Impressionism Landscapes

I wanted to share the final Impressionism Landscapes by the 8th grade artists. The 8th Grade Virtual Art Show has details of all of the artworks, but I wanted to show the entire display. I am so incredibly proud of the diligence and patience these artists showed while they worked on their landscapes. Each one captured the Impressionistic technique perfectly. This is one of my favorite projects and this group of artists did an outstanding job!

Term II Update

Good morning artists & families!

The start of Term II brings forth new projects for every class. Fifth grade started Greek Vase Painting, but with a twist! In the past I have taught this project where students are using Sharpies to draw a traditional looking Greek vase depicting a scene from mythology, but this year, students created their own scratch art paper and will etch their designs in the paper. The Element focus of this project is space and etching away from the surface will be a great way for artists to understand negative space. Below are some examples of the artist's rough drafts. They have been using Chromebooks to access links on a Symbaloo (on the 5th grade page) to help them with their depiction of mythology. Once their entire rough draft is drawn, they will then color in the areas they want to keep black and the areas that are going to be etched to reveal the red.

   

Sixth grade artists just started Medieval Weavings. So far, students have learned the key words loom, warp, weft, and shuttle and have created their looms. Next, students will practice various weaving techniques so they are prepared to create a tapestry weaving incorporating at least three different techniques. Seventh grade was introduced to Stained Glass Windows last week and have been working diligently on rough drafts. Students were given choice in the subject matter of their artwork, the only requirement is that the image is broken up by window panes to simulate the intricate designs of actual stained glass. Artists will be using acrylic paint to create their designs on a piece of glass that will sit inside a small picture frame. Here are examples of a few rough drafts:

Ultimately, this is what the project will look like:

Teacher Sample

Eighth grade artists viewed a presentation on Art Nouveau and the artist Gustav Klimt. Their next project is to create a Klimt-inspired composition by surrounding a human figure with a scene filled with Zentangles. So far, students have found an image from a magazine, cut it out, and are working on a rough draft. They will access a Symbaloo on my website (under the 8th grade tab) that provides them with several examples on Zentangles and ideas from past student artwork. Below is an example from an artists in 2015:

As always, continue to check back on my blog to read about what is happening in the art room. I try to write a post at least once a week, so for more frequent updates follow me on Twitter and Instagram at @MsStrasserArt. I can't wait to see the masterpieces these young artists will create!

Doodle Calendars

I am so pleased with the results of the October Doodle Calendars! The feedback that I received from students is that they enjoyed working on them and liked drawing a small image for homework each week (instead of full-page, full-color assignments in previous years). If my young artists are going to improve their skills, they should certainly be drawing a little bit each day. This does not mean they need to be working on giant artworks, but if they are at least doodling a small amount, they will improve their artistic skills over time.

Here are a few of the exceptional Doodle Calendars I received from students:

 I look forward to seeing my students complete more Doodle Calendars in the future. October consisted of a variety of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design for all of the students, but future calendars will be different for each grade level and correspond to the projects and techniques students are practicing. If a student ever loses their Doodle Calendar they must ask for a new one.

Happy doodling!