Tuesday, September 30, 2008

6th grade

This Week, the sixth grade visual arts classes started the final part of their life drawing unit. They are studying perspective. Students looked at photographs, paintings, and drawings to identify the ways that artists create a sense of space on a two-dimensional surface. They learned to identify examples of linear and atmospheric perspective, as well as finding vanishing points and horizon lines.
Our first perspective project is an exercise where students will create a word or name in three point perspective. After that, they will use their knowledge of perspective and life drawing to create landscape drawings from around the school.

2D class

The 7th grade visual arts class recently finished their abstract paintings. Now, we are working on some compositions inspired by the art and ideas of surrealism. The students started with some research and discussion on surrealist art. We looked at lots of examples and identified some common characteristics of this style of art.
This will be our final painting project before we move on to printmaking. The surrealist composition poses the additional challenge of creating a mixed media piece. Students will combine collage and painting for this assignment.
Our display cases are filling up with work from all of the visual arts classes. If you haven’t had a chance to stop by lately, I hope you will come check it out. Don’t forget our big art show at Arts Night on Wednesday, November 5th.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

6th grade

Sixth grade art students learned about the life and artwork of Joseph Cornell, this week as they began to work on the collage portion of the self-portrait boxes. Students should continue to gather images and small three-dimensional items to include in the box.
The next 6th grade sketchbook check is Monday, September 29th. Students should have at least 14 complete sketches at that time.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

6th Grade assignment


Sixth graders are finishing their self-portraits. The next step in their self-portrait box project will involve creating a collage of different images and small items to tell about themselves. This collage will serve as the background for the portrait. Sixth grade visual arts students should begin to bring in items and images to use in this collage. These can be photographs, small toys, magazine clippings, etc.

7th Grade 2D

7th Grade Visual Arts

The 7th grade visual arts class recently finished their monochromatic self-portraits. They learned to use a grid as a drawing tool, as well as learning to stretch one color of acrylic paint to its limits through the use of many tints and shades.
This week, we started work on the second painting project, an abstract painting. Students began in groups. Each group had magazine articles and photographs of work by Jim Dine, Jasper Johns, or several op art artists. The group had to work together to research their artist and present their findings to the rest of the class. Next, they will draw four sketches of ideas for abstract paintings. They will choose one of these ideas to turn into a painting. This painting will allow them to work with a variety of colors and designs in a way that the monochromatic portraits did not.
The next 7th grade sketchbook check date will be September 22. All students should have a minimum of twelve complete sketches by that time.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008


6th Grade Visual Arts 09-02-08

Sixth Grade visual arts students recently completed a half-portrait drawing assignment. The students used half of a self-portrait photograph in order to determine the correct values and proportions to draw the other half of the portrait.

At the end of last week, we had an in-process critique on these drawings. Each student had the opportunity to both give, and receive feedback. After the critique, students had a chance to make revisions to their drawings.

This week, students will learn a couple of different methods for creating a self-portrait drawing. They will choose one of these methods to create the portrait for a self-portrait box. This assignment will combine their life drawing skills with an exploration of symbolism and collage. We will also look at the work of Joseph Cornell for inspiration.

**Sixth graders will have their first sketchbook check next week. 6A will turn in their books on Monday, 9/8. 6B will turn theirs in on Tuesday, 9/9. All students should have at least eight complete drawings by next week.