Visual Arts (Grade 8)

Student Learnings: What students should know and be able to do

Understanding how media, techniques and processes are used in creating works of art

• Select a variety of media, techniques, and process for particular projects; analyze what makes them effective or not effective in communicating ideas; and reflect upon the effectiveness of their choices.
  • Analyze a variety of media, techniques, and processes in their own artworks and determine their effectiveness in communicating ideas.
  • Demonstrate understanding of media, techniques and processes such as:
    • drawing using pencil, marker, chalk, or colored pencil
    • painting using tempera or acrylic
    • ceramics/sculpture using additive and subtractive approaches
    • printmaking techniques using either relief of intaglio methods
    • collage using as variety of materials and the principles of design
    • commercial design techniques including layout and illustration methods
• Plan an approach that takes advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques and processes to enhance communication of experiences and ideas.
  • Plan an approach which most effectively uses selected media, techniques and processes to communicate ideas in an artwork.
• Use art materials, tools and artwork in a safe and responsible manner.
  • Observe rules for proper handling and care of art materials and tools.
  • Show respect for artwork both in progress and on exhibit in schools, galleries, and museums.

Understanding how artworks are structured, and how art has a variety of functions

• Generalize about visual structures and functions in artworks
  • Demonstrate understanding of the principles of design (e.g. repetition, pattern, rhythm, variety, contrast, emphasis, balance, and pattern) in various artworks.
  • Analyze the effectiveness of the visual structures of artworks.
• Employ organizational structures and analyze what makes them effective or not effective in the communication of ideas
  • Demonstrate fluency of the elements of design (e.g. line, shape, color, texture, value, and form) and the principles of design (e.g. repetition, pattern, rhythm, variety, contrast, emphasis, balance, and pattern) by employing them in own artwork.
  • Critique the effectiveness of organizational structures (elements and principles of design) in their own artworks.

Identifying, analyzing and selecting subject matter, symbols and ideas for personal/cultural expression

• Identify and analyze a variety of interesting, timely or provocative themes and ideas that would be suitable for works of art.
  • Draw from sources such as personal experience, preferences or concepts from art or others subject areas for themes that will spark the imagination (e.g., after examining work created by various artists, a student may choose to work in one of their styles on something original of their own).
• Integrate visual, spatial, and temporal concepts with content to communicate intended meaning in their art works.
  • Incorporate elements of time and place in their artwork.
• Use subjects, themes and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values, and aesthetics which communicate intended meaning in artworks.
  • Use subjects, themes or symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values or aesthetics which communicate intended meaning in artworks.
• Identify meanings that are communicated through a variety of subjects, themes and symbols used in artworks, and discuss the values and beliefs that are communicated.
  • Analyze the meaning of artworks a communicated through a variety of themes, subjects and symbols.
  • Analyze the impact of personal and cultural values and beliefs on both an artwork’s intended meaning and the viewer’s response.
• Analyze how specific subjects, themes or symbols are particularly effective in communicating different values and beliefs in artworks.
  • Examine different subjects, symbols or themes in artwork of different cultures and evaluate the artist’s success in communicating particular values and beliefs.

Understanding how historical and cultural contexts provide meaning for works of art

• Identify and compare the characteristics of artworks in various eras and cultures.
• Describe and place a variety of art objects in historical and cultural contexts.
• Analyze, describe, and demonstrate how factors of time and place (such as climate, resources, ideas, and technology) influence visual characteristics that give meaning and value to a work of art.
  • Analyze, describe, and demonstrate how factors of time and place (such as climate, resources, ideas, and technology) influence visual characters that give meaning and value to a work of art (e.g. compare and contrast commercial designs for products noticing how technology has changed and improved the graphic design of a product).

Reflecting upon the characteristics of artworks and assessing the merits of their own art works and the art works of others

• Compare multiple purposes for creating works of art.
  • Understand that there are a variety of reasons why people make art (e.g. to generate self-confidence and to develop higher order thinking skills).
• Analyze contemporary and historic meanings in specific artworks through cultural and aesthetic inquiry.
• Describe and compare a variety of individual responses to their own artworks and to artworks from various eras and cultures.
  • Describe and compare a variety of individual responses to their own artworks and to artworks from various eras and cultures (e.g. evaluate own artwork by analyzing the quality of the composition based on the criteria of the principles of design).