Art & Design

Student Artistic Exploration Rooted in a Teacher-Directed Foundation

The Visual Arts program of Archmere Academy is an elective program that focuses on the creative investigation of two- and three-dimensional art and design. Expert art faculty guide students throughout the entire studio process, where students learn through directly through intensive hands-on studio experience. The art department faculty nurtures and encourages the realization of each student's own unique creative vision and voice and seeks to foster a sense of creative confidence in each student, regardless of their previous experience or skill level when entering the program of study.

Throughout the program, students learn about the broader historical context of art and design by examining aesthetics, art movements, and regular formal analysis of art works. A sequence of study takes students from predominantly teacher-directed foundation coursework in the ninth grade through more independent advanced electives, where students are encouraged to self-direct their artistic explorations. Throughout the program, students are expected to maintain sketchbooks and portfolios to document their research, creative process, and finished work. Students concentrating their elective courses in the Fine Arts program are expected to develop a body of work that demonstrates critical thinking, artistic development, and an authentic understanding of the elements and principles of art and design.

Our Curriculum is Modeled After a Fine Arts College

Students may take a variety of elective courses in a wide range of media. Our elective offerings provide broad learning experiences in traditional and contemporary media including drawing and painting, architectural design, digital art, ceramics, graphic design, and mixed media. Students concentrating their elective courses in the Art & Design program are expected to develop a body of work that demonstrates technical skills, critical thinking, artistic development, and an authentic understanding of the elements and principles of art and design.

Recommendation for AP art courses is based on demonstrated technical skills and emerging personal artistic vision as evidenced in the student's portfolio. Students who have not been recommended for AP Studio Art and would like to be considered should prepare and submit a portfolio of 6-10 works of art in the AP course they wish to take. Recommendation is ultimately based on student’s demonstrated aptitude, attitude & achievement in previous art elective courses, that this student is capable and ready to undertake a college-level fine art course, one requiring them to be independent, self- motivated, focused, and committed.

In previous art electives, this student has demonstrated advanced and/or sophisticated creative and critical capacities and technical studio skills.
In previous art electives, this student has demonstrated advanced and/or sophisticated creative and critical capacities and technical studio skills.
Student consistently met or exceeded basic project requirements in other art elective courses, and has demonstrated originality, creative risk taking and experimentation in their solutions to class projects.
Student has demonstrated a mature, disciplined commitment to their creative pursuits as evidenced by an excellent work ethic.

Fostering Creative Vision & Critical Thinking: Skills for Our Modern World

We believe as a department that the creative and critical thinking skills used in art are necessary for equipping our students for a successful future. Creative skills are highly transferable: they cross inter-disciplinary boundaries and enable our students to think beyond the expected. We teach our students to be innovators, problem-solvers, and creative visionaries, encouraging them to always question convention and try new and untested approaches.

Art & Design Foundations

Art Foundations is a one-semester course that introduces students to the elements of art and the principles of design. Students complete a wide range of projects exploring two-dimensional and three-dimensional art including observational drawing, color theory with gouache, abstract, non-figurative and sculptural design. Art Foundations prepares each student for studio art electives within Archmere’s visual art program and beyond.
3D Design Principles

In this introductory 3D design course, students will explore the fundamental principles of three-dimensional design and develop technical skills in a variety of media and materials to execute original ideas with clarity and high quality craftsmanship. Students will also learn about and apply the design thinking process to devise innovative 3D design solutions to a variety of real-world contextualized problems including bridge design, industrial design, and architectural design applications. This course provides an opportunity for students to develop technical and conceptual problem-solving skills and will also have the opportunity to explore the exciting capability of 3D printing and fabrication to translate their innovative design concepts into physical reality.

Prerequisite: None

This course cannot be used as a prerequisite for future studio art classes; Art & Design Foundations is the required prerequisite for studio art classes.
Ceramics: Sculpture

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the skills and techniques of working in clay. Students explore hand building techniques with an emphasis on the coil method to create three-dimensional sculptural forms. Students will work with both low-fire clay and glazes. This course will emphasize surface design and experimentation with sgraffito, painting, and carving. Students will develop an understanding of the sculptural possibilities of working with clay to develop their own personal and expressive language.

