Art I: Foundations of Visual Art

Reservoir High School Art Department

Evan La Londe, Instructor
Course Syllabus

Art is, after all, only a trace-like a footprint which shows that one has walked bravely
through life with great happiness.
-Robert Henri (1865-1929)

Welcome to Art!
In this class you will be given the tools and methods to enable you to understand the visual world in which we live.
Learning about art is like learning a new language, but this language is one that everyone can “speak,” and understanding it
will allow you to see and understand the world in a completely different way. Everyday you see images on the television, in
magazines, on billboards, in books, and in countless other places. Indeed, we now live in a world that bombards us with
imagery everywhere we look. In order to understand this world of graphics and moving imagery, you must first understand
the processes that led to its creation.
You will have the opportunity to develop this understanding through the discovery of your own unique solutions to a
variety of art problems. The solutions you create will come from many media experiments and will take the form of personal
prints, drawings, sculptures, collages, paintings, and craft objects. To inspire and direct you through the process of making
these works we will look at and examine the work of artists who have come before you, and also the artists who are working
along side of you in the world today. You will discover and experience the methods that artists used to create art: research,
brainstorming, sketching, and experimentation with media, creating the final work, and the critique or reflection on that work.

Fundamental Experiences
In this course you will discover how to:
-Use your eyes to critically observe the world around you in order to understand what you see.
-Identify and apply the elements of art and principles of design
-Use Feldman’s four-step process for making critical judgments.
-Use various idea-generating approaches, including: imagination, observation, memory, verbal-to-visual, and
experimental.
-Develop creative problem solving skills, as well as design and technical skills in drawing, painting, printmaking,
collage, sculpture, and crafts.

Assessment
As you can see from the above description, this class is truly about personal process and self-discovery, not solely “end-
product” based. Basically, this means that no one expects you to be a “master artist” right away. You will be graded on all
parts of your process, with the greatest number of points allotted to how well your final product meets the criteria of the
assignment. You will be graded only on your own performance and progress on your individual effort, growth, and
improvement-NOT on how your finished work compares to the rest of the class. At the completion of each problem
you will assess your own progress through written reflection before submitting the work for a grade.

For some students, this process will come easily and naturally, others of you will have to work a little harder to earn a top
grade. This may even include spending time after school. In this way learning art can be compared to learning math,
English, history, or any other subject. Sometimes you need a little more help, or a different sort of guidance to be successful.
You will be required to complete a portfolio that will include all of the work done in class and at home, (that includes all
sketches, sketchbook, and visual journal). A portfolio review will take place periodically between the instructor and the
student throughout the year.
Grading Policies & Procedures:

Deadlines: for all assignments will be set at the discretion of the instructor. It is your responsibility to meet with me about
discussing an extension for a deadline at least three days before the assignment is due.

Late Work: You will create artworks in a variety of formats, which will include independent work in a visual journal,
sketchbook, and in-class problems. Although all artists work at different speeds, you must complete work by its assigned
deadline. Here are the late work policies:
For each day late you submit a homework assignment after the deadline, you will be deducted one letter grade, (or 10%) off
of your grade. For each day late you submit an in-class assignment after the deadline, you will be deducted half a letter
grade, (or 5%) off of your grade.
Incomplete work will not be accepted; only finished work will receive a grade.

Portfolio: Each student will compile a portfolio that consists of work completed in class or at home, sketchbook/visual
journal, reflections and exams. Each work in the portfolio will be graded according to the following criteria:
Objectives - Meeting the criteria or objectives for the specific assignment. Ex. An assignment may include specific
preparation/brainstorming.
Studio Skills – Proper handling of equipment, responsible use of time, respect for others and their work, clean up, and
class participation.
Craftsmanship / Presentation – Neatness and respect for your work should be evident in the appearance of a completed
assignment.
Design – Thoughtfulness to the composition and its relationship to your personal ideas.

Homework: (Visual Journal/Sketchbook): Visual journals are small, personal books that we make in class. It will
allow you to experiment and expand on ideas for making art in different ways. Visual Journals will be collected twice a
quarter, once around interim, and then again at the end of the quarter. Sketchbook/notebook will be used both in-class and
out of class. Often times you will receive a drawing assignment to be done in your sketchbook. Together, the visual journal
and sketchbook will account for 30% of your grade.

Quarterly Grade Breakdown

Classwork 70%- Classwork includes all in-class works.
Homework 30%- Homework includes sketchbook assignments and visual journals.
Participation 10%- Participation includes daily behavior and engagement in class. You can receive a maximum of 4
participation points per day, every day. Points will be deducted for lateness, (2 pts. per lateness) wasting class time, negative
behavior, etc.

Exams: The final exam and performance assessment will count 50% and 50% respectively, of your final exam grade.

Absences: If you are legally absent, you may make up missed work-you are permitted a one day extension for every day
that you are absent, (upon submitting your signed, blue absence slip). You are responsible for asking the instructor for missed
work. The nature of the work may require that you stay at school, rather than at home. It is up to the student and
instructor to decide on what day and time this will occur.

