Fourth Grade students are studying Value and Texture. We created four value scales using different shading techniques: blending, hatching, cross-hatching, and stippling. We then drew an ordinary pencil using contour line. Students had to choose a shading technique to help create the illusion of depth in their pencil drawings. Students also studied the direction of light, and added a shadow to further show three-dimensional depth in their two-dimensional drawing.
Third grade students are studying the artist Pablo Picasso and his style of art called Cubism. We looked at many of Picasso's Cubist portraits of people, and also saw how he influenced the Pop artist Andy Warhol. We then drew faces and make them have both frontal views and side views at the same time. We used lines to further "break" our drawings down into simple shapes, and here students are painting the shapes with bright colors.
Second Grade students are hard at work on their Native American Shields. Each student choose a symbol to represent his or her personality. We looked at many different kinds of symbols found in petroglyphs and pictographs created by many different tribes of Native Americans all over the Southwest United States. Then each student used four symbols to tell a story about an adventure she or he had in nature. Last, we added four smaller symbols to share our interests, and drew a pattern around the edge of the shield. Here, students are painting their symbols and patterns. Our last step will be to add beads and feathers.
Jasper Johns is the artist Kinder students are studying. We looked at his number and alphabet paintings closely, and talked about all the places that we see numbers and letters everyday: street signs, books, billboards, computers, classrooms, inside and outside cars, and in our homes. Students then choose numbers or letters to put in their own drawings. We practiced painting four different colors inside each letter or number box, then we used oil pastels and tempera paint for our final designs. The paintings are amazing and will be displayed in this year's School-wide Art Show in April!
Fifth grade students are studying Mexican Bark Paintings. Students had to choose an animal and depict that animal in motion. After looking at original Bark Paintings by Mexican artists, we noticed that the space around the animals were filled with plants and flowers, and that the colors used were arbitrary, or imaginary colors. Some students chose actual animals, and others chose fantastical animals. Last, students had to create a pattern border around their animal scene. Here are students adding the bright, imaginary colors to their drawings.
First Graders are studying the Spanish Surrealist artist Joan Miro. We looked at many of his paintings and drawings and discussed his use of symbols. We practiced drawing some of his symbols, then we each created our own unique symbols. Students drew a plan for their final painting, making sure their symbols were different sizes: large, medium, and small. Here students are painting using their drawings as a guide.
