Visual Arts
- Overview
- Guiding Document
- Kindergarten & Grade 1
- Grade 2 & 3
- Grade 4 & 5
- Grade 6
- Grade 7
- Grade 8
- High School
Overview
ART PHILOSOPHY
“Art is not a thing, it is a way.”
-Elbert Hubbard
Art is essential. The Art Department in Madison encourages and cultivates a unique sense of creativity in each and every student. Offering a wide variety of curricular pathways and experiences, each student can access their desired materials and methods while also developing a breadth of creative and technical skills from the traditional to the digital and commercial. We seek to create confident and curious minds prepared to craft the future of their dreams with passionate, fearless originality
DELIVERY METHOD / VALUES
Our growth-based approach ensures that each student is met at their skill level and receives personalized and specific feedback to help them develop as artists. We encourage risk taking in a safe environment. Students are exposed to a wide range of artistic methods and materials so that every student can personalize their success in the arts.
With an emphasis on process, investigation, and reflection along with the elements and principles of design, we seek to endow every student with the tools to pursue, apply, and appreciate excellence in the visual arts as an integral part of their personal and professional journey. The creative thinking developed in the arts: holistic problem solving, empathy, pattern reading, and visualization of complex ideas, coupled with those formed in core educational curriculum, is what will prepare our students to meet the emerging challenges of the future.
PK-12 Stage One: Visual Arts PK-12 Long-term Transfer Goal(s)
Long-term aims of the PK-12 program: An overall end result of a student’s education in Madison.
Students will be able to independently use their learning to:
- Create works of art to personally engage in the artistic process and/or communicate meaning
- Develop and refine techniques and skills through purposeful practice and application to become more fluent
- Make appropriate choices as a responsible, respectful participant within a communal artistic experience
- Capture the feeling or emotional response which an artistic piece elicits Engage in critique to inform next steps or deepen examination of an artistic work Examine a topic or genre to better understand a piece of art or artist in relation to time and place
Guiding Document
Kindergarten & Grade 1
Kindergarten & Grade 1 Visual Arts
Unit 1A We Imagine, We Create
In first grade, artists will be gaining control of their drawing and painting tools in order to engage in exploration and imaginative play with materials. They will apply these skills to collaboratively create a work of art from a provided "mystery line" or Beautiful Oops. They will learn by safely and properly exploring uses of materials and tools to create works of art to manipulate line for different purposes.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Collective Intelligence, Product Creation
Unit 1B Let's Learn about Line
In this introductory unit, students will begin to understand the 7 basic elements (or ingredients) of art beginning with line. They will apply acquired skills to compose an abstract painting. Students will learn by studying Wassily Kandinsky's abstract paintings, how to use a variety of lines to express movement, feeling, or to tell a story.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation
Unit 2A Go Figure
In this unit, students will use art vocabulary to describe choices while observing and creating art. They will apply drawing skills to drawing human and other figures. They will learn by comparing images of human figures in art throughout time as they create a drawing of themselves in an imagined preferred activity.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Unit 2B Using Shapes to Create
In this unit, students will build upon their understanding of the elements to further explore how lines create shapes and the creation of color. They will apply drawing, painting, and cutting skills to compose a collage. Students will learn through the work of masters such as Piet Mondrian, Henri Matisse, and Paul Klee to explore how lines are used to create shapes. They will experiment with primary color mixing to discover what and how secondary colors are created.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Unit 3A Animals in Art
In this unit, students will use observation and investigation in preparation for making a work of art. They will apply drawing, painting, and sculpting skills to design a clay animal with texture. Students will learn by analyzing the work of master artists while creating their work.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Unit 3B From Shape to Form
In unit 3, students will begin to take their knowledge of two-dimensional art and begin to explore form, texture, and value within three-dimensional art forms. They will apply learned skills to design a sculpture. Students will learn through an exploration of professional artists, as well as using natural and found objects to create different types of sculptures.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Unit 4A Creating a Sense of Space
During the course of this unit, students will understand how to utilize space and create the illusion of space through the use of light/shadow, size and placement of shapes. They will apply these skills to create a still life. Students will analyze a variety of still life and landscape paintings in a museum-like setting, such as works by Grant Wood and Grandma Moses, and begin learning a formal critique process.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Analyzing, Design
Unit 4B Making My Mark
For the final unit, students will experience the last two elements of art: space and value. They will apply their understanding of media, processes, and techniques to design a portfolio cover that demonstrates their understanding of the elements of art. They will learn printmaking processes to create artwork (inspired by masters) while using a variety of media to create a composition that fills the space given.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Grade 2 & 3
Visual Arts Grade 2 & 3
Unit 1A The Artist in Me
In this introductory unit, students will review drawing materials, tools, and equipment available to them for art making and will demonstrate
an understanding of how to use and care for them. Students will apply drawing skills to create a portrait, participate in a critique, and write an artist statement. They will learn through the study of various artists how to incorporate a sense of space through the use of easily definable shapes and objects in drawings.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation
Unit 1B Express Yourself
