Glossary
15 Image Spaces
The total number of visual submissions in the Sustained Investigation portfolio, used to showcase the artistic journey from initial ideas to finished works.
Example:
A student might use their 15 image spaces to show sketchbook pages, progress shots of a large sculpture, and final photographs of the completed piece, demonstrating their process.
Detail Shots
Close-up images of an artwork within the 15 image spaces, used to highlight specific elements, textures, or techniques that support the artistic investigation.
Example:
A detail shot of a textile artwork might focus on the intricate stitching and varied textures, emphasizing the artist's exploration of tactile surfaces and patterns.
Documentation
Visual evidence within the 15 image spaces, such as sketchbook pages, early drafts, or material trials, that reveals the artist's thought process and idea development.
Example:
A student's documentation might include a page from their sketchbook showing initial thumbnail sketches for a painting, along with notes on color palettes and composition ideas.
Finished Pieces
The final artworks presented in the 15 image spaces that represent the culmination of the artist's inquiry and exploration.
Example:
After months of experimentation, the student submitted three large-scale oil paintings as their finished pieces, each exploring different aspects of their guiding question about light and shadow.
Guiding Question
The starting point of an artistic exploration, serving as the central idea or 'why' behind the art created in a Sustained Investigation.
Example:
"How does light transform everyday objects?" could be a guiding question for a series of still-life paintings exploring chiaroscuro.
Inquiry
The deep dive into an idea, driven by a guiding question, that forms the basis of the Sustained Investigation and shows how an artist's thinking evolves.
Example:
A student's inquiry into the impact of social media on identity could lead to a series of self-portraits that progressively distort facial features.
Progress Shots
Composite images included in the 15 image spaces that illustrate the evolution of an artwork, emphasizing the development of ideas and inquiry rather than just time passing.
Example:
An artist might include progress shots of a ceramic piece, showing it from the initial clay form, through various stages of carving, to the final glazing and firing.
Sustained Investigation (SI)
A year-long artistic exploration that forms the core of the AP portfolio, demonstrating the evolution of an idea through a series of artworks and processes.
Example:
An artist's Sustained Investigation might explore the concept of urban decay through a series of mixed-media collages and photographs, showing how their initial ideas transformed over time.
Thesis
In the context of the Sustained Investigation, the guiding question acts as the central argument or idea that the artwork will support and explore.
Example:
If a student's thesis is about the fragility of nature, their artwork might feature delicate sculptures made from found organic materials, providing visual evidence.