2nd grade Scarecrows

2nd grade students created a drawing of a scarecrow, learning about layering, space and line within their artwork.  They practiced their color mixing skills by using only the primary colors to create the secondary colors.  As a final step, they used brown paint for the wood and black paint to outline the features of their artwork. What a great job!!!

Color Wheel Pumpkins

Kindergarteners are continually learning and working with primary and secondary colors.  They created pumpkins made from layers of colored tissue paper.  They practiced their skills in using a paint brush, cutting and gluing; then put them in the correct order of a color wheel. They looked so awesome!

Lines of Color

1st graders have been learning about the different kinds of lines in art.  They displayed their new knowledge by creating a watercolor line artwork. After drawing their lines and going over them with oil pastels, they filled their newly created shapes with watercolors.  They produced many interesting, abstract paintings!

Art & Technology

4th and 5th grade students combined art and technology while creating contour line portraits.  We first created backgrounds using different watercolor techniques.  After that, students took selfies and followed the contour lines of their face on acetate film.  Students then took another picture of themselves in the Photo Booth app and transformed into their alter ego.  They then took that picture and followed the contour lines to create our funky faces. We finally put them together to create our SUPER SELFIES!

Art Races

We combined art and fitness with our Art/PE collaboration classes.  Students had to draw a picture clue for their team to guess.  When their clue was guessed correctly, the artist had to run the length of the gym, turn over an exercise card and follow the directions (10 jumping jacks, 5 push-up, hop back on one foot, etc.).  When they returned to their group a new artist drew a clue and the game continued.  It was an active art day!

Kindergarten Dot Paintings

Continuing on after dot week our kinders got to try their hand at using dot painters.  After reading The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle, we discussed the parts of a flower and drew our own giant flower.  We then used dot painters to fill our flower petal, leaves and stem with color!  We explored the blending of colors and discovered how to make secondary colors from primary ones.  The students worked on producing patterns and staying within their contour lines.  They did such a great job!

Dots, Dots Everywere!

Well our Dot week lasted more than a week, but we created some awesome artworks.  Kinder through 2nd grade made several collaborative dots, made from all their individual dots.  Kindergarten created dots filled with line patterns, while 1st and 2nd created symmetrical dots.  4th grade created Kandinsky style dots, 3rd grade painted Mondrian dots and 5th grade made VanGogh dots.  Our kiddos made their mark all over campus.  Together we produced quite colorful hallways.

Blind Contour Drawings

4th and 5th grade students were learning how to truly observe an object through blind contour drawing.  Students worked in pairs, taking turns being artist and model.  The model had to pick a focal point and hold that gaze for 5 minutes, while the artist had to follow the contour lines of the models face, WITHOUT being able to look at their paper.  We all had a good laugh looking at our attempts at drawing our friends faces, and had a great discussion about observations and drawing what we see.

Creation Stations

1st grade kiddos got to practice their art room procedures and transitions with creation stations.  Students rotated through three stations: creative drawing, play doh and pattern puzzles.  They worked individually and in groups to produce unique designs, forms and artworks.  We are getting Art Smart!

Goodbye Ms. Fry

When we found out our principal was moving on to another position in the district, we wanted to create something for her to remember us by.  I created an empty tree and each student placed their own fingerprint "leaf" to fill our Polser tree.  We presented our gift to Ms. Fry at her last pep rally.  The students were very proud of their work and were excited to give it to her.  

End of year 2013-2014

The end of the year went by in a flash.  We learned so much that our brains were busting at the seams.  I thought our last entry got posted, but apparently it got missed.  Here is a selection of artworks from each grade level.  It's going to be another great year! We are all looking forward to new and interesting creations!

 

5th grade Legacy Project 2013-2014

picture borrowed from: http://bit.ly/1uh 1

5th grade students studied about the glass artist, Dale Chihuly.  We learned about how he began blowing glass and all of his different varieties of glass art styles.  Our inspiration piece from Chihuly was "Fire and Water".  Students used recycled water bottles, cut off the end, painting the inside in a ombre style, then finally cut in a spiral motion.  These were then wired together to form our "Ribbons of Color"

Calder Acrobatic Mobiles

All students were introduced to the artist, Alexander Calder and his many mobiles and stabiles.  While some grade levels focused on his stabiles, 4th grade used his mobiles as their inspiration.  They created acrobats that hang precariously from their trapeze.

Paul Klee Inspiration

picture borrowed from:
 http://bit.ly/MMs1IN

picture borrowed from:
http://bit.ly/1fi9hYD

Students were introduced to a new artist, Paul Klee, that had a very individual style.  He worked with many different types of media and tools to create his artwork.  We used many of his wonderful artworks for our inspirations.  Kindergarten focused on his painting, "Once Emerged From the Gray of Night" for their ABC watercolor resist.  3rd grade used his painting, "Senecio" as their inspiration for their oil pastel / tempera rendition of this famous artwork.

Printmaking in 1st grade

Students in 1st grade experimented with color and printmaking.  Over several class periods, we used various circular items and many colors of paint to print and create an abstract artwork.  After they dried, the students cut their artwork into an organic shape and mounted on colored paper.  It was a great learning experience for all and we got to wear our paint smocks again (we do love our paint smocks!).

Background, Foreground and Mid-Ground

4th and 5th grade students learned about background, foreground and mid-ground in artwork by playing a fun game.  We took turns being the "subject" of an artwork in various portions of a "painting", while others observed and "measured" the subjects.  Students learned that subjects in the foreground appeared larger and closer to the bottom of the "painting", while the subjects in the background appeared smaller and farther toward the top of the "painting".  They enjoyed taking turns being the subjects and the observers, while learning all about the different areas of an artwork.

Color Wheels in 4th and 5th

Fourth grade finished their hidden color wheels by mixing their own paint and creating an abstract painting.  They all looked so different and complex.  5th grade is in the process of creating their own original color wheels including not only the primary and secondary colors, but the tertiary as well.  They created 12 identical pictures and are painting each one with pairs of complementary colors.  The pictures show some of the process, but we will post the finished creations when they are done.

Painting Texture like Eric Carle

The author and illustrator, Eric Carle, gave our second graders their inspiration.  After learning about the life and artistic style of Eric Carle we read and explored his illustrations.  We created textured papers with paint and various items as the base to our project.  The students then drew their own animal and created pattern pieces for use on the textured paper.  Each student cut out their pieces and put them together to create an original animal in the same style as Mr. Carle.  As you can see we have quite the colorful zoo in our display case.  I think Eric Carle would be impressed!

Polar Bears, Sculptures & Scarecrows

I know it's been a while since we posted, but we have been BUSY!  After learning about the many types of artwork by Alexander Calder, first grade created their own free standing stabiles.  They were all so colorful and unique!  Second grade continues to study color theory and used their knowledge in mixing paint to create secondary colors using only the primary colors.  They create a mixed media artwork using paint, oil pastels, fabric & buttons.  Kindergarten demonstrated their painting skills creating fuzzy polar bears with puffy paint snowflakes.  We are all learning so much and exploring as many mediums as we can.  Keep checking back to see all the awesome artwork we will be creating!