In this unit, students will begin their art journey by utilizing the world of expressionism as a springboard for their own creativity and will come to understand the principles of design, or "recipes" to consider when creating successful artwork. They will apply their drawing and painting skills to create an expressive line design. Students will learn by engaging with abstract expressive artworks such as Pollock, Munch, and VanGogh to spark their own ideas, experimenting with materials and tools to explore personal interests.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Unit 2A Animals & Biome Landscapes
In this unit, second and third graders will learn observational drawing techniques to create perspective and value as this is the time that they are entering the dawning realism stage of artistic development. Students will apply these skills toward the drawing of an animal in its environment (in conjunction with third grade scientific study of biomes). They will learn by analyzing and practicing with various drawing styles.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Unit 2B Textile Design
In this unit, second and third grade artists will be comparing and contrasting cultural uses of textile art from different times and places. They will develop an appreciation for art around the world by analyzing how sharing it contributes to communities. They will apply their skills with such materials as scissors, glue, and paint in creating their art, and they will further show an appreciation for art by demonstrating safe procedures for using and cleaning art tools and equipment.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Analyzing, Product Creation
Unit 3A Clay Creations
Second and third graders will explore uses of clay beyond the pinch pot. They will apply slab and/or coil skills to create a unique vessel, adding details such as symbols and textures to make their piece meaningful. They will learn by analyzing various clay forms, refining clay skills to design a stamp, and developing a plan starting with a sketch.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Unit 3B Fun Forms
In this unit, students will gain skills with clay sculpting techniques. They will apply their skills at using the pinch method in order to create a functional vessel. Students will learn through peer discussions, brainstorming ideas, and reflection about the choices made in creating art.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Unit 4A Weaving Learning Together
Second and third graders will apply weaving techniques to create an original textile for the PBA. They will learn by gaining skills in weaving recognizing the significance of weaving throughout time.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Decision Making
Unit 4B There's No Place Like Art
In their final unit as second and third grade artists, students will learn about spaces for art display and will engage in architectural drawing/ painting/printing. They will apply their analyzing skills to evaluate all the work they have completed throughout the year in order to select and prepare a piece to share for the school art show.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Grade 4 & 5
Visual Arts Grade 4 & 5
Unit 1A Formal Drawing Techniques
In the first unit, students will learn about drawing tools, such as the range of drawing pencils along with basic drawing techniques such as the simple shapes technique of drawing. They will use those skills to render an image of a purposefully chosen subject. Students will learn by working step by step through the drawing process while receiving regular feedback along the way.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Unit 1B Observational Still Life
In this unit, students will learn about still life artwork. They will apply their knowledge by creating their own still life. Students will learn by practicing direct observation techniques, becoming familiar with the chosen medium, oil pastel, and refining their work based on feedback.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Analyzing, Design
Unit 2A Color Schemes & Patterns
In this unit, students will continue their experiences with color theory and how to develop a color scheme that works to convey personal choices as well as cultural connections. They will apply their knowledge to create a scheme which reflects both understanding of a viewed artwork/artform (i.e. Oaxacan Alebrijes, molas) as well as personal creative preferences of the artist. Students will experiment with a variety of color combinations and media in order to create a series of colorful reduction prints.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Idea Generation, Design
Unit 2B Mixed Media Clay
In this unit, students will create a mixed-media project combining ceramic design and fiber arts. They will combine their knowledge of the use of clay and glaze as well as weaving to create a cohesive and structurally sound mixed-media work with a strong sense of purposeful design and media unity. Students will learn by generating annotated sketches of their ideas, including clay design, possible glaze choices, and weaving preferences.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation, Decision Making
Unit 3A Sculpting from Inspiration
In this unit, students will learn how to build a papier mache sculpture from armature through the finished, painted product. They will apply their skills to making their Oxacan animals come to life based on their previous drawings and color scheme. Students will learn by experimenting with papier mache technique, and will paint and embellish their finished product.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Unit 3B Curating and Designing
Students will participate in collaborative decision-making tasks for showcasing completed artwork. This is a mini-unit to be taught in conjunction with preparation for the art show or related celebration of completed works.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Collective Intelligence, Self-Awareness
Grade 6
Visual Arts Grade 6
Animal Drawing
This unit invites students to explore the intersection of artistic technique and personal growth. By studying professional and peer artwork, students develop the foundational skills of observation, composition, and realistic rendering using a variety of drawing pencils and shading techniques. Beyond the canvas, this unit is grounded in the Profile of a Graduate (POG) competencies, specifically focusing on Self-Direction through the lenses of Self-Awareness and Decision Making. In the context of their artwork, students reflect on their strengths and areas for growth. As they move from practice sketches to the final product they must assess their own technical progress particularly in how they manage their time and stay motivated through the detailed shading process. Artistic creation is a series of informed choices. Students practice making informed decisions based on evidence by selecting reference photos that inspire them and determining the most effective composition for their background. They take responsibility for their learning by developing action plans to move their rough sketch into a final original product.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Self-Awareness, Decision Making
