Kindergarten -- Polar Bears

Kindergarten students learned all about polar bears for their next project.  We discussed their habitat, how they survive, cubs, food sources, and much more!  The students learned about cropping a picture, and as a result we focused on the head/shoulder area of the polar bear.  We drew out our polar bears with pencil.  Students focused on using shapes to create the bear.  From there, the students used a cream colored paint to fill in their polar bears.  They used a splattering technique to create snow falling from the sky with white paint.  Once the paint was dry, the students used oil pastels for facial features and vine charcoal to create shadows.  They did an excellent job! 

4th Grade -- Color Scheme Paintings

Recently the 4th grade students have learned about the following color schemes:

• Analogous
• Complementary
• Warm/Cool
• Monochromatic

We began this project by choosing an animal to draw realistically.  We discussed how cropping the animal will allow us to draw it out bigger.  Each student then chose a color scheme to apply to their drawing.

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. 

5th Grade -- Silhouette Self-Portraits

We began this project by viewing many different examples of silhouettes.  We discussed what a silhouette was and how it has been an important part of art for hundreds of years.  Kara Walker is a current artist who uses silhouettes in her artwork.  The students created lists or webs to help generate things that described them as an individual.  We were focusing more on those qualities and not our outside appearance for this self-portrait.  With the use of the projector, I was able to trace out the students' silhouettes onto 18" x 24" white drawing paper.  From there the students filled up their silhouettes with ideas that described them.  We tried to draw only visual images and to avoid writing with words.  The students then used permanent markers to go over their pencil lines.  This helped add contrast to their silhouette.  They cleaned out the remaining pencil with erasers, cut out their silhouette, and then glued it to black paper.

1st Grade -- Space Invaders

The first grade students observed a current street artist with the alias "Invader".  We discussed how street art can have both positive and negative aspects to it.  "Invader" creates mosaic tiles and attaches them to buildings throughout the world.  He also creates mosaics from Rubik's cubes.  Mr. Kaegi's class created their own space invaders out of paper tiles that were 1" x 1".  Great job guys!

Kindergarten -- Space Drawings

In our kindergarten classes we read the book, "Dogs in Space" by Nancy Coffelt.  The story is about a group of dogs traveling through space and visiting other planets.  After reading the book, we discussed facts about the planets in the solar system.  From there we envisioned that we were launched into space and began our own journey.  Some of the students drew what planet they were visiting, or what they were doing on the moon.  Others imagined that they traveled so far into outer space that they discovered a new planet.  They then visually described what was on that planet.  The students used crayons to color in their drawing.

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.

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:

2nd Grade Matisse Unit

The second graders began a unit on Henri Matisse. We studied his paintings and had a discussion on the use of his color. Matisse began to "paint with scissors" once he became older though. We observed all of the different shapes and colors Matisse would use in his collage work. This project is the first of two and our main vocabulary words were: positive/negative space, organic shapes, and contrast.
The students created an organic shape and used both their positive and negatives pieces to form this artwork. Our next Matisse project will be based on his artwork "Beasts of the Sea".

2nd Grade Number Paintings

Jasper Johns, Charles Demuth, and Robert Indiana are just a few well known artists that have created number paintings in their careers. Our 2nd graders learned about those three artists and observed their number paintings. From there, we choose a number 0-9 that was meaningful to us (ie: birthday, age, siblings, favorite, etc). The students drew out their number and created designs around it. We also discussed how warm colors advance and cool colors recede. From there the students used many different colors of tempera paint to carry out their design. Once the paintings were complete, we touched up our edges and redrew our designs with permanent marker.

Here is artwork from the entire 2nd grade!  7 was definitely the most popular number!

Here is a closer view at ten of the paintings:

Kindergarten "Mouse Paint"

This project was inspired by Ellen Stoll Walsh's book "Mouse Paint". The story is about three white mice who wind up covering themselves in the primary colors. The mice discover that they can make three new colors by mixing two of the primary colors together. Those three new colors are the secondary colors. The students used a pencil to draw out a mouse and two puddles. The next art class the students choose a color that their mouse would be (Orange, Green, or Violet). They painted in their puddles first with the corresponding primary colors. Once the puddles were painted, the students mixed their two primaries and created their secondary color to paint their mouse with. Once their mouse was completely painted, the students chose a color to paint the wall behind the mouse. We finished the project by touching up our edges with permanent marker.

1st Grade Dessert Paintings

First grade students began this project by learning about Wayne Thiebaud.  Thiebaud is an American painter whose most famous works are of cakes, pastries, boots, toilets, toys and lipsticks. He is associated with the Pop art movement because of his interest in objects of mass culture, although his works, executed during the fifties and sixties, slightly predate the works of the classic pop artists. Thiebaud uses heavy pigment and exaggerated colors to depict his subjects, and the well-defined shadows characteristic of advertisements are almost always included in his work.  As a class, we compiled a list of dessert ideas.  From there I demonstrated how to make the desserts look three dimensional.  The students began by drawing out their idea and then painted it in the following class using tempera paints.  Students were to use bold colors, paint in a shadow, and use the brush like a pastry chef would spread on frosting.  Our goal was to make our desserts look edible!  We touched up some of our edges with permanent maker at the end of the project. 

1st Grade Kandinsky Color Studies

Students learned about Wassily Kandinsky and the type of art he created throughout his life.  We observed his color studies.  We folded our 12 x 18 white drawing paper into eight equal sections.  From there we used oil pastels to create many circles.  Students used the oil pastels to blend and create new colors as well.