The Art 10 Course is the first Visual Art course at Notre Dame, so we start with the essentials: The Elements of Art. We explore line, shape, value, colour, texture and pattern, through in-class studies and studio projects. We also investigate design principles, such as balance and positive/negative shape. Students learn what it means to abstract imagery and we examine several art movements and artists (past and present). Students gain an appreciation for the role of the artist in society and, along with learning how to make good and successful artwork, students learn how to talk about, interpret and understand art, including their own.
We have recently ended our exploration of compositional design, with a strong focus on format and positive/negative shape. Our pastel project also involved learning to layer colours, use a colour scheme and work with a wide range of values, to differentiate shape edges, imply lighting and model form. The artwork that was created is absolutely lovely. See below. We are currently exploring art in three dimensions, designing and hand-building decorative vessels out of clay.