Materials*
You are not required to buy anything for Art I. All materials will be provided. However, students with a strong
interest in art are recommended to purchase:

A hard-bound sketchbook (hard cover book or spiral bound.) that is 8.5"x11" or 9"x12" (DO NOT get tablet
bound pads (taped binding) because they fall apart after a month of use.
Sketchbooks can be found at local arts or office supply stores such as Michael's, Office Depot, Staples, JoAnn's, etc.

*Links to supply stores and other suggestions for the serious artist can be found on the Art Department Web Site.
Studio Expectations/Class Routine:
1) All tools and materials must be handled with care and respect so that they are in the best possible condition for the next
person’s use – which of course, may be you!!! Tools and materials, therefore, must be used only for the purpose for which
they were designed and intended. All studio tools and materials must be returned to their proper place – even if they were not
properly stored when you arrived in class. Each of you will be responsible (and will occasionally be graded) for the
equipment you have used.

2) Any spills or accidents with materials must be promptly cleaned up. (All students who share space at a table are
responsible for that table and are expected to help clean up any messes, even if they are not personally responsible.)

3) You may leave your seat only to get supplies and to clean up, not to socialize!

4) No more than 4 people may sit at one table, unless instructor gives special permission.

5) The studio will be left in excellent condition at the end of every class – tools and materials will be properly stored, works-
in-progress will be put away, the tables and stools will be cleared of all debris. Materials that may have fallen on the floor
during the studio work periods will be picked up and stored properly. The condition and proper care of your table is your
responsibility!!!

6) You may drink bottled water in this class; however, it is not permissible to drink other beverages or to eat food of any
kind, as those substances might spill, stain, or otherwise deface your artwork, or the art of those around you.

7) For some people, conversation helps them to make art; for others, quiet, focused thought is best. In this class, talking
quietly while you work is okay – as long as your conversation is not adversely affecting your work, or the work of those
around you. I will be the judge of how much is too much!

Lateness
Students should be sitting in their assigned seats when the bell rings. Penalties for violations include:

First offense: Warning

Second offense: Lunch detention
Third offense: an assigned before or after school detention, and a phone call home
Fourth offense: referral to administration for resulting consequences.

Academic Integrity
Each student is responsible for holding academic integrity. If there is a question in reference to a student’s academic
integrity, they will be referred to their administrator by way of a disciplinary referral, they will be given due process, and the
appropriate consequences will result in Reservoir High School’s Academic Honor Code. This academic integrity will impact
a student’s eligibility for credit in this course.

Opportunities!
National Art Honor Society (NAHS) NAHS is a nationally accredited honor society in which students participate in a
variety of events and activities. We take special field trips, we host RHS’s annual CoffeeHouse, we do art projects with
younger students, we have crazy contests and festivals, and we make lots of fun things! In general we relax and have a good
time once a week after school.

Art Shows and Exhibitions: On our website, you can access lots of information regarding scholarship opportunities,
contests, and county programs that you can apply for.
 Reservoir High School Visual Arts Department Syllabus Contract
This syllabus is a contract. By signing below, you and your parents/guardians are acknowledging that
you have read the entire Photo 1 course syllabus, and will abide by and support all of its stated policies.

______________________________________ ______________________________________
Student signature Parent / Guardian Signature

_____________________________________________ ______________________________________________
Student Name (Printed) Parent / Guardian Name (Printed)

_____________________________________________ ______________________________________________
Todays date Today’s Date

 I would like to provide an email address that can be consistently used if the instructor needs to contact me
regarding my child.
My email address is: _______________________________________

 I would like to provide a reliable phone number for which the instructor can use to contact me regarding
my child.

My home phone number is: __________________________________

My work phone number is: __________________________________

-PUBLICATION NOTICE-
We, the art department, are currently in the process of building a school-based visual arts website and documenting
student work for art educational research articles. For this purpose, I, the teacher will photograph some of your
artwork, students working in class, and use select quotes from students’ reflective statements about their artwork that
may be used on this website and publications.

As most of you are under 18 years of age, please ask your parents / guardian to sign below giving permission for
documentation of classroom experiences to be used/reproduced in the school based websites and art education publication.
(I can publish and post only student work for which parental permission has been granted.) Permission is not required, and
this website and research project will in no way affect the assessment and/or grading of student work throughout the year.

I grant permission for the Reservoir Fine Art Department faculty (Evan La Londe, Greg English, and Jennifer Moon) to
photograph my child, their artwork, and reflective statements for publication on school-based websites and art education
journals.

_____________________________________
Parent / Guardian Signature

_____________________________________________
Parent Name (Printed)

Parents, you can check all classroom activities, assignments, examples, and obtain
handouts via the Art 1 classroom blog at: www.reservoirphotoone.blogspot.com

Please feel free to contact me anytime through email at: evan_lalonde@hcpss.org!