Curriculum Detail

Visual Arts

In the classroom, students choose from a wide range of fine arts from introductory to the AP levels. Taught by teachers who are all working artists, students will learn to work in materials such as oil and acrylic paint, pencil and charcoal, wood, clay, and digital printing. All classes integrate history, theory, and aesthetics within a hands-on production environment. 

 

In addition, afternoon activities allow aspiring artists to spend additional time in the studios. From ceramics to jewelry to woodworking, the visual arts are an important part of the cultural fabric at Kimball Union.

 

All visual arts courses count as a visual arts credit.

  • 2-D Design

    (1/3 credit)

    This course poses and aims to answer the questions: Why is Coca-Cola’s logo timeless? What attracts us to certain cars, fashion, candy? Why does McDonald’s logo make us hungry? This course provides a foundation for the fundamentals of design. It is a great fit for students interested in graphic, fashion, and even architectural design. Students work with traditional drawing materials, mixed media, and Photoshop to explore the following concepts: composition, figure-ground relationships, pattern, scale and proportion, value, color, and typography.


    Students develop a broad design vocabulary as well as a repertoire of practical techniques. The class is designed with a progressive sequence of projects including – re-creating a company’s logo, using the Japanese technique of black and white harmony, composing a collage self-portrait, etc. – culminating in a more complex design project within the student’s own area of interest.

  • Advanced Topics: Portfolio and Design

    (1 credit)

    This year-long course is designed for highly motivated students who want to continue their artistic efforts at an advanced level and intend to further their art education after high school. Students work in a variety of materials, with an emphasis on drawing and painting the human figure and the study of anatomy to better understand realistic representations of the human form. Students study both historical and contemporary visual artists and their processes.


    In this course, students are provided with information about art careers and post-secondary opportunities in the arts through video presentations and research. Students are required to participate in a portfolio review of their best work for an end-of-course presentation, which can also be utilized as a college entrance portfolio for a visual arts program. Students in this course complete artwork outside of class time and produce high-quality artwork expected for an AT visual art class or college entrance portfolio.

  • AP Art History

    (10th*, 11th, 12th)

    This course examines the art and architecture of the world from prehistoric times to the present with a focus on the understanding and appreciation of the visual arts within their different cultural contexts and can be taken for either a history or arts credit. Classes use a slide/lecture/discussion format as well as some hands-on projects. Grades are based on quizzes, tests, presentations, and writing assignments. Students have the opportunity to see art in person through visits to major Boston and Hanover museums. *This course is for upper class students who have completed or are simultaneously completing their U.S. history requirement. However, 10th grade students may be recommended to take this course in place of Geopolitics Since the Renaissance.
     
  • AP Studio Art

    (1 credit)

    This full-year course offers an intensive study of the visual arts and is offered to juniors and seniors who have met the prerequisites. Class projects are designed to help students develop their technical competence and to enhance their breadth of artistic knowledge as well as to provide opportunities for creative self-expression. Students work in a wide variety of media from traditional drawing and painting to computer-generated design. Senior art students may create portfolios for college admissions, and AP students may design a long-term project for inclusion into their AP portfolio submission.
  • Ceramics

    (1/3 credit; Prerequisite: Introduction to Ceramics or Permission of the instructor)

    This intermediate course strives to bring students to the next levels of technique, applied craftsmanship, and development of their unique artistic voice. With a focus on surface and form, students have the choice of completing assignments through hand-building techniques or on the wheel. A variety of surface treatments are covered in more depth as forms become more complex. Students are challenged to refine their perception and push their creative comfort zone.

  • Digital Photography I-Digital Imaging

    (1/3 credit)

    This course is an introduction to digital photography. Using a digital camera and a computer as tools, students produce images from digital cameras and/or scanned negatives, slides, and prints. They create and manipulate photographic imagery to produce a portfolio of digitally enhanced photographs. The class covers basic digital camera controls, formatting, lighting, composition, and basic digital darkroom techniques. Students may be required to provide their own digital camera.
  • Film and Video Production I

    (1/3 credit)
     
    Students in this course create video using digital media, cameras, and professional video editing software, such as Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro. The course focuses on capturing video, editing, writing storyboards, and creating short original movies. Students may also develop original soundtracks and scores.
  • Film and Video Production II

    (1/3 credit; Prerequisite: Film Production I)

    Students in this course continue to create videos using digital media, cameras, and professional video editing software, such as Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro. The course focuses on capturing video, editing, writing storyboards, and creating short original movies. Developing original soundtracks and scores may be part of the projects as well. This is the advanced version of the Digital Video I Production Course.
  • Foundation Drawing

    (1/3 credit)

    This introductory drawing course explores the elements of art and design. Using a variety of drawing media, students learn to draw accurately from observation. Students are also encouraged to find their own creative voice through the exploration of various expressive styles. This course or an equivalent is a prerequisite for all other studio art courses.
  • Introduction to Ceramics

