As the second semester comes to an end, AP Drawing and 2-D Art and Design students have begun wrapping up their portfolios.
Unlike most AP classes, AP Drawing and AP 2-D Art and Design are portfolio-based courses. Instead of taking a traditional exam, students submit a collection of their artwork in May that includes a Sustained Investigation (60% of their score) which contains 15 pieces of art that show the student’s growth. The remaining 40% of the grade comes from Selected Works, which are five high-quality pieces that demonstrate the student’s skill as an artist.
Students in AP Art can choose from two different pathways: Drawing or 2-D Art and Design, each focusing on different techniques and forms of expression.
“I enjoy teaching AP art,” AP Art teacher Kevin Thomas said. “In AP, students either choose from drawing or 2 dimensional design.”
All of the AP Art courses are diverse, they provide different experiences according to what path the student decides to take.
Each student will develop their own investigation, focusing on a topic that is meaningful to them and building a body of work off of it.
“In AP, students engage in an investigation of a topic,” Thomas explained. “They are required to research and develop their body of work according to their topic.”
Cayman Jones, a two-year AP Art student, thinks the class isn’t just an elective, but instead a passion.
“My favorite art piece is probably part of my portfolio from last year, called ‘The Elephant in the Room’,” Jones said. “My portfolio was about symbolism through animals about my family.”
In AP Art, students are challenged to come out of their comfort zone with their pieces depending on which course they take, leaving students to be receptive to new ideas and methods.
“Dr. Thomas is very strict on what you turn in, which has definitely helped me improve as an artist,” said Jones.
As the May deadline approaches, the focus shifts from a single piece in the portfolio to the entire collection. Students’ portfolios are more than just a final grade, it is a visual demonstration on how they have grown as artists.
