The Visual Arts Program at Carson Graham Secondary has no shortage of inspiration as the school is set among the mountains of North Vancouver, along the multicultural corridor of Lonsdale Avenue and just above the shores of Burrard Inlet. The school setting combined with the endless intellectual curiosity and concerns of our world, provide our students with a never ending source of artistic inspiration and sensory wonder.
At Carson Graham, an IB International School, the visual arts play a vital role in our school community . The IB learner attributes of every student being an open-minded inquirer, who takes risks and is reflective in their artistic pursuit thrive in our arts programs. We offer a comprehensive program with courses such as Drawing and Painting, Ceramics, Digital Photography, and Film Photography. We work collaboratively with Artists for Kids and Gordon Smith Art Gallery and are involved in their programs and tours. We often host visiting local artists and frequently focus on the artwork of the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations.
Carson Graham’s Visual Art program is highly regarded and it is a constantly growing entity always striving for excellence. We are fiercely proud of our students and the amazing work they produce.
Visual Arts Courses and Descriptions
VISUAL ARTS 8 (Fine Arts Rotation)
Art 8 enables students to develop curiosity, interest and enjoyment in their own creativity and that of others. The course explores two major units of work and will cover a variety of techniques and materials.
These could include drawing, print making, painting and sculpture/ ceramics. Students will be introduced to the language of art through examining the elements and principles of design. Images are central to the Visual Arts program. Students will perceive, respond, create and communicate through imagery. Students will respond to images in the way they reflect personal, social, cultural and historical contexts. All students will work in their Developmental Workbook on a weekly basis, exploring the creative process, documenting this process with images, and reflecting on personal discoveries. This is a course of approximately 40 hours that will be delivered in one term of the school year.
Supplemental Fee: $10.00
VISUAL ARTS 9 (semester)
Art Design 9 enables students to continue to develop curiosity, interest and enjoyment in their own creativity and that of others. They will be encouraged to take risks in their artistic expression. This semester course explores four major units of work and will cover a variety of techniques and materials. These will include image development strategies through an examination of artists' works through time, image making, drawing, painting, printmaking and ceramics. Students will develop language introduced in Grade 8 by further examining the elements and principles of design. Images are central to the Visual Arts program. Students will perceive, respond to, create and communicate through imagery. Students will respond to images in the way they reflect personal, social, cultural and historical contexts. All students will work in their Developmental Workbook on a weekly basis, exploring the creative process, documenting this process with images, and reflecting on what they have personally discovered. Students who choose this course need to choose another semester course to pair with it.
Supplemental Fee: $20.00
STUDIO ARTS 2D 10 (DRAWING AND PAINTING) (2 credits)
2D Visual Art 10 is a semester, 2 credit course that meets both provincial learning outcomes and IB MYP Arts aims and objectives. Students will explore a variety of art processes to further develop the language of art, explore personally meaningful images and the world around them. Images are central to the Visual Art Design 10 program. Students will perceive, respond to, create and communicate through images. All students will work in their Developmental Workbook on a weekly basis, exploring the creative process, documenting this process with images, and reflecting on what they have personally discovered. This course encourages students to develop skills in the processes they are most passionate about while encouraging a curiosity and interest in many 2D art forms.
Supplemental Fee: $20.00
STUDIO ARTS 2D 11 (DRAWING and PAINTING) (4 credits)
Drawing and Painting 11 is an intensive drawing and painting course. Students should have basic drawing ability or some previous art course experience. A variety of media will be explored, including pencil, conte, water soluble graphite, charcoal, pastel, tempera, water colour, and acrylics. Art history will be a component of the course. Students will experiment with a number of artistic styles and will complete an independent assignment at the end of the term.
Supplemental Fee: $25.00
STUDIO ARTS 2D 12 (DRAWING and PAINTING) (4 credits)
Drawing and Painting 12 is a continuation of Drawing and Painting 11. Students will explore a variety of media and artistic styles and will continue to develop their art history knowledge. Students may be given more independence in this course, in terms of assignments.
Supplemental Fee: $25.00
GRAPHIC ARTS 11/12
Graphic Arts 11/12 introduces students to the creative and technical aspects of digital illustration, graphic design, printmaking, typography, and visual communication. Through hands-on projects, students explore the elements of art and principles of design. Emphasis is placed on fostering creativity and problem-solving skills. Students will also gain an understanding of the digital illustration app procreate and the role of graphic arts in contemporary culture. Ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in design, media, or other creative industries.
PHOTOGRAPHY 10 2 credits
This is a beginner course in digital photography. The course will cover basic principles of image development along with the historical contributions of various innovative photographers and processes. Each student will learn the fundamentals of basic digital camera functions, image composition and basic Photoshop manipulation.
Supplemental Fee: $20.00
PHOTOGRAPHY 11 (4 credits)
This is an intermediate course in digital photography as well as black and white photography. The course will cover basic principles along with the historical development of the photographic process. Each student will learn the fundamentals of a 35mm camera, as well as film development and print production. Since this is a studio-based course, the student will be engaged in image-making most of the time. Principles of composition as well as studio lighting are some of the other areas covered.
Supplemental Fee: $40.00
PHOTOGRAPHY 12 (4 credits)
This is an advanced course in digital and black and white still photography. The course will cover advanced image composition, conceptual, and personal expression along with complex darkroom procedures. The aim of the course is for the student to produce a portfolio of finished photographs showing a range of technical mastery and a personal statement.
