AP
®
Studio Art: 2-D Design Syllabus 2 Syllabus 1058811v1
3
In the second term, students develop and choose an idea to explore in depth for their
Concentration section. In the Concentration section, students are expected to plan
for and then develop a body of work that is an investigation of a theme or an idea. It
should be well planned through research and sketchbook documentation (writing and
images) of ideas and processes they expect to use to investigate an idea that is of
personal interest to the student. [SC3]
From these total works, we then discuss and select students’ five Quality examples of
excellence to be matted in preparation for evaluation. Students understand that mak-
ing art is an ongoing process that uses informed and critical decision making as these
selections are made for their portfolio submission. [SC7] We mat only on 16” x 20” or
18” x 24” neutral-colored mattes to give uniformity to the portfolio presentation.
Students are encouraged to develop verbal and written literacy about their works (see
attached grading rubric), and we use the AP scoring rubric for individual and group
evaluation. Students are encouraged to examine their work and discuss how to move it
from a middle-range piece to a high-level one. [SC8]
The course is enriched with visits to local galleries and museums to broaden students’
viewpoints. Portfolios are narrowed down to the most successful works according to
the scoring guidelines, and students complete a checkout sheet. The course culminates
with a slide show of each student’s digital portfolio.
In terms of grading, students are expected to produce one work per week of AP qual-
ity and create a high-quality digital image of it. We stress that this is the student’s
personal portfolio, and that outside work and work from other courses can also be
included.
Content of the Class
The course includes the following three components:
A. Study of artists and trends in art making. In addition to class work, students are
expected to do research and visit galleries and the local art museums on their own.
B. A sketchbook to be composed of visual ideas, notes, photos, doodles, plans, short
assignments, quick drawings, and practice of various techniques. Many art schools
like to see students’ sketchbooks as documentation of how their minds and creativ-
ity work.
C. Development of students’ submitted portfolios for AP Studio Art: 2-D Design, which
have three parts:
Quality (Original Works)
Five matted works
These should be the student’s most successful work with respect to the Quality
scoring guidelines and cannot be larger than 18” x 24”. [SC2]
Concentration
This should include 12 images of works exploring a single visual concern in depth.
SC2—The course enables
students to develop
mastery (i.e., “quality”) in
concept, composition, and
execution of 2-D design.
SC3—The course enables
students to develop a
cohesive body of work
investigating a strong
underlying visual idea in
2-D design that grows
out of a coherent plan of
action or investigation
(i.e., a “concentration”).
SC8—The course includes
group critiques, with the
teacher, enabling students to
learn to analyze and discuss
their own artworks as well as
artworks of their peers.
SC7—
The course
emphasizes making art
as an ongoing process
that involves the student
in informed and critical
decision making.