Clay Animal Sculptures
This unit introduces students to the tactile world of clay sculpture, where they will transform raw material into three-dimensional animal forms. Students will learn the foundational hand-building techniques: slab, pinch, and coil construction, while gaining an understanding of the technical requirements for working with clay, such as the critical "slip and score" method for attaching pieces and the importance of hollowing out larger forms to ensure a successful firing in the kiln. This unit is anchored in the Profile of a Graduate (POG) competencies of Design and Product Creation. Design is about more than just aesthetics; it is about intentionality. Students must visualize their animal forms and translate those mental images into stable, physical structures. They learn to make deliberate choices about which building method (slab, coil, or pinch) best supports their desired final product. Creating a ceramic sculpture requires perseverance and an understanding of the material's limitations. Students demonstrate mastery of product creation by iterating on their designs, managing the drying and firing stages, and applying surface finishes with precision.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation, Design
3-Dimensional Mixed Media Sculpture
This unit invites students to step into the role of a book artist, exploring how a book can be more than just a container for text, it can be a sculptural, mixed-media object. By analyzing the intricate works of artists like Lynda Wilson and Susie Leiper, students will discover the delicate balance between form and function. This unit is specifically designed to help students grow in the Profile of a Graduate (POG) competencies of Self-Awareness and Product Creation. Artistic growth begins with knowing yourself as a learner. In this unit, students use their sketchbooks to reflect on their own creative process. They are encouraged to identify what inspires them, acknowledge where they struggle, and seek feedback from peers to overcome creative blocks. Bookmaking is a structural challenge that requires a commitment to quality. Students move from initial sketches to a refined final product. By learning binding techniques, they gain the ability to create authentic, high-quality physical objects that communicate their personal creative vision.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation, Self-Awareness
Grade 7
Visual Arts Grade 7
Surrealist Drawing
In this unit, students step into the dreamlike world of Surrealism, where the boundaries of reality are challenged through art. By studying the works of masters who used symbolism, juxtaposition, and altered scale to explore the unconscious mind, students will learn to translate abstract thoughts into visual narratives. This project is anchored in the Profile of a Graduate (POG) competencies of Design and Self-Awareness, challenging students to not only master technical skills but to deeply consider the personal meaning behind their creative choices. Surrealism is an exercise in intentional design. Students must act as architects of their own reality, planning how to incorporate techniques like juxtaposition and levitation to serve their artistic vision. By moving from a rough sketch to a final drawing, they learn to utilize the design process to solve complex visual problems. As students select symbols and themes to represent their unconscious thoughts they are asked to reflect on their own perspectives and inspiration. This process encourages students to recognize their unique artistic voice and evaluate their strengths and areas for growth as they navigate the complexities of their final drawing.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Papermaking
In this unit, students embark on a journey that blends the science of color theory with the tactile craft of handmade papermaking. By moving from the fundamental principles of the color wheel to the physical creation of their own paper pulp, students explore how raw materials can be transformed into expressive, textured compositions. This unit is anchored in two core Profile of a Graduate (POG) competencies: Design and Self-Awareness. Students learn to intentionally control their materials to achieve specific visual effects, while simultaneously reflecting on their growth as creators. Design is the bridge between an idea and a finished product. Throughout this unit, students must plan their projects through sketches before touching the clay or paper. They learn to use a design process: identifying a goal, planning the steps, and executing with intention, to ensure their final collage is a cohesive, high-quality work of art. Creating art allows students to understand their own creative voice. By using their sketchbooks to reflect on their learning, students evaluate their own progress, identify the techniques that resonate with them, and recognize their strengths and areas for growth. This reflective practice helps them understand how their unique perspective informs their artistic choices.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Character Invention
In this dynamic unit, students transition from viewers to creators as they explore the world of stop-motion animation and character design. Drawing inspiration from the distinct, moody style of filmmakers like Tim Burton, students will learn how to invent a character that doesn't just look interesting, but tells a story. By synthesizing narrative writing with three-dimensional sculpting, students engage in a rigorous creative process that mirrors professional animation studios. This unit is heavily focused on the Profile of a Graduate (POG) competencies of Design and Self-Awareness, pushing students to think critically about how every visual choice impacts the viewer's experience. Character creation is a complex problem-solving task. Students must utilize a structured design process: starting with a goal (a specific character mood), developing a plan (sketching and storyboarding), and executing that plan through physical construction. They must constantly check that their 3D sculpture aligns with their original narrative goals. Throughout the project, students engage in constant self-reflection. They develop a deeper awareness of their own artistic voice. They learn to identify their technical strengths, whether in sculpting, painting, or writing, and make adjustments to their work based on teacher feedback and personal reflection.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design; Self-Awareness