Supplemental Fee: $40.00
MEDIA ARTS 10-12 (YEARBOOK) (4 credits)
This course focuses on creating the school's yearbook. It is the responsibility of the students in this course to find creative solutions towards producing a book that reflects and celebrates the diversity of the students and school community. This course covers basic photography, page design, marketing, journalism and creative writing. In the yearbook journalism class, students are responsible for attending events, games, shows and concerts. The majority of the "gathering" of data, reports, interviews and photos from these events will need to be done outside of class time. In-class time is allocated towards marketing initiatives, creative writing and using InDesign to create and input content into the book itself.
ARTISTS FOR KIDS STUDIO ART ACADEMY 12 (4 credits)
http://www3.gordonsmithgallery.ca/Artists4Kids/Programs/AFKstudioartacademy/Pages/default.aspx
Students in the AFK Academy develop skills and attitudes to broaden their options, encourage their success in post-secondary art studies and open the door to careers in the arts. Through the development of a personal portfolio each year, students gain increasing confidence in their abilities as artists. In-depth exploration of drawing and painting, printmaking and sculpture enable the creation of work for annual year-end exhibitions. Through studio/classroom work, visits to artists' studios and postsecondary institutions, students gain a better understanding of the role and commitment required to be a successful artist. Exposure to a variety of artists each year enrich the studio activities.
Supplemental fees are applicable for NVSD Academies.
MEDIA ARTS: FILM 10 - (4 credits)
Film 10 provides opportunities for students to develop and strengthen the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need in order to respond to and create film and television works. Through collaborative and project-based work, students will gain practical experience in some of the industry areas, such as analyzing film and television, technical and media literacy, creating storyboards, writing screenplays, editing, and production. Students will create scripts, storyboards, the year will culminate in the creation of a short advertisement. Film assignments will be presented at lunch viewings and Carson Graham Film Festival.
$75.00 for supplemental materials.
FILM PRODUCTION 11 - 12 - (4 credits)
Film Production 12 is a continuation of Film 11. Through various projects, students will strengthen their ability to evoke meaning in their work, putting a stronger emphasis on story, character development, and plot. Students will explore more deeply the post-production and distribution aspects of film. They will participate in community film projects and will help plan the Carson Graham Film Festival. Students will produce longer original films. Students will have the opportunity to write, act, edit, film, and direct to create the short film. Students will have the opportunity to explore their own interests and passions in project-based work. Students will also explore animation, special effects, and advanced editing procedures, such as color correction and enhancement. Employment and post-secondary options in the film and television industry will be explored.
$75.00 for supplemental materials.
STUDIO ARTS 3D 10 (CERAMICS) (2 credits)
3D Visual Art 10 is a semester, 2 credit course that meets both provincial learning outcomes and IB MYP Arts aims and objectives. Students will learn the basic art vocabulary of elements and principles of art as it applies to ceramics. They will learn the stages of clay and be introduced to clay tools and processes. Hand building techniques of slab, coil and pinch will be employed to create a variety of projects that help the student know and understand the history of ceramics, be introduced to a variety of ceramic artists and galleries, develop their clay skills, have opportunities to explore their creativity and reflect upon their work. They will have an opportunity to try out the wheel and explore techniques with glazed and non-glazed finishes. There may also be some opportunities to experiment with other sculptural materials and mixed media.
Supplemental Fee: $20.00
STUDIO ARTS 3D 11 (CERAMICS) (4 credits)
Ceramics 11 introduces the basics of clay hand building techniques, glazing, and throwing on the wheel. Projects assigned include simple slab, coil, pinch constructions, and wheel throwing demonstrations. Ceramics 12 develops the above skills through progressively more challenging projects. A variety of finishing and firing techniques will also be explored. Ceramics 12 will further these skills through projects of the student's choice and provides, if needed, the opportunity for students to develop portfolio presentations and post- secondary applications.
Supplemental Fee: $25.00
STUDIO ARTS 3D 12 (CERAMICS) (4 credits)
Ceramics 11 introduces the basics of clay hand building techniques, glazing, and throwing on the wheel. Projects assigned include simple slab, coil, pinch constructions, and wheel throwing demonstrations.
Ceramics 12 develops the above skills through progressively more challenging projects. A variety of finishing and firing techniques will also be explored. Ceramics 12 will further these skills through projects of the student's choice and provides, if needed, the opportunity for students to develop portfolio presentations and post- secondary applications. Supplemental Fee: $25.00
IB Senior Visual Arts Certificate Options
BC Ministry students may apply to study 1-3 courses for certificate. At certain post-secondary institutions students who achieve a final score of 5, 6, or 7 may receive university transfer credit (students must research the transfer credit policy of their university-of-choice).
VISUAL ARTS (4 credits per year. Grades 11 & 12. Standard Level and Higher Level options)
The impulse to make art is common to all people. From earliest times, human beings have displayed a fundamental need to create and communicate personal and cultural meaning through art. The process involved in the study and production of visual arts is central to developing capable, inquiring and knowledgeable young people, and encourages students to locate their ideas within international contexts. Engagement in the arts promotes a sense of identity and makes a unique contribution to the lifelong learning of each student. Study of visual arts provides students with the opportunity to develop a critical and intensely personal view of themselves in relation to the world (IBO).
DP Visual Arts is a two-year course where the students work with a variety of materials and concepts, exploring their own art making practice and developing an understanding of other art forms and artists. Emphasis will be on expanding student understanding of communication in the arts, developing a body of work that is personally meaningful and understanding how art production reflects both their own and others’ worlds, ideas and experiences. A sketchbook is mandatory for recording ideas, process work, art criticism, visual explorations, as well as the further development of technical skills. Field trips to galleries and/or artists’ studios are a part of the curriculum.
