AP ART CRASHCOURSE

PRESENTED BY MADIE VICMAN

THE BASIC STUFF

Whats the difference between
Concentration and Breadth?
Concentration is based on
development, how one idea
evolves and grows
Breadth is more on
presentation: how you utilize
your mediums and principles of
art to showcase a range of
approaches

WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR

CONCENTRATION?
Focus on the 3 Cs
Central Idea
Cohesion
Clear
Development

1. Central Idea
Checklist:
Is it clich?
Categoryappropriate?
Can you deliver it?

2. COHESION
Cohesion = show a connecting factor in each work, and
can be done in about two ways:
Your subject: simple yet limited to your central idea
i.e. fruits and vegetables, singular objects

Secondary element: something outside of your central

idea but still related to it somehow. Gives a little extra
just a bit.
i.e. portraitswith interaction between hand and face

CONNECTING FACTOR: YOUR SUBJECT

CONNECTING FACTOR: SECONDARY

ELEMENT

3. CLEAR DEVELOPMENT
Key word: Clear = the more apparent, the more
understandable
Whats a possible development you can do? Have a
rough idea.
What do you do with that rough idea? Brainstorm.
Development through your central idea: how your
idea progresses, how your subject evolves and
travels.
(i.e. metamorphosis)

Development through your medium or style: how

the elements in your work changes.

DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH
YOUR
CENTRAL IDEA
Concentration:

Metamorphosis
Development:
Metamorphosis

DEVELOPMEN
T THROUGH
MEDIUM /
STYLE
Concentration:
Fruits and Vegetables
Development:
Abstraction to Realism
with the use of color
and form

EXTRA STEP: SETTING UP STAGES

What do I mean?
1. Split and categorize the phases of your development
2. Designate a number of artworks to each phase

Advantages:
. Guarantees a clear development
. Makes your concentration more organized
. Makes it more flexible for time management
. More flexible for switching things around and tweaking

WRITTEN SECTION
1. Clearly and simply state the central idea of your
concentration
2. Explain how the work in your concentration
demonstrates your intent and the exploration of your
idea. (Refer to your works as examples.)

Translation: Whats your concentration and describe how it

develops.
**TIP: Know your principles. Its literally on the wall next to
you. Its also online at misshennessey.weebly.com

1. BE GREAT AT
ONE MEDIUM
You can do
projects quicker
It can be a last
resort
Your project
still looks good
because your -doesnt look like
- Saves time

2. MIMIC OTHER ART STYLES

3. TWEAK YOUR DEVELOPMENT

Tweak it, shift it aroundthis is why you split your
concentration into phases/stages in the first place.
Makes your concentration easier to
understand
Makes it easier to shift things around
Leaves your concentration more intact if you
do shift it around
Saves time

4. PLANNING
COMES IN
HANDY
Hardest Stuff
First

5. WHEN IN DOUBTPLAY WITH LINE

6. CHOOSE CONCENTRATION
ONLY for when youre absolutely out of time
as a last resort and you cant choose
between Breadth and Concentration.
You can always submit a personal work
in the breadth so long as its AP quality
and approved by the teacher
Downside: You still have to do the
original breadth projects assigned so
you have more work after AP exams
It really sucks if you dont actually
draw outside of class so you cant
use this shortcut

7. JUST IN GENERAL: COLLECT REFERENCES

ALSO: USE THE WEBSITE FOR RESOURCES

DONT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR

Your teacher is there
HELP!!
for a reason! Its her job to
help ok

If speaking to another student is easier, thats

okay too!
Sidenote: Im also available for questions. You
can take me aside after this powerpoint, its
really okay!