Happy New Year!
It is hard to believe that the school year is almost half way through! As the second term is coming to and end, all of the art classes will be starting new projects.
5A was introduced to Greek sculptures last week; 5B had a snow day on the day they were supposed to start the unit. This is yet another multi-step project. First, students will build an armature out of wire, and, then, they will mold clay around the frame to create a miniature sculpture depicting a human of their choice in one of the three iconic Greek sculpture styles: Archaic, Classical, or Hellenistic. For more information on the project and examples of the art styles, check out the slideshow on the 5th grade page.
Sixth grade students are wrapping up their weavings. Each weaving is extremely impressive! Each one is unique and demonstrate their themes beautifully. Next, students are going to start one of my favorite projects: papier-mâché African masks! This project is messy but always tons of fun. It is a slow, lengthy process, but the results are bound to be phenomenal. If you have any light cardboard (tissue, cereal, granola boxes) or newspaper lying around, please start gathering it and sending it in to school so students will have supplies to build the armature for their masks.
Now that the stained glass windows are complete, 7th grade artists are going to learn about Johann Gutenberg and the printing press. I took a book arts class in college and fell in love with the art of bookmaking and I am so excited to finally be able to share this passion of mine with my students! Students are going to practice several bookbinding techniques and create their own short stories. An email was sent out over the weekend for donations for this project - if you have not yet responsed to the sign-up genius, please do so, so this group can make cool art! Thank you to those who have already signed up to donate supplies!
Eighth grade artists are almost finished with their Gustav Klimt scratch art drawings. Once this project is over, students will learn about Pablo Picasso and his influence to 20th-century art. I am piloting a new Cubism project this year, combining still life and collage. I am looking forward to seeing the masterpieces these students will create -- this group never fails to impress!
Fifth and seventh grade Virtural Art Shows have been recently updated. Please take a look at them to see the beautiful artwork the students have worked so hard on! Sixth and eighth grade VAS' will be updated by the end of the term.
Happy art making!
Showing posts with label weaving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weaving. Show all posts
Monday, January 8, 2018
Monday, December 11, 2017
Happy Monday!
Today marks the first day of the 15th week of school! 6th and 8th grade artists were so productive today that I just wanted to brag about them a little bit. 😀
6th grade weavings have finally begun! After demonstrating patience while slowly learning several weaving techniques, artists are chosing to use three within their composition in order to convey a specific theme. Students are chosing to either convey their theme through a literal representation (e.g. weaving a picture) or through color that represents their theme. I'll post more pictures right before Winter Break when students are sure to have nearly half of their weavings complete.
6th grade weavings have finally begun! After demonstrating patience while slowly learning several weaving techniques, artists are chosing to use three within their composition in order to convey a specific theme. Students are chosing to either convey their theme through a literal representation (e.g. weaving a picture) or through color that represents their theme. I'll post more pictures right before Winter Break when students are sure to have nearly half of their weavings complete.
Last week, 8th graders glued their magazine cutouts to scratch art paper and started adding their zentangles. This project, Gustav Klimt Scratch Art, is borrowed from a great mentor of mine, Ms. Neel; students were creating this project while I was student teaching and I loved the outcome so much that I brought it to FCCS. Artists are putting their magazine cutout within a space, creating foreground, middleground, and background, and drawing with mostly contour lines so they can fill their empty space with a variety of zentangles, a form of soothing dooding. To set the mood, we are listening to relaxing music, which really seems to be inspiring the artists - take a look for yourself!
Each day my artists surprise me with more and more talented, creative ideas!
Monday, November 20, 2017
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:
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:
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:
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| Teacher Sample |
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!
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