Art Club: Edvard Munch

In Art Club this week, students learned about the art of Norwegian painter and printmaker Edvard Munch. A more recognizable work of his is The Scream (depicting a terrified man on a bridge), however today we chose to focus more on the beautiful landscapes he was also known to make. Students made wonderful oil pastel copies of a work called Moonlight he made in 1895. 

Art Show!

If you have not already learned, we will be having an art show concluding the quarter. Each classroom will be showcasing your students best work from the last few quarters and you will have the opportunity to walk through and admire their masterpieces! 

Tuesday, March 14th 7:15-8am Donuts and Coffee

Thursday, March 16th 7:15-8am Muffins and Coffee

Art Club Still Life

In Art club recently students learned to draw from life through observing a still life set up in the center of the room. Take a look at their fantastic drawings!

4th Grade: Arizona Landscapes

This quarter 4th grade students painted watercolor desert landscapes. I started out by refreshing their understanding of Space as one of the Elements of Art (foreground, middle ground, and background) they studied in the first quarter. Students learned that there are a few simple things they can do to create the illusion of depth in their drawings.

First, students had to understand and recognize a simple phenomenon called atmospheric perspective that was first discovered by Leonardo da Vinci. We went outside and took a look at the mountains. I asked them what color they were. Students answered blue. But are the mountains actually blue? Students answered no, of course not! The atmosphere (the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet) makes it so that things far away from us appear blue and more washed out. An easy way to create depth in a landscape is to use cool colors (blue, purple, green, etc.) to show that things are further away. Students also used other methods like overlapping shapes to create depth. I also reviewed their understand of perspective (that things closer to us appear larger than things further away).

We concluded this unit, with a watercolor landscape of this beautiful Sonoran desert right outside our doors! Take a look at the lovely work these students created. You should be very proud!

5th Grade: Japanese Koi Fish

Wabi-Sabi: a concept in traditional Japanese aesthetics constituting a worldview centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. There is beauty in imperfection:)

This past quarter, in 5th grade we studied Japanese art. Students took a special look at woodblock printing. Students learned about the process of woodblock printing that dates back to the 16th century. They learned to recognize the different scenes and subject matter that characterize the ukiyo-e style such as landscapes, Kabuki theater actors, historical scenes, and geishas. Students became familiar with the work of Kitagawa Utamaro, Goyo Hashigichi, Katsuchika  Hokusai, and Utagawa Hiroshige. 

Finally, we concluded this unit with a watercolor painting inspired by the Koi fish prints of Hiroshige.  

Students started out with a simple pencil drawing and then outlined the work in pen. Before they moved to painting the fish, they spent a class period practicing making flat washes, painting wet into wet, and graded washes. I loved watching these little artists follow my instructions while still exploring their own creativity. Each work is a copy of the woodblock print, but still highlights each students own personality and style. You should be proud!