Grade 8
Visual Arts Grade 8
Art Form Focused on Pop Art
In this dynamic unit, students step into the vibrant and often humorous world of Pop Art, transforming from observers of culture into active creators. Our young artists will explore how everyday objects can be reimagined as meaningful works of art, transitioning their visions from 2D sketches into bold 3D sculptures. Before picking up a paintbrush or sculpting tool, students dive deep into the Idea Generation phase where students will study existing cultural icons and models to generate multiple concepts, learning how to solve creative problems by looking at the world through a Pop Art lens. Turning this concept into a tangible sculpture requires high-level Product Creation skills where students will learn to present their artistic ideas effectively, ensuring their Pop Art message resonates with a diverse audience.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Idea Generation, Product Creation
Clay Vessel
In this unit students transition from admirers of art to skilled ceramicists. By exploring the works of artists like Jim Kraft and Louise Goodman, students investigate the delicate balance between form (how it looks) and function (how it is used). This journey takes them from conceptual sketches and cardboard templates to a final, glazed coil vessel. To ensure our students are growing as holistic learners, this unit is anchored in two of the Profile of a Graduate (POG) capacities. Design, where before even touching clay students engage in the design process where they learn that professional art is built on a foundation of intentionality and planning, and Self Awareness where they will monitor their own progress and learn from the process.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Linear One-Point Perspective Drawing
In this unit, students move beyond the flat surface of the paper to become masters of three-dimensional space. By learning the mathematical and artistic rules of linear perspective, students will transform simple shapes into complex architectural forms that appear to recede into the distance. Creating a realistic world on a two-dimensional page requires a strategic, step-by-step design process. Students will move from basic practice to a sophisticated final PBA. Perspective drawing is a rigorous discipline where one wrong line can change the entire composition. This makes it the perfect environment for developing Self-Awareness. Through teacher demonstrations and individual coaching, students learn to identify technical errors and make immediate adjustments. This fosters a growth mindset, where mistakes are viewed as essential data points for improvement.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
High School
High School Visual Arts
- Animation I
- Animation II
- Ceramics
- Commercial Photography
- Drawing I
- Drawing II
- Painting Studio
- Photography: Darkroom to Digital
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Movie Making
Animation I
Fundamentals of Animation
In this unit students embark on a journey from static sketches to moving stories. By exploring the history of animation and navigating modern digital tools, students learn how to bridge the gap between what they imagine and what they can bring to life on screen. Students will learn through a continuous cycle of planning, collaboration, and reflection while becoming proficient at the essential mechanics of movement within the software application. A central goal of this unit is to develop the Design capacity within our Creative Thinking framework.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Story Development
In this unit students transition from technical exercises to the art of narrative. They will develop an original animated short story from concept to final cut, learning how to evoke empathy in an audience through visual storytelling, perspective, and sound. Throughout this project, students use their sketchbooks to map out storyboards, exploring a classic narrative structure: Character → Wish → Conflict → Struggle → Resolution. They then bring these sketches into the animation software, where they become proficient at creating backgrounds and utilize staging and timing. This unit is specifically designed to meet our Design and Product Creation standards. Students are challenged to go beyond simple drawing and instead engage in a professional creative workflow.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Animation for Social, Political, or Environmental Change
In this unit, students move beyond technical exercises to explore the power of animation as a tool for social change. They are tasked with developing an original animated story that addresses a political, social, or environmental issue they are passionate about. By blending rigorous research with creative storytelling, students learn how to use digital media to inform an audience and advocate for a better world. This unit serves as a cornerstone for developing two critical Profile of a Graduate capacities: Citizenship and Product Creation. Animation is a universal language, and in this unit, students step into their roles as global citizens. Students don’t just make a video, they manage a complex, professional-grade production cycle.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation, Citizenship
Animation II
Unique Character Creation
In this unit, students step into the role of professional character designers. They will move from initial pencil sketches in their personal sketchbooks to a fully realized, animated digital character. This project challenges students to bridge the gap between imagination and technical execution, ensuring that their character is not only visually compelling but also moves and speaks in a way that reveals their unique backstory. This unit is designed to foster growth in two critical Profile of a Graduate areas: Product Creation and Citizenship. Students are not just creating art; they are learning to manage their own creative process and take ownership of their development.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation, Citizenship
Music Video Inspiration
In this unit, students embark on an immersive creative project: animating a complete visual sequence set to a musical selection of their choice. By synthesizing sound, rhythm, and motion, students transform abstract auditory experiences into coherent, expressive visual stories. This unit moves beyond simple mechanics, challenging students to use the "12 Principles of Animation" such as squash and stretch, timing, and staging to render professional-grade work. Beyond the artwork this unit utilizes our Profile of a Graduate in the areas of Product Creation and Citizenship. Students move past following instructions to originate their own unique concepts, studying existing models to think outside the box and synthesize new visual possibilities. They will also engage in a professional design cycle, moving from storyboarding and beat-matching to iterative refinement through class critiques.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation, Citizenship