Prerequisites: Art & Design Foundations
Ceramics: Pottery

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the Potter’s Wheel. Students will learn how to throw functional artwork such as bowls, mugs, vases, and more. The emphasis of the course is on centering the clay, throwing with control and consistency and trimming evenly. Surface design such as carving, sgraffito, and latex resist will be explored in depth. Students will work with mid-range stoneware clay and traditional dipping glazes.

Prerequisites: Art & Design Foundations
Drawing & Watercolor

Students will work extensively with traditional drawing mediums including graphite, charcoal, pastel, ink, and watercolor. Students will study a wide range of art historical movements and artists which will inform and guide their own artwork. Coursework will focus on observational drawing skills as a gateway to visualizing and expressing original student voice. The skills learned in this course will translate directly to each students’ visual arts studies in any field. Students will leave this class with a minimum of six refined portfolio-ready artworks. This course will include a trip to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts to visit their museum and cast hall which is housed in the historic Frank Furness building.

Prerequisite: Art & Design Foundations
Acrylic Painting

In this course, students will be introduced to a range of techniques and concepts in acrylic paint. Students will also be introduced to key art movements and the ideas underpinning their representational style. Students will also learn how to evaluate and discuss a work of art using elements of art and principles of design vocabulary. Students will develop an appreciation for many stylistic and representational approaches of painting and begin to create works of art that reflect their personal interests and aesthetic sensibilities. Frequent technical demonstrations (group and individual) will support each student’s technical development and interests.

Prerequisite: Art & Design Foundations
Photography & Video

Students will learn and practice photography and videography skills to create unique and original works of art. Students will utilize Archmere’s digital camera and equipment library which includes Digital Single-Lens Reflect and Mirrorless cameras. With access to the Adobe Creative Suite software, students will use Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and Lightroom to create their projects. Coursework includes performing collaborative project-based learning that promotes social responsibility and supports creative professional skills. Students will practice design processes, analytical thinking, interdisciplinary strategies, teamwork, visual communication, research strategies, and project production that will enrich their academic experience well beyond the classroom. Students will leave this course with a diverse portfolio which can be used in various professional and academic applications. This course will include a trip to the Philadelphia Art Museum or the Delaware Art Museum.

Prerequisite: Art & Design Foundations or Photography & Video
Architectural Design

Students will work with a variety of three-dimensional modeling materials and approaches ranging from physical to digital and explore the entire design thinking process and research process to design and build an original, scaled, site-specific scaled architectural model for a client of their choosing. Students will also learn about LEED certification and environmental considerations when designing the permanent-built environment. This course also includes a guest lecture and personalized design reviews (critiques) by a licensed professional architect. Students interested in preparing a portfolio for college admissions, fine art scholarships, and who are preparing for AP Studio Art 3D Design (Architecture or Industrial Design Focus) in their senior year are encouraged to take Architectural Design. The pacing and rigor of this course will require students to complete independent work outside scheduled class/studio time.

Prerequisite: Art & Design Foundations
Fashion Design

Students will design and create original wearable apparel designs and design original textiles that will be professionally produced and incorporated into original fashion designs. Students will also have the opportunity to explore designing and creating works of personal adornment, including 3D printed jewelry and accessories. Students interested in preparing a portfolio for college admissions, fine art scholarships and who are preparing for AP Studio Art 3D Design (Fashion Focus) in their senior year are encouraged to take Fashion Design. The pacing and rigor of this course will require students to complete independent work outside of scheduled class/studio time. This course includes a field trip to the Fabric Workshop & Museum in Philadelphia.

