FINALLY UNDERSTANDING IT.....
http://www.fcds.org/faculty/RebeccaStoneDanahy/web/ap/ap_art.asp
PPT LINKS:
http://www.fcds.org/faculty/RebeccaStoneDanahy/web/ap/Concentration%20%5BCompatibility%20Mode%5D.pdf
http://www.fcds.org/faculty/RebeccaStoneDanahy/web/ap/Drawing_Portfolio_Breadthx.pdf
http://www.fcds.org/faculty/RebeccaStoneDanahy/web/ap/Quality/AP_Studio_Art_Qualityx.pdf
Too Lazy Too Click Link:
CONCENTRATION
“YOU LEARN THROUGH A PROCESS OF DOING”
--Romare Beardon
What is a Concentration?
Concentration
A concentration is defined as “a body of work unified by an underlying idea that has visual coherence”.
What the judges are looking for:
Coherence of thought as demonstrated through the art work—is the work presented actually a concentration?
The quality of the concept/idea presented must show evidence of thinking and a clear FOCUS.
To what degree has the student investigated the idea? This also will include the amount of work or number of pieces represented.
Some aspects of an Excellent concentration include:
There is a strong connection between the work presented and the idea described.
The concentration is interesting and attracts the viewer
The work is of excellent technical quality
The work shows feeling; the artist has given something of himself
The work takes risks; the artist has “thought outside the box” and it is successful
The body of work presented attracts viewer attention and makes the viewer think
You will complete 12 concentration pieces this school year to satisfy the AP College Board requirements of the AP Drawing Portfolio. To begin work on your concentration, begin thinking about things that you like (remember you are going to create 12 pieces of artwork…make sure that it is not going to get boring for you!).
Your concentration can be based on the investigation of a theme, object, or subject. It can be simple.
For example, a past concentration was “football”(theme). The student then decided that instead of doing a series of drawings of basic football plays he honed in on football helmets. He created a body of artwork that studied how the helmet is designed, manufactured and professionally finished. His last design was a logo that he invented for a non-existent team.
Another example is the investigation of a Coke can (object). How many different ways can the Coke can be drawn and created? That is a concentration.
You are on the path to a successful concentration when each artwork is excellent in quality, you have carried out an evocative theme, and your artwork has an underlying visual coherence.
KEEP IT SIMPLE! If your concentration were a book and each artwork a page, how would all of your images connect together to be unified? How would the viewer be able to visually connect your images? How can you present a visually coherent body of work?
I think that sometimes it is harder to be simple so my suggestion to help you think through the process is this:
1.
If you could define your concentration with one word, what would it be?
2.
If you could define your concentration with one sentence incorporating your one word, what would it be?
3.
Now, expand your sentence into a paragraph explaining how you plan to investigate your topic sentence.
4.
Create a storyboard of 12 2”x2” thumbnail sketches investigating your two chosen topics (on separate paper that can be hung up on the bulletin board). A storyboard is a plan that uses rough drawings to show action changes in a film, cartoon, or TV show. In this class, a storyboard is a plan that shows examples of the artwork created to achieve a successful concentration. In essence, you are planning what you want to do before you start an actual art project!
5.
Inside your storyboard squares, draw your ideas for what each concentration piece could look like. Do it in pencil and play around with color. What medium or media will you use?
6.
Ask yourself, do my images have visual coherency? Is there an underlying theme? Is my topic of interest? What can I do to make it more interesting? What “twist” can I give it to make it more interesting?” Refer to the handout on creativity for ideas of how to push your investigation into something more interesting.
7.
Research artists and styles as you develop your concentration. Why reinvent the wheel? See if you can find other artists that have illustrated or created works similar to your idea. The “twist” to your artwork could be honing in on a particular style to create a body of work or being influenced by your favorite artist and pushing your work in a new direction.
8.
Once your concentration is decided, set aside at least 20 pages in your sketchbook. Label the pages if you would like, or number according to your decided concentration storyboard. Leave two pages blank for each piece of artwork you will create. Begin creating each piece in your sketchbook. Think about what medium or media you will use, how large or small will each piece be, what will the composition be like, what colors will you use?
9.
