As part of the Art History component of the curriculum, Middle School Art students learned about photo realist painters and viewed the work of Audrey Flack. The related art lesson focused on drawing from observation and conveying a sense of form through the use of value. Students had begun working with value earlier in the year but this knowledge was now being applied to color. Taking the lead from Audrey Flack, students worked from a crayon still life.
The 3rd Grade class viewed various works of art in which artists depict the weather. Students noticed the use of value to change colors in the sky and that some artists could show a sunny day without drawing the sun. Some of the examples we viewed were from the book, How Artists See Weather by Colleen Carrol.
Once students finished their paintings, they wrote about their artwork. Some choose to write about the process of the work, while others wrote about the image they created. I was happy to see how much most of them enjoyed writing about their work.
With Thanksgiving approaching, I wanted to have some theme based projects that allowed the students to enjoy the holiday season without sacrificing the fine art curriculum. Kindergarten students have been learning painting techniques. For their Thanksgiving lesson, they studied photographs of turkeys and we discussed what they observed; patterns in the feathers, wrinkles on their legs, blue around their eyes, etc. Then, each student painted a picture of a turkey. I offered students a photograph to keep at their desk. Some found this helpful, others found it a hindrance. They became frustrated, trying to draw it “perfectly.” I suggested that they take a “good look” at the photo, make a picture in their head and then put the photo back on my desk. Once they did this, they were free to enjoy the process of creating! This lesson was done over two class periods.
Turkeys in Disguise! With First Grade, I decided to use the turkey disguise project found online. (It is a popular project and easy to find). I approached this as a lesson in collage since the first grade students have been working in this medium. I asked students, “If the Thanksgiving Turkey came running up to you, asking for your help to hide, how would you disguise him?” Students were so excited by this question and they all had a lot of ideas. We reviewed collage techniques and in order to fit “clothing” on the turkey, we reviewed a stick puppet lesson we did in early Fall. This being my first time teaching this lesson, I used a turkey form I found online. My reasoning was I felt it would help students focus on the collage aspect of the lesson. If I am to do this again, I will definitely have them create their own turkeys. I believe this would add a lot more uniqueness to the lesson. However, I do believe, overall, they did a great job expressing their ideas and in applying the collage techniques learned thus far.
Cat
A Sheet of Paper
Turtle
Garden
Airplane
5th Grade students studied the art of Gustav Klimt, in particular, his portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, 1907. The class discussed Klimt’s use of color and pattern as a way of creating emphasis.
Students then created portraits of people they admire using a limited color palette and repeating patterns. Paper springs were then added to add a shallow relief.
Last year, I started the Annual Unique Scarecrow Competition with my High School Art Foundations course. The students work in groups to do background research on Halloween, the scarecrow and related topics. Then, each group designs and builds their one – of – a – kind scarecrow. Once they are built, the class assembles the scarecrows on the school’s front lawn and teachers & staff use a rubric to vote for the winner.
Here are this year’s submissions.
And, the winner is …
I always try to take advantage of Halloween to introduce and revisit anatomy drawing, specifically the skeleton. This year, after making an anatomy study drawing, Third Grade made these skeletons based on the Day of the Dead skeletons. I encouraged them to give their skeleton movement. They could use a wide variety of collage materials to create clothing.
I love Fall and I love creating art lessons for this time of year! This year, I have kept some lessons from previous years with revisions (based on what I have learned or on class need) but I have also added a few new lessons. While I have chosen some lessons to elaborate on and share images below, here is a brief list of what each class is doing right now to celebrate the Fall season.
Kindergarten – Paper Pumpkin Sculptures
First Grade – Jack – O – Lantern Expressions
Second Grade – Fall Collage & Botanical Illustrations
Third Grade – Dancing Skeletons
Fourth Grade – Batty Silhouettes
Fifth Grade – Monster Sculptures
Middle School Art – Monster Portraits
High School Art Foundations – Unique Scarecrow Competition
Studio Art – Figure Friday Fright!!!
Kindergarten began their pumpkin soft – sculptures yesterday. It was a very fun and energized classroom! While discussing the difference between 2-D and 3-D work, the students showed great curiosity and excitement to understand the concepts taught. In reviewing examples of artists’ works, they had wonderful observations and questions! Below is step one in the process of transforming their paper bag into a pumpkin form. Next week they have the option to turn their pumpkins into Jack – O – Lanterns. I will post more images when they are complete.
Second Grade just completed their Botanical Illustrations. I began the lesson discussing illustration and its various forms. We viewed examples of botanical illustrations. (This was a great discovery for the students, to see how science and art can work together.) Then, students went outside and choose their specimens. When they came inside, students created a collage of their finds and began to draw from this. We talked about how this process was like a still – life. I encouraged students to compare shapes and to discover details. Here are a few examples.
Middle School created unique monsters and using the skills & concepts learned earlier, they created formal portraits of their monster with graphite. Then, after learning about the great Roman portrait busts, they created clay portraits of their monster. It was interesting for the students, and for me to witness, the transformation of their creation from 2 – D to 3 – D, from black and white into color.
Coming Soon …..
Unique Scarecrows! Dancing Skeletons! And much more!
Well, after a very restful and beautiful summer, I am so excited to start my 8th year teaching art (in the public school setting), and my 6th year teaching in my current district! (Year six already!) I have learned so much and continue to learn everyday from my students and co-workers. I am starting this year full of new ideas; and, this being my third week in , I am already being (happily) inspired with a million more!
Second Grade started off painting a still-life. After a demo, I gave students the option to draw first or to paint directly on the paper. Most students choose to draw first. But, a few painted directly on the paper. I was pleased with their patience and the skills they remembered from last year.
Fourth Grade has been studying quilts.
They used recycled paper and found objects to create individual squares for a class Crazy Quilt.
This week they started working on painted story quilts. Here are some of the images created so far.
Seventh grade has been reviewing value and using it to create form in their drawing.
They began by completing a found portrait.
Then, students created monsters and drew formal portraits of them.
Here are some works – in -progress.
High School Art II, Studio Art students have been working on Interpretive Self – Portraits. I have been very impressed with their sense of experimentation with materials and their creative solutions to the assignment. I am also thrilled that they remember a lot of what they learned with me in Middle School Art and High School Art, Foundations!
Below are works – in progress (and the first finished piece).
Second graders made these “Cups of Ice Cream” using the pinch pot method (learned in first grade) and the coil method (which is new to them). Because we are currently without a kiln, we used air dry clay which was alright but caused some problems. Perhaps the most difficult being that air dry clay is tougher for little hands to manipulate. I wonder if Model Magic might be a better solution.
The pinch pot creates the bottom “cup” and the coil creates a lid or the “ice cream.” Students really enjoyed painting their pieces and almost none of them wanted to have “normal” ice cream, hence the blue ice cream seen here! The pieces were coated with Mod Podge to protect the tempera paint.
First graders learned the basics of landscape painting in the following two lessons. We discussed the terms horizon line, foreground and background. Students were also asked to try and draw trees realistically (creating branches instead of the stylized “lollipop” trees). In the fall landscape, students used crayon and watercolor resist along with collage and in the winter landscape they used oil pastel and tempera paint.
