Sketchbook

All students in Exploratory Art maintain a sketchbook throughout the quarter as an integral part of their experience in the visual arts. 

Sketchbooks are vital for the development of students' visual problem solving skills, their manipulation of media, and their application of art specific learning.  In their best form, sketchbooks also serve as a place for students to work on their own artistic pursuits, and serve as "idea" books they can return to for inspiration at a later date.



A student sample of the preliminary worksheet used to design the sketchbook cover.

Students build their sketchbook during the first week of class and use it throughout the quarter for their preliminary drawings.  The sketchbook is also used to take in-class notes, record art vocabulary and concepts, and to free-draw in whenever an assignment is completed early. 





Student examples of the various sketchbook activities.

Included in the sketchbook grade are two in-class activities.  The first is an exploration of value and how it is used to create the illusion of depth. 

Value worksheet

The second is a watercolor color wheel.  Students experiment with the properties of color by mixing the three primary colors (red, yellow and blue) to create secondary and tertiary colors.  Value is explored by the creation of a range of tints for each of the six colors represented in the color wheel and expanded to include a shade scale for one of the three primary colors. 

Color harmonies are introduced through this activity in the form of analogous and complementary colors. 

A representative student work demonstrating color mixing