End of October thru November 8th

We've had a few very busy weeks at school and in the art room.  If you ask the students I imagine they would tell you their favorite class time so far has been our Halloween pumpkin carving day.  I really enjoy letting them be creative and seeing how they work together to create their own jack-o-lanterns. 

Our art vocabulary project for the end of October was symmetry.  Students created a symmetrical Halloween or other picture using two different sized papers.  Some of them really got into the project and created very elaborate pieces.

This week we began the week by working on pieces for the hallway display.  Our school focus in November is being grateful/thankful and all of the art students worked to create the feathers for a very large Thanksgiving turkey that is in our display cabinet.  There are nearly 500 individual hands cut out and displayed, each with a thankful thought or idea.  This display coordinates with the grateful box and the slips of paper students are filling our each day at school.

At the end of the week, we combined oil pastel and tempera paint to create an autumn tree painting.  With the addition of blowing at the paint through a straw to create a different texture these paintings turned out really neat. 

I love that the kids are always so excited to come to art class!  I enjoy being with them and seeing how hard they can work and what they can create.  Next week is the end of the trimester.  Please check with your child to make sure they are not missing any assignments.

To end this post, here are some pictures of the Halloween pumpkins:

Week of Sept. 30th - Oct. 4th

First, I want to thank all of those students and parents who took the time to come and visit me in the Art Room during SEPs.  I hope you enjoyed getting to see a little of what they have been doing so far in art.

This week we finished learning/reviewing color.  We talked about primary, secondary, and tertiary colors as well as learned about complementary and analogous colors.  We talked about colors as they are used to express emotions and feelings.

Because I like to start each month with a fun project for the students, we created chalked pumpkins this week.  We talked just a little bit about texture in their drawings and how using different mediums as well as different drawing techniques can create a different look to what we are creating.  When drawing their pumpkins they were to add texture elements.

They also had the opportunity to do a paper folding activity to create 3-D fall leaves.  These leaves and some of their pumpkins were used in creating the hallway display.

Next week is a short week with Fall Break on Thursday and Friday.  I will only get to see each class once, so I will let students use this last day to work on finishing a variety of projects that they may only have partially completed.

Week of February 5th thru 8th

This was a very busy week.  With a minimal day to start off the week and then two common start days the kids were troopers just going along with all of the adjusted times.

This week in the art room we had one last class period to work on any missing or half finished projects.  I am very proud of how quickly most of the students got right to work and completed anything they hadn't turned it.  At this point just about everyone is caught up!  Those who are still missing things can work with me individually to create a plan for getting them done.

I enjoyed seeing so many of my students and their families at SEPs this week.  I love getting to show off the great things my students are doing in class, and I hope they like to show them off too.  If you didn't have a chance to visit during SEPs and ever want to see what we have been doing in the art room you are always welcome to come and visit. 

At the end of the week 5th and 6th grade students began our next project.  With Chinese New Year being tomorrow we are creating paper Chinese lanterns.  These lanterns will hang instead of float, but offer the opportunity for each student to create four unique art panels.  We have talked about how Chinese art is very detailed and intiquate in design.  They will be working on creating panels that have detailed designs as well.  This project should take us at least a few class periods to complete because I want them to focus on the details of the designs they are creating. 

One we have some of the lanterns complete watch for them to be on display in the art cabinet in the front foyer.

Week of January 29th thru February 1st

This week we learned about the artist Jim Dean.  We talked a little about Pop Art and the use of everyday items in artwork.  Jim Dean has several prints that were done of hearts.  Following the examples of Jim Dine students created a page full of heart prints of their own.  Several of these will be displayed in the Art Cabinet in the school foyer during the first weeks of February.

During the remaining class time this week students were allowed to work on any assignments they had missing.  Most of them were able to use this time wisely and finish off several projects they had just about finished.

Week of January 8th - 11th

This week has been lots of fun in the art room.  We have been busy getting back into a normal routine and doing a winter art project.  I talked to the students this week about the art of quilling paper and how individual quills are used to create projects.  This turned into more discussion about other forms of paper art and how quilling or shapping paper can create art. 

Students this week worked to create a quilled paper snowflake.  There were actually 3 paper options given to them.  The first was creating paper quills and then making a snowflake by gluing the individual quills together.  The second was a combination of paper folding and quilling.  The thrid was a paper weave project that also created a snowflake.  Students were allowed to choose from the three designs and create their own snowflake. 

I am impressed with the detail many of students put into creating their snowflake and am happy with each and every one of them.  I think it is fun for the students to look at all of the snowflakes as they are hung together and really notice how even though they all followed similar patterns every one of them is unique and different in just a little way. 

We have displayed some of the snowflakes in the front lobby art case, others in the classroom, and even more in the hallway.  If you get a chance to be in the building check out the great art your students are creating.

November's Art Case

The 3rd graders made the artwork for the display case this month.  I helped to create a semi 3-D tree and the students all wrote on colored falling leaves what they were thankful for.

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.

 

The Art Case

Mr. Rencher has suggested, and I am excited to follow-through with, using one of our front entry display cabinets to highlight the creativity and successes of our students.

In an effort to do this, we have designated the cabinet formerly used to display reading prizes as and Art Case.  This is the case directly across the hall from the Patriotic Displays.  This case will allow us space to highlight the masterpieces created by our students.  The plan is to highlight one grade per month with an extra month being focused on our PTA Reflections Program winners as well.

To start off, the 5th grade students have all created drawing commemorating Patriot Day and the ideas that symbolize patriotism to them.  Some of these drawings are in remembrance of September 11th.  Others show more universal symbols such as our country flag, the bald eagle, the Liberty Bell, and others.

I am excited to see and share the artwork of our students throughout the year.  I hope you'll take the time to see what they are doing as well.