Kindergarten
Kindergarteners finished up Read Across America activities by painting their cats' hats after a guided drawing lesson earlier! Some students even gave their cats hats of their own!
First grade
First graders also shared in Read Across America festivities with a guided Cat in the Hat drawing lesson. Students drew Dr. Seuss characters (choices included the Lorax, the Cat in the Hat, and the Grinch). Students drew in waxy crayon for their first session and painted over it with watercolor for the second. Then, many students created a vibrant border for their drawing, which was to be put together into a colorful quilt!
Second grade
In second grade, we finally finished our spring birds' nests by applying acrylic gloss to protect the paint and seal these lovely artworks! View several nests below.
Third grade
Students in the Monday art class finished their Winter Birch Tree paintings. Great work, 3rd grade!
Fourth Grade
Fourth graders learned the steps of art critique and how to use criticism in a constructive manner. Students practiced by examining a photograph of Alexander Calder's "Cat-Mobile," on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Students described the artwork separate from any interpretation or judgment. Then, students looked at it in parts to analyze it. Next, students interpreted what they thought it meant, and finally they judged it! Students offered specific suggestions as to what the artist could have done differently and praised how the artist used the elements of art in this final step.
Next, students began making sketches for their own Calder-inspired wire mobile artwork! Once sketches were approved, students began drawing. Check back for photo updates.
Fifth Grade
Many fifth graders began finishing up their portions of Caillebotte's "Rainy Day in Paris," which students broke into parts and gridded out onto a paper to draw on a 1:1 ratio. Students also learned the concept of scale drawing in class, such as in the creation of a 1:2 ratio. When all students finish their oil pastel/colored pencil rendering of a portion of the Caillebotte, we will assemble it together!
Next, students took a profile photo in silhouette for an exciting new project to benefit Art on Sedgwick, a community initiative to raise funds of a neighborhood art center! I can't wait to see students' portraits and for a selection of artwork from our school to be devoted to this worthy cause.
Sixth Grade
Sixth graders began the final steps of creating a Greek-inspired vase with the subject being the Greek myth students are studying in Language Arts! Students chose different approaches: many painted orange and yellow to create a terra cotta effect, whereas others did a unique crayon scratch off technique to make their vase appear weathered and aged. Finally, students used fine-tip brushes to put on details and, some case, splatter a bit of paint to further create a weathered look. Great job, 6th grade!
Here is a display of negative space city paintings from earlier this year!
Seventh Grade
Students in seventh grade applied oil pastel for a unique effect on their cardboard cities! Here are a couple of the results so far!
Eighth Grade
Eighth graders learned about symbolism in African masks and how often masks reflect a community's natural resources and hunting or farming habits. Then, students used an interactive website to explore masks that appealed to them, learning where they come from and what spiritual beliefs a tribe held. Then, students applied math concepts of symmetry and reflection to make positive/negative space, African mask inspired artworks! The process makes these concepts concrete for students, and the results are stunning!
Way to go, students!
