College Courses for High School Students: 2011-2012

Online

Portfolio Preparation for Designers
Get your design portfolio ready! This course is for students planning to apply to a college program in graphic design. Using a combination of web-based tools and engaging discussion, students can expect to submit their work, and receive the feedback needed to help make their design portfolios top-notch. By the end of this course, students will have diverse design portfolios that can be shown with confidence when submitting their college applications. 

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Portfolio Preparation for Fine Artists
This course will get you ready for the art school admission process! It is designed for students who want to apply to art college in fine arts or undeclared majors. The course will consist of weekly assignments and critiques. The assignments will range from observational drawing, to mixed media and content driven work. Learn how to explore your personal interests and push your skills! In our critiques and discussions, you'll develop the ability to talk about your own work and be ready for the college interview process, You'll be exposed to contemporary fine arts to help inspire new ideas and the art-making process! You'll also learn how to edit and organize your work to compile your strongest portfolio possible.

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Portfolio Preparation for Illustrators
This course is designed to help you prepare a solid, competitive portfolio for college art school admission based in illustration. The course will be held entirely online for four weeks. Each week you will be given a specific assignment, website links, and other materials to help you develop your own work, and individual and group critiques of your work in progress. You will get a look at what young professional illustrators are doing today as well as ways to think about developing your own unique approach to illustration. We will begin with idea/process books, and continue with observational drawing, working in color, and working in series or sequence.

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Portfolio Preparation for Photographers
This online course is designed for advanced young photographers who are planning to apply for college with a strong portfolio of photographic images. Students should have demonstrated experience in either traditional wet-darkroom black & white, or digital photography before taking the course. Students will begin the course with a substantial body of work, digitized and ready to upload. This course will focus on sequencing and editing images for inclusion in a final portfolio, portfolio presentation models, and writing artist statements. Through the use of the online discussion forum we will review and give feedback on your uploaded images. Assignments will be given to help expand upon and strengthen your current body of work.  

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Portfolio Preparation for Animators
Calling all aspiring animators! Animation is a fast growing but highly competitive industry. This course is designed specifically to get your portfolio ready to apply to college programs in animation. You will submit a variety of work, both finished pieces and sketchbook pages. We will also touch on animation design concepts such as character and environment development, as well as discuss industry trends and standards for all types of animation. Using web-based tools, students will submit their work to receive the feedback necessary to create rich, dynamic, and diverse portfolios that colleges want to see.  You wil need access to a scanner, and web browser. YouTube account and digital camera are highly recommended.

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Art History

Art Appreciation 
Experience and discuss fine art with confidence. Students will learn how to express opinions about art using language common in art and art historical circles. Classes will include visits to collections at Boston's museums and galleries. Students will also be encouraged to bring in their own work or examples of objects they enjoy for discussion.

NEW! Explorations in Contemporary Art 
For students who are interested in studying art history and/or visual culture, this course discusses twentieth-century art as it relates to artists' social and political backgrounds. Students will learn how to express opinions about art using language common in art professions while exploring various ideologies and cultures of artists. Classes will include visits to collections at Boston's museums and galleries. Students will be encouraged to bring their own artwork or examples of objects they enjoy for discussion. 

NEW! Introduction to Art History 
Pursuing a profession in art and design always involves the study of art history. A thorough understanding of the work of artists throughout the ages, and the cultural and social context of the times, enhances one's creative process. This course will serve as an introduction to the fascinating world of art history. With the many Boston museums available, the course can also serve as an introduction to the professions of art historians, art conservators, museum or gallery curators in addition to the practice of art and design.

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Design

The Art of the Handmade Book
This course will introduce traditional and alternative book-making techniques. Each student will bind a hardcover book and have the chance to create two or three smaller, experimental books. These books can be left blank for drawing or writing. They can also professionally combine printouts of stories, poems, or digital images.

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Design for Web + Mobile Applications
Start designing for some of the most up-to-date platforms. This course dives into the processes that a graphic designer can utilize to design interfaces for web and mobile spaces. Topics in this course will include idea generation, audience, layout, usability and an introduction to different ways to program websites. By the end of this course, students can expect to create and produce a functioning website with customizations tailored to the needs of their project. In addition, students will keep a process blog that enables the ability to track project process and practice elegant hacking of HTML and CSS.

