Third Grade Prehistoric Cave Art

 Third Grade students are learning about Prehistoric Cave Art.  We looked specifically at the Lascaux Cave in France.  We saw parts of a video about the cave, read a book, and looked at still photos of the cave art to study which animals the prehistoric people chose to draw. We talked about how the people mixed paint and what tools they used to paint or draw on the cave walls.

Next, we practiced drawing four different animals in the prehistoric style.  Students added natural colors like in the cave art: browns, tans, blacks, and whites.  Student chose their best idea and cut it out to add to a textured background.

The backgrounds were made by adding texture through a texture rubbing.  This texture can be seen, but not really felt, so it is an implied texture.  Students then created an real texture that could be both seen and felt by carefully crunching the paper to crinkle it.  Last, students used charcoal sticks to draw ancient cave symbols around their animals.  Students were excited about using a material like the Prehistoric artists did!

4th Grade Still Life Paintings

We started our lesson distinguishing between three subjects in art: portraits, landscapes, and still lives.  We discussed the differences between these subjects, and then students each got a photo of a Vincent Van Gogh painting.  Students had to decide which subject category their particular painting belonged in.   A few were tricky!

 I searched for a real pumpkin, but alas, in early September none were to be found in Central Texas.  I did find a rather realistic one from Michael's as a substitute. Students drew the pumpkin carefully, paying attention to the sections and how many they could see on one side of the pumpkin, as well as the free form shape of the stem.  Then we divided the background into different shapes with lines.

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On day three we talked about mixing white with a color to make a tint.  Each student picked one color, and then we carefully mixed the color with white to get different tints.  Students then added the tints to the lightest side of the pumpkin. Here are students mixing their tints.  The next day we also mixed colors with black to make different shades. When the paintings are finished I will post a few photos, and post the link to the Artsonia exhibit page.  Happy painting until then!

2nd Grade Geometric Shape Robot Collage

 Second Grade artists are busy reviewing the geometric shapes and creating crazy robots with them!  All students are using their imagination to invent their own individual and unique robots.  We are also remembering how to safely use scissors and glue in the art room.  Look for these amazing robots in a display soon - they are too cool to be kept hidden in the art room!

Welcome Back to the 2014-2015 School Year!

 It is incredible to believe that summer is gone and we are back at school!  Every year, summer seems to get shorter!  I am glad to be back at Zilker working with our amazing Panther Artists!  This is the start of my 17th year teaching, and 14th year here at Zilker!

Back in May, third graders helped to create this fun example of unity. We used scrap paper and glue to make it, and I got the idea from a board on Pinterest, though the art was adult-created, not kid-created.  I may be a little biased, but I think our kid-created one is better!

 The students loved the three-dimensional aspect of making the circles and ovals.  I tried to capture it with photos, but of course it is better in person!

 We are off to a great start in Art Class this year!  For the first time ever, we have another all-day art teacher here on campus.  I would like to introduce Ms. Wilson, our art teacher whose home campus is Cowan Elementary:  Welcome Ms. Wilson!  Our students are sure to have fun learning and creating in her room!

 Stay tuned for some more amazing art this year, coming here and to our online museum on Artsonia. Yay for Zilkerland Art!