High School Drawing and Painting Curriculum: Everything you Need for a Semester

This high school art drawing and painting curriculum is everything you need to teach a semester of art. With this project, lesson plan bundle, you won't have to plan a single day of a full year in your drawing and painting class. Shading basics, drawing, scratchboard, color theory painting, watercolor, mixed media, and more are covered. Designed to be taught after an Introduction to Art or Art I course, this is perfect for 10th and 11th graders (but can be adapted to lower and higher levels).

Each lesson includes a lesson plan, supply list, vocabulary, step-by-step instructions, PowerPoints, rubrics, critique sheets, handouts, and anything else needed to complete the project. This art curriculum was created for 9th-12th grade high school art students. Need a full year of projects? Check out my year-long curriculum here.

This drawing and painting curriculum focuses on the basics of drawing and painting techniques but also goes beyond traditional materials such as pencil, tempera paint, and charcoal. In addition to the basics, still life, and charcoal drapery drawings, students also learn about mixed media, scratchboard, printmaking, colored pencil, bookbinding techniques, and much more.

All in all this curriculum includes:

First day of school handouts

• Timeline
• Supply list
• Syllabus
• Tell me about you worksheet

Visual Journal Lesson

• Lesson plan  (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step by step instructions on implementing the project)
• PowerPoint with examples
• Rubric

Folder to Sketchbook Project

• Folder to Sketchbook Lesson plan (including big idea, essential questions, objectives, national standards, supply list, and day-to-day how-to)
• Introduction PowerPoint
• Step-by-step instructions
• Rubric

Personalized Still Life

• A lesson plan (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step-by-step instructions on implementing the project)
• Viewfinder template
• Still Life PowerPoint
• Critique sheet
• Rubric

Shading Review

• A lesson plan (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step-by-step instructions on implementing the project)
• Graphite pencils worksheet
• Shading general worksheet
• Hatching worksheet
• Cross-hatching worksheet
• Stippling worksheet
• Scribbling worksheet
• Grading checklist

A Day in the Life of... Scratchboard

• A lesson plan (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step-by-step instructions on implementing the project)
• PowerPoint to introduce the assignment with project examples
• Project homework assignment handout
• In-progress critique sheet
• Rubric

Metaphorical Self Portrait

• A lesson plan (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step-by-step instructions on implementing the project)
• PowerPoint, to introduce the assignment with project examples
• Project instructions handout
• Critique sheet
• Rubric

Color mixing and color theory

• Color mixing and color theory sketchbook project
• Color Mixing Lesson plan (including big idea, essential questions, objectives, national standards, supply list, and day-to-day how to)
• PowerPoint, also in a PDF format
• iPad apps list and instructions handout
• Color Mixing Instructions Handout
• Grading Checklist

Abstract Landscape Painting

• Abstract acrylic project
• Lesson plan (including big idea, essential questions, objectives, national standards, supply list, and day to day how to)
• PowerPoint or PDf presentation
• Abstract Acrylic Landscape Photoshop Tips and How-To worksheet
• Critique sheet
• Rubric

Watercolor Introduction

• Introduction to watercolor sketchbook lesson
• Introduction to Watercolor lesson plan (including big idea, essential questions, objectives, national standards, supply list, and day to day how to)
• Introduction to Watercolor PowerPoint
• Watercolor testers handout and instructions
• Watercolors techniques video
• Watercolor testers checklist
• Introduction to Watercolor Landscapes PowerPoint
• Watercolor landscapes handout and instructions
• Watercolor landscapes checklist
• Plein Air Painting PowerPoint
• Plein air painting handout and instructions
• Plein air painting checklist

Watercolor and White Space

• Watercolors and white space project
• Lesson plan: including big idea, essential questions, national standards, supply list, and step-by-step instructions.
• PowerPoint presentation with visual examples of the steps
• Critique sheet
• Set of critique squares (to go along with critique assignment)
• Rubric

Design Your Own Final Project

• A lesson plan (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step-by-step instructions on implementing the project)
• PowerPoint to introduce the assignment with project examples
• Rubric

Each of my classes is designed to build on the last. This curriculum builds on the lessons and techniques taught in my Introduction to Art course. Check out my yearlong Introduction to Art curriculum bundled at a discount price here.  

This course is a compilation of my semester drawing course and semester painting course. If you want the mediums and techniques separated, check out these courses.

Check out more products here.

Shop this drawing and painting curriculum on my TPT here.