Intermediate Drawing (Spring)

For each skill instructors have determined whether it is a prerequisite skill or a skill to be developed throughout the course. For lower school, instructors indicate where parent support is expected.

• With Parent Support: Skills that most lower school students will need help with.
• Developing: Skills that the instructor will help develop and emphasize throughout the year.
• Mastered: Prerequisite skills that the instructor is expecting students to possess.

Reading:

• Be able to read material with attention to detail and identify areas which require clarification or further explanation from the instructor.
• Be able to mark a text to indicate important terms, definitions, or concepts.
• Be able to read with a goal to understanding an author’s argument even if the student disagrees with the conclusion reached or reasons given.

Writing

• Be able to use proper capitalization and punctuation.
• Be able to spell at grade level and employ course vocabulary cumulatively throughout the course.
• Be able to form a paragraph which includes a topic sentence, transition sentences, and clear linear thinking.
• Be able to write a five-paragraph essay with direction from the instructor.
• Be able to manage assignments, submissions, and notifications on Canvas.
• Know what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.

Class Discussion

• Be able to engage respectfully and wisely with other students and the instructor.
• Be prepared to generate thoughtful questions to enhance the class discussion and identify areas needing clarification.
• Be prepared to answer questions when called on during class.
• Be prepared to volunteer comments and ideas during class.
• Be able to follow directions on note-taking and other exercises during class.

Required Course Materials:

Teaching art online is a unique learning experience to navigate. If at all possible, buy the version of supply linked below. I can help students navigate obstacles more effectively when we are all using the same materials. If you have any questions regarding supplies, please feel free to email me.

• Any kind of sketchbook (minimum size 8″x10″): We will use these for exercises and notes. If you already have one that you use, that will do!
• Document camera (such as Ipevo), or equivalent*
• Pad of SMOOTH newsprint (link)
• 11×14” drawing paper pad (link)
• Toned pastel paper (link)
• 4 pieces of toned drawing paper in your choice of color (link)
• Drawing pencils (link)
• 2-3 Conte à Paris Pierre Noire B pencils (link)
• Sanguine pencil (link)
• White conte pencil (link)
• Soft vine charcoal (link)
• Soft chalk pastels, 64 color set (link)
• Kneaded Eraser
• Pencil sharpener
• 18×24” Drawing board

Optional Course Materials:

• Spray Fixative
• Painter’s tape

*EpocCam (link) is an app for the iPhone that turns your phone into a document camera. Ipevo has an app for Android phone (link), but I have not used it. Paired with a tension arm like this (link), and you have a very affordable alternative to a dedicated document camera. It will automatically link to Zoom.

Sara Silkwood holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Syracuse University. Sara has several years experience teaching in a variety of areas including college level, church-run camps, Classical schools and privately. She also serves as the fine arts teacher at Valor Preparatory Academy. Currently, Sara works out of her home studio in Waco, Texas where she lives with her great dane-lab mix, Oberon. She spends her free-time backpacking, reading and illustrating her own stories.

Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.

High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.

Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)

Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm

Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:

1. Visit zoom.us/download.
2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.