How to Prepare for AP Studio Art
I had no idea what I was signing up for. During my senior year of high school, I was convinced to switch to an AP Art course; after the class had already started, I agreed because I had no idea what the class was, but I liked making art.
The course was much harder than I’d expected, as it was the first time that I encountered having to develop and implement my ideas. I wasn’t sure where to start.
Many students come to me and say, your AP Studio Art courses sound interesting; how can I make sure that I’m prepared?
- Spend time looking at art and design. Don’t just look at it, draw it, photograph it, collect it. The more you look at art and design, the more you’ll hone in on what you like and don’t like, which will help you develop your voice. This can be as simple as collecting images from magazines that catch your attention, to taking trips to museums. Many museums also have virtual exhibits or provide free access to view past exhibits digitally. My favorite it to explore the past exhibits at the MET.
- Buy my book: Experiments with Marks, Materials, and Meaning and do the activities. The book is designed to help you understand how images are made. It also has an endless supply of prompts to help you generate ideas.
- Create regularly. Make a lot of work. Experiment, explore, make great work, make terrible work. The most important thing is that you have a practice of making.