Visual Arts
Create, Collaborate, Connect
Our Visual Arts program focuses both on studio projects, as well as visits to art spaces, critiques, guest lectures, and class discussions. Students practice skills in drawing, design, painting, sculpture, art history, and appreciation. Additionally, students can branch out into the study of digital photography, deeper studio art work, puppet making, collage, and a variety of other art explorations.
Examples of Student Work: Foundation Arts
Foundation Arts
The Foundation Arts course is true to its name in that it lays a foundation in visual arts and covers a number of core skills and concepts. Course time is spent on studio projects, class and guest lectures, visits to art spaces, critiques, and class discussions; assignments allow students to practice the skills learned.
Basic Drawing
Students acquire basic skills in areas such as value, composition, texture and perspective, using such materials as charcoal, graphite, markers, and colored pencils.
Design
Students learn the communication of visual ideas, layout, and composition.
Painting
Students experiment with a variety of painting media: watercolor, acrylic, and tempera paints.
Sculpture
Students learn how to create three-dimensional pieces using simple materials such as clay, wire, and mixed media.
Digital Media
Students learn the basics in digital storytelling using iMovie, Google Docs, and PowerPoint for visual and oral presentations as well as some basic Photoshop skills.
Art History & Appreciation
Students learn about individual artists by studying one in particular and by doing an oral presentation to the class. In addition, various artistic movements are discussed as they relate to assignments and the final project. Students visit museums and galleries and write reviews about the shows they have seen.
Following completion of Foundation Arts, students may take higher level art electives.
Students acquire basic skills in areas such as value, composition, texture and perspective, using such materials as charcoal, graphite, markers, and colored pencils.
Design
Students learn the communication of visual ideas, layout, and composition.
Painting
Students experiment with a variety of painting media: watercolor, acrylic, and tempera paints.
Sculpture
Students learn how to create three-dimensional pieces using simple materials such as clay, wire, and mixed media.
Digital Media
Students learn the basics in digital storytelling using iMovie, Google Docs, and PowerPoint for visual and oral presentations as well as some basic Photoshop skills.
Art History & Appreciation
Students learn about individual artists by studying one in particular and by doing an oral presentation to the class. In addition, various artistic movements are discussed as they relate to assignments and the final project. Students visit museums and galleries and write reviews about the shows they have seen.
Following completion of Foundation Arts, students may take higher level art electives.
Sample Visual Arts Courses
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Studio I
Studio I
This course builds upon the foundation arts course, further developing skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, and design. -
Digital Photography
Digital Photography
An intro course in the art of digital photography, basic camera operation and the use of Photoshop as a digital darkroom are covered. -
The Art of Puppetry
The Art of Puppetry
Students learn how to make shadow, hand, and rod puppets; marionettes; and large-scale pageant puppets. -
Lost Art Techniques
Lost Art Techniques
Students learn about encaustic painting, fresco painting and mosaics—artistic processes once used throughout the ancient world. -
Painting
Painting
Students investigate contemporary and historical methods of painting, both abstract and realistic approaches. Acrylic, inks, watercolor, gouache, oil and encaustic are covered.
Sonoma Academy Is...
...the only private, independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County. On our beautiful campus nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Southeastern Santa Rosa, our students are able to explore their interests and passions in a rigorous and inspiring environment that develops a lifelong love of learning and prepares them for college and beyond.
Sonoma Academy admits students of any race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
