Once again we created single object still life paintings. I swear they get more and more dynamic every year! This project comes as the final piece in our study of color theory. We do this through studying the color wheel, color terms, and finally color relationships. Right before this project each student had the opportunity to design…
Tag: art class
Magnificent Sketchbooks
After four years of trial and error in finding the right sketchbooks for my students I think I may have finally cracked it! I order them these beautiful ProArt hardbound sketchbooks that are only five and a half by eight inches. They are easy to cary and somehow incredibly pleasing in their small size. The girls…
Cool Color Wheel Beginnings!
Just like I have the past 4 years I am starting out the year with having my Foundations of Studio Art class explore visible light and the color wheel! In preparation for our first big project (Single Object Still Life) we spend the first two-three weeks of classes looking at color theory, color mixing and…
Finally Finals
We wrapped up this amazing school year with another round of independent art projects. Each student filled out a contract that outlined their plan of action, their research goals, and their three most important overall goals for the project. It was their three overall goals that I used as a measure for how I would…
Re-Visiting Collage Portraits
This year I revisited my theory that my foundations students should collage for paints sake. You can read more about it here. This is also my diversity piece. And this year I got some incredibly thoughtful responses to the National Geographic article that we read. Below are some quotes from their responses. “My partner is a…
Art Show
Any art teacher who has the opportunity to host an art show at the end of the year knows, its both a blessing and a burden. It’s an amazing opportunity to display your students artwork. This way of celebrating and recognizing their efforts can give a big boost to your students self esteem. It say…
En Plein Air
When it was safe to say that spring had sprung my Studio II class so we escaped the confines of the classroom and explored a small bike path and creek by our school. Unfortunately, there was not enough time to finish our paintings, but the experience was worthwhile and something I highly recommend. *One disclaimer is…
Facing Faces
This March we spent the entire month exploring the art of a self portrait and the value technique called grisaille. The Oxford Dictionary defines as, “Grisaille (/ɡrᵻˈzaɪ/ or /ɡrᵻˈzeɪl/; French: gris [ɡʁizaj] ‘grey’) is a term for a painting executed entirely in shades of grey or of another neutral greyish colour.” I think we all know…
Finished Recycled Projects
We finally finished our wonderful recycled art projects. This is my second year teaching this unit and it was so wonderful to see what a variety of results we got just this year alone. To learn more about this project you can take a look back at what some of my artists did last year…
Back to Recycling!
Just like last year, my Foundations of Studio Art classes are saving the planet with recycled art projects! Here you can see what we have begun calling our “trash island”. It is an ever-growing pile of stuff that has potential as art supplies. However it kind of explodes each class, and has to be re-sorted…
Introducing…
Em&Lyn! A creative collaboration between me and my close friend and fellow art educator Carolyn! (where the Lyn comes from)Em&Lyn is a small business started by two art educators looking to bring art to children in their homes, and further enrich their creative lives. Em&Lyn seek to inspire joy through art. Check us out at EmandLyn.com
Deco vs. Nouveau
What is the difference between Art Nouveau and Art Deco you ask? Think Titanic vs. Gatsby. (The Leonardo DiCaprio movies obviously.) This was the aim of our ceramics jewelry unit. I wanted all of my students to know the difference between Deco and Nouveau. As we travel back in time through the movements I want my…
