Course Syllabus

Syllabus Art I

Mizzou Academy

Welcome

We are pleased that you selected this course to fulfill your unique educational needs. You are now a member of the Mizzou  Academy's global student body.  

 

Course Overview

This course is designed to meet the requirements of the first semester of a typical art program in most high schools across the United States. The course uses a “discipline-based art education” (D.B.A.E.) approach established by the Getty Center for Education in the Arts and provides a comprehensive exploration of design elements and principles, focusing on foundational concepts in visual arts. Students will learn to define and apply the elements of design, including various types of lines, shapes, and spaces, through a series of practical exercises and projects. Desired outcomes include:

  • Understanding and applying design elements such as lines, shapes, and spaces.
  • Creating artwork that effectively uses negative and positive space, as well as angular and curved shapes.
  • Exploring the principles of value and color theory, including mixing primary colors to achieve secondary and intermediate colors.
  • Demonstrating perspective drawing techniques, including one-point and two-point perspective.
  • Developing skills in texture representation through both real and implied textures, culminating in a full-color replication project.

Students will articulate their artistic processes and choices, using the language of art to compare and contrast works. By the end of the course, participants will have a robust understanding of design fundamentals and the ability to create art that demonstrates these principles effectively.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, you should be able to accomplish the following:

  • define the elements of design
  • define the principles of design
  • define, recognize, and create the main types of lines
  • apply the various characteristics of line in a series of drawings
  • describe in writing how one's own work demonstrates proper artistic principles
  • use the language of art to compare and contrast, in written form, works of art
  • define on paper: shape, form, geometric shapes, organic shapes, static design, dynamic design, angular, curved, and positive and negative space.
  • demonstrate ability to create art using negative space, precise shapes, and depth.
  • create a Notan "expansion of the square" project
  • create art using positive and negative space
  • create art using a combination of angular and curved shapes
  • define value, high keyed, low keyed, value contrast, and center of interest
  • produce drawings that demonstrate the ability to represent a range of values and realism
  • demonstrate the ability to apply proper values of light and dark to a work of art
  • define spectrum, pigment, neutral, hue, primary, secondary, intermediate (tertiary), and complementary colors, tint, shade, intensity, tone, and harmony
  • mix primary colors to create secondary and intermediate colors
  • demonstrate the ability to create and add primary, secondary, and intermediate colors to a work of art
  • define the terms dimension, positive space, negative space, composition, point of view, perspective, linear perspective, horizon line, vanishing point, one-point perspective, two-point perspective, and abstract.
  • demonstrate the ability to draw utilizing one-point perspective
  • demonstrate the ability to draw utilizing two-point perspective
  • define the terms texture, real texture, implied texture, papier collé, and trompe l'oeil
  • demonstrate the ability to draw realistically several real-life textures
  • create a full-color replication of a texture utilizing the techniques of line, shape, form, value, and color

Note: Not all of these objectives will occur in every lesson, but they are the basis for our study.

Pacing

This course can be completed in as few as six weeks or take up to 6 months (180 calendar days). The six weeks are counted from the date of the first lesson submission and not the date of enrollment. Here is a pacing guide to help you track your progress.

Required Materials

Required Art Supplies: The following art supplies are required for this course and may be purchased from any art materials store, including online through Dick Blick (Links to an external site.). Many department stores and bookstores also carry art supplies.

  • mixed media art pad of paper appropriate for pencil and paint (18 x24)
  • scissors (you will cut the pad of paper into various sizes)
  • several good drawing pencils (i.e., HB, 2B, 4B, 6B)
  • drawing pencil sharpener
  • regular pink eraser and a kneaded eraser
  • ruler
  • compass
  • protractor
  • set of markers that includes basic colors (yellow, red, blue, purple, orange, green, brown, black)
  • extra black markers (one fine line and one thick)
  • camera phone or basic digital camera
  • pack of construction paper that includes black, primary, and secondary colors
  • white school glue
  • Xacto knife (optional: scissors can be used)
  • white tissue paper for blending
  • basic set of acrylic paints (yellow, red, blue, purple, orange, green, brown, black,and white)
  • set of various brushes for acrylic paints
  • containers for paint and paint water (preferably with lids)
  • paper plates for mixing paint on and to protect surfaces
  • paper towels for clean-up
  • set of colored pencils
  • pencil sharpener for colored pencils

NOTE: We are not accepting digital art at this time in order to preserve more traditional methods of creative expression.

† Materials used in connection with this course may be subject to copyright protection.

Technical Requirements

The most up-to-date requirements can be found here: 

Additional requirements for the course are below: 

  • audio and video recording capabilities (e.g. smartphone, camera)

Accessibility

If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please let Mizzou Academy know as soon as possible. If disability-related accommodations are necessary (for example, a scribe, reader, extended time on exams, captioning), please contact Mizzou Academy.

Exams

You are required to take proctored exams for this course.

To pass the course, you must earn a minimum of 60% on your exams group.  See the "About Exams" in the policies section for additional information on exams with Mizzou Academy.

Grades

Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn on assignments, quizzes, and exams.

Points Distribution
Source Available Points
Quizzes 60
Assignments 260
Midterm Exam 131
Final Exam 129
Total 580

The following grading scale applies only to students who meet this standard:

Grading Scale
Grade Percentage
A 90–100
B 80–89
C 70–79
D 60–69
F 0–59

Canvas and Technical Support

Canvas will be used as the primary platform for accessing course materials and assignments for this class.