self evaluation

1. Yes I think this year I’ve grown considerably as a creative thinker. I noticed when walking through my house I look at all our paintings now to see how the artists painted everything and critic it all.

2) Last year I always used charcoal and thought I couldn’t do anything else well. But this year I started using acrylic paint and I absolutely love it. I’ve learned to love how well it blends and the textures it can create.

3) I feel I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to in this class. I feel my strengths are my nature pieces. I like them the most so I take the most time and concentrate the most on them. I think I deserve a 2. I have some very strong pieces that deserve a one but I have a few pieces that I dislike and I think bring my show down as a whole.

1.I hated them at the time but I feel like they did help me learn new skills and focus on getting my shading skills concrete.

2) I think our balance is good in this class. At times you told me to not do something exactly how I wanted and would try to sway me to get my artwork to be better but ultimately I got to do what I wanted to with my art.

4) I liked forming mine after doing my work first time. But maybe they should be aware of what they are getting themselves into so they can brainstorm ideas over the summer.

5) I enjoyed the fieldtrips. I think I got huge amounts of inspiration in the museums from other artists. I think we should do art critiques before the pieces are finished because when we do them after I don’t want to go back and change anything. I liked the blog because it helped my grade and was fun to see what pictures inspired everyone, etc. 

SELF EVALUATION (Part 1) 
1) I definitely do feel as if I've grown as an artist. I never thought I would paint this year and to level that I have.


2) I feel that photography and painting are my strongest.


3) Artistic Achievement: I feel that I accomplished my concentration project and I feel that it was clear that my concentration was portraits but also I felt the style was all over the place (some very loose and others very picture-perfect). I would give myself a 1 because I gave everything I could into each piece and I fully emerged myself into each piece. I had a clear direction of where I was going with my work and I think it showed.


(Part 2) 
1. YES! Mrs. Silverman did an incredible job preparing us with the skills for our concentration project.
3) I loved the structure of the class! You gave us our deadlines and it was up to us to have projects done by them. It was such a free environment and I will miss it so much!!
4) I feel that term 1 was enough, especially since I got to experiment with materials, etc.
5) The one to DC was really enhancing to see both older and modern art. 1) Class Critiques were helpful but took a little long (only because I love working in class haha)  2) Blog/Homework (not too bad; at times it would be overwhelming but it wasn't bad!) 3) Clarity of expectations were very clear! Deadlines, expectations, etc were VERY clear! 4) Field Trips were both fun and engaging! I felt inspired after being surrounded with such incredible work. 5) Im gonna miss this class SO SO SO much!! I can't believe its over

Self Evaluation - Taylor

Part 1

1. I definitely think I have developed greatly since the beginning of the class. I used to struggle to come up with projects, but by the end I had more ideas than time allowed.

2. I think I paint in a hyper-realistic style with a lot of attention to detail. Also, I work well with gouache.

3. I think all of my pieces fall under my concentration; however, there are projects that I wished to accomplished that were never done. Also, there is no artistic style found throughout all my pieces. They are all very different and lack a common technique or style.I would give myself a 2, because I feel my work doesn't make a strong statement or make people think. It is just realistic renderings of the real world without much imagination or creativity along with the work. I realized this near the end of the year and have been trying to improve this. Also, not all of my pieces are equally strong. 

Part 2

1. Yes, I feel the assignments given in the first term helped created a base that could be built on during the year. We could develop our skills while finding what we really enjoyed and what we didn't enjoy as much. Assignments like the model drawing helped me develop drawing skills that are essential to this class. 

3. I think there was a good balance of freedom and structure. We were all allowed to focus on what we wanted to do. Everybody went in different directions for their concentration and we were all supported in doing whatever we liked. I think specific assignments throughout the year would have limited our creative process, but term one's structure allowed us to begin thinking about what we liked. 

4. I think students should start to look at art online or in galleries during the summer to find out what type of direction they would like to take, instead of coming in without any ideas or an area of interest.  

