Visual Arts overview
The Art Department of Badin is comprised of working artists who bring their experiences in the Visual Arts to their uniquely diverse and well-designed curriculum.
At a time when many arts programs are being eliminated, Badin is proud to be thriving and nurturing each student. We offer day to day instruction in art. Teachers incorporate the elements and principles of design, art history and aesthetic criticism into their curriculum.
Students have many choices in the area of the Visual Arts. Badin's art curriculum gives students the opportunity to develop their technical skills, expand their visual vocabulary and express themselves creatively.
Available Visual Art Classes
AP 2-D Art and Design
Students must display a strong commitment to developing skills and creating meaningful and well-crafted artwork. All artwork created by the student is to be 100% original by the student. AP 2-D Art and Design is an intensive study of art and design. This course requires students to present works of art demonstrating skillful synthesis of materials, processes and ideas. This course requires students to write about each piece, as well as a formal response to the questions which guide their Sustained Investigation. Students should be able to articulate their ideas, processes, revisions and development using strong visual literacy.
Read full AP 2-D Art and Design details
The AP 2-D Art and Design Portfolio Exams contain two sections. The Selected Works section requires students to demonstrate skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. The Sustained Investigation section requires students to conduct a sustained investigation based on questions, through practice experimentation, and revision. Both sections of the portfolios require students to articulate information about their work. Both sections are required. Students earn a score for each section, and sections scores are combined to produce an overall portfolio score that may offer opportunities for college credit and/or advanced placement.
Students enrolled in this AP course are required to sign a course/attendance contract and to submit their AP Artwork and Final Portfolio by the required deadlines and to pay for the required AP Course fee. Students who create digital pieces are responsible for having the pieces professionally printed. Students will also be expected to purchase art supplies to work on pieces outside of class.
AP 2D is the equivalent to an introductory college level course for potential Fine Art, Graphic Design, Architecture, Animation, and Fashion Design majors. The curriculum demands highly motivated students who are willing to commit a large amount of time and effort to making quality finished artwork.
Students are required to make at least 7 Quality Finished Works of Art, keep up with Their Weekly Goals, Their Studio Habits of Mind, Their Slide Deck Google Slides, and Written Portion for College Board Questions in a Google Doc to pass the course at Stephen T. Badin High School.
College Board Visual Arts Submission
College Board will be looking for at least 7 in progress photos and 7 finished works of art documented in the Sustained Investigation (SI). In progress documentation is 60% of your portfolio grade. In May you will upload 15 documented pictures towards your SI portfolio. You will include Elements of Art (EOA) and Principles of Design (POD) in the 100 characters process section of your SI portfolio. You will include 5 Quality Skillful Finished Works made from 9th grade till now. The 5 Quality Skillful Finished Works can overlap with the 15 from SI. Example SI #2 photo can be the same artwork you submit for Skillful Work #1.
Written Submission to College Board
College Board will be looking for short answers to two separate questions answered in 600 characters or less.
- Identify the inquiry that guided your sustained investigation.
- Describe ways your SI developed through practice, experimentation, and revision.
We will work on both questions together over the course of the entire year.
Art Exploration (semester)
This class is an arts sampler course designed for those who are unsure of their drawing skills, but who really want to gain an understanding of art and art appreciation. Most projects are completed in abstract/non-objective style while students learn the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Projects will be both 2D and 3D. Students will learn about various movements and styles from Art History and contemporary art. Students may be asked to collect objects to be used as part of some projects.
Art I
The fundamentals of art, including composition and the elements and principles of art and design, will be explored. Work will be both non-objective and representational. A wide range of media, such as paint, pastel, collage, and clay will be employed. Students will also learn rudimentary drawing skills and color theory. Students will learn about art history and contemporary art. Students will also use their IPads to create several pieces. Students are required to take photographs of all completed artwork and save in a Google Drive. Students are required to create a final video portfolio project.
The Visual Arts Department Faculty highly recommends incoming freshmen take Art I if they have any interest in a career in design, architecture, art, illustration and animation.
Art II
Prerequisite: Art I and a strong commitment to developing skills, creating meaningful and well-crafted artwork. (Freshmen may be admitted through a portfolio review by the visual art department faculty.)
The focus of this class will be to strengthen drawing and painting skills. Traditional and non-traditional media will be used while students begin to establish a personal style and stretch their artistic vision. 3D work will also be included. This class is strongly recommended for future art majors.
This class is strongly recommended for students who enjoy art and for future art design majors.
Art III & Art IV
Prerequisite: Art II or Art III and teacher approval, Portfolio review, and teacher recommendation and acceptance to continue into the course. Students must display a strong commitment to developing skills, creating meaningful and well-crafted art work.
The concentration of this class will be on individual style and themes of interest to the student, while students develop their technical skills. Mastery of drawing and painting skills and media will be emphasized with an eye toward portfolio preparation and admission to a post-secondary art program. Students will be expected to keep documentation of their work throughout the year. Students in this class will be required to participate in the Badin Student Art Show at the Fitton Center, as well as enter and attend several area art competitions. There are additional costs to enter exhibitions and competitions. Students will be expected to spend time outside of class to research and complete projects. Students who create digital pieces are responsible for having the pieces professionally printed. Students will be encouraged to collect additional items for special projects.
This class is strongly recommended for future art and design majors.
Ceramics I (semester)
Students will explore multiple aspects of creating artwork in clay. Students will learn both hand-building and sculptural techniques. Students will create functional ceramics and sculptures.
Ceramics II (semester)
Prerequisite: Ceramics I and teacher recommendation.
Students will continue exploring multiple aspects of creating artwork in clay. Students will continue to build their knowledge of hand-building and glazing techniques. Students will create functional and sculptural ceramics.
Fashion Illustration (semester)
Prerequisite: Art I or instructor permission.
This course will teach students to create images of apparel, shoes, and accessories for use in fashion illustrations, magazines, and other fashion media. Coursework emphasizes artistic skills of proportion, composition, color use, and texture rendering, as well as developing the personal style of the individual student. Students will use a variety of media in the form of collage and material exploration. Students will also develop a strong understanding of the Garment Industry. Students will use their technology to generate some illustrations and document their work. Students will be encouraged to collect additional items for special projects.
Photography I (semester)
The goal of this class is digital photography beyond the snapshot. Learn camera handling, composition, effects produced by different lighting, fundamental Adobe Photoshop and printing photos. The creation of a portfolio will be the culmination of this class. Students may use their Phone as their camera or provide a camera of their own of 5 mgs or more.
Photography II
Explore the use of film photography as an artistic medium for both creative visual storytelling and commercial photography. You'll learn how to work in a studio, how to set up lighting and use manual camera settings, and how to create strong compositions. Darkroom techniques will include black-and-white film exposure, processing, and printing. This class is recommended for photographers who are interested in exploring alternative methods for creating photos. You're encouraged to bring your own camera, but you're welcome to borrow one from the class.