This course is designed for sophomore students who anticipate continuing on as AP Studio Art students in their junior and senior years. Although this course is not a prerequisite to the AP program, the course is extremely helpful for those students who do advance in this program and then on to AP. This course explores the foundations of drawing, painting, and design as well as the fundamental, technical, and perceptual skills using various drawing media and their application to pictorial organization. Through a variety of hands-on projects, students will work with the visual elements of art: gesture, line, shape and volume, value, texture, perspective, and composition. Readings, slide lectures, presentations, and critiques will supplement the assignments and emphasize the practice of translating visual ideas. Using the concepts, techniques, and materials, students are encouraged to apply these new skills toward the development of their own forms of self expression. This is a one-semester class. (0.5 credit)