AP Studio Art is an advanced level course for students who want to further develop mastery in their art making skills. The course is developed as a college level course completed at the high school level. Students should have prior training in the visual arts and they should have knowledge of the elements of art and design.
Students submit portfolios for evaluation by the College Board at the end of the year. Through the studio class, students are involved in creative and systematic investigation of formal and conceptual issues, informed decision making, art techniques, and the functions of the visual elements. Students will explore with several media including, pencil, charcoal, pastel, acrylics, watercolor, printmaking, ink, digital art and mixed media. In the area of 3D, media will include a variety of sculptural materials.
Mastery in concept, composition and execution will be developed by each student. Students are strongly encouraged to become independent thinkers who develop their creativity through the making of art. During this process, students will focus on three components of their individual portfolios. The portfolios consist of Quality, Concentration, and Breadth.
Each portfolio requires submissions in three distinct sections. Each section requires students to demonstrate quality, breadth, and an in-depth engagement in the process of making art. The three sections of each portfolio are as follows:
Section I: Quality – the development of a sense of excellence in art
Section II: Concentration – an in depth commitment to a particular artistic concern
Section III: Breadth – a variety of experiences in the formal, technical, and expressive means available to an artist