Snedden, Brian
About Mr. Snedden
“Creativity takes courage.” - Henri Matisse
My name is Brian Snedden and I am excited to be back for my ninth year at DVUSD and my sixth year at Norterra Canyon! I am an Arizona native born and raised although I spent a few years in Tennessee after college. I graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2014 where I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Education with a K-12 Art Education Endorsement as well as a Structured English Immersion Endorsement. My favorite art media are ink/pen and ceramics but I have dabbled in everything from welding and sculpture to intaglio and screen printing.
It is my mission as an Art Educator to create a positive learning environment in which the safety, academic needs, and growth of my students are my top priorities. Utilizing the Elements and Principles of Art and Design I will teach a curriculum that gives my students the opportunities they need to develop as artists and a community. I encourage my students to see themselves as life-long learners. We will explore production, aesthetics, history, and art criticism. We will take creative risks and celebrate diversity. I intend to provide my students with a safe place to reach their fullest potential through a comprehensive art program.
Course Overview
Welcome to IB MYP Visual Arts at Norterra Canyon!
Course Overview
Hello and welcome to IB MYP Visual Arts at Norterra Canyon! My name is Mr. Snedden and I am very excited to have you in my class! We will be exploring the Elements and Principles of Art and Design through history, aesthetics, criticism, and (of course) production. We will take risks, ask questions, and celebrate our diversity! All assignments and feedback for our class will be available on Canvas however grades are only posted to PowerSchool where they are officially stored.
Important Links
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All coursework and feedback is available on Canvas. Check here if you miss class to know your expectations before you return. |
Grades will be reported via PowerSchool. Keep an eye out for missing assignment flags as well. |
For the fastest response, use email for communication. Students must use their student email (student@learner.dvusd.org) for appropriate communication. |
IB Assessment
IB MYP Visual Arts Assessment
Arts Assessment Criteria: Year 1
Criterion A: Investigating
At the end of year 1/Novice stage, students should be able to:
- investigate a movement or genre in their chosen arts discipline, related to the statement of inquiry
- describe an artwork or performance from the chosen movement or genre.
Criterion B: Developing
At the end of year 1/Novice stage, students should be able to:
- practically explore ideas to inform development of a final artwork or performance
- present a clear artistic intention for the final artwork or performance in line with the statement of inquiry.
Criterion C: Creating/Performing
At the end of year 1/Novice stage, students should be able to:
- create or perform an artwork.
Criterion D: Evaluating
At the end of year 1/Novice stage, students should be able to:
- appraise their own artwork or performance
- reflect on their development as an artist.
Arts Assessment Criteria: Year 3
Criterion A: Investigating
At the end of year 3/Intermediate stage, students should be able to:
- investigate a movement or genre in their chosen arts discipline, related to the statement of inquiry
- analyse an artwork or performance from the chosen movement or genre.
Criterion B: Developing
At the end of year 3/Intermediate stage, students should be able to:
- practically explore ideas to inform development of a final artwork or performance
- present a clear artistic intention for the final artwork or performance in line with the statement of inquiry.
Criterion C: Creating/Performing
At the end of year 3/Intermediate stage, students should be able to:
- create or perform an artwork.
Criterion D: Responding
At the end of year 3/Intermediate stage, students should be able to:
- appraise their own artwork or performance
- reflect on their development as an artist.
Syllabus
Vocabulary Glossary
Balance - comfortable arrangement of things in art
Color - a hue and its values
Contrast - difference between elements in an artwork; opposites
Emphasis - a focal area in a work of art
Form - a three-dimensional object (3D)
Line - a continuous mark (1D)
Movement - how we get around in a work of art
Pattern - decorates the surface with planned, repeated units
Rhythm - repetition of shapes, lines, and forms
Shape - an enclosed figure (2D)
Space - the illusion of depth; distance between objects; smaller things are far away
Texture - what something feels like (or looks like it feels like)
Unity - all is in harmony; variety adds interest
Value - dark and light versions of a color or grayscale
Fun Links
Here are some links for fun activities, games, tools, and applications. As I find new links I will add them here so be sure to check back for updates! Ask your parent/guardian's permission before installing anything from the internet.
AutoDraw (autodraw.com)
This fun drawing tool tries to guess what you are drawing while you are drawing it. You can then select and manipulate the clipart image that it guessed and create your composition.
Canvas (canvas.apps.chrome)
This online drawing application is a simple way to introduce digital drawing tools. It also has the ability to draw over images that you upload. It all syncs with your Google Drive too! Make sure you download your image from the menu in the top right if you want to send your work to others!
Color Game (color.method.ac)
In this game, you will move your mouse cursor to try to match the color(s) you see in the middle of the circle. As the counter goes down, you can click when you have your color(s) or let the timer run out and it accepts whatever you left your cursor on.
GIMP (gimp.org)
GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program and is a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop. This application allows you to create and edit bitmap images. Bitmap images are made up of pixels. Professional photographers use these programs to touch up photos and artists may use them to compose an image. Their website has a lot of tutorials but most Photoshop tutorials can be easily followed as well. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Inkscape (inkscape.org)
A free alternative to Adobe Illustrator. This application allows you to create and edit vector images that can scale to any size without losing quality. Vectors use math to create the artwork which allows it to scale without getting blurry. This is the format that professional graphic designers use. Their website hosts a plethora of tutorials to help get you started. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
MandalaGaba (mandalagaba.com)
With this tool you can click and move your mouse cursor to draw with symmetry. Have fun making cool designs and playing with the different options.
Quick, Draw! (quickdraw.withgoogle.com)
Can a neural network learn to recognize doodling? Help teach it by adding your drawings in this game to help with machine learning research. This game is an A.I. Experiment.
Silk (weavesilk.com)
This tool allows you to click and move your mouse cursor to manipulate symmetry. Have fun making cool designs and playing with the different options. Similar to MandalaGaba.
This Is Sand (thisissand.com)
(Requires Flash) This relaxing game allows you to drop sand from your mouse to create cool designs. The sand falls with gravity making it a fun, new way to draw!