Collaboration Animation Team Story
In this unit, students transition from solo animators to members of a creative production team. The challenge is to work together to pitch, plan, and produce a cohesive animated story. By integrating previous experience with character development and music synchronization, students learn how to merge individual artistic voices into one unified vision. The central goal of this unit is to find a consistent visual element, drawing style, or background that ties every student’s unique animation sequence together into a seamless professional short film. This unit is designed to push students towards proficiency in the Profile of a Graduate capacities: Collective Intelligence and Product Creation. Animation is an industry built on teamwork. In this unit, students go beyond working alongside one another; they work through one another. Students are also going to be challenged to produce a high-quality digital product that meets professional standards.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Collective Intelligence, Product Creation
Ceramics
Skills and Techniques
This studio-intensive course is designed to take students on a journey from raw material to finished art, fostering both technical mastery and personal growth. Throughout this trimester, students will engage deeply with the material properties of clay and the strategic demands of ceramic production. To ensure success our curriculum is intentionally structured around two core Profile of a Graduate (POG) competencies: Design and Self-Awareness. Students will move beyond simple creation by developing strategic plans for their work. Whether it is calculating shrinkage rates, selecting the correct wedging method, or planning the structural integrity of a complex, multi-component piece, students will learn to examine the impact of each step on their finished product. We emphasize the importance of iterative refinement—taking feedback from peers and self-reflection to purposefully improve a piece before it reaches the kiln. Ceramic work requires immense patience and the ability to pivot. Students will practice reflection by identifying their personal strengths and areas for growth. They will be tasked with managing their time, prioritizing multi-stage projects, and taking full responsibility for their learning outcomes. As they encounter the unpredictable nature of clay, they will practice making informed decisions based on evidence, considering potential consequences for their final work.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Commercial Photography
Introduction to Commercial Photography/Portraiture
This intensive unit provides the essential technical and practical expertise required for high-level commercial photography, bridging the gap between simply taking a photo and intentionally creating art. As a STEM-credited course, the curriculum integrates the technical precision of optics and digital processing with the principles of the creative design process. Students will gain photographic fluency across the entire image-capturing process, from phone photography fundamentals and advanced DSLR operation to achieving high-quality results through studio lighting and industry-standard post-production in Photoshop and Lightroom. Students will also explore how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence are influencing the field of photography from concept development to post-production, while learning to navigate these tools in an ethical and responsible manner. Success will be measured not only by final images but by growth in the Profile of a Graduate (POG) capacities. Specifically, students will engage in Design through strategic planning by developing concepts via mood boards and analyzing the physics of lighting and posing before the shutter is released. Furthermore, students will cultivate Self-Awareness by mastering the Creative Cycle, utilizing peer feedback and technical reflection to refine work from a rough capture into a professional-grade final image.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Food/Product Photography
In this unit, students transition from casual photographers to commercial creators by exploring the art and science behind professional food and drink advertising. This hands-on experience covers the entire industry workflow—from the initial mood board concept to the final polished advertisement. Students will master high-end equipment including strobe lighting and different camera lenses to capture the perfect “hero shot” of different food items. Students will learn different tricks of the trade when stylizing food. Students will use tools such as Adobe to practice advanced retouching, color grading, and the integration of typography and other graphic design elements to create professional ad layouts. By the end of the term, students will have developed a commercial campaign demonstrating the technical precision and creative strategy required in the modern marketing world. Throughout the trimester, success will be measured not only by final images but by growth in the Profile of a Graduate (POG) capacities. Specifically, students will engage in Design through strategic planning by developing concepts via mood boards and analyzing the physics of lighting and posing before the shutter is released. Furthermore, students will cultivate Self-Awareness by mastering the Creative Cycle, utilizing peer feedback and technical reflection to refine work from a rough capture into a professional-grade final image. Students will also continue to explore how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence are influencing the field of photography from concept development to post-production, while learning to navigate these tools in an ethical and responsible manner.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Drawing I
Drawing Dynamics
Students will become skilled in the fundamentals of observational drawing by engaging in a series of dynamic exercises aimed at developing perceptual accuracy. Students will apply techniques in spatial relationships, gesture drawing, and proportion to capture their subjects with precision. By tying the observational drawing practice directly to Self-Awareness, students transform the studio into a laboratory for personal growth. Rather than just reproducing an image, students will use the drawing process to identify their own cognitive biases and refine the approach through active reflection.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Self-Awareness
You Can Draw!
