AP 2D Studio Art Assignment: Posing a Question Through Art
Objective: Students will create a two-dimensional artwork that not only demonstrates their technical skills and creative use of mediums but also actively engages the viewer by posing a thought-provoking question. This assignment encourages critical thinking and conceptual development in art-making.
Assignment Brief: Art can be a powerful tool for communication, often encouraging viewers to think deeply about various subjects. In this project, you are to create an artwork that poses a specific question to the viewer. This question could be direct or implied, but it should encourage the viewer to think critically or retrospectively.
Steps to Follow:
1. Idea Generation:
Brainstorm questions that you find compelling or important. These could be personal, philosophical, social, or environmental.
Consider questions that arise from your own experiences or from global issues that you are passionate about.
2. Concept Development:
Choose one question to focus on for your artwork.
Develop a concept that visually represents this question. Think about symbols, colors, and composition that could help convey the message.
Sketch out several ideas and compositions that best express your chosen question.
3. Medium and Materials:
Decide on the medium that best suits your concept (e.g., painting, collage, digital media, mixed media).
Gather materials needed for creating the final piece.
4. Creation of Artwork:
Using your sketches and concept as a guide, create your final artwork.
Ensure that your technical execution—such as color mixing, layout, and form—effectively supports the conceptual intent.
Reflection and Explanation:
Prepare a brief written statement that explains your artwork, the question it poses, and why you chose this particular question.
Reflect on how your artwork communicates this question to the viewer and discuss the choices you made in medium and composition.
Presentation:
Final artworks will be displayed in class for a critique session. Each student will present their artwork, sharing their concept, the process of creation, and the question their artwork is asking.
Students should be prepared to discuss how their artwork engages the viewer and the effectiveness of their visual communication.
Evaluation Criteria:
Creativity and originality in the concept and how well the artwork communicates the intended question.
Technical proficiency in the use of the chosen medium.
Depth of thought in the conceptual development and written statement.
Ability to engage and provoke thought in viewers through visual means.
This assignment challenges students to integrate their technical skills with conceptual thinking, aiming to create artwork that not only demonstrates artistic ability but also engages viewers on a deeper level.
Assignment Rubric
Category: Creativity and Personal Voice
Exemplary/Mastery 0.5 Points
Highly creative approach that demonstrates a unique personal voice and interpretation. Artwork profoundly engages with the material and conceptual possibilities.
Proficient 0.4 Points
Creative approach with clear personal voice and interpretation. Engages well with material and conceptual possibilities.
Developing 0.3 Points
Some creativity evident with a moderate personal voice. Fair engagement with material and conceptual possibilities.
Emerging 0.2 Points
Limited creativity and personal expression. Engagement with material and conceptual possibilities is minimal.
Inadequate 0.1 Points
Lacks creativity and personal voice. Does not engage with material and conceptual possibilities.
No Attempt 0 Points
No creativity or originality shown; or evidence of plagiarization.
Category: Technique and Experimentation
Exemplary/Mastery 0.5 points
Demonstrates exceptional ability to experiment and lose control creatively. Multiple elements of the artwork are distinctly impactful. Composition is well planned out, showing strong understanding of design principles. All elements of the work connect to the intended theme. Aesthetic and conceptual elements engage viewers deeply.
Proficient 0.4 Points
Strong technique and good experimentation. Shows ability to creatively lose control with effective results. Most elements of the artwork are distinctly impactful. Composition is well planned out, showing good understanding of design principles. Most elements of the work connect to the intended theme. Aesthetic and conceptual elements engage viewers effectively.
Developing 0.3 Points
Adequate technique and some successful experimentation. Occasionally loses control creatively with moderate impact. Some elements of the artwork are distinctly impactful. Composition shows some understanding of design principles. Some elements of the work connect to the intended theme. Aesthetic and conceptual elements engage viewers to a moderate extent.
Emerging 0.2 Points
Inconsistent technique and limited success in experimentation. Struggles to lose control creatively. Few elements of the artwork are distinctly impactful. Little evidence of compositional planning or understanding of design principles. Few elements of the work connect to the intended theme. Aesthetic and conceptual elements minimally engage viewers.
Inadequate 0.1 Points
Poor technique and lack of experimentation. Unable to lose control creatively. Elements of the artwork are not impactful. Composition is not planned out, showing little to no understanding of design principles. Few to none of the elements of the work connect to the intended theme. Aesthetic and conceptual elements do not engage viewers.
No Attempt 0 Points
Student made no effort to experiment, nor used technical skills effectively. No elements of the artwork are distinctly impactful. Composition is not planned out, showing no understanding of design principles. None of the elements of the work connect to the intended theme. Aesthetic and conceptual elements are absent.