Prerequisite: Art & Design Foundations
Mixed Media

This course provides a variety of art making experiences and approaches including painting, collage, digital art, printmaking, and assemblage. Students will learn how to approach the creative process with a sense of experimentation and improvisation, embracing risk and the unexpected as exciting integral components of the creative process. Students will be encouraged to produce experimental works of art that move beyond realism and representation and explore the exciting possibilities of spontaneous abstraction and surface manipulation. This course includes a field trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Prerequisite: Art & Design Foundations
2D Design Portfolio

This course provides committed art students with an opportunity to develop skills and ideas from previous art and design coursework and to create an advanced body of work demonstrating a personal voice and vision. Students will strengthen their portfolios in areas of drawing, photography, 2D design, digital art, and conceptual development. Students interested in preparing a portfolio for college admissions, fine art scholarships, and in preparing for AP Studio Art 2D Design or AP Drawing in their senior year are encouraged to take 2D Art & Design Portfolio. The pacing and rigor of this portfolio course will require students to complete independent work outside of scheduled class/studio time.

Prerequisite: Art & Design Foundations
Publication Design

This is a full-year course that provides real-world experience and results in the current volume of Archmere’s yearbook, The Patio. Through this class, students are afforded the unique opportunity to capture and document their classmates’ journeys in a way that will become a permanent part of Archmere’s history. At the beginning of the course, students will complete individual assignments to learn the basics of publication design and develop their skills. Students will learn the principles of layout, typography, color, and graphic design as they apply to creating effective and engaging publications. Additionally, students will learn about photography, journalism, and marketing from content-area experts within the Archmere community. Assignments will evolve to be yearbook spread-centric and require teamwork with the rest of the students in the class.

Prerequisite: None.

Note: This course can be taken multiple times and can be considered a prerequisite for Photography & Video.
Intermediate Studio Art

Students interested in furthering their study of a particular medium can request Intermediate Studio Art to take a particular course at the intermediate level. In order to take Intermediate Studio Art, the student must have already completed the course at the introductory level. For example, after completing Drawing & Watercolor, students could request Intermediate Studio Art in that area of focus. Electives that can be taken at the intermediate level include Ceramic Sculpture, Pottery, Drawing & Watercolor, Fashion Design, Acrylic Painting, Architectural Design, Mixed Media, and Photography and Video. Please specify the area of study when requesting this elective.

Prerequisite: Art & Design Foundations; approval of teacher of the course the student wants to continue.
Description of AP Portfolio Courses

The AP Art and Design course framework presents an inquiry-based approach to learning about and making art and design. The course focuses on concepts and skills emphasized within college art and design foundations courses with the same intent: to help students become inquisitive, thoughtful artists and designers able to articulate information about their work. AP Art and Design students develop and apply skills of inquiry and investigation, practice, experimentation, revision, communication, and reflection. As in introductory college courses, students in AP Studio Art courses will need to work inside and outside the classroom and beyond scheduled periods. Maintaining a sketchbook or a visual journal will be a course expectation, and will support the depth of learning expected of AP students. Constructive, formative critiques—essential in college classes—are equally important in AP Art and Design. By observing, discussing, and analyzing works of art and design, students learn to evaluate their own and others’ work based on relationships of materials, processes, and ideas. Students’ individual and collaborative evaluations of work—both in progress and completed— develops their understanding of how components of a work interact to produce an overall effect. The course provides formal and informal opportunities for students to develop an understanding of context, interpretation, and how their work relates to art and design traditions. Possibilities for thinking and making are expanded by frequent interactions with diverse works of art and design through research, museum visits, and critiques. The AP Studio Art Exam structure consists of two sections: Five Selected Works (40% of score) and 15 Sustained Investigation Works (60% of score).

Though there is significant potential overlap in the primary areas of focus for each of the three AP Studio Art courses offered, the skills emphasized in each course is distinctive. Click on AP course titles for course descriptions.