In this unit, students will move beyond basic observational skills to master the art of compositional design. Students will learn to render complex values and organize multiple objects into a cohesive, fully realized still life. This drawing unit is also a design project that requires students to orchestrate balance, focal points, and narrative space. By treating the still life as a curated experience, students will actively exercise the Design capacity outlined in the Profile of a Graduate. Mastering the design phase requires more than artistic talent; it demands strategic and reflective thinking, as students move intentionally from initial concept to a polished final product. Students will learn to weigh the impact of every aesthetic choice, ensuring that their final drawing reflects purposeful planning rather than trial and error.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Portraiture
In this unit, students will move beyond simple surface-level representation to explore the structural integrity of the human face. Students will master frontal portrait proportions, the technical rendering of facial features, and the precise application of the Renaissance grid technique, learning to bridge the gap between three-dimensional reality and two-dimensional form. This unit of study serves as a practical application of the Profile of a Graduate, where technical mastery and personal growth are intentionally intertwined.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Self-Awareness
Color Dynamics
In this unit, students will move beyond basic color mixing to proficiently apply color theory. Rather than simply using paint to fill space, students will learn to manipulate hues, tints, shades, and tones to influence mood, create focal points, and balance complex visual relationships. This work emphasizes intentionality, where every color choice serves a specific compositional goal. To successfully navigate this unit and prepare for the post-assessment, students will view color through the lens of the Design capacity. Students are tasked with creating a composition in which the color palette serves as the primary tool for communication.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Drawing II
Drawing Dynamics Revisited - Still LIfe
Students will engage in a series of short-term activities designed to solidify foundational drawing competencies, including gesture, sighting, measuring, and charcoal manipulation. These exercises culminate in a comprehensive still life study in which students translate three-dimensional objects onto a two-dimensional surface with heightened accuracy. To excel in this unit, students must act as the primary evaluators of their own progress. There is an emphasis on Self-Awareness, requiring students to critically examine their performance during each session, identify specific technical challenges such as proportional distortion or value gaps, and actively implement strategies to improve. Students will document their process of revision, providing evidence of how they recognized errors and the specific adjustments made to improve the integrity of their drawings.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Self-Awareness
Rendering in Color
In this unit, students will develop functional mastery of one- and two-point perspective, learning how to construct convincing interior and exterior architectural spaces. Students will then integrate a human figure into these environments, ensuring that scale and placement adhere to the logic of established vanishing points. The focus on the Product Creation capacity requires students to move beyond simple drafting and engage in a formal process to refine composition for an intended purpose, creating a sense of immersion for the viewer. Students will plan spatial layouts, iterate on figure placement, and purposefully refine environments based on the narrative needs of the piece. Success will be measured by how clearly the final drawing communicates a coherent, believable world.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation
Expressive, 3/4 View Portrait
This unit focuses on the mastery of techniques to create a large-scale, expressive portrait from a three-quarters perspective. Students will explore how to manipulate value by pulling highlights from a toned surface and pushing darks to establish a full range of depth and form. Beyond technical proportional accuracy, the project emphasizes capturing the unique mood of the subject through energetic mark-making and intentional composition. The final work culminates in a refined portrait that utilizes both charcoal and eraser to render a lifelike, evocative representation that fills the page.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Self-Awareness
Perspective
In this unit, students will transform a flat surface into a convincing three-dimensional world by mastering the technical laws of one- and two-point perspective. Students will act as visual architects, constructing deep space through the precise use of vanishing points, orthogonal lines, and parallel verticals. By integrating a proportionally accurate human figure, students will establish a realistic sense of scale and bring a narrative element to interior or exterior environments. Through the strategic application of light and shadow, students will use value to reinforce depth and guide the viewer into the scene. The unit culminates in a fully rendered composition that demonstrates students’ ability to bridge mathematical precision with artistic expression.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Painting Studio
Monochromatic Master Copy
Welcome to the studio! In this unit, students will master the fundamentals of monochromatic paint mixing, learning to manipulate value and contrast without the distraction of hue. Students will apply these skills by creating an observational study of a classic Impressionist or Post-Impressionist landscape. Students will progress through the full creative cycle, from initial thumbnail sketches to define major masses, to the precise transfer of those forms onto a final canvas. This work functions as an exercise in Design. To succeed in the post-assessment, students must demonstrate how they studied master works to generate their own compositional plan. Students are not simply copying; they are designing an approach. They must be able to articulate how they planned their main masses and how those strategic choices, made before paint touched the canvas, directly impacted the depth and balance of the final painting.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Painting a Portrait
Students will develop a working knowledge of the fundamentals of portrait painting, exploring how to capture the human form through color and light. Students will learn to compose and transfer their image directly to canvas, tone the surface, and block in primary forms and values. The unit culminates in the deliberate layering of paint, where students will manage a limited palette to synthesize color, value, and temperature. This unit serves as a core application of Self-Awareness. Students are expected to act as lead evaluators of their own progress, identifying personal tendencies such as approaches to mixing skin tones or challenges with value transitions and taking responsibility for growth by experimenting, reflecting, and adjusting technique based on critical analysis of their work.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Self-Awareness
