1st Grade -- #Adinkra Symbols

1st graders learned about adinkra symbols created by the Akan people of Ghana in West Africa. Adinkra symbols are visually symbols that represent concepts or aphorisms. "The symbols have a decorative function but also represent objects that encapsulate evocative messages that convey traditional wisdom, aspects of life, or the environment. There are many different symbols with distinct meanings, often linked with proverbs." We watched a few video clips that demonstrated the dye being created, the symbols being created, and the printing of the symbols on fabric.
The first graders then created their own adinkra cloth with the use of yellow, green, red, and black construction paper. They used adinkra sponges to print their symbols and also drew out ones that wanted represented in their cloth. We used red, yellow, green, and black because those are the colors found in the Ghana flag.
Here is an example of one in progress:

 

Here are some more examples of the adinkra process:

1st Grade -- #Heart Paintings

Jim Dine is closely associated with the development of Pop Art in the early 1960's.  Mr.  Kaegi's class focused on Jim Dine's series of heart paintings.  We observed numerous paintings and discussed how he used color, line, texture, and balance.  Those principles and elements were then applied to our paintings.  Great job first graders!

3rd Grade -- Practice Sculptures

3rd graders have been working on practice sculptures to help prepare themselves for when we sculpt historical figures from African American and Women's history.  We practiced making a two-legged figure that could balance standing up.  We also worked on our scoring/slipping methods to ensure the clay properly attached.  The students had a choice of painting the bisque fired clay with tempera paint or with glaze.  We discussed the differences of both.  Many who chose to paint with the tempera paint also finished their figures with Mod Podge.  Here are a few examples:

Kindergarten -- Stuart Davis Collages

We learned about Stuart Davis and how he was an early American Modernist painter. He created proto-pop art paintings that were colorful and influenced by jazz music. The students noticed that he used geometric and organic shapes in many of his paintings. We then focused a little bit more on his painting "Ready-to-Wear" (1955).
"Throughout his lengthy career as one of the preeminent American Modernists, Stuart Davis looked to the sights and sounds of the United States for his subject matter. In this vibrant painting, Davis explored the American invention of ready-to-wear clothing, a term first employed in an 1895 Montgomery Ward catalog. The broad, flattened areas of red, white, black, and blue may represent leftover pieces of fabric, while the angular white shape in the upper-right corner suggests a pair of scissors. With its bright palette and energetic composition, the painting celebrates not only the vitality of the ready-to-wear clothing industry but also America itself."
Kindergarten students worked on black construction paper and cut our a variety of shapes from red, white, and blue construction paper. We made sure that we used organic and geometric. We also made sure that we were overlapping the shapes.
Here are some kindergarten examples below:

4th Grade -- Clay House Fronts

For this project we examined architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright and Friedensreich Hundertwasser.  Frank Lloyd Wright used geometric shapes and organic colors in his architecture, while Hundertwasser used many bold colors, curvy lines, and organic shapes.  Both architects loved to incorporate the surrounding environment with their architecture.  Our 4th grade students sketched out a design for their own house.  Some students were inspired by TV shows, by famous architects, or even their own home in Oak Park.  The students rolled out slabs of clay, trimmed out the shape of their house, and then began designing it.  They scored and slipped whenever they attached additional pieces.  They used modeling tools to carve in designs as well.  Once the pieces were bisque fired, the students then used glaze to finish their houses.

Kindergarten -- Klee Fish

We began this project by reading a book on Paul Klee.  After learning about Klee and the style of his work, we observed his painting "The Goldfish".  We noticed how the colors really contrast each other because of the dark black water and the bold colors of the fish.  We started brainstorming as a class what lives under water..  From there the students drew their underwater scene and used oil pastels to color in their objects.  We used a black wash over the paper to fill in the background.  This allowed us to see how the oil pastels resist water. 

2nd Grade -- Family Portraits

2nd graders learned about Carmen Lomas Garza and observed many of her family portraits.  With so many examples to look at, we were able to get a better understanding of Carmen's family.  The students noticed how family members interacted with each other, how pets can be considered part of the family, and how we experience good and bad moments throughout life.  The students then thought of a moment in their lives that really had an impact on them.  We used pencil to begin our drawings on the 18" x 24" paper and also put an emphasis on drawing BIG.  The students then used crayons to color in their portraits.

