The AP Art and Design course overview outlines the structure and content of the AP 2-D Art and Design, AP 3-D Art and Design, and AP Drawing courses. Students engage in inquiry-based learning, creating portfolios that showcase their artistic processes and final works. The assessment includes a Selected Works section and a Sustained Investigation section, each contributing to the overall portfolio score. This guide is essential for high school students preparing for AP exams and seeking college credit in art and design. It emphasizes skill development in various media and artistic techniques.

Key Points

  • Covers AP 2-D Art and Design, AP 3-D Art and Design, and AP Drawing courses.
  • Includes assessment structure with Selected Works and Sustained Investigation sections.
  • Focuses on inquiry-based learning and portfolio development for AP Art students.
  • Guides students in synthesizing materials, processes, and ideas in their artwork.
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AP® Art and Design
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AP
®
Art and Design: 2-D Art and
Design, 3-D Art and Design, and
Drawing
About the Advanced Placement Program
®
(AP
®
)
The Advanced Placement Program
®
has enabled millions of students to take college-level courses and earn college credit, advanced placement, or
both, while still in high school. AP Exams are given each year in May. Students who earn a qualifying score on an AP Exam are typically eligible, in
college, to receive credit, placement into advanced courses, or both. Every aspect of AP course and exam development is the result of collaboration
between AP teachers and college faculty. They work together to develop AP courses and exams, set scoring standards, and score the exams. College
faculty review every AP teacher’s course syllabus.
AP Art and Design Program Overview
The AP Art and Design program consists of three different courses and
AP Portfolio Exams—AP 2-D Art and Design, AP 3-D Art and Design,
and AP Drawing—corresponding to college and university foundation
courses. Students may choose to submit any or all of the AP Portfolio
Exams. Students create a portfolio of work to demonstrate inquiry
through art and design and development of materials, processes, and
ideas over the course of a year. Portfolios include works of art and
design, process documentation, and written information about the work
presented. In May, students submit portfolios for evaluation based on
specific criteria, which include skillful synthesis of materials, processes,
and ideas and sustained investigation through practice,
experimentation, and revision, guided by questions. Students may
choose to submit any or all of the AP Portfolio Exams.
The AP 2-D Art and Design, AP 3-D Art and Design, and AP Drawing
courses are designed to be the equivalent of a one-semester,
introductory college course in 2-D art and design, 3-D art and design,
and drawing, respectively.
RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITES
AP Art and Design courses are for all students who are interested in
inquiry-based thinking and making. Although there is no prerequisite for
AP Art and Design courses, prior experiences learning about and
making art and design support student success in AP Art and Design.
Students who have not had opportunities to take art or design classes
prior to AP will likely need assistance in developing a foundational
understanding of art and design materials, processes, ideas, and skills
to prepare them for success.
AP Art and Design Course Content
Students work with diverse media, styles, subjects, and content. Each
of the three portfolios consists of two sections:
■
The Sustained Investigation section requires students to conduct
a sustained investigation based on an inquiry of the student’s
choosing. The work in this section should reflect ongoing practice,
experimentation, and revision.
■
The Selected Works section requires students to demonstrate
skillful synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas.
Students’ work is informed and guided by observation, research,
experimentation, discussion, critical analysis, and reflection, relating
individual practices to the art world. Students are asked to document
their artistic ideas and practices to demonstrate conceptual and
technical development over time. The AP Art and Design Program
supports students in becoming inventive artistic scholars who contribute
to visual culture through art making.
In addition, the big ideas listed below structure students’ development
of understanding and skills, enabling them to connect what they learn to
prior knowledge and experiences. Essential questions, tied to the big
ideas, provoke thought, inquiry, discussion, and understanding related
to the big ideas and stimulate the development of enduring
understandings.
■
Big Idea 1: Investigate materials, processes, and ideas.
♦ What informs why, how, and what artists and designers
make?
■
Big Idea 2: Make art and design.
♦ How do artists and designers make works of art and design?
■
Big Idea 3: Present art and design.
♦ Why and how do artists and designers present their work to
viewers?
Course Skills
The following skill categories delineate overarching understandings
central to the study and practice of art and design:
■
Inquiry and Investigation: Investigate materials, processes, and
ideas.
■
Making Through Practice, Experimentation, and Revision:
Make works of art and design by practicing, experimenting, and
revising.
■
Communication and Reflection: Communicate ideas about art
and design.
Educators: apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-art-and-design
Students: apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-art-and-design-program
© 2021 College Board.
00558-040 (Updated February 2021)
AP Art and Design Assessment Structure
Assessment Overview
All three AP Art and Design Portfolio Exams contain two sections. The
Selected Works section requires students to demonstrate skillful
synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas. The Sustained
Investigation section requires students to conduct a sustained
investigation based on an inquiry of the student’s choosing. The work in
this section should reflect ongoing practice, experimentation, and
revision. Both sections of the portfolios require students to articulate
information about their work.
Both sections are required. Students earn a score for each section, and
the sections’ scores are combined to produce an overall portfolio score
that may offer opportunities for college credit and/or advanced
placement. The order in which the sections are presented is not
intended to suggest a curricular sequence. The works presented for
portfolio assessment may be produced in art classes or on the student’s
own time and may cover a period of time longer than a single school
year.
Fo
rmat of Assessment
Section I: Selected Works | 5 physical works for 2-D and Drawing, 10
digital images for 3-D | 50% of Portfolio Score
■
Demonstrate synthesis of materials, processes, and ideas using
2-D or 3-D art and design or drawing skills
Section II: Sustained Investigation | 15 digital images for 2-D, 3-D, and
Drawing | 50% of Portfolio Score
■
Demonstrate sustained investigation through practice,
experimentation, and revision
AP Art and Design Sample Portfolio Images
The online Art and Design Exhibit can be found here: 2020artanddesignexhibit.collegeboard.org/2020-ap-art-and-design-exhibit
2-D Art and Design 3-D Art and Design Drawing
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FAQs

What is the purpose of the AP Art and Design portfolio?
The AP Art and Design portfolio serves to demonstrate a student's artistic inquiry and development over time. It includes two main sections: the Selected Works section, which showcases a student's best work, and the Sustained Investigation section, which reflects ongoing practice and experimentation. This structure allows students to articulate their artistic processes and ideas, providing a comprehensive view of their skills and creative evolution.
What skills are emphasized in the AP Art and Design courses?
The AP Art and Design courses emphasize skills in inquiry and investigation, making through practice, experimentation, and revision, and communication and reflection. Students learn to investigate various materials and processes while developing their unique artistic voice. The curriculum encourages critical thinking and reflection on their work, enabling students to connect their practice to broader art concepts and cultural contexts.
How is the AP Art and Design assessment structured?
The AP Art and Design assessment is divided into two sections: Selected Works and Sustained Investigation. The Selected Works section requires students to submit physical or digital artworks that demonstrate their skillful synthesis of materials and ideas. The Sustained Investigation section involves a series of digital images that document a student's ongoing artistic inquiry and experimentation. Each section is weighted equally, contributing to the overall portfolio score.
What are the big ideas guiding the AP Art and Design curriculum?
The AP Art and Design curriculum is guided by three big ideas: investigating materials, processes, and ideas; making art and design; and presenting art and design. These concepts encourage students to explore the motivations behind artistic creation, the methods artists use to produce work, and the ways in which art is presented to audiences. This framework fosters a deeper understanding of the artistic process and its relevance in visual culture.

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