From AP Computer Science Principles to AP Latin, Boston Latin School offers a variety of Advanced Placement courses, guaranteeing virtually every student an in-depth class on an interest of theirs.

One of the more unconventional AP classes is AP Studio Art. Instead of learning in the traditional way, with textbooks and quizzes to test student knowledge in preparation for the AP Exam in May, students spend the year creating a unique portfolio containing 12-15 pieces. Each portfolio follows a theme that the student curates and they are encouraged to use a variety of mediums to express their story.

“Almost all the courses at BLS are very structured, and it often feels like we’re just learning to regurgitate information,” says AP Studio Art student Tegan Trueblood (I). “However, the focus of AP Studio Art is different for each student taking it based on their unique portfolio theme.”

As the second term draws to a close, the students of AP Studio Art are about halfway through their portfolios. During the first semester of the school year, students have been able to explore their personal art styles and experiment with tools that they may not have access to at home and stylistic choices that they may not have made otherwise.

Through AP Studio Art, Salman Uddin (I) has been experimenting with different mediums, colors and materials, saying, “I’ve been having a lot of fun with exaggerated perspectives and bright colors. I realized that I like to draw complete scenes with moving parts and interesting characters.”

Just because the class is not structured like a typical AP class, does not mean it is easy. It could be argued that it is more difficult than other AP classes due to art’s subjectivity. The final portfolios act as the AP test and are graded on the same 1 to 5 scale as other AP classes.

Feelings about an art piece can vary depending on the viewer, which makes grading tricky because people may have different opinions.

Another challenge that students face is time constraints. The students have about two weeks to complete each art piece. This can be difficult as almost all of the work for AP Studio art must be done in class. This also can, however, motivate the students.

Students can also find incentive through the camaraderie of the class. Although each person is working on something different at any given time, everyone is working towards a sort of common goal.

Ofira Lam (I) shares, “Seeing other people working hard around you really gets you in the work mindset as well.”

Like other elective classes, many students taking AP Studio Art enjoy their time in class and cultivate a hardworking environment, forming an engaging and valuable course.