1st Grade Owls

Our first grade students started this project by using a pillow box template. They traced that template onto a colored piece of construction paper. From there, they painted a blank sheet a paper, with values that matched the construction paper color. We discussed the meaning up tints and shades, and also demonstrated different ways we could make texture in our paintings. Once the paintings were dry, the students used spools to trace circles onto their painting. The students cut those circles out and used them as the owl feathers. The students created other key features that the owl would need (wings, beak, feet) and assembled them with glue. Come check out the owls in person. They are located in the glass display case in the lobby.

5th Grade Notan Designs

Notan is a Japanese design concept involving the play and placement of light and dark as they are placed next to the other in art and imagery. We viewed many examples of artists who have created Notan designs. After discussing the process to create the notan design, the 5th grade students drew a design in their sketchbooks. From there they choose a colored square, cut out all of their designs, and created the positive and negative placements.

4th Grade One Point Perspective

Perspective in the graphic arts, such as drawing, is an approximate representation, on a flat surface (such as paper), of an image as it is seen by the eye. The two most characteristic features of perspective are that objects are drawn:
* Smaller as their distance from the observer increases
* Foreshortened: the size of an object's dimensions along the line of sight are relatively shorter than dimensions across the line of sight

After the 4th grade students learned about perspective, and more specifically one point perspective, we began drawing on 12 x 18 paper. The students made a dot to represent the vanishing point. Streets, sidewalks, buildings, cars, etc all lined up according to where their vanishing point was. This allowed the city view to start out bigger and become smaller and you look further down the street. Students had many creative ideas to develop their buildings.

2nd Grade Matisse Unit Part II

For our second project based on Matisse, our students focused more on Matisse's "Beasts of the Sea." We started out by choosing a colored piece of construction paper, which was the split in half. The students then created many geometric and organic shapes to collage onto their background pieces. We discussed overlapping, contrast, curvy lines, straight lines, and movement as well. Once their two background pieces were completed, we attached them to a bigger sheet of paper to create a border for their artwork.

2nd Grade -- Día de los Muertos Sugar Skulls

"Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it is a national holiday, and all banks are closed. The celebration takes place on November 1, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. They also leave possessions of the deceased."

Today, Ms. Smith's and Ms. Mariani's classes learned about Day of the Dead.  We took a closer look at the sugar skulls used in the celebration.  As we examined the skulls, we noticed that they all had similar characteristics.  The skulls used many organic and geometric shapes, floral designs, symmetry, lines, and color.  After looking at many examples, the students began drawing out their own sugar skull with the use of oil pastels.  They choose what shapes to create, what colors to use, and whether or not to have their skull symmetrical or asymmetrical.  Students were encouraged to fill in their color so it was nice and bold. 
Here are some photos from today's classes:

5th Grade Color Wheels

5th graders learned about color theory in this project. We learned exactly how to make the twelve colors on the color wheel. We reviewed how to make different values of each color as well. The students designed a color wheel with a radial design in their sketchbooks. We used a pie tin to trace a circle onto a piece of white paper. We used 90 degree angles to find the center of the circle. From there, we used protractors to measure out 30 degree angles to form twelve equal sections. The students then drew their radial design onto their circle. In their design, the students were to have designated areas that included the hue, tint, tone, and shade. Students received red, yellow, blue, white, and black paint to create all of their hues and values for this project. Once the color wheels were completely painted, the students went back with a permanent marker to tighten up any loose edges, and also to show their radial design more clearly.

Kindergarten Mondrian Compositions

Kindergarten students observed work created by Piet Mondrian, as well as artwork that has been inspired by Mondrian's work.  We looked at "Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow".  We observed how the composition only used vertical and horizontal lines.  We also discussed how he only used three colors, which are the primary colors.  The students then created a Mondrian like composition by position a variety of lines onto white paper.  The students then chose one section to paint in red, one section to paint in yellow, and one section to paint in blue.