Successful AP Portfolio submissions will demonstrate:

§ Visual evidence of advanced 2-D, 3-D, or drawing skills

§ Visual evidence of synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas

§ Visual evidence of the written idea in all five works of art

A comprehensive Course & Exam Description can be found at this link.
Recommendation Criteria for AP Art Courses
Recommendation for AP art courses is based on demonstrated technical skills and emerging personal artistic vision as evidenced in the student's portfolio. Students who have not been recommended for AP Studio Art and would like to be considered should prepare and submit a portfolio of 6-10 works of art in the AP course they wish to take. Recommendation is ultimately based on student’s demonstrated aptitude, attitude & achievement in previous art elective courses, that this student is capable and ready to undertake a college-level fine art course, one requiring them to be independent, self- motivated, focused, and committed.

In previous art electives, this student has demonstrated advanced and/or sophisticated creative and critical capacities and technical studio skills

Student is an independent, self motivated and curious learner. Student is not dependent on the teacher for creative pursuits and idea generation.

Student consistently met or exceeded basic project requirements in other art elective courses, and has demonstrated originality, creative risk taking and experimentation in their solutions to class projects

Student has demonstrated a mature, disciplined commitment to their creative pursuits as evidenced by an excellent work ethic
AP Drawing

The AP Studio Art Drawing course provides an opportunity for serious and committed seniors to earn college credit for their art and design portfolios. The AP Studio Art course provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in studio art foundations. Students will be expected to solve creative problems using their knowledge of elements and principles of art and design. Students will use a range of conceptual approaches as well as show technical skill in a variety of mediums and art processes. In addition, students will acquire and demonstrate familiarity of traditional and contemporary approaches to art. Class assignments will challenge students to set and achieve creative goals. The course challenges students to develop a cohesive body of work investigating a strong underlying visual idea in Drawing that grows out of a student-driven plan of action, inquiry, or investigation.

Prerequisite Courses: Art & Design Foundations and two studio art classes

Approval Standard: Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course and will be determined by 1) student performance on major assessments and active engagement in classroom activities, with emphasis on the second semester and 2) the consistent and independent work ethic necessary to succeed in an advanced-level course.
AP 2D Design

The AP 2D Design course provides an opportunity for serious and committed students to earn college credit for their 2D Design portfolios. The AP course provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in studio art foundations. Students will be expected to solve creative problems using their knowledge of elements and principles of art and design. Students will use a range of conceptual approaches as well as show technical skill in a variety of mediums and art processes. In addition, students will acquire and demonstrate familiarity of traditional and contemporary approaches to art. Class assignments will challenge students to set and achieve creative goals. This course challenges students to develop a cohesive body of work investigating a strong underlying visual idea in drawing that grows out of a student-driven plan of action, inquiry, or investigation. This course also includes a field trip to either the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Prerequisite Courses: Art & Design Foundations and two studio art classes

Approval Standard: Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course and will be determined by 1) student performance on major assessments and active engagement in classroom activities, with emphasis on the second semester and 2) the consistent and independent work ethic necessary to succeed in an advanced-level course.
AP 3D Design

The AP Studio Art 3D Design course provides an opportunity for serious and committed students to earn college credit for their fine art portfolios. The AP course provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in studio art foundations. Students will be expected to solve creative problems using their knowledge of elements and principles of art and design. Students will use a range of conceptual approaches as well as show technical skill in a variety of mediums and art processes. In addition, students will acquire and demonstrate familiarity of traditional and contemporary approaches to art. Class assignments will challenge students to set and achieve creative goals. The course challenges students to develop a cohesive body of work investigating a strong underlying visual idea in 3D Design that grows out of a student-driven plan of action, inquiry, or investigation. Students should choose either a Ceramics Focus or a 3D Design Focus (architecture, fashion, industrial design) for their AP3D portfolio.

Prerequisite Courses: Art & Design Foundations and two studio art classes.

Approval Standard: Teacher approval is required to enroll in this course and will be determined by 1) student performance on major assessments and active engagement in classroom activities, with emphasis on the second semester and 2) the consistent and independent work ethic necessary to succeed in an advanced-level course.