Inside This Unit: The Full Breakdown
Unit 2 surveys drawing media and processes — graphite, charcoal, ink/pen, pastel and colored media, mixed media, and digital drawing — and how material and process choices and craftsmanship shape meaning.
Why it matters
Portfolios must show experimentation with materials and processes; choosing media intentionally is part of what is assessed.
Key concepts
- Charcoal excels at broad value and gesture; graphite at detail and control.
- Ink wash is a technique for building tone; hatching builds value with line.
- Materials and processes should serve the idea.
Drawing Media, Materials & Processes
Explore how each medium behaves, use techniques like hatching, blending, and wash, document your process and experiments, and justify media choices by their meaning. Breadth of exploration strengthens the Sustained Investigation.
AP exam tip
Document your process and experiments as you go — they become evidence of development later.
Connections to other units
- Unit 1: Media realize mark-making, value, and composition.
- Unit 3: Experimentation drives the Sustained Investigation.