5. I think the field trips were very interesting and allowed us to explore many different styles and movements. Everybody found a style that especially intrigued them and got their creativity going. It also exposes us to new techniques and idea that we might not have thought of. I think the course doesn't need much change. An idea is to have a 2-assignment-long piece that is either of large scale or great detail. At the end of this, the end product is amazing and more striking. 

I think there should be more critiques throughout the year.

Not too much out of class work, which is good considering our overall workload.

Expectations were made clear.

Field trips were interesting and gave me new ideas

It would be neat to have special guests visit the class. Experts in a certain medium, movement, etc. 

Maddie Self Evaluation

Part 1
1. I think I have grown as an artist a lot this year. I think I see things in a more creative light, and I have immensely improved my technique and array of materials in projects.
2. I think that my strongest technical ability after this year is blending tones in my pieces.
3. I think that some of my pieces convey my concentration topic (focus), however others do not. I think that my strength lies in charcoal pieces - the two black and white one I did this year are my favorites! I would give myself a 2 on the grading rubric because I achieved many things, but there is room for improvement.
Part 2
1. I came into the class with very limited artistic techniques. I think I was put in the class because I have a creative mind and potential. So I would say yes, the instructor led projects in term one definitely helped me grow. They taught me things that I used in my pieces I did later in the year. Most importantly: draw what you see, not what you want to see.
2. I think we had a lot of freedom in terms 2 and 3. In term 1, there were projects such as the bike and the figure drawings that I would not have chosen to do unless instructed. For me, I didn't look forward to working on these, however the techniques and principles I learned throughout making these pieces became handy for the pieces I did enjoy making in terms 2 and 3, ultimately strengthening my final show.
3. I knew that I had to have a concentration topic for honors art so I thought a bit about it, but my more serious thinking took place in the autumn, so no.
4. a. Class Critiques: I think that when I am stuck, having other people's opinions helps, but at the end of the project, I did not find class critiques particularly useful.
b. I don't think the blog effected my work in Honors Art this year. I believe that we develop as artists through working in the studio.
c. The expectations and guidelines were very clear and fair!
d. I enjoyed our field trips to Philadelphia and DC! I was much more appreciative of the art after taking this class!
Overall I am extremely glad I took this class. Most days, the art studio was a relaxing environment, a place where eight seniors released the tension high school caused through art and conversation. The class dynamics were astonishing, one of the best I have had in high school.  The small class size gave us each lots of personal attention. This year I have created pieces I never thought possible and learned so many artistic concepts that I will use in college art courses. I learned to "take risks" and push the boundaries, and I believe it has paid off!

Haley's Self Evaluation

Part 1:

1)   Yes, I think that my ideas have greatly developed and I’ve been able to attack more ambitious projects. By the end of the year, I found that I had many ideas for projects when at the beginning of the year I struggled to come up with any concepts at all. I also think that I am able to look at artwork in a different, more analytical way than before. I can appreciate the artist’s technical ability and time they spent on their piece. 

2)   I feel that I am most comfortable with acrylic paint and blending the colors using medium. Also I think I have been able to establish that my style of unrealistic, abstract art.

3)   I think for the most part I have accomplished what I wanted with my concentration project. I successfully used the “not so literal” interpretation of expectations. I think that the strength of my work is that it all looks like it was done by the same person. All of my pieces have a similar style yet were different in different mediums. A weakness is that not all my pieces have a personal connection. I wish I more carefully thought out each piece before jumping into. I think that if each subject was personal to me, I would cared more about each piece and created a more distinct vision.  I would probably give myself a 2 on the scale. I think that I tried experimentation and used different elements and principles to create a vision. However, I know that sometimes my pieces were not executed in the ways I would of liked. Also, sometimes the intention of the piece many not be as obvious which makes the it less successful.

Part 2:

1)   Yes, I am glad that we were assigned specific assignments in term one. It helped guide me and teach some of the basic, necessary skills before proceeding into the concentration projects. Also, it allowed everyone to do something similar and what they might not typically do if it was their own concentration projects.

2)   I liked the balance between structure and freedom. I like structure generally because it allows me to be more productive but I also think freedom is necessary when trying to portray your own vision. If there was too much structure, people may not like what they are doing and ultimately create less successful work. However, if there was too much freedom, people may only create a few pieces and not challenge themselves technically or conceptually. Personally, I thought it was a perfect balance and enhanced my performance.

