Students will identify that creating a product, packaging, or place is the job of an artist using a creative design process to develop the very best solution. Students will use the iterative design process to develop ideas and create a new and innovative product, package, or place design.

Students will research Renaissance art and its historical characteristics. Students will combine anachronism and Renaissance technique, to recreate a painting. The student will demonstrate technical skill and independent thinking in the use of media, techniques, and processes to achieve desired intentions in the creation of their final product.

Looking at the history of drawing by analyzing the procedures used by famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, students will see the importance of gesture drawing skills. Through this lesson, gesture drawing skills are developed through observation of the movement of different subject matter: people and fish. Students will create their own personal work of art using observational, gesture drawings of fish and composition techniques.

Students will learn about the history of self-portraits throughout time and the use of various media and techniques to create them. Students will be creating their own cardboard relief self-portrait while learning about facial proportion and illustrating from observation.

Students will learn about cartoonists Charles Schulz and Jackie Ormes, and the correlation between their comics and current events of their time. Inspired by their work, students will create their own comic strips to share their perspectives on a current event they feel a personal connection with or that they have interest in.

Students will learn about the history of portraits throughout time and the use of various media and techniques such as fiber arts to create them. Students will be creating their own yarn portraits while learning about the history of fiber arts, portraits throughout time, and illustrating from observation.  

This is an introduction to foundational drawing and observational skills, through a series of practice drawings that culminate into a creative still life project. The still life projects focus on foundational observational drawing skills, basic composition, and allow opportunities for student collaboration.

Students will learn about new media and “Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii” by Nam June Paik. Students will create an animation depicting an aspect of an assigned region of Virginia, then add it to a collaborative class map. 

While being introduced to a variety of poets, students will be able to find personal connections with the works. These personal connections will be developed into narrative illustrations of their own life.

This unit of study allows for students to gain understanding and confidence in figure drawing over a series of 3 separate lessons that result in a collaborative mural. These lessons can be used to facilitate an assessment of student growth and skills development, while still encouraging expression through different types of art explorations and working both individually and collaboratively.

Students will learn about artists who create assemblages using found objects. After learning about colors and spatial relationships in composition, students will create an assemblage using found household objects in the color of their choice.

What would it be like living during the Harlem Renaissance? How would you feel if your family packed up and moved to another state? In this lesson students will discuss, visualize and create artwork inspired by the work of Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden.

Students will explore both historical and contemporary purposes of masks in various cultures. Students will analyze visual principles and properties of masks construction. Students will communicate personal stories and identity through the creation of masks using contemporary materials. 

In this printmaking project inspired by the work of Virginia Beach native and artist, Ryan McGinness, students will learn about simplifying complex imagery into basic symbols and design a personalized symbol stamp. They will also get a glimpse of artists working together in a studio environment. Students will print their symbols on a collaborative work of art in addition to creating individual prints.

Students will use the process of printmaking to create personal works of art. Students will investigate the history and processes of printmaking. Exploring traditional approaches to printmaking, students will create innovative products.

During this lesson, students will explore concepts related to animation while creating a moving image using ideas, subject matter, and materials of their choice by designing a functional thaumatrope. 

Students will take on the role of a graphic designer and create a logo for their dream business relying on symbolism and imagery over text. Students will use linoleum printing methods to print their business logo on multiple surfaces - shirts, bags, paper etc. Utilizing printmaking allows students to see the benefits of using this media when reproduction of a design is desired.

Students will experiment with various light blocking materials and how they affect creation of shadows. Using this knowledge, student will participate in a series of activities manipulating and capturing shadows to inform their own work creating a 3D sculpture that casts a unique shadow.

Students will learn that a mistake is an opportunity to be an artist.  Students will first close their eyes and make an unwanted mark on their paper, then use a variety of art supplies to turn that “mistake” into a work of art.  By problem-solving, students will explore solutions that may take the form of animals, objects, places, or non-representative art.

Students will look at the difference between abstract, non-representational, and representational work before creating their own piece of art. The work of art they create will be a depiction of their own emotions while listening to different types (genres) of music. Students will choose from available media and create a work based on their own emotional response to the musical selections.