Purchase an expandable file and begin collecting imagery for each piece that you will create.
10.
Carry your sketchbook with you at all times. You will be surprised at when great ideas will come to you! Continue to develop your concentration pieces in every spare moment you can find. Remember that effective planning is half the battle.
11.
I will ask to see your sketchbook at each concentration deadlines to monitor your progress.
12.
Show your artwork to your parents, siblings, friends and anyone who wants to look. Continually ask, “Does this make sense? Are my ideas coherent? Am I carrying out a visual theme? Is it interesting to look at? What could I be doing differently?”
13.
Don’t be afraid! We are all in this together and we can all help each other out. We are a TEAM and together we are going to have an incredible year!
DEADLINES
Every Wednesday, the completed homework assignment is due in the art room by at the start of class and is to be posted on the critique board. Students may get their lunch early on Wednesdays and class time will be extended from 12:00-1:35 each Wednesday. This will allow for more time in the studio art classroom and time to critique each work of art prior to the Friday deadlines in a formal critique setting. The answers from the critique sheet will be used to lead group discussion as well as the following discussion format: What’s working? What needs improvement? And what needs to be changed to best fit the assignment?
Students will have two evenings to make any necessary changes to the artwork and bring turn into the instructor for the grading deadline on the Friday due date by class time with the sketchbook and the completed evaluation or google.doc document for the project. Students will be able to pick up sketchbooks by the end of the day. Digital photos will be taken throughout the year as pieces are completed and it is expected that students will keep an organized digital portfolio on the faculty/student shared drive under R:!2009-2010_Stone-Danahy_Visual_Arts.
Students whose work is NOT turned in by at the start of class for the critique will be penalized in the critique and deadline portion of the grade. There are four points a week to be earned through homework assignments: the first is by meeting the Wednesday critique deadline, the second point is for turning in the assigned project by the Friday grading deadline, the third point is for posting the image to the student’s blog, and the fourth point is for posting to two peer blogs prior to Sunday night at midnight after each Friday grading deadline. It is of the student’s best interest to prepare for, attend critiques, and continue the critique process through the blogging tool. Students will be graded and assessed on their efforts and ability to make insightful and meaningful critiques using the language of art. Sketches are never acceptable for critiques and students should be working adequately to ensure that their work is approximately 70% done for the critique. No credit will be given for sketches or rapidly completed project work even if it is turned in on time for the critique deadline.
CRITIQUE DATES / DUE DATES FOR GRADE
Check the assignments page off the visual arts website for updated deadlines or click here.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
This is a quote from the AP website as a summary for the 2006-2007 Drawing Portfolios: The mean scores for the concentration were lower than the drawing quality scores. It is clear that students and teachers are still struggling with the goals and definitions of a concentration...The concentration encourages the student to learn to put together a cohesive body of work. It is a challenging proposition, but there are any number of ways to help students think about their concentration. The goal is to have the student create work that holds together visually and conceptually. The idea does not have to be grandiose - it can be a simple idea explored well.
*
The judges will be looking for:
*
Coherence and/or development - is the work presented actually a concentration?
*
Quality of the concept/idea represented - is there evidence of thinking and of focus?
*
Degree of development and investigation that is evident in the work - including the amount of work or number of pieces represented.
*
Quality of the work in both concept and technique.
*
Mastery of drawing techniques
*
An evocative theme and original vision
*
Excellent Quality
QUALITY PORTION OF THE PORTFOLIO
“I DON’T RELY ON MY GIFT, IT RELIES ON ME. AS LONG AS I
PUT IN THE EFFORT AND COMMITMENT THE PIECE
REQUIRES, I CAN TRUST MY ABILITIES TO ENABLE ME TO
PRODUCE QUALITY WORK. “
-- Renier Gamboa, National Achievement Portfolio
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 2002
The quality portion of your portfolio is by definition “excellence demonstrated in original works”. To complete this portion, you will be required to finish and mat five of your very best pieces to send in to be judged by the AP College Board. These works will demonstrate perceptual skills related to drawing issues as well as conceptual ideas.
