience for all students interested in the visual arts, and serves as the first class for those students interested in continuing with a track of Drawing and Painting or Clay. It provides strong preparation in drawing, painting, and design. Art Foundation may also include printmaking, sculpture, and an introduction to computer graphics.

Drawing and Painting

If students have taken Art Foundation and want to further explore possibilities for making creative images, then this class will allow students to improve their drawing skills, gain a deeper understanding of color, and learn to organize more exciting compositions. Students will create drawings, collages, prints and paintings to communicate personal ideas and their works during class critiques.

Advanced Drawing and Painting

The goal of this course is to prepare students technically and conceptually for further study of art at MHS or in college. Students will focus on improving their skills at drawing and painting from observation. In the process of doing so, they will explore a variety of artistic media in depth. In addition, they will complete assignments that require them to think creatively and work independently. They will also begin to develop their own artistic voices as they undertake both in-class and out- of-class projects. Students will take part in group critiques of their artwork, participate in art history discussions and enjoy other experiences that will help them to learn about art.

AP Studio Art

AP Studio Art provides an exciting opportunity for seniors who are serious about their art to do rigorous college-level work in high school. Students will spend at least six hours per week out of class working on art assignments. They will complete an extensive portfolio in drawing, two-dimensional or three- dimensional design for submission to the College Board in May. Those who receive good scores may earn college credit and/or advanced placement.

Introduction to Clay

Intermediate Clay

In Intermediate clay, students continue to improve their skills and begin to develop their own unique, personal artistic style. Those who are interested in hand-building and sculpture will work on idea-based projects. For inspiration, they will explore how and why other artists and cultures have created sculpture. Those who are interested in the potters’ wheel will challenge themselves by learning advanced throwing techniques such as lidded and stacked forms. Students who want to do both will be able to combine hand-building and wheel-throwing to create works of art. They will also gain an understanding of how to make and test a glaze and fire a kiln.

Advanced Clay

This course is designed for those students who are preparing a portfolio for A.P. Studio Art or for others who want to further their exploration techniques and develop ideas for individualized projects. Students design their own projects under the guidance of the instructor and continue to explore techniques (wheel-throwing) and concepts (sculptural) learned in prior classes with a more in-depth and personal approach.

Photography 1

This course will serve as an introduction into seeing the world in a new way. Through the medium of manual and digital SLR cameras, students will learn the fundamentals of picture taking, image manipulation, and print development. A variety of alternative photography projects will be assigned including cyanotypes and photographic collage. Students will be introduced to the aesthetics and visual elements of photography to create dynamic, visually arresting imagery.

Photography 2

Advanced Photography

AP Photography

This is a portfolio development course for serious photography students that will enable them to build upon the technical and conceptual skills introduced in previous photography courses. Students will develop a range of art/photography concepts and are required to work within a variety of two-dimensional techniques, media and subject matter. This course will provide students with the will focus on working through each project to create portfolio-quality work for college submission an the AP College Board.

Design Studio 1

In this course students will learn the aesthetics involved in communicating a message through effective design. Conceptual problem-solving skills for real-world studio projects will be assigned, including: editorial design, advertising, posters, packaging, and promotional collateral. Focus will be on studying and applying an aesthetic knowledge of artwork, typography, and the elements of design to solve conceptual problems and

of artwork, assigning and collaborating with photographers/ illustrators/ programmers, and developing an understanding of the web and printing process. Using programs such as InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator, this class will be an innovative challenge in creating effective design solutions.

Design Studio 2

This course will be an in-depth exploration in creating graphic solutions for design problems. Conceptual problem-solving skills will be further developed for real- world studio projects such as: advertising, magazines/ books, promotional packaging and web design.

Focus will be on art directing and designing client- related projects with realistic deadlines. Students will collaborate, create artwork, write and conceptualize typography, and incorporate the elements of design to communicate their ideas effectively. Further investigation of design software, such as: In Design, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator will be utilized. Creativity, critical thinking, and wit are ingredients students will apply to every exciting problem-solving project.

AP Design Studio

The goal of this course is for students to create an innovative, modern portfolio that illustrates the ability to stay on-trend, think outside the box and design for the page as well as the screen. Students will develop their own ideas, to develop ideas and how to best communicate them graphically through image creation and typography will be emphasized. Assignments will include book design, packaging, brand identity, posters, magazines, print and digital design forms. This advanced design and typography course will focus on working through each project to create portfolio-quality work for college submission and the AP college board.

Collaboration Design Lab

This course is designed to stimulate an operational design/media firm that allows for individual and collaborative work. This program is tailored for students interested in further developing their professional skills in design and global branding strategies. This course involves a variety of processes including: collaborative group work, think tank brainstorming, research, hands-on labs, and design analysis. Project work is constructed to bridge together multiple disciplines, thereby creating connections between Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Art topics. A main goal of the program is to experience a real- world collaborative setting, interacting and problem-solving with peers and professionals. Through these connections, designers will create new materials of value that are responsive to the needs and wants of a integrate the best in design and design thinking. Students are educated not only in a variety of graphic disciplines, but also in the complex interrelationships of all the visual vocabularies.

Video Production 1

In this foundation course students will explore the different elements of digital video production as they produce various projects throughout the year. Students will learn the process of single-camera production starting with pre-production and ending with non-linear editing using Final Cut Pro, Apple’s professional grade practical assessments and a midterm exam are also requirements of the course. Video Foundation is the prerequisite for all other Video courses.

Video Production 2

This class is designed for students who are serious about raising the caliber of their video production skills and want to create a more sophisticated body of work. Students at this level will study the elements of effective storytelling and explore more conceptual approaches composition and sound design will be explored in more depth. Students will also be introduced to the television studio and working in a multi-camera environment. Students should expect to put in more work outside of class in order to complete more the projects at this level.

Advanced Video Production

Advanced Video is designed for students who wish to pursue single-camera production in a more professional manner and perhaps after high school. Students will propose original self-directed projects and focus on Students will spend a good deal of time outside of class working collaboratively to complete longer and more sophisticated projects. The second semester will focus on work in preparation for a professional reel.

MHS Information

In this course students will learn how to operate the various positions in the television studio and control room in order to design and deliver MHS’s daily news show to the entire school. Students will rotate the various roles in front of and behind the camera. In addition to studio participation, students will also write weekly news stories and produce video segments for each marking period. **Students must apply for this course.