2nd Marking Period Critque Schedule

The second marking period will mark our move to a strong emphasis on your individual Concentrations. In order to ensure the highest quality work being completed, we will be following a schedule of critiques that should help you in reaching your AP portfolio goal. We will also continue to work on the Breadth section of our portfolio with a series of in-class assignments revolving around a variety of issues in the visual arts.
Your Concentration work is expected to be completed at home and will comprise the majority of your out-of-class studio time. You should commit a minimum of 4 – 5 hours per week on your Concentration artworks. There are no shortcuts to building the AP portfolio.

Concentration Critiques:
November 16 – One finished artwork
December 1 – Artwork #2
December 21 – Artwork #3
January 4 – Artwork #4
January 22 – Artwork #5


Our next in-class studio assignment will be based on your sketchbook observations from our earlier home assignment: 30 Observations in 30 Days. The objective of this assignment is to utilize our own observations of the world around us to compose a visual response. The goal is to allow each student to organize their visual journal into a coherent image structured around a central theme.

Each student will choose one (or several) observations that portray a distinct visual theme. Using that observation(s) students will:

1. Compose a series of 4-6 compositional sketches demonstrating projected use of space, light and media.
2. After instructor approval, students must choose appropriate materials for final artwork to be completed in-class.
3. Final artworks must be submitted for grading no later than November 23rd.
4. Grading will be based upon effective visual articulation of the chosen theme, using the AP Quality rubric as the standard.

Sketchbook Diary

One of the most important attributes of any visual artist is visual acumen, or the ability to discern and recognize the interesting and intriguing visual cues around us. Through strong powers of observation, both of the external and internal world, artists build a repertoire of imagery, themes and approaches toward art production that provide them with the ingredients to build powerful compositions and visual ideas.

Beginning September 24 and continuing on to October 24, each student will be required to record in his or her sketchbook, one specific observation that the student has become aware of that day. This may take several forms:
1. a sketch of an interesting place, person or thing
2. a sketch from imagination regarding a new idea, form or technique
3. a written note, paragraph, poem, etc. that records an interesting encounter
4. a mixed media montage of events heard or seen on the news
5. or anything you find worth recording

The goal is to make you aware of how aware you are within your own environment and the abundance of new and powerful imagery and ideas available to the artist who remains viusally and intellectually vigilant of his or her surroundings.
Be sure to check out more of the sketchbook links listed in the earlier entry on sketchbooks for more ideas.

National Portfolio Day

Here is the link to National Portfolio Day. This event is an invaluable experience for students looking to get additional feedback on their portfolios and to talk with college representatives from among over 70 participating schools.

http://www.hartfordartschool.org/events-details.php?event=National+Portfolio+Day+%40+Hartford+Art+School&eventID=71&time=1254546000&h=b1FEskyBMJnMA