At UMS students have several choices for art electives. These are the art classes which are offered at UMS.

Sixth graders are introduced to the middle school Visual Arts Program through this course. This class focuses on basic drawing skills and is an introduction to both two-dimensional and three-dimensional materials. Students will learn about the elements of art necessary to create and appreciate fine works of art. Several of the themes and time periods covered relate to what the students are studying in other classes for a more broad-based curriculum.

In this art class students learn two-dimensional design. The elements of art, with emphasis on color mixing, are integral components of this course. Some projects include: tessellations, collage, tempera painting, self portraits, textile design and product design. Students will explore major periods of style and the artists known for creating them.

Students will work with clay, papier mache, plaster, paint and other media. Projects include: a mobile, clay beads, and a found object sculputre of a house. Students will also create a mask using plaster and decorate it with paint, feathers and beads. They will learn to weave using a simple loom, make a traditional coil basket and pottery. In addition to making these prjects, students will learn about three-dimensional artists ranging from architects to Native American crafts persons using traditional techniques.

Students will learn to improve their drawing and painting skills. In this class they will learn to identify different types of shading techniques artists use to create drawings. They will experiment with different types of paint and drawing materials. Some projects include: a computer project, working with value scales, drawing a still life and a printmaking project. In class, students will explore major periods of style and artists known for using various methods and tecniques of drawing and painting.

Students will learn about three-dimensional artists and sculptors from many cultures. Projects included in this class are a found object assemblage, a wire armature sculpture and a clay vessel. Students will write, design and create their own claymation movie using modeling clay and a computer!