    (1/3 credit)

    This introductory course is designed for students with little or no prior experience working with clay. Students are acquainted with both hand-building techniques (slab-work, coiling, pinching) and working on a potter’s wheel. Personal expression is fostered through different surface treatments and glaze options. With its focus on functional ware, students can expect to have completed an assortment of pieces meant for daily use by the end of the class.
  • Introduction to Digital Fabrication

    (1/3 credit, 1 trimester elective)
     
    The Maker movement leads to an explosion of digital tools that have revolutionized things are created. This course will go over how these tools work and how you can make use of them in your own work. This course will cover techniques and tools that supplement the use of digital fabrication technology like 3D printers, laser cutters, and more. In the process of learning these tools, you will also learn how to create finished designs using various artistic techniques and different materials to achieve the desired level of craftsmanship and functionality required. This course will help you make your first step into the Maker movement.
  • Jewelry

    (1/3 credit)

    This class introduces students with little or no experience in jewelry making to the fundamental techniques of metalsmithing. Through work with both metal clays and traditional methods of silversmithing, students gain a variety of skills that allow them to express their ideas and creativity in personal designs. While materials for some projects are included in the class, students will be charged for supplies used beyond those. They can expect to have finished several pieces of wearable art by the end of this trimester-long class.
  • Painting

    (1/3 credit)

    This course focuses on the element of color. Through painting and design projects, students learn how to use color to achieve a variety of results including effective design, personal expression, and the exploration of the world around us. Students also learn technical skills for working in acrylic, oil, watercolor, and other media.
  • Studio Art Advanced I

    (1 credit)

    This full-year course offers an intensive study in the visual arts and is offered to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have met the prerequisites. Class projects are designed to help students develop their technical competence and to enhance their breadth of artistic knowledge as well as to provide opportunities for creative self-expression. Students work in a wide variety of media from traditional drawing, painting, and mixed media to computer-generated art and design. Seniors may create portfolios for college admission and AP students may design a long-term project for inclusion in their AP portfolio.
  • Studio Art Advanced II

    (1 credit; Prerequisites: Advanced standing and Permission of the teacher)

    This full-credit course offers an intensive study in the visual arts and is offered to juniors and seniors who have met the prerequisites. Class projects are designed to help students develop their technical competence and to enhance their breadth of artistic knowledge as well as to provide opportunities for creative self-expression. Students work in a wide variety of media from traditional drawing and painting to computer-generated design. Seniors may create portfolios for college admissions and AP students may design a long-term project for inclusion in their AP portfolio submission.
  • Woodworking

    (1/3 credit)

    This course is a hands-on introduction to woodworking based on an old-world approach to basic woodworking skills. Lecture demonstration provides instruction on the elements of design, shop drawings, wood science, and tool use. Topics covered include care and use of hand tools, shop safety, and an introduction to power equipment. Basic joinery and fundamental techniques of wood fabrication are explored through a series of assigned projects. 
  • Illustration

    (1/3 credit)

    Illustration is the art of creating visual imagery that interprets, depicts, explains, and enhances written language be it in books, newspapers, or online media. Illustrations also make websites and apps more user-friendly (think emojis), adorn your paper coffee cups, bring characters to life on cereal boxes, and even decorate the wallpaper in your favorite old home. These are just a few examples of how illustration enriches our world today. In this course, you'll tackle art challenges from an illustrator's perspective. You'll be presented with various problems and tasks with the goal of solving them through visual imagery, using art materials such as pencil, pen, ink, or watercolor for hand-drawn illustrations and digital art making in Procreate. Explore the diverse applications of illustration and develop your creative problem-solving skills. 

  • Sculpture

    (1/3 credit)
    This course focuses on the elements of three-dimensional form and design. Students will move from representational low-relief to three-dimensional sculptures, eventually rendering more abstract work through assemblage. Students will practice making molds, casts, and armatures during the sculpture process. By the end of the course, students will be able to render sculptural and three-dimensional forms with greater skill, confidence, and creative expression.  

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Department Faculty

  • Photo of Riley Adams
    Riley Adams
    Visual Arts Teacher
    603 469-2134
    Bio
  • Photo of Darrell Beaupre
    Darrell Beaupre '86
    English Teacher, Art Teacher
    603-469-2000
    Bio
  • Photo of Ursula Fries-Herfort
    Ursula Fries-Herfort
    Learning Center Teacher, Ceramics Teacher, Taylor Gallery Director
    603-469-2136
    Bio
  • Photo of Julie Haskell
    Julie Haskell
    Dean of Faculty, Art Teacher
    603-469-2112
    Bio
  • Photo of Dustin Meltzer
    Dustin Meltzer '05
    Visual Arts Teacher, Theater Technical Director
    603-469-2138
    Bio