Class Flags & First Week Activities

I am thoroughly impressed by all the creativity my new students have been expressing! Last week students were given their first Draw Something activity, where they have to create a drawing using provided lines and shapes. Honestly, this was the first group of students where I received COMPLETELY different drawings and I was in awe! Below are a few of the fantastic artworks I received. I cannot wait to pass out the next one!

For most of the week, classes had been working on their class flag. First, we voted for an overall shape for the flag and the winning silhouettes were Kobe Bryant, rectangle, Baby Yoda, Squidward, and the Vineyard Vines Whale. Next, students brainstormed and shared what was most important to them, realizing that so many students had similar interests and values. We compiled a class list and then selected a topic for each table for students to create an icon for and add to the flag. Each artwork is unique, creating a flag that shows off the class' shared valuables and their artistic talent! Below are works-in-progress. We will finish up the flags next week (a few more students need to complete their contribution) and I will be able to proudly display the flags.

This week I also introduced the Doodle Calendars. Each month students will have a calendar to complete. They have prompts for each day, and students have the option of completing one square each day or as they choose throughout the month. These calendars vary by month as to what the topics are. Usually they will consist of content-related prompts where students are practicing skills, but this month students are drawing pictures of their favorite things so I can get to know them better. Below are a few works-in-progress.

Welcome to Creative Arts!

Hello and welcome to my new students and families! I am so excited to work with all of you and introduce you to the wonderful world that is creative arts. We have an action-packed semester, filled with all things visual, dance, drama, and music. Each of the units is associated with a certain world culture, so we'll learn about how art is used in every day life.

We are starting off the semester by reviewing rules and expectations and introducing some of our on-going activities. I am getting to know a little bit about each student through their "All About Me" page and then get a taste of their creativity through their first Draw Something (a super fun creativity challenge where students have to draw something out of provided lines or shapes). My goal is to update my blog at the end of each week and then begin each week with a short email. The email will discuss what students will be working on that week and review upcoming due dates, while the blog post will kind of wrap of the week and share insight on what students learned. I like to take pictures while students are working, too, to show off their creativity - pictures can be found on a number of places, including this blog, Instagram, and Twitter.

Today we are briefly discussing the first project - the class flag. So far Red Class has voted on an idea for their flag shape - I'm looking forward to hearing what ideas the other classes have. Next week students will create the artwork to assemble the flag so I can proudly hang their art in the classroom.

Here are a few pictures of the first Draw Something in-progress from Orange Class:

Winding down

I can't believe that we only have seven more classes together! Students are spending the last days of the semester working on a collaborative puppet show inspired by Indonesian Wayang Kulit. Over the next four days, groups will be writing scripts and creating shadow puppets out of poster board. The last three days of the semester will be devoted to sharing the puppet shows with their classmates. This is always such a fun and creative end to the semester, so I look forward to seeing what students will come up with!

ALSO, the Virtual Art Show has finally been updated! You can see highlights from the last several projects. I'm so proud of the creativity my students have shown this semester. You rock!

Watercolor Paintings

I cannot believe it has been a month since my last post! My sincerest apologies for the radio silence.

The week of Thanksgiving, we took a little break from our Africa unit and talked about the American artist Chuck Close. Students learned several shading techniques and put their knowledge to the test by recreating a piece of a face. Each face was divided into tiny squares, so students have yet to learn whose face they were recreating. I have received almost all of the pieces and will be able to assemble the portraits over break. I know students are anxiously awaiting to see how their collaborative art project turns out.

Students put together incredible African Musical Performance! I am so proud of each student for breaking out of their comfort zone to dance or drum in front of their classmates. I have to load pictures of the drums to the Virtual Art Show, and hopefully I will have some groups who would be willing to allow me to post a video of their routine.

Last week classes started their introduction on watercolor. This is one of my absolute favorite projects because students are given choice in so many ways and it always yields beautiful results. Students choose between creating a landscape, an animal, or a dragon and build a composition of their choosing. I had students create a thumbnail sketch of each so they could give each other feedback and make suggestions as to which subject they should move forward with. It has been an exciting time in the art room the last couple of days because students have been coming up with such beautiful compositions! Only a few students have started painting, and I've reminded them that there is no rush to complete their artwork before break, so I won't be posting finished products until we return in January.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing winter break! I look forward to spending the final five weeks together with my students before the end of the semester.

Djembe Drums!

It has been a busy few weeks in the art room! Students are halfway through creating their own Djembe drums. I am so proud of the way students have been handling using art paste in my classroom; minimal spills on the carpet and students have been responsibly cleaning up after themselves and neighbors. I changed up the papier-mȃché process a tiny bit this year due to a brilliant idea from Mrs. Wetzel, the 8th grade art teacher. The final layer of papier-mȃché was made with paper towel instead of newspaper in order to create a solid canvas to paint on. Last year I had students paint a layer of gesso (canvas primer) as their base, which used less layers of papier-mȃché. With the final layer of paper towel, these drums are much sturdier than the ones my students made last year.

Today students began painting. A few weeks ago groups drew rough drafts of what they wanted painted on their drums, making their artwork cohesive in a way. First students drew their design on their drum, then they began to paint. Painting should last maybe one or two more days and then we will begin our dance and drum portions of this unit. I can't wait to see the performances come together!

Conference Week

Happy conference week! It was great getting to meet with so many parents last night and I look forward to talking to more today and tomorrow. Conference week is always a little wacky because we have such a short amount of time in each class, but we are being as productive as ever! 

Earlier this week students started brainstorming for their Djembe drum decorations. Each group needs to show cohesion through their designs, but each drum should be uniquely displaying characteristics of the owner. Yesterday we paused the drum project because the next step is to start papier-mâché (yay!) and there isn't enough time in the class to get materials out, work, and then clean-up efficiently. Instead of drums, students began prepping for their next mini-project, Día de los Muertos scratch art sugar skulls. Making scratch art paper is super simple and actually really fun. First, students are filling an entire blank paper with an assortment of colored crayons. Students have the freedom of deciding what colors to use and how to arrange them - some are making stripes, patches, or organic spots. It is important to press hard and fill the entire paper, leaving behind no white spaces. Scratch paper needs the waxy surface under the paint in order to be properly scratched off. Next, either today or tomorrow students will be covering the crayon in a thin mixture of black tempera paint and dish soap. The dish soap helps the paint flake off nicely when it is being etched versus crumbling in unwanted areas. Once the paint is dry, they are ready to be etched! Students will come back to this mini-project during breaks from their African musical performance. 

I'm trying to pass back artwork this week, too, so students can finally show off the beautiful work they've created so far.

Contests

Throughout the year I encourage students to participate in a variety of art contests in local, state, and national art contests. I will introduce the contest in class and supply the necessary papers and forms for students to utilize, but often time, students will need to complete the artwork outside of the classroom (unless specifically noted). I have a contest tab on my blog here that provides information about contests as they come up. Currently there are two contests (Reflections & "I Voted") that are taking submissions up until Tuesday, October 15th! If your child is interested in entering these contests, they need to create the art and I can help them fill out any forms and submit their work. Check out the contest tab throughout the year to stay updated on what is being offered!