4th Grade: Arizona Landscapes

Back in January and into February, 4th Grade students completed a unit on the Arizona Landscape. They learned about the plant life of the desert and how to draw them. They also learned about the Element of Art space. Students learned that an important part of learning to draw or paint a landscape is understanding how to create the illusion of space. They learned about atmospheric perspective to create this illusion through using cool and warm colors.  Each student set up an asymmetrical composition using foreground, middle ground, and background. My favorite part of this project is seeing how beautifully each student painted their sunsets. I am confident that each student gained a new appreciation for the beautify of this desert we call home.

3rd Grade: Viking Knotwork

Back in February, third grade artists completed a very challenging unit on art of the Viking Age. After the students had spent some time in their home rooms learning about the history and lives of the Vikings, they spent some time in art class taking a closer look at the art of the Vikings. Viking art was very important for the power that certain symbols and designs carried. These symbols were often created in a style called Knotwork (also a style practice by other cultures of Northern Eaurope at the time). Students first learned the basic steps of creating an intricate Knotwork design and then created a finished work of art on their own. This project was not an easy one and took a long time. But these little scholars persevered and managed to succeed. Take a look at some of their impressive creations!

Art Club: Ojo de Dios!

In art club the final project was creating Christmas ornaments out of yarn. First we looked at the tradition of woven art in Latin American cultures. The practice of weaving mandalas with yarn and sticks is often called "Ojo de Dios" or "Eye of God." Once inspired, these little artists set to creating their own!

4th Grade: Taj Mahal Paintings!

In 4th Grade we have just completed our unit on Islamic art and architecture. Students learned that, just like Christian cultures during the middle ages, arabic culture's religion of Islam had elaborate illuminated manuscripts. These manuscripts were filled with bright colors and elegant calligraphy. 

We also took a special look at Islamic architecture through studying the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Students learned to recognize common features like domes, minarets, and archways. 

Our final art project for the quarter was a painting of the Taj Mahal. Students learned to use rulers, one point perspective, and symmetry to create their drawings. Once they had their drawing they learned how to correctly use watercolor and mix and blend colors on their palettes. I reviewed a little color theory and briefly explained complimentary colors. Students then used purple (the compliment of yellow) to created the shadows in their Taj Mahal. I am so proud of how well these little artists followed direction and explored their own creativity. Here are a few examples of exceptional student work (so hard to choose, they were all so good!):

3rd Grade: Edvard Munch Moonscapes!

At the tail end of the semester 3rd Grade continued to explore Expressionism with Edvard Munch by furthering their skills in oil pastel drawing. This also reviewed foreground, middle ground, and background. Each student did a copy of a moonscape by the artist. Take a look at their beautiful work!

Art Club Pinwheels!

These past few weeks students in art club have made pinwheels. To decorate their pinwheels they used a different techniques and art materials for each section. Take a look at the end product!

3rd Grade: Roman Bird Mosaics!

This past week 3rd grade students wrapped up their studies of Roman mosaics by creating their own mosaics. I first showed students how to draw birds through drawing basic shapes and then moving to more detail. These students really put into practice the virtue of Perseverance with this project because of the great attention to detail it requires. Each piece took weeks to prepare and glue. Students needed to rely on color and shape to create form. I am very impressed with what they created and you should be very proud!


Take a look at some of the work they did: