Idiotic New Visual Arts Assessment for Washington State

I complained about Washington's 5th grade "music WASL" which asks fifth graders to sing music by sight from sheet music, and compose a new theme based on animal on sheet music, when most 5th graders are doing well if they can sing in a choir by ear.

Well, the 10th grade visual arts test requires all art students to sketch and do a final portrait in one of three styles in 3 half hour sessions, and explain how you use "hue, intensity and a range of values" to reflect a chosen style and define three dimensional forms.

Here is the document for the 10th grade visual arts classroom based assessment Whoever

The Perfect Gift
Students are asked to create a portrait using a student-selected classic artistic style. Students will be assessed on their understanding of the color attributes and form of the chosen artistic style. Students will also be assessed on their understanding of the creative process.

You must meet the following task requirements when creating the portrait
• Choose one style to use in your portrait.
• Use the color attributes of the style you selected:
• hue
• intensity, and
• a range of at least five values to create form.
**** The choice of colors has NOTHING to do with whether the style is impressionist, cubist or surrealist. Hue is just the base color (green, red, etc), intensity is how pure the color is (bright red, dull red) "Value" is simply which color, or what intensity is used. ***
• Use form to create depth within the features of the face.>
• Use color or value to define form(s) within the features of the face
*** Color is not used to define forms, value doesn't even make sense in this context ***
• Create expression of the facial features using at least three elements of visual arts.

Students must answer the following questions after they complete their portraits:

1) What style did you choose?

2) How did you use each of the color attributes in your portrait to define the style you selected?

a. How does your use of hue reflect your chosen style?

b. How does your use of intensity reflect your chosen style?

C. How does your range of values reflect your chosen style?

3) How did you use color and/or value in your portrait to define your form(s)?

4) How did you use shape to create emotion in the facial expression of the portrait?

Relate your answer to your selected style.

5) How did you use form to create emotion in the facial expression of the portrait? Relate your answer to your selected style.

"Teachers should choose three styles of artwork which are familiar to their students. If art prints cannot be used, photographs of realistic people may be used.

Some examples of portrait styles are:

• Salvador Dali (Surrealism) "Face of Mae West"

This isn't even a realistic portrait of a person, it's a face superimposed on a doorway with a perspective horizon. It shows no emotion other than closed eyes. Color and value do not define the form

• Vincent van Gogh (Impressionism) "Self-Portrait with a Grey Hat"

• Pablo Picasso (Cubism) "Woman with a Hat"

This isn't a realistic portrait either. The face is bent with the top and bottom halves in different directions, and it is drawn with nipples, a questionable technique for 10th graders. It shows no emotion

• Max Beckmann (Expressionism) "Self-Portrait"

This portrait isn't even in color, it makes NO use of hue, intensity, or range of values. It doesn't show any emotion either.