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 October 15-18

In art class we have been working on learning/reviewing the essential elements of art.  This week we have just begun to combine different elements and learn additional art vocabulary as we begin doing projects.  This week we have done both a free-style sculpture combining line, shape, and space.  At the end of the week we just did our first watercolor project.  Students learned about resists using crayon and watercolor.  They were guided to draw a series of spider webs on their paper using only white crayon.  They could then choose from any color of paint to paint over their drawing to see how the crayon resists the paint and you can see the image behind the paint.

Week of October 8th - 9th

Because this week was only one day each for my classes, we decided to use this time to work on projects that needed just a little more time.  Most of the students were able to get everything they had half done completed.   

Enjoy your fall break.

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.

September 10-27th

During the past few weeks we have been focusing on learning/reviewing the essential elements of art.

We began with an "art walk" where we looked at a variety of different paintings and photographs to look for elements of art and use art appropriate vocabulary to describe and compare them.

We studied line and did a fun musical chairs type drawing activity.  We studied shape and form by designing individual triangles that we then turned into a pyramid.  This past week we have been working with the element of color.  4th grade students learned about creating secondary and tertiary colors using primary colors by mixing primary colored play-do.  All students learned about the color wheel, relationships between complimentary and analogous colors, as well as how color can be used in art in evoking and expressing emotion.

Next wee will by SEPs.  I look forward to meeting and talking with any of you that would like to stop by and visit the art room.

Week of September 3rd thru 6th

This week students worked on creating their portfolios.  I believe in having students create portfolios as a place to keep all of their artwork throughout the year.  It gives them the opportunity to look back at what they've learned as well as to see their growth in their creative abilities.

This week students also finished their puzzle pieces for our collaborative display.  I am excited at how neat it looks all put together.  I hope to use collaborative art to involve students in building teamwork throughout their classes and in creating other artwork items this year.

Week of August 27-30

We've survived the second week of school.  Let me begin by saying Thank You again to all of the families that have sent in various supplies for the art room.  Every donation helps a lot.  Because we use a variety of art supplies as well as other supplied in creating projects (and cleaning up after creating), every single donation helps.  Other things you can continue to send throughout the year include toilet paper and paper towel rolls, magazines, and newspapers.  These items can be used in a variety of ways when creating projects during the year.  Other items we use a lot of include glue sticks, pencils (lots and lots of pencils), watercolor paints and colored pencils.  I appreciate any donations at any time during the year!

This week in art class the students have been working on creating their own unique puzzle pieces.  These puzzle pieces will all be combined to create a unique puzzle display in the classroom.  Because I get to do art with about 250 students this fill our class bulletin board.  The completed puzzle will remain on display throughout the school year.

Students who fail to use time wisely or have missed class this week will be able to bring a puzzle piece home and complete it.  These are their first creative project to be graded.

Next week students will begin creating their portfolios.  Portfolios are used to store all of the artwork they create throughout the year.