3)   I think that prospective art students should maybe start thinking about their concentration topics in the summer because it could allow for more time to think of ideas. I don’t think this is absolutely necessary because your original ideas will usually change but it might be helpful. Personally, I would of liked maybe a little more time to think about my idea for my concentration but I didn’t feel that it completely rushed.

4)   I only went on one field trip but yes; I think it was beneficial to me as an artist. I like looking at other’s artwork because it sparks ideas of your own and makes you appreciate the talents of others.

5)   1- I liked the class critiques and think they should remain the same. I think it is important to give feedback to your classmates but also to hear suggestions.

2-I think that the blog/homework was helpful at some times but tedious other times. Sometimes I did not think the sketchbook was very useful and I wish I had the time spent on sketchbook assignments to work on my actual pieces.

3- I thought it was very clear from the beginning of the course on the expectations.

4- Field trips were great! I would of liked to go on more.

5- Mrs. Silverman was so helpful and a great teacher. I have learned so much and hope that I will continue making artwork for the rest of my life!

Katie Schneider's final blog

Part 1

1.     Yes, I think that my ideas and artwork have matured and become more creative. I think that in the beginning of the year I wasn’t thinking on my own or inspired by a certain concentration that I clearly focused on by the end of the third term.

2.     I think that my areas of expertise are working with acrylic paint and mastering the layers of paint. I enjoy painting human faces, especially eyes in particular.

3.     Yes, I think that I successfully produced art work with my concentration of portraits. After I changed my concentration to something that I was more inspired by, it became obvious in my work that I enjoyed painting the subjects of people. My strengths are making the hair and light sources realistic and believable. It was hard for me to successfully make the blended shades in skin tone in all areas of the subject. I think my artwork would be scored a 2. I think that it was hard for me to find a portrait of a person that I had taken a photograph of myself, and would have to find one that I liked offline. From this I would have to altar the subject and make up my own pose or light source that was different from the original.

Part 2

1.     Yes, Mrs. Silverman led helpful and intriguing assignments in term one that helped to expand my technical skill-set before I began my concentration. The self-portrait was good for people who don’t usually paint or draw people to try something they may not have the  rest of the year.

2.     We had a good balance between structure and freedom. We had assigned dates that we had to complete a project by to make sure we would finish the amount of pieces in a term. We had freedom by being allowed to choose our subject and what to paint as long as it was in our concentration.

3.     I think that it would be helpful to think about it during summer so that you can take pictures that and become inspired by your surroundings before you begin.

4.     I think that the field trips were beneficial and interesting. I enjoyed seeing the different styles and periods of art in the different museums. Class critiques were helpful because my peers helped me see things in my art that I didn’t see myself. The blog wasn’t helpful to me. I think that it wasn’t beneficial for the class. There was a lot of clarity in the class. 

final blog

1.     I think that yes, I have developed as an artist. Looking back on my work from the beginning of the year, my skill level and also level of ideas for each project have changed. I began to take more risks later in the year and maybe change some idea to challenge myself more.

2.     I think that I work best with charcoal. My favorite projects and projects that I am most proud of are made from charcoal or graphite.

3.     I think that I did accomplish what I set out to do with my concentration. However, I feel that there are some areas of strengths and weaknesses. I think that some of my projects do refer to pattern but do not have as deep of a meaning as I would of intended for them to have. I think that I would chose number 2 to describe my work. Although I have many strong pieces I feel that some are not as strong as others.

1.     I think that the projects that we did before the concentration project began were helpful in expanding skill level. I think that some work with different mediums would be more useful before going into the concentration project.

2.     I think that the structure and freedom was very well put together. I liked having the freedom to do whatever fit in my concentration, but with guidance. The one critique I would have is the amount of time for each project. I think that at times many people in the class felt rushed by the deadlines and quickly finished their projects, but not up to their full potential. However, I do understand why the deadlines are put in place. I think that if the deadlines were extended we would not get enough projects done. I think that it is important for the future honors art class to know how to balance their work and brainstorming time.

