Grade Nine Sketchbook Arrive

Grade nine students have completed their introductory Visual Arts exercises and have been working on a tonal rendering of a still life made of pasta shapes. Their challenge is to enlarge the shapes and make them look three dimensional. This involves careful observations and good control of the pencil to layer graphite onto the paper and create the many “values” needed. They lifted out highlights and added accent lines to complete their compositions.

On Friday they had their first Sketchbook Day. Their hardbound artist’s books had arrived and they spent the period moving information and sketches from their temporary books to their hardbound book. They will use these books in both ninth and tenth grade art.

The purpose of the research workbook or sketchbook is to encourage your student’s personal research and discovery, which functions interactively with our work in the studio. The sketchbooks will include: analytical research, discovery, interpretation, media experiments.

The sketchbooks will contain visual and written information, including your student’s own original works such as sketches and diagrams, and should function as a working journal. The sketchbook reflects your student’s personal interests and may show a wide-range of personal investigation into many fields. There should be a balance between analytical research and open-ended inquiry, illustrating your student’s creative processes.

A sketchbook or workbook of this kind is a requirement for the Advanced Placement (AP) portfolio. Even if your student is not planning to submit an AP portfolio the sketchbook process is an important part of the Visual Arts program.

Thanks to parents for providing this quality tool for your student to use.