(COPIED FROM PPT)
6 Excellent Quality
Work at this level:
• Is consistently of high quality, although not all pieces will necessarily be at
precisely the same level of expertise
• Shows obvious evidence of thinking
• Demonstrates a sense of confidence, and of verve
• Addresses fairly complex visual and/or conceptual ideas
• Shows an imaginative, inventive, and confident use of the elements and
principles of design
• Uses materials effectively; technique is generally excellent
• May show successful engagement with experimentation and/or risk-taking
• May be notable for sensitivity and/or subtlety
• Shows purposeful composition
• Demonstrates informed decision-making
Any apparent use of published or photographic sources or the work of other
artists seems merely to have provided a visual reference in the service of a
larger, personal vision.
5 Strong Quality
Work at this level:
• Is generally strong, although there may be inconsistencies in overall
quality
• Shows evidence of thinking, i.e., it conveys a sense that it is about
something.
• Shows evidence of confidence
• May have evocative qualities
• Successfully engages with most aspects of technique and materials
• Demonstrates a strong grasp of the elements and principles of
design, using them to express a visual idea
• Shows generally strong composition
If there is apparent use of published or photographic sources or the
work of other artists, there is also a strong sense of the student’s
individual transformation of the images.
4 Good Quality
Work at this level:
• Has some sense of purpose or direction, but it may not be fully
resolved
• Demonstrates some degree of success
• Shows some manipulation of ideas
• Demonstrates a good understanding of the elements and principles
of design
• Has some technical aspects that are handled well or some ideas
that are handled well, but the two do not always mesh and work
together
• Shows a sense of technical competence
If there is apparent use of published or photographic sources or the
work of other artists, the student’s individual “voice” can be
discerned.
3 Moderate Quality
Work at this level:
• Might show a sense of real effort, but problems are not
successfully resolved
• Might be more accomplished technically than it is
conceptually
• Shows an emerging awareness of the elements and
principles of design
• Might have erratic technique, with little or no sense of
challenge
• Might show some ambition while achieving only moderate
success.
If published photographic sources or the work of other artists
are used, the work appears to be a nearly direct
reproduction; the student’s “voice” is minimal.
2 Weak Quality
Work at this level:
• Shows weak or awkward technique
• Solves problems simplistically
• Has little sense of exploration
• Lacks a clear sense of intention
• Shows little awareness of elements and principles
of design; composition is weak
• Shows limited artistic decision-making
The works are copies of published or photographic
sources or the work of other artists; little
discernible student “voice.”
2 Weak Quality
Work at this level:
• Shows weak or awkward technique
• Solves problems simplistically
• Has little sense of exploration
• Lacks a clear sense of intention
• Shows little awareness of elements and principles
of design; composition is weak
• Shows limited artistic decision-making
The works are copies of published or photographic
sources or the work of other artists; little
discernible student “voice.”
BREADTH
• In this section, the artworks you submit should
demonstrate your understanding of
fundamental drawing concerns.
– Include examples of drawing from observation,
work with invented or nonobjective forms, effective
use of light and shade, line quality, surface
manipulation, composition, various spatial systems,
and expressive mark-making.
– In other words, you are asked to demonstrate that
you are thoughtfully considering these concerns
while composing your art.
• The best demonstrations of breadth clearly show a range of
conceptual approaches to drawing. For example a single
Breadth section might show:
– The use of various spatial systems, such as linear perspective, the
illusion of three-dimensional forms, aerial views, and other ways
of creating and organizing space; and
– The use of various subjects, such as the human figure, landscape,
still life objects, etc.; and
– The use of various kinds of content, such as those derived from
observation, and expressionistic viewpoint, imaginary or
psychological imagery, social commentary, political statements,
and other personal issues; and
– Arrangement of forms in a complex visual space; and
– The use of different approaches to represent form and space, such
as rendering or gestural, painterly, expressionist, stylized, or
abstract form; and
– The investigation of expressive mark-making.
• If you choose to use a single medium – for
example, if y our portfolio consists entirely of
charcoal drawings – the work must show a
range of approaches, techniques,
compositions, and subjects.
• For this section, you must submit 12 slides of
12 different works. Detail slides may not be
included. You may not submit slides of the
same work that you submit for your
concentration. Submitting the same slides for
each may negatively affect your score.
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