3.     I think that the honors art class should start thinking about what they may want to do, and come into term one with and idea and develop it through the experimental projects done in term one.

4.     I only went on one trip with the class, and I thought it was very beneficial. It gave me ideas about where I wanted to go with my next project and it was also very informative. There is not much that I would recommend to change except for maybe time in the beginning of each term (one class period) to brainstorm a few ideas for projects with the help of Mrs. Silverman and peers.

1.     I enjoyed the class critiques in the middle of working on projects because it was nice to get feed back from peers and help at times when I was stuck.

2.     I did not like the blog because it does not think that it was very beneficial to me.

3.     I think that there was good clarity of expectations for the class.

4.     I really liked the field trips and I thought that they were very informative.

SELF EVALUATION/EXIT INTERVIEW: 50 POINTS DUE THURSDAY, MAY 31ST 4PM

SELF EVALUATION (Part 1) 1) Do you feel that you have developed as an artist and a creative thinker (creatively & conceptually) since the beginning of the year? 2) What do you feel are your areas of technical expertise? 3) Artistic Achievement: Do you feel that you have accomplished what you set out to do with your concentration project? What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of your body of work? If you had to assign a score from one the three rubrics (1 being the highest score, 3 being the lowest) below to assess your work, which one would be most accurate? Explain. 3 • The work exhibits an emerging investigation into 2-D design principles, although not all pieces are fully developed. • There is some experimentation and risk taking evident with uneven levels of success. • Although the work is imaginative, the student's voice and confidence level are less evident. • The work shows emerging technical competence, however, some aspects are not fully resolved. • Overall the work demonstrates a moderate level of quality and accomplishment. 2 • The work shows successful use of elements, but the investigation of design principles is limited in scope. • The work exhibits clear intention and growing confidence, although the resolution of works is uneven. • The works show some imaginative ideas and purposeful manipulation of the elements and principles of design. • Although there is evidence of experimentation and risk taking in both composition and use of media, the degree of success varies. • The work demonstrates good technical competence, although it stays within a conventional approach. • Overall the work demonstrates a fluid investigation of visual issues with a good level of accomplishment. 1 • These works demonstrate a bold sense of intentionality and a clear personal direction. • The compositions display a sophisticated understanding of design principles. • The pieces show an inventive use of materials and techniques to explore concepts. • The handling of media is confident and highly accomplished. • Overall the portfolio demonstrates a consistently excellent level of accomplishment in both concepts and technique. EXIT INTERVIEW (Part 2) 1. Do you feel that the instructor-led assignments in term one helped to expand your technical skill-set before proceeding into the concentration project in terms 2 and 3? 3) Comment on the balance between structure and freedom, and how this balance (or lack thereof) enhanced or hindered your creative process. 4) Do you think that the concentration topic should be developed over the summer for prospective Honors Art students, or do you feel that the development initiated in term one was substantial enough for you to begin the project immediately in term 2? 5) Were the field trips beneficial to you as an artist? What would you recommend as possible areas to develop or change about the Honors Art course? Comment on the following aspects of the course: 1) Class Critiques 2) Blog/Homework 3) Clarity of expectations 4) Field Trips 5) Other

Van Gogh

1. The piece I appreciated the most in the show was one of a field of flowers with a village in the background. The amount of time spend with all the minute details of flowers really impressed me!

2. I think Van Gogh was revolutionary because of his thick painting style. It was a very different form of art and expression as opposed to what had been seen in previous years.
3. Yes. I believe Van Gogh had a concentration on nature. He painted many scenes of rural farmland, flowers, and trees. 
4. I always believe that seeing a piece of art in person broadens ones appreciation for an artist. When a piece is hanging in front of you, it is easier to see the detail and time spent on the work. I also think with Van Gogh, the only way to truly see his thick painting style is in person. It wasn't until this trip that I realized exactly how it was done.
5. Personally, I don't believe that knowing Van Gogh's personal history affected my perception of his work. All of his pieces seem quite objective and happy. He didn't use dark colors or paint gloomy things, so no.