Curriculum | DCP ARMS ARTS

DCP ARMS
Visual Arts Curriculum

Foundational Art Courses (2D & 3D):

Entry-level, intermediate and advanced courses for students of all levels of art ability are designed to teach students basic art making techniques, concepts, and skills, via the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Through exploration of these courses, students will develop their own creative confidence to articulate their artistic voice through writing, creation, and verbal expression to justify their creative choices. We will explore how to use art to express their ideas through a variety of materials, approaches, and techniques.

Through the analysis of art, production of pieces, and building of technical skills students will develop expertise in critiquing, creating, presenting, connecting, and responding to art. Through these courses, we will examine the artistic and cultural practices of the global cultures/identities through an array of multicultural arts that are present in the Down Town College Prep District; enhancing, how their unique, rich contributions have shaped the fabric of our community. Below are examples of some, but not limited to, unit projects in relation to a variety of theory/concepts taught within art classes at DCP Alum Rock Middle School.

Clay Sculpture-
Embossed Ornaments

Students practiced their skills in clay hand-building techniques, with emphasis on clay embossing. Students were thrilled to create clay embossed ornaments, painted and hung with jute twine, to decorate a tree at Down Town Christmas in the Park to represent DCP ARMS.

Clay Sculpture-
Sugar Skull Inspired Clay Skulls

Through the sugar skull inspired clay skulls project, students learned about a variety of clay hand-building techniques. In addition, students enhanced their knowledge on color-theory and application of acrylic paints when refining and adding detail to their clay sculptures. Students were excited to use their clay sculptures as decorations this year for Día de Muertos.

Painting-Acrylic Cupcake Paintings

Students practiced their skills differentiating between implied and actual texture when creating their acrylic Wayne Thiebaud inspired paintings. Students had a fun time learning about impasto powder, glazes, and the use of application with a variety of brushes and pallet knifes.

3D Design-Mandala Rock Painting

With emphasis on application of acrylic paint and study of non-western traditional art in relation to the mandala and its history. Students enjoy creating rock paintings and are excited to contribute a variety in style toward creating a school rock-garden to represent the mindfulness of desire, pride, and commitment to a strong DCP Alum Rock Middle school community.

Painting-Canvas Painted Ornaments

Students practiced fundamentals skills in acrylic painting on canvas, incorporating concepts of color-theory and paint mixing. Students were enthusiastic to create canvas painting ornaments, hung with ribbon, to decorate a tree in Christmas in the Park to represent DCP ARMS tree this year.

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Drawing-Still-Life

Students practiced creating value range in graphite, they were determined to incorporate a range of eight values within their still-life drawings. Students were introduced to creating cast shadows and enhancing an environment for their items drawn as well. This then prepares students to later further incorporate these concepts relating to creating a foreground, middleground, and background within the atmosphere of their drawings.

Drawing-Oil Pastels

Students learned a variety of oil pastel drawing techniques in which they incorporated into their drawings. For instance, blending from light to dark, enhancing shadows and highlights, as well as adding layers of depth with stippling, sgraffito, and hatching. In addition, students are continuing to grow in creating an atmosphere within their drawings that includeg a foreground, middle-ground and background.

Mixed Media

Students in advanced art classes become more familiar with fundamental skills of the introduction art classes pertaining to Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Students begin to achieve more freedom in their class art projects, for instance the unit including a variety of multicultural patterns gone over in class than used as inspiration to create a symbolic self-portrait. For this particular mixed media portrait a combination of acrylic paint and ink was used to create a wonderful composition.