Week of Oct. 23rd to 26th

This week we continued working with watercolors.  We are going a Halloween Watercolor Silhouette project.  Students this week will learn about blending watercolors to create a sunset background.  They will also learn about using different mediums to complete their project by using black construction paper and sharpie in the foreground to create a Halloween or Fall image.

They will continue to work on this project this week and finish it next week.  Also, as a reminder next week on Tuesday and Wednesday will be our pumpkin carving days for those student who would like to bring a pumpkin to carve.  There will be an alternate activity as well.

Here's a quick snapshot of the many projects we have been working on throughout October:

Week of Oct. 16th to 19th

This week we began working with watercolors.  There was definitely a learning curve for us all, but by the end of the week I think the students were having fun and I was impressed with their projects.

Our first days this week we did a watercolor resist painting.  Using a white crayon the students created a drawing on their paper and then using watercolors painted over the drawing (the resist) until they could see it coming through.

Our second days this week we worked with liquid watercolors.  They allow for much more vibrant paintings and I think the students enjoyed working with them more as the colors don't get so mixed and messy.  For their first projects just to get a feel for the paints I allowed them to do free paint designs and then experiment with a variety of different textures including salt, rubbing alcohol, sprayed water, and tissues.  While I am keeping the majority of the students' artwork for their portfolios, these paintings will be sent home with students next week after they are graded.

Every day is a new adventure in the art room.  It is fun to watch the creativity and excitement of my students as they create their various projects and enjoy the different mediums we are working with.

Upcoming Optional Art Project for Halloween

Parents,

We are quickly approaching the end of October and Halloween. In art class we have been working on beginning watercolor projects this past week. We have a larger watercolor project coming up and then we will be moving onto a project that includes sculpture. In talking with the students and getting their feedback I have decided to offer an optional activity to those that would like to participate as a fun way to introduce sculpture (or in this case carving).
 

On October 30^th and 31^st, students can bring a hollowed out pumpkin or a small solid pumpkin or gourd to art class where we will create templates, carve, and decorate them. To ensure student safety, we will be using only safe non-sharp pumpkin carving tools (those you see in stores) while carving. Please do not allow students to bring any other carving tools or items with them to school. Everything else they need for decorating the pumpkin will be provided.
 

There will not be time to clean out the pumpkins in class so they must come already hollowed out or will instead be decorated as solids. There will be no exceptions. For those students that do not bring a pumpkin to class there will plenty of other activities to participate in or they can join with a friend or classmate and create a pumpkin together.
 

I hope this will be a fun way for the students to begin a new project as well as celebrate the holiday. If you have any questions, please call me at 801-756-8531 Ext. 174 or email me at jenniferharding@alpinedistrict.org. Also, you can see what we are doing each week in the art room by linking to our classroom blog: www.forbesuppergradeart.blogspot.com.
 

Thanks,

Jennye Harding

Week of October 9th-10th

This is a very short week, and I'm sure we're all excited for Fall Break and an extended weekend.  Because this is such a short week, and I only had one day with each class I decided to do a one day project.

Each month I will try to focus on a specific artist whether we focus on their technique, their style, or a specific painting or artwork.  This week we did the artist for the month of October.  We studied Edvard Much and his painting "The Scream".  The students got to learn a little about Edvard Much and what drew him to drawing and painting when he was younger.  (Ask your child and they should be able to tell you specifically that he was sick and so spent much of his time in his room and so started drawing what he could see in him home or just through his window.  They may even be able to give you a few other details about his life.)  We also talked about what drew him to paint "The Scream" and read his diary entry from the day that it was painted and how he felt that nature itself was screaming.

Since it is October and Halloween is this month I thought that the scream was a great fun project.  I found a fantastic handout that referenced the painting "The Scream".  It simply had the primary character and left out the background.  The students were then able to create their own background that was being screamed about.  It was fun to watch the creativity of the students as they came up with such a variety of backgrounds include traditional Halloween themes of haunted houses, to math tests, clowns, and various animals or people chasing or scaring them.

This was a quick, fun, one day project just right to send them off on Fall Break.

Week of October 2nd to 5th

Can you believe it's October!  It's hard to belive we have already been in school 7 weeks. 

We have been busy in the art room this week finishing our many projects.  By the end of the week just about all of the students had completed their color wheels, comic strips, and 6th graders had completed their scratch art.  It is great they are finishing up projects and the end results have been very good.

I was happy to see so many students and parents during SEPs.  Thanks for taking the time to come and visit the art room.  It is always fun for the students to show you what they have been working on. 

I really enjoy my classes and hope that they are enjoying what they are learning as well.

October's Art Case Display

The second grader classes did a great job with creating Haunted Houses for Halloween to decorate the display case this month. It is so exciting for me to watch the creativty of our students be displayed in so many ways.