Landscape
Students will capture the beauty of the natural world by translating a photograph of a favorite or dream location into a dynamic painting. Students will explore landscape fundamentals, including spatial recession, atmospheric perspective, and light quality. Through guided practice and direct demonstration, students will transform a two-dimensional reference into an evocative, three-dimensional space on canvas. This project challenges students to use Design to solve the problem of spatial translation. Students are required to engage in a process to refine composition for an intended emotional purpose. Students will document preparatory work specifically how they selected and cropped their reference image to demonstrate that the final painting results from a purposeful plan rather than a direct, unedited replication of the source photo.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Photography: Darkroom to Digital
Darkroom
In this unit, students undergo a transformative journey from passive observers to intentional creators of photographic art. This curriculum bridges historical foundations with modern professional practices, guiding students from casual digital snapshots to the high-quality execution of 35mm film compositions. By blending technical mastery of darkroom chemistry with the nuances of portrait lighting, students develop a sophisticated visual vocabulary rooted in the capacity: Design. Students are challenged to develop strategic plans that allow them to examine the impact of every step toward a finished product, purposefully refining their work through both external feedback and rigorous personal reflection. Central to this artistic growth is the cultivation of another capacity: Self-Awareness. Beyond technical skill, students must learn to reflect on their individual strengths and areas for growth, making real-time adjustments to their creative process. This unit requires students to effectively manage their time and maintain the internal motivation necessary to transition from technical learners to self-directed artists capable of communicating complex narratives through a single frame.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Digital Photo
This five-week instructional unit serves as a rigorous transition where students evolve from casual hobbyists into intentional photographic artists by mastering key Profile of a Graduate competencies. Structured as a progressive scaffold, the curriculum moves from the mechanics of the Exposure Triangle to high-level multimedia synthesis, requiring students to demonstrate Design by developing strategic plans that examine the impact of technical choices on finished products while purposefully refining work based on feedback and reflection. As students navigate diverse environments from controlled studios to unpredictable ecosystems and fast-paced photojournalism, they must also exhibit Self-Awareness by reflecting on technical strengths, managing time effectively across varied tasks, and staying motivated to achieve professional outcomes. Ultimately, students prove they can maintain technical correctness while prioritizing creative vision and professional ethics, using experiences to provide specific evidence of growth in these capacities. Students will also continue to explore how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence are influencing the field of photography from concept development to post-production, while learning to navigate these tools in an ethical and responsible manner.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Printmaking
Intaglio Idiom
In this unit, students will be introduced to intaglio, a printmaking method that shares the same rhythmic, tactile qualities as drawing. Students will select an idiom or piece of figurative language to serve as the conceptual anchor for their work. By etching their interpretation into a plate, students will translate abstract language into a precise visual narrative, culminating in an original artist statement that clarifies interpretive choices. This work is a direct exercise in Design. To succeed in the post-assessment, students must demonstrate how they engaged in a process to refine their product for an intended audience by designing a visual translation. Students must be able to articulate how initial sketches evolved through the etching process and how final compositional choices driven by the selected idiom effectively communicate intended meaning to the viewer.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design
Animal Poems Block Printing
Students will embark on an in-depth exploration of relief printmaking, a traditional and impactful medium that emphasizes the contrast between positive and negative space. Students will identify and analyze a poem featuring an animal subject, then develop imagery that captures the themes and emotional weight of the text. The unit concludes with a series of four prints: two twin prints that demonstrate technical consistency and two experimental approaches that push the boundaries of inking. This unit serves as a core application of Analyzing. Students are required to evaluate evidence, specifically the imagery and language within the chosen poem, to identify underlying patterns and themes. Success depends on students’ ability to make logical inferences between the poem’s text and their final visual block print. Students will document how their analysis of the poem’s structure directly informed the design of their animal imagery, showing the clear relationship between research and finished product.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Analyzing
Monotype Portrait
Students will explore the possibilities of the Monotype, a form of printmaking that results in a single, unique image which cannot be exactly replicated. After selecting and analyzing a character from literature, students will develop an experimental monotype portrait based on specific character descriptions and traits.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation
Sculpture
Recreating a Famous Work
In this sculpture unit, our classroom becomes a creative laboratory where students explore the expressive power of clay. This unit is designed to challenge students to think like designers and act as self-aware creators, grounding our work in two core Profile of a Graduate (POG) competencies: Design and Self-Awareness. In our studio, we emphasize that sculpture is an intellectual process as much as a physical one. Sculpture requires a high degree of intentionality.
To master this capacity, students will:
· Develop a strategic plan that allows them to examine the impact of each step toward a finished product, from initial sketches to the final firing;
· Engage in a deliberate cycle of purposefully refining a product based on feedback from peers and their own personal reflection;
· View technical challenges and failures as essential data points that lead to more informed, better-designed decisions.
