What People Need Know About AP Art

Most people who go to San Dimas High School don’t know about the AP Studio Arts class that is being offered. The class counts as a year of arts credits for the A-G requirements, as well as potential AP Credits if the Exam is passed. In order to get into the class all you need is a permission from the AP Studio Arts Teacher Mr.Black, however he prefers that you have taken one of his Art classes before so he would be able to get to know you better and work with you more when in the AP art class.

Mr. Black has had people in the past who have shown him some skill or talent and joined the class without taking one of his art classes before despite the preferred experience rule. In this case, if you are able to talk to him and show him AP level art skill, work with him, and are willing to learn, then you are able to join the class as well.

When working with his AP Art students Black says, “Often i have had the student in Advanced, sometimes also in Intro and that is really beneficial, because to be honest the work that you have to produce in the AP Studio Art exam needs to be done over the course of more than one school year, and they allow that. For example, I have juniors that are making art work that they will probably use senior year for the AP test.”

Over the course of the year in the AP class, the students will be primarily focused on creating their portfolio for the AP exam which will be their actual test, its 12 to 15 pieces around a theme. “They start at the beginning of the year figuring out what their theme is going to be, and it can literally be anything. I have one student who is designing her own taro card deck for example, I have one student who is doing all pieces about religion in society, I got one who is doing animals with human body parts.” Black reveals. Students will pick their theme and they work on that through out the whole year, the style and materials are completely up to them as long as its something that they know how to use.

In AP Art, most of the students have already utilized all of the materials that Mr. Black has to offer. An example would be the acrylic paint since this is what they learn to use in advanced art then they will go on to use it in AP Art as they prepare for the AP Exam. Depending on the student, there may be more possibility than just painting and drawing. Examples would be: art collages and mixed media, however 3D art and sculpture are not permitted because that’s a different class.