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Design, Market and Promote Your Ideas
Do you love bands, record labels, events, clubs, sports, or have personal interests, causes, and goals?  This is the class for you.  From websites, to handbills, to street teams and iPhone Apps; how do you get your ideas and projects to stand out in a world cluttered with media?  This class will explore different ways to combine graphic design with marketing and promotions strategies.  You will also explore how design thinking can expand beyond graphics, to affect the overall outcome of entire events or innovative ideas.  Students can expect to use various tools including the computer, sketching, visual brainstorming, and critique as well as various current web tools like blogs, Google, Flickr and other social networking digital media.

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Game Design for Graphic Artists
The purpose of this class is to provide an introduction to game development. Instruction will be geared towards artists from a wide-range of backgrounds. We will discuss basic game design principles and students will discover some of the thought processes that developers and designers in the gaming industry use to create engaging, interactive media. We will explore ways to analyze and breakdown games into their most basic components hopefully dispelling myths and focusing on good design. Lastly, students will be introduced to a few basic game creators that will inspire them to use their own creations in an interactive game.

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Graphic Design 
Graphic design is about making things happen. Designers use a visual and strategic creative process, to design solutions for real world, practical applications. This course introduces the designers process from concept, to application, and how designed solutions affect the world. Topics covered will include visual brainstorming, concept sketching, connections, typography, form and layout. By the end of this course, students will have a broadened view of the graphic design field, and the impact it can have on society.

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Introduction to 3D Design: POP! 2D to 3D
Learn how to translate sketches and collages made in class into three-dimensional reliefs, dioramas and free standing or hanging sculpture. You will learn construction and problem solving techniques using a variety of materials including chipboard, paper, wood, string, wire and found materials. Three-dimensional compositional methods and the use of integrated graphic elements and color will be introduced and discussed in class accompanied by examples of historical and contemporary work. You will learn to generate ideas through class critiques and brainstorming sessions.

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Introduction to Typography
This course is an introduction to typography and its integration with graphic design. Through a focus on the foundation and history of letterforms, students will explore the impact typography has on design. You will work hands-on rendering and studying the elements of letterforms and typography. Experience the power of letterforms through drawing and multi-media exercises that allow you to interact with type in their daily environments while understanding the elements of typography. Students will also be introduced to contemporary typesetting technology and how it can help push one's designs.

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NEW! Magazine Design
Design and produce your own original magazine and learn skills in applying design thinking towards the concept, development and delivery of a project. Students will have the chance to work with professional software including: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Release your creativity and learn how to use your own photographs, artwork, poems and essays to express your point-of-view. You will learn newskills for layout design, image enhancement, scanning photographs, and manipulating typography. Your finished magazine may be used as a portfolio piece when applying to college.

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NEW! Packaging Design
Think about and design your own creative solutions to packaging a product while developing a brand. Students will learn skills on how to create prototypes for packaging that are not only functional but also reflect and sell a product. Each student will explore the development of various packages from music albums to pizza boxes. Upon completion, students will have a stronger knowledge of the process of developing concepts for this important aspect of design as well as create unique projects that can be used in a portfolio.

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Fashion

NEW! Everyday Fashion and Costume Design
This is a fashion course intended for students interested in exploring concepts for fashion designs. This is not limited to simply the study of high fashion but everyday wear and costume design. Students will use a variety of mark-making processes including drawing and cutting either digitally or with collage to first explore any and all ideas related to personal interests. After in-depth investigation into bodies of fashion, students will develop and produce their own designs for fashion-orientated articles and accessories. The end result of the project is intended to be photographed—including the process work leading to the final pieces for inclusion in your portfolio. Although the course may vary with the needs of the class, Adobe Creative Suite may be used in conjunction with an array of physical materials including scavenged and found as well as materials provided by the instructor.

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Fashion Foundation
This class will introduce students to the study of the fashion figure. Students study and develop the basic structure unique to fashion figure and its characteristics. A focus on the draping of garments, the use of appropriate color with attention to light and value will also be undertaken. Advance your basic drawing skills while deepening your knowledge of fashion and it's components. Individual interpretation and creating evocative, dramatic images are emphasized.

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Resist Dyed Textiles
This course will introduce you to the oldest method of decorating cloth. Students will experiement with a range of print techniques using dyes, resist methods, and hand painting. You will be encouraged to mix these techniques to develop your own unique ideas or textiles.

