Visual Arts Curriculum
What visual arts classes are available at The Haverford School?
Haverford believes the arts teach boys a kind of self-knowledge they could not get in any other way. As such, the visual arts are a key part of every Haverford student's experience. They are integrated into each division, with several specialized electives accessible to all Haverford Upper School students who are looking to develop their talents and explore their creativity. Students at all levels work with skilled faculty, all of whom are themselves practicing professional artists, amid outstanding resources and facilities.
The visual arts focus on hands-on experiences, with many options for boys to discover their inner artistic talents. These include drawing, painting, design, photography, digital arts and website design, video and animation, ceramics, and woodworking. We aim to foster safe and fun studio environments that encourage boys to experiment with many types of media and the sharing of their artistic inspirations.
Scholastic Art & Writing Award Honorable Mention: "Llama Man"
VISUAL ARTS FOUNDATIONS
This yearlong course introduces students to the fundamental vocabulary of the visual artist across a wide variety of media, and working methods. Students are exposed to those skills, knowledge, and practices fundamental to the visual arts, providing the starting point for all further visual arts courses at Haverford. Students have the opportunity to work with art instructors in three of our art studios. Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, 3D & 2D Design, CAD, 3D printing, and Graphic Design are explored through a variety of hands-on projects. Each project develops students’ visual acuity, their fluency in the visual language, and their practice in the creative process. Much emphasis is placed on drawing, painting, sculpting from observation, using the figure, and objects and environments of the students' real world and experiences. By means of structured projects, each student is encouraged to seek imaginative, personal solutions to a wide variety of problems while learning traditional visual art skills and techniques. Creative concepts, strong design, and effective use of media are stressed in an effort to help the student challenge himself and tap his deepest creative potential. Historical and contemporary artists and movements are introduced in relation to each new unit of study. Group critiques, student websites, and written “reflections” give each student the opportunity to learn to articulate his observations about his own work and that of his classmates.
2D ART
Prerequisite
These semester-long courses serve as the second level in the two-dimensional (drawing and painting) art sequence, building on the skills and concepts introduced in the Foundations course. Working in a variety of media with pencil, charcoal, pastel, printmaking techniques, watercolors, and acrylic paints, students will explore the fundamentals of line, shape, form, value, color, texture, and composition. Students will begin the course working in black and white and later explore basic color theory. Projects will stress important academic art skills as well as explore prevalent themes in contemporary art, students will strive to develop personal concepts that are well thought out and developed in concept, design, and use of media. Many projects offer significant freedom for students to explore their own ideas and develop their creative thinking skills. Students will use their personal art websites to document and describe their process and product. Students can take both the fall and spring semester course without repeating projects or can combine one semester of this course with another art semester course.
2D ART II*
Prerequisite
This semester-long course is the third level of the two-dimensional (drawing and painting-based) visual arts sequence. Projects continue to build both technical skills and conceptual versatility. New media introduced this year include new printmaking techniques and oil painting. Projects offer the opportunity for more personal approaches to solutions to individualized project challenges. Each project will have a reference to contemporary or historical methods and concepts, giving students an understanding of how their work is part of our cultural tradition. Students will use their personal art websites to document and describe their process and product. As with honors courses in other disciplines, significant time outside class is required in the studio and/or working at home. Students can take both the fall and spring semester course without repeating projects or can combine one semester of this course with another art semester course.
3D ART AND DESIGN
Prerequisite
3D Art & Design I is a semester-long, second-level Visual Arts course that builds on skills from Visual Arts Foundations. Students engage in the full design process, research, sketching, development, construction, and reflection, while creating both sculptural and functional objects. Projects may include woodworking, sculpture, product, and architectural design, using materials such as wood, plaster, clay, foam, and wire, as well as tools ranging from sketchbooks to laser cutters and 3D printers. Fall and spring semesters offer distinct projects and may be taken independently or alongside another art course. Open to Fourth through Sixth Form students.
3D ART & DESIGN II*
Prerequisite
3D Art & Design II* is a third-level sculpture and design course that builds on Foundations and 3D Art & Design I. Students refine technical skills and conceptual development while creating functional and sculptural works using materials such as wood, clay, resin, plaster, foam, and found objects. Through demonstrations, structured challenges, and independent proposals, students explore both manual and digital processes, develop their artistic voice, and collaborate on designbased projects. Significant work outside of class is expected. Fall and spring semesters feature distinct projects and may be taken independently or alongside another arts course. Open to Fifth and Sixth Form students.
ART PORTFOLIO: 2D ART*
Prerequisite
Two-Dimensional Art Portfolio* is an intensive culminating thesis seminar for the most experienced visual art students. The course is designed to transform experienced art students into emerging young artists by stressing the development of a personal visual arts thesis and a supporting body of work. During class and two hours of extra studio time per week, students will create a related body of work in the form of an investigation. Through individual research and experimentation, each student will discover and refine his most eloquent voice for effective communication in the visual language. While individual artists will work in different media and dissimilar concepts, the class will meet as a group to learn about contemporary artists and critique each other's work. The year finishes with an exhibition of students’ thesis works.
ART PORTFOLIO: 3D ART*
Prerequisite
3D Art Portfolio* is our most advanced sculpture and three-dimensional design course, deepening the skills and processes generated in the 3D Art & Design II*, Ceramics II*, and Woodworking II* course (see above description). Students will be assigned conceptual prompts and projects in addition to individualized areas of research, and selfdirected projects. Students will work closely with the instructor through one on one meetings and with their peers through in- progress and final critiques. This class is for the most serious Haverford students who are passionate about developing their voice as an artist and creating a portfolio of their work for future use, i.e. college fine art, architecture, design programs. Students will be pushed to challenge themselves through working within guidelines and how they can continue to make exquisite and thoughtful work that they will be proud of for years to come. Students are required and expected to come to 3D Portfolio with an existing explementary website that documents their work at Haverford to date. As with honors courses in other disciplines, significant time outside of class spent in the studio and/or working at home is required.
