4th Grade Aboriginal Dot Paintings

Fourth Graders are working on their Dot Paintings. We first learned about Australian Aboriginal artists, looking at prints of their artworks and watching a video about both their ancient and contemporary art. We talked about how the Aboriginal artists used native Australian animals in their artworks. We connected with the fourth grade Social Studies and Science TEKS and focused on native Texan animals. Each student chose a Texas animal, and we learned how to draw a recognizable silhouette of that animal. Then students carefully cut out the silhouette and glued it to brown paper. Students added one or two X-ray drawings on their animals, showing either bones or interior organs. The fun part began when students painted dots with sticks, much like the Aboriginal artists did and currently do. We discussed their use of concentric circle designs in their dot paintings, then added a few into our own. The results are stunning!

Kinder Jasper Johns Number and Alphabet Paintings

Jasper Johns " Numbers in Color", 1958-1959

Jasper Johns "Colored Alphabet" 1959

Kinder students have been studying American artist Jasper Johns. Johns uses common objects as subjects for his paintings, including maps, flags, numbers, and letters. Students drew either numbers or letter with oil pastels, then painted around them with different colors. Look for these finished paintings at Zilker's School-wide Student Art Show in April!

2nd Grade Clay Akuaba Dolls

Here are students drawing details into the surface of their clay dolls. Next week we will be adding the African colors with glaze.

Fifth Graders' Mexican Bark Paintings

Fifth Graders are working hard on their Mexican Bark Paintings. Each student had to choose either a real or an imaginary animal, then draw the animal showing movement. Here are students adding bright colors with tempera paint.

Third Grade Picasso Double Faces

Need some color? Check out third grade's crazy faces. We looked at Andy Warhol's print "Picasso Double Face" for inspiration, then looked at several of Pablo Picasso's cubist faces where he combined two faces as one or added multiple views to a single face. We then drew our own cubist face,and are now adding color with paint. Be on the lookout for these paintings during the school-wide art show in April.

2nd Grade Akan Akuaba Dolls

Second Graders are continuing their study of African art through creating their own clay Akan Akuaba Dolls. The Akan tribe is from the country of Ghana, and artisans make these dolls as a symbol for a husband and wife's wish for a baby. The dolls are in the shape of the ankh, an ancient Egyptian symbol which means life. Students are about to start sculpting their dolls out of clay, and then will add color with glaze. Here are students with their finished drawings, ready to start clay next week.

Austin's First Night Parade

Here are photos from the 2008 Austin First Night Parade. Check out Zilker's Picasso Cart making its way down Congress Avenue! Many thanks to the Zilker students and parents who pushed the cart in the parade!

Finished Milagros

Here's what the Fifth Graders' finished milagros look like! After bisque-firing the clay, fifth graders painted the milagros black with acrylic paint. I then added a metallic finish to each piece (the metallic finish is labeled toxic, so I put it on instead of the students). Last, I seal each piece with a clear coat of gel medium. The metallic finish really makes the clay look like metal. The black paint creates a contrast that shows off each student's texture and pattern work.

Zilker First Night Picasso Cart

Zilker Second and Third Graders created this Picasso-inspired float for Austin's Third Annual First Night celebration on December 31st. HEB donated the shopping cart. Go to First Night to see our Zilker Picasso Cart in the Grand Procession down Congress Avenue from 6 - 8 pm December 31st!

Third Grade CATS

Third graders are working on their oil pastel cat drawings, inspired by artist Laurel Burch. The bright colors really contrast with the black glue lines. Third graders are learning oil pastel techniques and "personification;" each student had to choose a human emotion and illustrate that feeling as an expression on her or his cat's face. They also worked hard on planning out their color schemes before starting their final drawing. This project is one of my personal favorites because every student creates a successful and inventive artwork.