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Textile Print Design for Fashion
This class will explore the art of decorative print design for apparel fabrics. Students will learn basic concepts and methods of design for the fashion industry and various target markets. We will work on seasonal color relationships, scaling images, and fashion forecasting on a variety of market applications. Our goal is to achieve an expanded understanding of print design through collecting fabrics and exploring the impact of color and scale. If you like to draw, paint, and experiment with collage and mixed media, you will enjoy this course while you produce artwork for you portfolio.

New! Beginner's Hand: Creating Fashion Accessories
Have you even had trouble finding that special something for your outfit? Have you ever needed help creating your own crafty accessories? You're in luck! Whether for regular wear or costumes, this class was created with the intention of helping you learn how to make a few accessories to get you started on a creative path. 

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Fine Arts

Art + Ecology
This new course will bring together the important disciplines of art and ecology to offer a combination of intaglio printmaking, ecological field studies and a summary of historical approaches of the relationship of science, botanical studies and printmaking.  Techniques will include copper plate etching, hand coloring and drawing with pen and ink focusing on subjects from the natural world that you will collect and identify in class.  Discussions ranging from historical and scientific documentation of botanical studies to general ecology topics to contemporary artists working with present day issues of sustainability will be covered.

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The Art of the T-Shirt
This course will introduce you to a variety of traditional and non-traditional fabric painting and printing techniques. We will explore wearable art as a vehicle for advertising or social comment. Students can have fun with creating unique wearable expressions of their talents. One t-shirt will be supplied to the class and you can bring others to work on.

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Experimental Figure Sculpture
Explore the structural, dynamic, and expressive aspects of the human form. Working with the human anatomy and a live model, students create traditional sculptures in clay, which are then used as a springboard for making inventive sculptures in wood, found objects, and mixed media. Experimental techniques and materials will be used. Finished pieces make great additions to your portfolio!

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Introduction to Art Education
This course is designed to introduce you to the professional world of being an art teacher. What is it really like? Do you get time to create your own work? Do you get paid enough? What is pedagogy anyway? Through creative exploration and shared experiences, we will explore the facts and the misconceptions of being an art teacher. From curriculum standards, lesson plans, and practical considerations, to being an artist and teacher, this class will help you discover for yourself what the professional career of being an artist and teacher could be like for you.

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Introduction to Art Therapy
This introductory course will provide you with a hands-on exploration of the healing qualities of the creative process through practice and journaling. You will select a personal theme at the start of the course to process through a variety of projects and materials including drawing, painting, found object, and mixed media. Each class session will incorporate a discussion of the basic foundations of the field with connections to a variety of artists and their work. Additionally, you will be exposed to a range of careers in the field as well as the requirements for becoming an art therapist.

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Introduction to Basic Printmaking
This class is an excellent introduction to the art of printmaking for artists of all levels of experience, from complete beginners to more advanced printmakers looking to learn new techniques. We will cover everything from the history of printmaking to the main printmaking methods of etching, lithography, and monotype in this intense four-week course.

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Introduction to Painting
Students will be introduced to various beginning level painting techniques working with either oil or acrylic paint. We will begin with the traditional approach of painting a monochromatic still life as we investigate creating form, designing the composition of the picture plane, and learning to translate what we "see" to a two-dimensional surface. We will explore the properties of color, texture, surface, and tone as we progress. We will experiment with some contemporary forms of painting, collage and mixed media and eventually introduce a more personal expression. We'll explore the pictorial elements of composition, space, light, line, and color. Projects will focus on emphasizing different elements to achieve a particular effect and on keeping the viewer's eye moving around the picture.

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Jewelry + Metalsmithing
Approach the three-dimensional world in a new way. This course is an introduction to jewelry making techniques. Students will be introduced to a variety of metals and learn fabrication processes such as sawing, piercing, cold connecting, forming, and more. Techniques will be applied to both small and large pieces.

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3-D Painting + Assemblage
In this mixed-media course, you will experiment with both traditional and non-traditional collage materials to develop your personal imagery. With an emphasis on acrylic media, materials will also include photographic media, paper, and other textural additives that expand on the notion of painting beyond paint and two dimensions. Demonstrations will address the relationship between materials and image, and working processes will be emphasized. Discussions, critiques and slide shows will augment the class. This class is designed for both the beginning and intermediate student.

