Pre-AP Studio Art List of Assignments Please create a minimum of 6 assignments to be completed for your Pre-AP portfolio.

You will also need to do the artist research project to include with your portfolio. These assignments should be completed on your own time outside of the classroom. You will be responsible for buying art supplies to complete these assignments. I am available for mentoring during our scheduled meeting times, before school by appointment or through email. Each assignment should be on a support that is at least 18x24 unless otherwise approved by teacher. All assignments should carefully consider the elements and principles of design. Photograph each assignment when it is complete. Artist Research: (required for everyone in program) Research an artist from history (pre-1970s) that inspires you. Write a paper on this artist answering the following questions: 1. What is it about this artists work that initially caught your attention? 2. What method does this artist work in? 3. What emotional content is attached to this artists work? 4. Is the work still relevant today? 5. Describe your favorite piece of work by this artist. 6. Design a shoebox inspired by this artists work.

Assignments (pick at least 6 from this list)

Patterns in nature transformation/magnification: Close up study of a leaf, bark, etc. with texture blown up at least 10x its actual size. Use a real object PLEASE or sketches no photos! (unless photographer!) Ref: Georgia OKeefe Radial Symmetry Mandala (square or round format- personal symbols)Research this one well; look at Tibetan Buddhist and other mandalas. Multiple views: 3 different views/ of an object/scene/person with monochromatic, analogous, and complementary colors; or close up/entire view/unusual angle Traditional subject 3 way twist: create a traditional subject (landscape, portrait, still life) using 3 media: wet, dry, & at least one collage element; work from life as much as possible. Look at landscapes of Anselm Kiefer for inspiration. Deep space landscape: again working from life or your own reference pics, do a landscape from a distance of at least 30 feet, considering atmospheric perspective and composition. Where is the focal

point? Consider Turner, Cezanne, Ansel Adams, Monet, Friedrich, Van Gogh, http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/InvestigatingAerialP.html Dream Painting: look at how traditional Aboriginal art interprets ancient stories and legends through a simple palette and geometric/organic patterns. Illustrate an animal character from a story or legend using this technique. Consider using all space. Altered book page (work with actual book pages, add your images, text, etc.).. Research this one for some great ideas. Organic/mechanical: From sketches of an old machine, motor, or mechanical parts, compose a scene with a human or animal interacting with the mechanical parts. Gridded and distorted self-portraits. (Ref Chuck Close, others) Lights and Shadow Study: crumple some paper or fabric and arrange some objects on them, including a metallic or shiny object, with a direct lighting source. Render in media of your choice, showing cast shadows, reflected light, highlights, etc. Mondrian inspired grids: Somewhat abstract Composition using only line and shape based on a grid (Mondrian, others). Look up Der Stijl. http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/C20th/destijl.htm Futuristic cityscape, imaginative interior: use your imagination to create a scene using 1, 2, and 3 point perspective. Put yourself in the picture if you want. Suggested Renderings: Drawing composition that alternates from a simple contour drawing into a fully rendered drawing at student-designated focal points. Reversed Charcoal: Set up a direct light on your face in a dark room. Cover a page with charcoal (the whole paper is black) Draw a scene with you in it, with dramatic lighting. Draw with a variety of erasers! Add white chalk for highlights. Look at Vermeers use of lighting for ideas. Ambigious Patterns: look at the work of MC Escher. Create a symmetrical figure to create an ambiguous pattern using only black and white, with images sharing a common contour line. Flat Figure in space: look at the Japanese style prints by Mary Cassatt, or uki-yo-e prints. Render a figure in space using an unsual viewpoint, considering focal point, with simple lines and flat colors. Ive got rhythm: Look at the work of Kandinsky, Helen Frankenthaler, and others. Pick some inspiring music and try to interpret it visually, considering the rhythm of the piece.

Reflection Self-Portrait: Draw or paint a self-portrait wearing sunglasses. Consider what is reflected in the glasses. Torn Paper Collage: Create a torn paper collage using magazines, newspapers and other found papers. Use the paper as your medium. Google torn paper collage for lots of ideas.

Supports
Cardboard (corrugated, flat) Canvas (stretched, board) Posterboard Scratchboard Masonite Thin plywood Fabric Plexiglass, glass, old window Bristol paper Watercolor paper Any type of paper Collaged surface Wallpaper samples Photographs Linoleum Thin sheet metal Foam board Illustration board/matboard Wall, door, ceiling tile Old poster/map Construction paper Pastel paper

Media
Pen and ink, brush/ink wash Paint (acrylic, oil, gouache) or any colored media Cut/torn paper Pencil Charcoal/Conte Crayon Photography/colored photos Collaged objects (thin), fibers, text, layered images Mixed Media (found objects) Prismacolors/colored pencils Pastels (oil/soft) Block printing Scratchboard Spray paint Watercolor Sharpie Some Assignments adapted from the AP Teacher Community Studio Arts.