AP Studio Art Scoring Guide

ALL Key Scoring Descriptors

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.

Originality, Imagination and Invention

Experimentation and Risk Taking
Confident, Evocative Work and Engagement of the Viewer
Technical Competence and Skill with Materials and Media
Appropriation and the Students Voice
Understanding and Use of Digital or Photographic Media
Overall Accomplishment and Quality

2-D DESIGN Key Scoring

Descriptors

General Use of Design Elements

to Investigate the Principles of
2-D Design
Overall Accomplishment 2-D
design issues to consider when
applying these descriptors may
include, but are not limited to,
the following:
o Unity
o Balance
o Variety
o Emphasis
o Rhythm
o Contrast
o Proportion
o Repetition
o Scale
o Figure/Ground
Relationship

Drawing Key Scoring Descriptors

Understanding of Composition,
Concept, and Execution
Overall Accomplishment
DRAWING issues to consider
when applying these descriptors
include, but are not limited to,
the following.:
o Line Quality
o Light and Shade
o Rendering of Form
o Composition

o
o
o

Surface Manipulation
The Illusion of Depth
Mark Making

3-D DESIGN Key Scoring

Descriptors

General Use of Design Elements

and Application of the Principles
of 3-D Design
Overall Accomplishment 3-D
design issues to consider when
applying these descriptors may
include but are not limited to
the following:
o Unity
o Rhythm
o Variety
o Repetition
o Balance
o Proportion
o Emphasis
o Scale
o Contrast
o Occupied/Unoccupied
Space
o Time

The College Board (This Rubric has been adapted from The College Boards
Scoring Guides)

AP Studio Art Scoring Guide

The College Board (This Rubric has been adapted from The College Boards
Scoring Guides)

AP Studio Art Scoring Guide

6 EXCELLENT
QUALITY

5 STRONG
QUALITY

4 GOOD
QUALITY

3 MODERATE
QUALITY

2 WEAK
QUALITY

1 POOR
QUALITY

highly successful
use of the key
scoring discriptors
for selected
portfolio

very successful use

of the key scoring
discriptors for
selected portfolio

successful use of
the key scoring
discriptors for
selected portfolio

some successful
use of the the key
scoring discriptors
for selected
portfolio, but the
investigation of
their application is
emerging and
narrow in scope

some awareness of
the the scoring
discriptors is
demonstrated, but
there appears to be
little understanding
or investigation of
their application

the work exhibits

well-informed
decision making
and intention.

evidence of
thoughtful decision
making and
intention

some clear decision

making and
intention are
evident

decision making
and intention are
questionable

intention is not
clear

very little
awareness of the
key scoring
discriptors is
demonstrated, and
there appears to be
minimal
understanding or
investigation of
their application
work appears to be
unconsidered and
to lack discernible
intention

original, imaginative
and inventive

demonstrates
imaginative ideas
and effective
manipulation of
scoring descriptors

demonstrates some
imaginative ideas
and purposeful
manipulation of
scoring descriptors

some imaginative
ideas about the use
of the elements and
principles of design
appear to be
emerging

the work lacks

originality or
imagination

successful
engagement with
experimentation,
and/or risk taking

work may show

successful
engagement with
experimentation,
and/or risk-taking

work may show

engagement with
experimentation,
and/or risk taking
but with uneven
success

work may show

attempts at
experimentation,
and/or risk taking,
but with limited
success

the composition of
the work relies
heavily on
unoriginal ideas
and shows few
signs of invention
or imagination
work shows little
attempt at
experimentation or
risk taking, or the
experimentation
has little success

confident and
evocative: it
engages the viewer
with visual qualities
(for example,
expressive verve or
nuanced subtlety)

exhibit expressive
and evocative
qualities that
engage the viewer
and suggest
confidence

Some evocative
qualities that
engage the viewer,
though confidence
is not obvious; or
the work may
display confidence
but not be engaging

there is little about

the work that is
engaging; the work
lacks confidence

work does not

engage the viewer;
no confidence is
evident

technical
competence of the
work is generally
excellent; materials
& media are used

technical
competence of the
work is strong;
materials and
media are used

demonstrates good
technical
competence and
use of materials
and media;

some evocative,
engaging works;
confidence is
questionable. It
demonstrates
emerging technical
competence & use
of materials and
media
work of other artists
is appropriated, &
appears to be
nearly direct
reproductions; even

work is generally
awkward; it
demonstrates
marginal technical
competence and

work is generally
inept; use of
materials is nave
and is lacking skill
or technical

The College Board (This Rubric has been adapted from The College Boards
Scoring Guides)

work shows
negligible
experimentation or
risk taking, or the
experimentation is
unsuccessful

AP Studio Art Scoring Guide

effectively to
express ideas

well to express
ideas

technical aspects
and articulation of
ideas do not always
work together

if the work is
skillfully rendered,
the students voice
and the individual
transformation of
the images are
minimal

clumsy use of
materials and
media

competence

Any apparent
appropriation of
published or
photographic
sources or the work
of other artists
clearly provides a
visual reference
that is transformed
in the service of a
larger, personal
vision in which the
students voice is
prominent
the work reaches a
level of excellent
quality

Any apparent
appropriation of
published or
photographic
sources or the work
of other artists
shows a strong
sense of the
students voice and
individual
transformation of
the images

With the apparent

appropriation of
published or
photographic
sources or the work
of other artists, the
students voice is
discernable; the
images have been
manipulated to
express the
students individual
ideas

The work relies

heavily on
unoriginal ideas
and lacks invention
or imaginative use
discriptors

The work appears

to be direct copies
of published or
photographic
sources or the work
of other artists;
even if they are of
average rendering
skill, there is little
discernible student
voice or individual
transformation

The works are

obviously direct,
poorly rendered
copies of published
or photographic
sources or the work
of other artists;
there is no
discernable student
voice or individual
transformation

overall the work

demonstrates
strong quality

overall the work

demonstrates good
quality

emerging level of
accomplishment
among the five
works, and overall
the work
demonstrates
moderate quality

little evidence of
accomplishment
demonstrated, and
overall the work
demonstrates weak
quality

work is of poor
quality

The College Board (This Rubric has been adapted from The College Boards
Scoring Guides)