This unit acts as a mirror for personal development. Students will practice self-awareness by learning to:
· Reflect on their strengths and areas for growth, making necessary adjustments to their techniques as they work with the medium;
· Effectively manage their time and prioritize tasks to ensure their clay stays at the proper consistency across multiple project stages;
· Stay motivated to achieve desired outcomes, taking full responsibility for the condition and evolution of their work.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Sculpting an Animal Form
In this unit, students will explore the rich history of animal sculpture, tracing its significance from prehistoric times to the modern era. By studying how animals have been depicted from ancient Egyptian deities and medieval gargoyles to the specialized sculptures of the 19th century, students will gain a deeper appreciation for the role of animals in human culture and artistic expression. This project is deeply rooted in the Profile of a Graduate (POG) framework, specifically Design and Self-Awareness. Students begin by analyzing photographic references and identifying the basic geometric forms that constitute the chosen animal’s anatomy. Students then develop a strategic plan to construct their sculpture, carefully considering balance, proportions, and structural integrity. Through a structured critique process, students will evaluate work against established criteria. Students will use feedback from peers and their own reflections to refine sculptures, ensuring that every step taken moves them closer to a successful finished product.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Self-Awareness
Everyday Objects
In this unit, students will transform discarded materials into meaningful art, exploring the concept of recycled art as a powerful medium for creative expression and environmental awareness. By turning trash into treasure, students learn that materials can be given a second life, effectively reducing waste while challenging their own creative boundaries. This unit is aligned with our Profile of a Graduate (POG) framework, specifically fostering growth in Product Creation and Decision Making. Students will gather visual research and photographic references to translate everyday objects into three-dimensional sculptures. Throughout the construction process, students will make informed choices about which cardboard joinery techniques best suit their specific design, considering the structural consequences of each method.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation, Decision Making
Cardboard Portraits
In this unit, students will explore the sophisticated world of relief sculpture—an art form where figures emerge from a flat background. Moving beyond simple two-dimensional drawing, students will learn to manipulate cardboard to create depth, texture, and shadow, transforming ordinary materials into compelling portraits of people who inspire them. This unit is aligned with our Profile of a Graduate (POG) framework, specifically fostering growth in Design and Product Creation. Students will act as lead designers throughout the creative process, moving from theoretical understanding to structural execution. Students will move from initial research and photographic references to the creation of an original cardboard portrait. They are challenged to create a product that effectively communicates the likeness of their subject through specific artistic choices.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Design, Product Creation
Movie Making
Moving Pictures
Students will be introduced to the fundamental mechanics of filmmaking, mastering essential camerawork and composition techniques. By creating a short silent film, students will learn to communicate without dialogue, relying purely on visual storytelling. This unit concludes with an immersive dive into the post-production editing process, where students will produce an original, individual cut from a group’s collective footage. The core challenge is Idea Generation. Students must study existing models of visual language to think “outside the box” when solving narrative problems. Students are required to document how they moved from abstract concepts to a concrete storyboard, demonstrating their ability to synthesize different framing approaches to explore new possibilities for the final edit.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Idea Generation
The Hero We Deserve
In this unit, students will explore the structural precepts of plot development and apply them to a unique narrative challenge: the “Hero’s Journey” of a personified inanimate object navigating the school environment. Students will collaborate on group production while maintaining autonomy over an individual edit. This project integrates Idea Generation and Design. Students will act as strategists, refining their plot for an intended audience and purpose. Success in this unit requires balancing the creative “what if” of the object’s journey with a rigorous design plan that ensures the visual narrative remains cohesive, logically sequenced, and emotionally resonant.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Idea Generation, Design
FX World
Students will produce a short film where the story is explicitly contingent on visual effects (VFX) applied in post-production. After exploring the capabilities of Adobe Premiere Pro, students will develop a narrative that hinges on specific technological interventions, ensuring that chosen effects function not as gimmicks, but as a primary engine for the story’s meaning. This work focuses on Product Creation and Self-Awareness. Students must effectively use digital media to communicate complex information. As technical challenges arise, students will engage in reflective practice, identifying where the process succeeded or faltered and making adjustments accordingly to ensure the final product meets industry standards of clarity and impact.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Product Creation, Self-Awareness
Director's Cut
Students will conduct a deep analysis of a specific director’s body of work to decode their unique stylistic signatures and art direction. Students will then apply these stylistic precepts to a script, re-engineering dialogue, character behavior, and visual tone to authentically emulate that director’s cinematic voice. The core of this unit is Analyzing and Product Creation. Students will evaluate the relationship between stylistic patterns and emotional effects, making inferences about why a director chooses specific techniques. The final goal is to translate this analysis into an original, engaging product that demonstrates the ability to sustain a consistent creative vision throughout an entire film.
Profile of a Graduate Capacities: Analyzing, Product Creation