"Every Child Is an Artist": A Very Fun Fall at ICSJ

Kindergarten

Kindergarteners continued to explore concepts of line with their oil pastel resist paintings, "Line Owls," after reading Owl Babies and The Little White Owl! Students used watercolor paints to finish these lovely fall themed projects. Then, we learned about geometric and organic shapes through the creation of their "Shape Monsters," just in time for Halloween!

First Grade

After creating Piet Mondrian-inspired animals with marker, students moved on to their portrait project to celebrate Odyssey through the Arts! This self portrait project involved making life-sized portraits. First, students traced a partner on large paper; then, students colored their own drawing to represent themselves with markers and crayon. Next, we will cut out these large-scale drawings!

Second Grade

Second graders are crafting very colorful and lively pumpkin scarecrow collages on a watercolor background! Check back soon for photo updates!

Third Grade

Third graders finished their shadow line drawings (see below) before moving on to a Chuck Close-inspired portrait project using Sharpie and watercolor. Chuck Close used a grid system to create large scale, photorealistic paintings; we used patterns to create interest in these fun and unique portraits!

Fourth Grade

Fourth grade students finished up a unique pumpkin "batik" project using crayon and India Ink. Check back soon for photo updates! Next, students will make a portrait of the saint whom they are researching for a Language Arts/Religion project!

Fifth Grade

Fifth grade students finished chalk pastel leaf drawings to explore organic shape, using real leaves and organic materials collected from the school yard! Students outlined these colorful, carefully blended drawings in luminous metallic Sharpie before they were sprayed with workable fixative to keep the pastel on the paper. Currently, students are creating a portrait of their choice using watercolor paint.

Sixth Grade

Sixth graders finished their Day of the Dead recycled cardboard skulls that they created in conjunction with their fun and informative Spanish field trip to the Mexican Museum of Art. Students first cut cardboard and glued parts together for the skulls. Next, they painted the skulls with white acrylic paint, before finally decorating them with cheerful colors in oil pastel to celebrate the lives of loved ones lost, as is the custom. Then, students had a fun exercise in foreshortening, creating portraits that appear as if a student is looking down at the viewer through a glass floor.

(see more examples under Seventh Grade)

Seventh Grade

Seventh graders also worked on an exercise in perspective, creating 2-point perspective city drawings. Ask your student about the horizon line, vanishing points, and converging parallel lines in this fun activity that combines math knowledge with creative expression! Early finishers worked to create "bird's eye view" drawings in 1-point perspective.

Eighth Grade

Eighth grade recently wrapped up their Tessellation project (check back for photos). Ask your student about the PART/TRAP method of creating a tessellation that fits geometric or organic shapes together perfectly!. Then, students took turns taking photo portraits they had planned in a previous class while the class as a whole worked on self-portraits that they will "Zentangle," or doodle creatively, upon!