BashaHigh School

 Photography

AP  2D Design - Photography

 Portfolio Syllabus

This class is designed for experienced, highly motivated, dedicated photography students.  24 quality photographic works will be required for submitting a portfolio for 2D design.  AP Studio Art is not based on a written exam; instead students are required to submit a finished portfolio to the AP College Board at the end of the school year.  While building your portfolio you will experience a variety of concepts, techniques, and approaches designed to help you demonstrate your abilities and versatility with techniques, problem solving and ideation.  In the Concentration section you will be asked to investigate an idea/problem of personal interest. 

The portfolio is broken down into three sections:  Quality, Concentration, and Breadth, this syllabus will describe what is needed in each section.  Different photographic assignments, photographer research, critiques and class discussions will guide you throughout the school year.

Goals of the AP 2D Studio Art course:

·        To pursue a creative, systematic investigation of formal and conceptual issues in the Quality, Concentration and Breadth sections of the portfolio.

·        To encourage students to become independent workers and thinkers who will experience Art as an ongoing process that uses informed and critical decision making to develop ideas.

·        To develop technical versatility and skills while using the visual elements and design principals in composition. 

For information on AP Studio Art and to view student examples visit: www.collegeboard.com/apstudents   

 Resources

Class text:

London, B. Stone, J. Upton, J.  Photography, ninth edition

Pearson Education, Inc. 2008

O’Brien, M. and Sibley, N. The Photographic Eye: Learning to See with a Camera

Davis Pub., 1995.

Class resource books:

Stone, J.  Darkroom Dynamics

Focal Press, 1979

Fremier, R  Techniques for Black and White Photography

Amherst Media, 2000

Folts, J.  Lovell, R.  Zwahlen, F.  Handbook of Photography

Thomson Delmar Learning, 2006

AP 2-D Design Portfolio Requirements, Photography

Section I:

Quality - Excellence and Mastery of design demonstrated in original artwork from either your Breadth or Concentration sections.  You are asked to demonstrate quality through five carefully selected examples of your work that address 2-D design issues.  Five actual works.

                Works in the Quality section should be:

·         Consistently of high quality

·         Imaginative, inventive

·         Obvious evidence of thinking

·         Fairly complex visual and or conceptual ideas

·         Using materials effectively; technique should be excellent

·         Successful engagement with experimentation and or risk taking

·         Accomplished use of the elements of design

 Section II:

Concentration - Works describing an in-depth exploration of a particular design concern.  You are asked to make a commitment to the thoughtful investigation of a specific visual idea 12 images.  This course enables students to develop a focused body of work investigating a strong visual idea that grows out of a coherent plan of investigation.

• Through reflective writing and group critiques while exploring ideas within social, political and economic frameworks you will articulate your Concentration and how it has evolved in areas of technical expertise, personal imagery, clarity of conceptual ideas and mastery of the design elements and principals. 

            The Concentration section will take the most time to complete.  You will pick a theme to            explore and work on throughout the year.  It is very important that this be a theme that is chosen early and investigated for a long period of time in order to best meet the concerns of the Concentration portion of the portfolio.  We will explore concentration ideas (statements) in the first quarter and focus on concentration in the second   quarter.  Through class critiques, peer evaluations and teacher evaluations, your concentration will emerge and develop.  Critique's are very important to the growth of the student and will help you to analyze your work as well as that of your classmates.   

            A concentration is a body of related works that:

·         grow out of a coherent plan of action or investigation

·         Are unified by an underlying idea that has visual and/or conceptual coherence

·         Are focused on a process of investigation, growth and discovery

            Concentration statement:

            We will begin developing concentration statements during the first quarter, and with

            the help of class critiques and individual critiques with the instructor, you will refine

            and perfect your concentration statement.

Section III:

Breadth – Works describing an in-depth exploration of a particular design concern.  You are asked to make a commitment to the thoughtful investigation of a specific visual idea, these works should use the principals of design in an informed and/or experimental way.  You are required to submit 12 Quality examples in the Breadth section.

                In the Breadth section you will document your experience with a variety of concepts and approaches that demonstrate your abilities with techniques, problem solving and ideation.  In our class you will be introduced to a broad variety of printing techniques and alternative processes for printmaking in addition to being introduced to new photographers, and digital artists who will inspire you to create work that reflects you and your vision.  By exploring photographic media you will be able to develop a body of work that reflects a range of problem solving and ideation (Breadth) that will demonstrate your abilities.  We will focus on Breadth during the first quarter and have bi-weekly class critiques on work in progress in addition to individual instructor critiques as you work.  The process of critique will inspire you to create and give you insight to your direction.

                The best demonstrations of Breadth show a range of conceptual approaches.  Breadth principals and elements that should be explored include:

                Elements of Design:

·         Line

·         Shape

·         Space

·         Color

·         Texture

·         Pattern

              Principals of Design:

·         Balance

·         Unity/Variety

·         Rhythm

·         Proportion/Scale

·         Color Interaction

·         Figure/Ground relationship

 Sketchbook:

            You will be required to keep a sketchbook/Journal that documents your experience and development.  Work in your sketchbook is an ongoing process that will help you make informed and critical decisions that influence your work and it's direction, it will also guide you through problems you will encounter along the way.  Your sketchbook is the perfect place to experiment and try different techniques and concepts to develop your own voice and style.  Your sketchbook will be reviewed bi-weekly for progress.

            Ideas for your sketchbook:

·         Be active in your sketchbook and express yourself.  Work to develop mastery in concept, composition and execution of your ideas.

·         Combine different media by layering things such as photographs, newspaper, fabric and drawing.  Experiment and create new ideas.

·         Include self-portraits

·         Tell a story visually, combine photos with drawing.

·         Write down ideas and expand on them visually, this will help develop a concentration.

·         Write about your work, why you are doing it and what you hope to accomplish.

·         Write about what you want to say with your artwork and how it could influence others.

·         Remember that this is an ongoing process that uses informed and critical decision making to develop ideas. 

Do not copy other artists' work.  This is plagiarism.  Develop your own artistic integrity and voice.  We will have several class discussion's on what constitutes plagiarism.

Ethics, Artistic Integrity, and Plagiarism:

            Any work that makes use of (appropriates) other artists' work (including photographs) and/or published images must show substantial and significant development beyond duplication.  The students "voice" should be clearly be evident.  It is unethical, constitutes plagiarism, and often violates copyright law simply to copy an image (even in another medium) that was made by someone else and represent it as one's own.

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