Art

The Art Department offers two broad kinds of instruction: studio courses in art (including drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, photography, film, video, and animation) and lecture and discussion courses in the history, theory and criticism of the arts and film studies. Our facilities include the art studios with working kiln, refurbished photography lab, television and radio studio.

 

 

 

Crimson and Gold – Our award-winning yearbook produced by the photojournalism classes.

This course is designed to explore two-dimensional and three-dimensional techniques including paper maché, collage, painting, and drawing, among others. Emphasis is on developing the individual's sense of color, form and design through hands-on experience. Projects are supplemented with related art history lessons which serve as guides toward stimulating the students' own creativity. The following are some examples of projects: paper maché masks/ Fantasy; composition/Surrealism; landscape collage/Fauvism, overlapping still life, composition/Cubism.

 

The photography course is for students who have completed a required art class and have the foundation in the elements and principles of art. It will focus on photography as a medium of communication and a tool for self-expression. The objective is to familiarize you with the fundamentals of picture taking and darkroom skills, as well as the history and aesthetics of photography as an art form. Photography as a medium has been described as: painting with light; a tool to enhance visual perception, and a key to understand one's life and times. Our goal for this term see the visual world anew through the medium of photography.

The Digital Photography course is for students who have completed a required art class and have the foundation in the elements and principles of art. It will focus on digital photography as a medium of communication and a tool for self-expression. The objective is to familiarize you with the fundamentals of picture taking and digital photography skills, as well as the aesthetics of digital photography as an art form. The class will explore the basics of digital picture-making. Class discussion topics will focus on the contemporary use of digital photography and its use with the art world. Non-shooting assignments will help students conceptualize their own work. The final project will require student to submit a written proposal at week seven of the course calendar. There will be studio days where students are expected to bring material to work on in class.

Prerequisite:  Art History or Workshop in Artistic Exploration.

 

Photojournalism   (JUNIORS & SENIORS ONLY)                                                            

Seniors who are interested in photojournalism learn all aspects of yearbook production – from designing a cover and end sheets to compiling an index – in preparation for producing the school’s yearbook in the spring term.  Students select both an ideological and a graphic theme to unify their book.  Students also learn how to assign, write, edit and enter copy on a computer; how to take crop and upload digital photographs; choose a graphic theme for each section and to lay out all spreads; and how to transfer the page layout design to a computer program designed and used by a professional publishing company. 

The Printmaking course will enable students to learn the fundamentals of two-dimensional design using the medium of printmaking. Group and individual projects stress the specificity of each medium. The techniques of block printing, collograph, monotype, and drypoint will be introduced. Students will create prints while exploring color theory, figure/life drawing, self- portrait and still life. Graphic and abstract designs will be developed as students learn to express themselves through the medium of printmaking.  The Advanced Art course is designed to provide students who wish to broaden their understanding of the visual arts as part of a well-rounded general education. The emphasis is on the fundamentals of visual communications. Students will develop their artistic skills utilizing various mediums. A variety of art experiences are offered based on understanding, appreciation and application of the elements and the principles of art. Assignments will be given to increase the student's visual communication skills.

Prerequisite:  Workshop in Artistic Exploration.

 

Independent study in art and/or approved Queens College course(s) are required for a three-year sequence in art.

 

Note: Permission of the Department Supervisor and Teacher is required.