AP Drawing

2019-2020
Course Expectations
• By the end of this class, your portfolios will be evaluated by AP
readers, who will rate your portfolio a score 1-5.
• Scores 3 and above will be granted college credit.
• Multiple AP Readers will look at your portfolio
• This course focuses on ideas over technical skill, you will need to
practice discussing your process, materials, and ideas with peers and
in writing.
• Although the concept is ideas over technical skill, skills in drawing and
experimentation with materials/techniques is highly encouraged and valued!
• Growth is important in this course!
2019-2020 Requirements:
Drawing Portfolio
AP Drawing Do’s
• Experiment with drawing/painting materials
• Use unconventional materials to draw on or draw with
• Use materials in new ways
• Practice writing 100 character statements about EACH artwork you
create.
• Process
• Ideas
• Materials
• Don’t be afraid to show in progress photos. Composite photos are
encouraged.
• Use these photos to show the scale, detail, or overall ideas of the work.
AP Sustained Investigation Examples
AP Drawing Quality Works
AP Drawing Don’ts
• Don’t only photograph works once they are finished.
• DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!
• Processes
• Revisions
• Sketches
• Still lives
• Don’t save writing until the very end of the school year.
• Writing should help you with your ideas and growth of your portfolio, not hold you back or be an afterthought
• Don’t submit work that you THINK the AP readers will like
• There is no set style that AP Readers want to see
• Submit work that you think is original and creative
• Don’t use other people’s photos to create your work, copying is not original
• Take inspiration from what other artists are doing, don’t copy
• Take your own reference photos/make your own still life
• JUST BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A PREFERED NUMBER OF ARTWORKS, DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU
CAN JUST TURN IN A FEW IMAGES!
• You need at least five quality works to send in to the AP readers
• You need at least fifteen total IMAGES (you may include composite images)
Scoring Criteria
• Each portfolio will be scored by several AP readers. Most portfolios
have between three and five readers score their work. Do not be
worried about creating work that the AP reader will not like.
Class discussions 1 of 2
• Break into groups of 2 or 3. Read your questions you wrote for
summer work to your group. Discuss your ideas for your portfolio of
work and how you plan on answering that question.
• Discuss the questions of your peers and yourself. Don’t be afraid to
ask difficult questions about one another’s work, but remember to be
constructive. Encourage one another to think about their answers.
Class discussions 1 of 2
• Break into groups of 2 or 3
• Go to either thisiscolosal.com or art21.org.
• Find a drawing or painting based artist to discuss with your group.
Talk about the following points:
• What is their art about?
• What processes did they use?
• What media did they use?
• What is the question they are trying to answer/why did they make this
artwork?
Summer Work Critique
• Critique Expectations: Discuss your thought process for your summer
pieces. Write down a list of talking points to help make sure you cover
the following questions:
• Why did you make them?
• Why did you choose the materials you used?
• What was your process for making this work?
• What is the question you want to answer with your artwork and
experimentation?
• After looking at professional portfolios, what have you learned from your
summer work?
Unconventional Materials
• Use unconventional materials to make work about the following
questions:
• How can an artist use a material in a new way?
• Why was that material chosen? How does it add to the artwork that was
produced?
• How can materials influence how/why an artwork is made?
• How can scale impact an image?
• How has your original idea changed/grown through the art making process?
• Make at least TWO artworks over the next week answering at least
one of the questions above. Due Wednesday.
Writing Prompts
• 1. Why Do You Make This Type of Art?
• Why are you drawn to this subject? How do you choose a theme? Giving a behind-the-scenes look into what drives your art is an excellent way to begin building an emotional connection with your audience.

• 2. What Does Your Artwork Represent?

• Does your art represent something about you? Does it represent a message about the world? Does it focus on a piece of history or look to the future?

• Our tip: give just enough detail to keep readers interested and grasp your artwork better. Artist statements are intended to be an introduction. Like the old saying goes, always leave them wanting more. Too much
detail up front and your readers’ eyes will start to wander.

• 3. What Inspires You?

• What connection do you have to your art? What motivates you? Enthusiastically express why you create what you do and your audience will feel more enthusiastic about it, too.

• 4. How Do You Make It?

• Why do you use certain materials? What techniques do you use? Is there a connection between your process and your artwork’s message? Explaining what goes into a piece can help buyers grasp the significance and
scope of your work.

• 5. What Does Your Art Mean to You?

• How do you interpret the meaning of your work? Now, this question should be handled carefully. Notice that this question has no intention of directing your viewers on how to feel or think. It’s crucial to focus solely on
your own understanding here because everyone views art differently.

• The goal of your artist statement should be to widen the reach of your audience. And, laying down the law on exactly how to process your artwork simply defeats the point and might turn away buyers.
Schedule:
• Weekly reflections on your work:
• You will be given sketchbook prompts.
• You are encouraged to write, journal, and draw for each prompt.
• Sketches, planning, reflection and revision are all HIGHLY encouraged in your
portfolio.
• Due the following Monday each week.
• Photos of in progress and sketches are HIGHLY encouraged.
• New pieces are due every two weeks. We will hold a class critique for each
new piece.
• It is ok to revisit old work and old ideas, but document your process in your
sketchbook and with QUALITY photographs.
• It is ok to change your ideas or to let your ideas evolve, but DOCUMENT THE
PROCESS!
• It is ok to show “mistakes” but lets call them revisions, they show risk taking,
thought, and process! 
Week 2 Sketchbook
• Think about your summer work ideas. Are they ideas you would like
to expand on over the school year?
• If so, how? How can these ideas help you to answer your question?
• Show ideas sketched out for future works.
• If not, why not? What would you rather work with?
• Is there a way you could make a connection to what you would rather do to
your previous work?