Kayla's AP Studio Art

AP has been an amazing experience. It has allowed me to have freedom in the work I do. I have learned a lot about how to work with the images to get them exactly how I want them. AP has given me the chance to see what I am capable of doing in certain amounts of time. Being the biggest critic of my work, it is hard to get things done as quick as they should be because I work with my things more than I should because I want them to be just right. In the end AP has made me realize how fun it is and how much of a reward it is to be in a class like this.

My concentration focuses on my childhood memories of growing up in a small town. The images show places I enjoyed while growing up and who I have become as a person today because of them. This project gave me a chance to reflect on my favorite memories while capturing the essence of those memories through the medium of digital photography. My childhood memories of experiences have shaped who I am today.    

My images show important memories and their effects on me as I transition into who I am today. My first image is of great importance because girl scouts helped my at a young age learn how to be a young lady and helped me become part of everyday life around me. The next few images are places form my childhood that I enjoyed playing at and remember with fond memory. Being outdoors is a big part of my life and always has been. These places taught me that it’s okay to just relax and have fun. It is the simplest of things that sometimes matter the most. Whether it is camping, fishing, or simply just being outside, I always found a way to have fun. That all has made me realize that we don’t need electronics and things society deems important just to have fun. The fifth image is a transition into who I am today. Everyone goes through their share of ups and downs to get to where they want to be.  That is exactly what I did. I believe this image portrays that very well. The last few images show me and the struggles and happiness in my life and within myself today.  I know I am a better person because of my experiences.

Mary's AP Art Studio

AP ART has given me quite the insight. Battling my skills to  accomplish pieces in a certain amount of time and the ability to self-approve of my creations have only strengthened my perception on life. This class has enriched the thought that I am my biggest critic, and once I come to terms with being overly judgemental I can finally release myself into this world and freely ooze myself all over God's plantations. I am a woman of revolution, revolution of independence with a hint of vibrancy. Conformity has only engulfed me into its horrors; giving me the false belief that I must stay in the lines. Art has offered me the distinct opportunity to swallow the thoughts of society in whole and regurgitate my own perceptions.

My concentration focuses on the mental and physical development on my perception of reality. The provincial views I’ve suffered involving the purpose of life started in a concentrated manner. I lacked wisdom and vibrancy which showed in my beginning art with the dull tones and strict artistic methods. As I engaged in experiences and opportunities with both artistic abilities and world insights, I have shaped my mind from a 2-D atmosphere of law into an individualized universe of enlightenment.

The artwork in which I have entwined myself in has portrayed my crucial drive towards an organic mind. I began this year with an isolated vision to stay in the lines of life. As I suffered the manmade dream that society had preprogramed into my destiny, I developed pieces of art that remained hopelessly conformed in character. My concentration is first revealed through a self-portrait to emphasize the illusory restraints that kept me confined within the lines and drained of color. Although I began with such restriction, through opportunities and experiences my discovery of self has aided me in developing a more individualized and free artistic strategy. Moving away from conformity, I sought beauty in abstract realism and created pieces based on that movement. With those pieces I enhanced my vibrancy and even opened my mind to a bigger picture. This “big picture”, involved the deception of society’s order and the strength of my own. I gathered my experience from both a strict vision and a surreal outlook and unveiled my artistic nirvana.  With the birth of combined methods I demonstrated my route to self-discovery by finding myself through the freedom of art. 

Emily's AP Studio Art

AP has been a roller coaster ride for me over these 9 months. Although we had some assigned projects, I really liked the freedom to explore what I really wanted to capture in my pictures. Taking art this year helped me grow as an artist and kept my stress level low.

My concentration focuses on a teenage girl who is suffering with depression. My goal was to show her story and battle with self-harm with each picture. The project gave me the opportunity to match a face to a reoccurring problem that many teens face.

My concentration is a PSA to raise awareness about self-harm and that what you say to people could leave a damaging effect. With the help of my subject, I showed the physical effects caused by hurtful words said out of ignorance. Even though she is in the process of healing, she is still shy to tell her story and feels alone. She is not only scarred physically, she is scarred mentally. I tried the pictures in color, black and white, and sepia. I felt that color did not fully capture the emotions I wanted to portray. The black and white edits made the subject look nonhuman, or monster-like. The sepia edit captured the emotions and still kept the human quality. This project is a journey throughout perception…from pencil sharpener to a resource…from clean to scarred…from how you see a person to how they in fact see themselves.

Cheyenne's AP Studio Art

AP has ended up being something I never expected. Along with having some assigned projects to make me think,  I enjoyed having the freedom to photograph whatever I wanted for the most part. The most encouraging part of this course is that I will get college credit for free for doing what I love and photography is exactly what I am going to school for, so everything I have learned with my AP class as well as my two other photography classes I took this year have most certainly prepared for continuing on with my photography and expanding my knowledge of the art form.

Most everyone has an inner struggle. Whether it be confusion, depression, hatred of one’s self, or any other emotion; ergo, that is what I decided to focus on. My concentration focuses on those inner struggles through my self-portraits and the help of Photoshop. I photographed myself in states in which I have personally experienced as well as those of other people. Though very abstract, I have expressed emotion, in most cases deeper ones, to show the true struggle people face in life.

Having chosen to focus my concentration on emotion and one’s inner struggles, I was guided to show the inner feelings but have also shown the faces of those who hide those emotions with a less concerning facial expression. A smile is one of the most common facial expressions used to cover up any inner distress, although not everyone is so strong as to put on that smile to hide it. Through the series of photos, I had used Photoshop to my advantage as it gave the photos more meaning when it came to expressing the emotions in a stronger fashion. The layering of the images showed the different layers of emotions within someone. Starting off with a single, black and white image, I feel, opens the viewer up to what is in store throughout the rest of the series. Regarding the next photo, I layered several images to portray the feeling of paranoia or being trapped and not being able to get out. Continuing, many different emotions were layered to express the feeling one may have as they struggle to fight though the feelings. Being relieved with some layered images of a smiling faces portrays the smile someone can put on to hide what is deeper within. I feel this all relates to me and my inner struggles, creating this made me realize that I can relate to others as I too hide my deeper emotions with a smile.

AP Studio Art Student Posts Coming Soon!

The AP Studio Art Students have finished their portfolios and all have been submitted to the College Board for review.  Now they are ready to share some of their work with the world. As in years past each student will have an opportunity to post their thoughts, concentration focus, and images to the Artroom 411 Blog over the next two weeks.  Please check back daily to see whats new. Remember the students really appreciate your comments and feedback.  They have worked hard over the past 9 months to develop their portfolios. A little positive feedback can go a long way!