Art: Elements and Principles of Design

The goal of New Hope’s art tutorials is to expose students to the richness of the history of art, to teach them the elements and principles of design, to have them experiment with the many possibilities of visual expression, and then to help them develop expressive intent in their work.

A typical 4-year high school art student at New Hope can expect to cover techniques of charcoal and pencil drawing, acrylic and/or oil painting, oil and chalk pastels, clay and other 2-D and 3-D mixed media. Students will also be exposed to issues of aesthetic perception, creative expression, visual art heritage, and aesthetic valuing to further develop their visual literacy.

New Hope offers “Elements and Principles of Design” to 8th/9th graders or other students who are just beginning in New Hope’s art program. This class exposes students to line, color, form, texture, value, repetition, space, variety, rhythm, emphasis through various projects and art techniques. Each lesson is taught in conjunction with “anchor works” which tie the project to art history.

For students continuing their art education, we offer “Studio Art” tutorials. These classes are tailored to the students in the class in order for them to most effectively work toward honing their individual skills in visual art. In these classes, students will study art techniques in a more intense and in-depth way and continue building on skills they have learned in earlier classes. Projects will explore new techniques, and more emphasis will be placed in independent work, planning and critique. Preparation of the artist's portfolio and other individual projects will be emphasized for students who are taking these courses with the intent of pursuing a career in the field of art.

Parents interested in our high school art tutorials are encouraged to contact the tutor to discuss their child’s previous art experiences, training, and ability. This will enable parents and tutor to work together to place the student in the appropriate tutorial.

Of Note: in order to maximize the classroom learning experience, students in "Elements and Principles" and in "Studio Art I" may be combined.  The tutor will provide instruction to groups of students according to their level of art experience.

Overview of “Elements & Principles of Design” projects:

Element: Line, Principle: Pattern
Ink Landscapes

• Students will use as many different types of lines and patterns with black ink to create an imaginary or fantasy environment. Students will pay special attention to the quality of lines they create, such as the direction, type, character and measure.
• Anchor Artists/Works: Van Gogh

Element: Shape, Principle: Unity
Stained Glass Design

• Students will learn how line is used to create shape by creating a geometric composition (pattern, figure or object) using glue and watercolors. Students look at stained glass windows for inspiration and will pay special attention to the unity of their composition.
• Anchor Artists/Works: Georges Rouault, various stained glass artists

Element: Value, Principle: Contrast
Value Painting

• Students will bring in a black and white picture of a landscape, figure or object. They will look closely at their picture and identify the values ranging from dark to light. They will create monochromatic tempera painting; noticing, mixing and using the values they see in their photograph.
• Anchor Artists/Works: Georgio Morandi 

Element: Color, Principle: Emphasis
Colored Pencil Still Life

• Students will create a still life out of found objects. They will use this still life to do an observational drawing with colored pencils, paying special attention to the principle of emphasis in their work.
• Anchor Artists/Works: Cezanne

Element: Form, Principle: Movement and Rhythm
Wire Sculpture

• Students will create a line “drawing” with wire in space to create a 3-dimensional form. Students will use the principles of movement and rhythm to create a powerful composition.
• Anchor Artists/Works: Alexander Calder

Element: Space, Principle: Balance
Clay Postcards

• Students will create a 3-D “postcard” out of clay. Students will brainstorm an image that might be found on a postcard and then create an interesting and balanced 3-D version out of clay on a 6x6 slab. They will learn various clay techniques such as how to score and slip.

Element: Texture, Principle: Unity 
Narrative Collage

• Students will choose a narrative, such as a book, poem or fairy tale and create a mixed media collage with a variety of textured materials such as paper, fabric, yarn, and screen wire paying special attention to the texture and unity of their design.
• Anchor Artists/Works: Robert Rauchemburg, Robert Motherwell, Picasso.