Third Grade Bonsai Trees

Third grade has been working on bonsai trees and pots throughout the first semester. The project began with making coil pots and glazing them. Once that part was completed students created 3D wire and pipe cleaner tree sculptures. To top it off students added leaves made from tissue paper.

Third Grade Sakura

Third grade has been diligently working on creating clay bonsai pots, first designing the pot, then sculpting it out of clay and finally glazing their fired projects. Well while the clay was drying and being fired in the kiln we had enough time for this brief little project.

Students were introduced to one of the most famous Japanese icons, the cherry blossom tree or sakura.

Miharu Takizakura Tree in Fukushima

We discussed the importance of the tree in Japanese culture and looked at images of Japanese cherry blossom viewing parties. Then students created these neat little cherry tree branch paintings.

Cherry Blossom Viewing Party

To start out the background was created using an analogous color scheme (three colors next to each other on the color wheel) out of chalk pastel. Then the branch was created by blowing around india ink with a straw and the flowers were made with dots of red and white paint.

A quick little lesson that introduced students to another color scheme and another piece of Japanese culture.

Hieroglyphic Name Design

Third grade recently finished these really cool Egyptian Name Designs. Students were introduced to the Ancient Egyptian language and we discussed the artistic choices the Egyptians made every time they wrote, since it was a picture based language. Once students had a handle on it they drew his/her name inside a pre-made cartouche (basically a fancy Egyptian oval). After that students were introduced to the idea of foil relief. Each student took his/her name design and traced it onto a piece of metal foil. After all the tracing and pressing to get their designs in relief they colored it with sharpie markers. Then witha little black spray paint and steel wool we have nice distressed tin name designs.

The second step of the project was creating the frame. We discussed complimentary colors (colors that across from each other on the color wheel). Each student drew a design around their frame which they painted with a pair of complimentary colors. Students were amazed at how many different colors one could get by simply mixing different amounts of their complimentary colors together.

Third Grade Buildings

Third grade finished up these really cool cityscape drawings before starting our fall projects. We talked about creating a realistic city by making sure our buildings overlapped as well as adding tons of details on the buildings themselves. Students used ultra thin Sharpie markers which really allowed them to create these tiny little masterpieces. Once the students finished up their cities the carefully cut out any extra paper along the top. Finally we rolled the drawings up to create a type of 3-D city.

End of the Week Sneak Peak!

The second week of art is in the books and while no grade is one hundred percent finished with their projects I'm too excited to wait to show you what they are working on! To start off the year every grade is using the Element of Art - LINE in their projects. For some younger grades it is simply learning about the different types of lines and for others it is using line to make a more complex work of art.

 In Kindergarten first we learned the proper steps when painting, we don't want flat hair do's on our brushes! Then we talked about different lines and painted each one across our paper.

The next class we reviewed all the lines we had learned and then talked about the difference between 2-D and 3-D. After we made 3-D line sculptures. They were quite colorful!



First graders reviewed what they learned about line from Kindergarten and made a line sculpture out of pipe cleaners. The following class we started our Line and Pattern Project. Students divided his/her paper using different lines and then filled in each section using a pattern.We'll be going over these with watercolor next week.

Second grade is using line to make a cityscape. Students looked at the use of line in architecture and we discussed the idea of geometric lines vs. organic lines. Students used markers to fill in his/her buildings with black geometric lines and we have now begun filling in the backgrounds iwth colorful organic lines.

 Third graders are also learning about geometric and organic (lines and shapes). We used what we learned to create Aztec Suns. When coloring students colored half the sun with hot colors and half with cool colors. Then we used the opposite for the background. Students are doing and excellent job blending with the oil pastels.

 

Fourth Grade is learning all about American artist Alexander Clader. He's the artist who invented the mobile, but he is also responsible for some wonderful sculptures that use contour line. Students practiced using continuous contour line to draw (which means we never pick up our pencil while drawing). Once we had our animals drawn we started to make the drawing using thin wire just like Clader!

Fifth grade has been busy creating an Optical Illusion Design using line. This is a really great project as it emphasizes good craftsmanship. By the end of this project students are masters of shading with color pencil.

   Lastly my group of ASD students have been hard at work practicing their cutting and gluing skills while learning about all the colors of the rainbow at the same time! ROYGBIV everyone! 

A Look Around the Room

We are now into our second week of school and are starting up some really great projects I'm excited to share with you! First though I thought I'd give you an official look around my new art room!

 Here is a nice view of the room as you enter the class. My tables are arranged so there is a straight shot to the seating area in the back.

This is the area where students sit while when I discuss new projects, read books or look at images from the computer with them. I'm really diggin' on this rug I picked up on sale at Target.
I have a small book shelf to the right.  I have a lot wonderful art themed books for curriculum, plus tons of fun books for students who finish early to read.
I also have our classroom rules and Wildcat ROARS on the wall. Plus our favorite role model Mona Lisa.

Here is a view of the front of the class where i have hung our classroom art jobs and class ART letters to keep noise volume down and students on task. Those paying close attention will also see that Ribs the Art frog has his new home on the table at the front of the class!!

Lastly I'd thought I'd share with everyone what our Wildcats created during their first week in art.

Every student created a mini self-portrait using a monochromatic color scheme. That means they could only use one color to create his/her portrait. For some it was a challenge (especially those that had yellow) but everyone did a great job using different shades of the same color and different materials to create stunning works of art.

After every student completed a portrait I got to work taping and gluing and gluing and gluing . . . sorry needless to say it was a lot of gluing and assembling our finished work in the hallway! 

So when everyone walked into school this morning they were greeted by all the students smiling faces in a Giant Rainbow Wall!!

The Gravity of Space and Art

So I just finished watching the film Gravity for the fourth time. I know some find it a snooze fest, others think its only good to watch it on a gigantic movie screen, but I am a space addict and its about as close as I'll ever get to actual space soooo.... Gravity has found a little spot in my heart next to Contact. Anyways all this space watching inspired me to post a few more of my students space themed artwork from about a month back.

I regards to what is currently going on in the art room; lots and lots of clay (which as soon as the Face Jugs are complete I'll post an update), paper weaving and portraits. All of which I'll be sure to share on here for my audience of one. *Waves at Emily*

Anyways on to some space art. First I have some chalk pastel solar systems by third grade. We talked about blending and such.

Happy Halloween!!!

Our Halloween Projects!

Kindergarten - Painted Pumpkin with Cut Out Faces

1st Grade - Painting Secondary Colors Pumpkin Patch

2nd Grade - Oil Pastel Pumpkin Patch

3rd Grade - Haunted House Silhouettes

4th Grade - Symmetry Name Design Skeleton

5th Grade - Chalk Pastel Pumpkin Pile