CERAMICS
Prerequisite
Ceramic Arts is one of three second-level courses in the progression of our 3-Dimensional art curriculum. This semester course is designed to provide a thorough immersion into contemporary and historical practices within the field of Ceramics. Ceramic Arts students will be encouraged to pursue a curiosity about the linkages between process, meaning, and perception within a challenging yet supportive studio environment. Expanding on the ideas presented during the Foundation year experience, Ceramic Arts students will be introduced to and use a huge variety of tools and processes including but not limited to the potter’s wheel, figurative sculpture, mold-making, slab-building, and alternative surface treatments. The ultimate aim of this class is to gain the tools and skills to become fearless in the pursuit of an individual artistic voice with skillbuilding, research, and experimentation happening simultaneously. The work in Ceramics, as in all visual art classes, aims to strengthen students’ ability to think and see critically, to develop a fluency in the visual language, and to become more adept at the creative process. Students can take both the fall and spring semester courses without repeating projects or can combine one semester with another semester art course.
Ceramics II*
Prerequisite
Ceramics II* is an advanced, semester-long course within the 3D art curriculum. Building on the foundation of Ceramics I, this class deepens students’ technical skills and conceptual understanding of contemporary and historical ceramic practices. Students refine advanced wheel throwing and handbuilding techniques while creating complex functional and sculptural forms, including lidded vessels, teapots, figurative work, and concept-driven projects. Emphasis is placed on the connection between process, meaning, and perception within a rigorous yet supportive studio environment. Coursework includes custom extruder die construction, plaster mold-making and casting, glaze formulation, and foundational kiln firing practices. Skill-building, research, and experimentation occur simultaneously as students develop greater independence and artistic voice. As in all visual art courses, Ceramics II* strengthens critical thinking, visual literacy, and creative problem-solving. Significant work outside of class is expected. Students may enroll in both fall and spring semesters without repeating projects or combine one semester with another art course.
Digital Art & Design
Prerequisite
In this semester-long course, students will explore different artistic methods and software. Students will solve complex visual design problems and find their artistic voice. Students will learn about DSLR photography and photo editing, website design, graphic design, laser cutting, CAD & 3D printing, typography, video, and animation. An understanding of composition, color theory, and universal design will be cultivated as students engage in some projects that are centered around personal expression and others with a focus on design for commercial purposes. Students may sign up for fall and/or spring, as the two semesters will have different areas of focus. In the fall semester course, students will primarily explore photography, Adobe Photoshop, and video editing. The spring semester will focus more heavily on Adobe Illustrator, graphic design, typography, and laser cutting. Students in both semesters will hone their creativity, digital literacy skills, and confidence in using emerging technologies. Digital Arts & Technology can be taken a full year or combined with any other semester-long art course.
DIGITAL ART & DESIGN II*
Prerequisite
Students in this semester-long honors digital art course will work across a range of digital media developing personal responses to project challenges related to prevalent themes in contemporary art. Students will deepen their skills with technology-based art mediums such as photography, graphic design, video, animation, CAD, 3D printing, and laser cutting as they explore ideas that are personally compelling and related to the contemporary world of art and design. Students will build on previous coursework as they develop their ability to use the visual language to communicate, persuade, inform, and connect. This honors course is designed for students who have developed the capacity to work in the art studio independently and are able to devote significant time to their projects outside of class. Students may take the course fall semester, spring semester, or full-year without repeating projects.
WOODWORKING
Prerequisite
This course allows interested students the opportunity to explore the sculptural and functional aspects of design with wood. At the core of our work is developing an understanding for and a facility with the design process. This project-based course will build from simple construction methods with wood and wood tools and gradually expand the scope and skills used to create more complex forms, culminating in a project of the student’s own design. Students will have the opportunity and expectation to work imaginatively while accomplishing the goals of each project. The use of hand and power tools as well as the qualities of selected woods will be a component of each unit. Students will learn the basics of linear perspective, orthographic perspective, and scale drawing techniques used by designers, architects and engineers. Students will maintain sketchbooks for planning purposes and a shared personal blog where they will document the progress of their work and learning. Ms. Sides will teach this course. Students can take either the fall or spring semester course and can combine that one semester with another semester-length arts course.
Woodworking II*
Prerequisite
Woodworking II* continues the practice begun in Foundations and Woodworking I that develops both the technical skills and conceptual foundations craftsmen use to design and build functional and sculptural works with wood. New tools and techniques are introduced and basic skills are reviewed and strengthened through increasingly complex project challenges. At this level, instructors guide students’ development in the creative practice through a sequence of projects based on individual student interests and experience. Students will continue to maintain sketchbooks for planning purposes that will document the progress of their work and learning. Starting with simple to use scroll saws, and working towards milling their own wood from rough sawn lumber, students will learn new tools and techniques as the continue through the levels. Three instructors will team teach this course who all have unique experience with fine woodworking and building. As an honors course, significant time outside of class is expected in the planning, research, and construction phases of these complex projects. Ms. Sides will teach teach with Mr. Thorburn. Although similar, each semester will vary enough for a student to take both semesters without repeating any material and to deal with increasingly complex ideas and techniques or students can combine one semester of this course with another arts semester course.