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!

End of the Year Projects

Summer is near, but we are still busy in the art room with our last projects.  With all the schedule changes for field trips, concerts and field days, we are scrambling to finish these projects!

  
Fifth Graders are finishing their Mexican Bark Paintings, and third graders are finishing their Picasso Paintings and clay fish sculptures.

 Kinder Students are studying African Masks and Symmetry. We first practiced drawing a few masks, then we started cutting out shapes and gluing.

First Graders are finishing their self portrait collages.  These are always favorites of parents!

 Fourth Graders are sewing.  We are learning the cross-stitch, straight stitch, running stitch, and satin stitch, as well as studying radial design!

 Last, but not least, second graders are creating paper weavings, studying the artist Wassily Kandinsky and the warm and cool color schemes. Fingers crossed that we get everything completed by next week!

Zilker's 2014 School-wide Student Art Show

The main hallway of Zilker Elementary is now the Zilker Museum!  Every student has a piece of artwork on display...it is a sight to behold.   This year the art show is also interactive because you can scan QR codes to find out more about how we created the art, or find out more about the artist who inspired us to create.

Fifth Grade's Hundertwasser Collages

Fourth Grade's Wayne Thiebaud cupcake Sculptures

Third Grade's Weavings

Third Grade's Keith Haring Collages

Second Grade's Georgia O'Keeffe's Flower Paintings

First Grade's Eric Carle Collages

First Grade's Quilts

Kinder Pablo Picasso Guitar Collages

Mr. McNitt's class made these awesome house prints and added color with chalk in Ms. Jepson's art class.


Every year students continue to amaze me with their talent in art!  I sincerely hope you had time to see this art show in person.....what a lucky art teacher I am to be able to work with such creative art students!