NEW! Architectural Paper Building
Clean up the environment by recycling "throw-aways" into new, exciting forms. Score, fold and cut paper to create forms and surfaces. We will seek out and collect "trash" from streets, walkways, parking lots, etc. as well as trash bins and home wastebaskets for use in the casting of imaginative reliefs and sculptures. We will see cast-off bottles, crushed soda cans, flattened boxes, as well as leaves, twigs, and branches as objects to be combined in new ways. Through the use of both recycled, and new paper in casting, and paper scoring and folding we will think about sculpture and architecture in new and creative ways. This course does NOT include the making of paper.

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Photography

Alternative Photographic Processes
Non-traditional photographic processes such as Cyanotype, Van Dyke, and Kallitype will be covered. Alternative methods of creating negatives using photocopiers and acrylic lifts will give students the chance to make photographs without a camera. Creative use of hand-applied bleach and toners will teach students new ways to creatively manipulate traditional black and white prints.

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Black and White Photography II
This is an advanced B&W photography class for students who are already familiar with the mechanics of the 35mm camera and darkroom techniques. Very little time will be spent covering the basics and emphasis will be placed on concept development of your images and improving your print and presentation quality. Bring your 35mm camera. You must have already taken the Photo Foundation class.

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Black and White Photographic Portraiture
This course will be an intensive seminar in portrait photography. Experience in black-and-white photography is recommended but not crucial. Students must have their own 35mm film camera. Over the course of four weeks, students will build a cohesive body of work consisting of black-and-white portrait photographs. Students will develop a critical understanding of the way that the portrait has played a role in the history of art, contemporary photography, and our media, as well as traditional darkroom techniques. The focus of the class will be concerned with the way that visual and conceptual elements contribute to the meaning of a portrait. Time will be split between critiques, brief slide lectures, and darkroom time. Each member of the class will choose their own subjects; creativity and exploration will be encouraged!

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Color Photography: Techniques + Concepts
This class introduces students to camera techniques and using the color darkroom. Students will begin shooting, developing, and printing their own color images using the automatic color print processor. As students build their confidence with technical aspects, they will explore less conventional and more personal approaches of image making. Special attention will be paid to issues of composition, color theory, concept development, and experimental techniques. Students must bring their own 35mm camera to the first class. Cameras can be either manual or automatic with manual features. Beginning through advanced students are welcome! It is recommended that students have some black-and-white experience prior to this course.

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Digital Photography
This class will focus primarily on digital capture, manipulation, and output for photographers. The course will enable students to shoot digitally, scan, make adjustments in Photoshop, and prepare the file for printing or web-based applications. We will explore simple and cheap ways to "go digital" including using Photoshop Elements and color matching without expensive calibration equipment. The use of  Photoshop will be geared towards improving photographic images and not heavy manipulation or design. We will explore both the technical and aesthetic side of photography and how the "digital revolution" is changing the medium through a combination of lectures, projects, and student-designed research. Students should have their own film SLR camera or a digital SLR camera.

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NEW! Fashion Photography—An Art Always in Vogue
From Project Runway to Vogue Magazine to Fashion Week in New York, fashion is inseparable from our popular culture. Wherever fashion goes, photographers are capturing images of models and their couture as they grace the catwalks and studios. Fashion photographers are the ones who bring these images to us in the form of advertising, magazines, and catalogs. This workshop will introduce students to the different facets that comprise digital fashion photography, from organizing a photo shoot and designing the set and lighting, all the way to post-production editing in Photoshop. In conjunction, we will be surveying trends in contemporary fashion photography as it burgeoned in the 60s to the present, looking at the designers and their iconic work as well as the photographers who took the images.

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Portfolio Preparation for Photography
This course is designed for advanced young photographers who are planning to apply for college admission with a portfolio of photographs. Students must be proficient in either black-and-white, color, or digital photography before taking the course. Students are expected to begin the course with printed photographs already completed. Although this course will not cover technical concepts of photography, students will have access to darkroom facilities in order to make any additions to their existing portfolio. The course will discuss topics such as presentation models, slides and digital files, artist statements, sequencing photographs, and preparing for the college interview.

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Traditional Black and White Photography
Learn the basics of black and white photography while working with a variety of subject matter. Shoot, develop, and print your own 35mm film. Attention will be given to looking at students' work and developing technical skills. Students must have their own 35mm cameras with manual controls. Beginners are welcome.

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