CARTOONING

All the classes have just completed a week of cartooning.  I hope you have had a chance to look at their drawings that they brought home this week.  I have two links on the home page that they can use to do some more cartoons.  Kindergarten - grade 2 would enjoy the "How to draw cartoons" link.  Grades 3 and up would enjoy the "Draw Squad"link.



PLEASE SAVE THE empty CARDBOARD ROLLS FROM YOUR WRAPPING PAPER.  We could also use empty shoe boxes,  empty cereal boxes, tissue boxes, etc.   SEND THEM TO SCHOOL/artroom  AFTER THE HOLIDAY.

We will be doing an Architecture Unit in Art for all classes.  We need the rolls for towers and turrents.  Any leftover foil paper would also be nice.  We could also use any shirt size gift boxes. Extra rolls of invisible tape would also help out.   Thank you for recycling....




NEW BOOKS FOR THE ARTROOM....

 All the classes have just completed a week of cartooning.  I hope you have had a chance to look at their drawings that they brought home this week.  I have two links on the home page that they can use to do some more cartoons.  Kindergarten - grade 2 would enjoy the "How to draw cartoons" link.  Grades 3 and up would enjoy the "Draw Squad"link.




PLEASE SAVE THE empty CARDBOARD ROLLS FROM YOUR WRAPPING PAPER.  We could also use empty shoe boxes,  empty cereal boxes, tissue boxes, etc.   SEND THEM TO SCHOOL/artroom  AFTER THE HOLIDAY.

We will be doing an Architecture Unit in Art for all classes.  We need the rolls for towers and turrents.  Any leftover foil paper would also be nice.  We could also use any shirt size gift boxes. Extra rolls of invisible tape would also help out.   Thank you for recycling....




NEW BOOKS FOR THE ARTROOM....

A A big thank you to Matthew Corso and family for donating the book ART & MAX from the book fair.  Another big thanks to Jackie Hagel and family for the book creepy critters.  The students will enjoy reading and doing activities for these books. 

Coming soon...Be sure to check the different grade level tabs  next week.  We have some outstanding student  Matisse artwork that will be online.  This week we start  working on Picasso.  After learning about Picasso, pull out the Toy Story 1 movie.  When Mr. Potato Head rearranges his face and says "I'm a Picasso" this line should have more meaning to them.

SCARECROW CONTEST WINNERS

These are the teams that won the scarecrow contest for each grade level( Kindergarten only had one name listed and grade 3 had a tie, so two groups of winners).
Kindergarten :  Catherine &
Grade 1:  Katie & Jada
Grade 2:  Rohan, Griffin, Val
Grade 3:  Vigna, Angela, Danielle
Grade 3:  Danielle, Audrey, Carolina
Grade 4:  Allison, Tess, Katie, Jake
Grade 5:  Amanda, Annelisa, Alyssa

Let's learn about Picasso and Matisse

During November, the students in grades K-5 will be learning about the artists Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.  Since we just got a new data projector and elmo in the artroom, we will be learning about these artists using the internet.

All students will watch a streaming video of a book called WHEN PIGASSO MET MOOTISSE.  Then grades k-2 will go to a site where they can make a Matisse cutouts design.  They will take turns doing it online as well as recreating theirs on paper.  The final class design will be printed.  At the end, we will go to another link that has a Matisse Pictures matching game.

Grades 3-5 after viewing the video of the book, will go to the Baltimore Museum of Art via the internet.  As a class, they will read and follow the activities of Matisse’s dog, Raudy.  They will look at paintings and learn about his style of painting.  They will collect objects from his paintings and put them in a portfolio for the final project.  The class will design a room that is in the style of Matisse.  We will print and display the final class project. 

The second week of November, we  will continue with lessons on Matisse.  The final 2 weeks,  all grades will explore Pablo Picasso with different lessons for each grade level.

I have put the links we have used so your child may share them with you at home and do some that their grade level has not yet done. 

Have fun…

Links for this activity are at the top on the left side of blog

Shapes and Colors of Fall

KINDERGARTEN ART

Students made a still life picture of a vase of sunflowers. 

They also explored shape and texture by

 tracing leaf shapes and filling

 them in using texture plates. 

                                                        FIRST GRADE ART

                                                      Students made sunflower windsocks.  They made petals out of construction paper.  They wrapped a piece of tissue paper around their pencil

 and then stuck it in the glue in the middle

of their flower. 

Streamers were added at the end. 

                                                               GRADE 1


                                                                  
SECOND GRADE ART

Students made a leaf design.  They used  leaf tracers and were given the instruction  to REPEAT, OVERLAPP, AND GO OFF THE PAGE with them.  They were to fill the space of their paper.  Then they outlined with crayon and used watercolors to make their wonderful fall design.

GRADE 2

THIRD GRADE ART

Students created a leaf design.  Using leaf tracers, they put chalk around the edge of the leaf.  They laid the leaf on their paper and with a tissue whisked the chalk off and onto the paper.  When they lifted the leaf a negative image of the leaf appeared.  Excitement filled the air.  To make a good design they were reminded to OVERLAPP, REPEAT, AND GO OFF THE PAGE with their leaves.  Choosing good colors and placement helped them complete their design.

 

GRADE 3

FOURTH GRADE ART

Students were guided step by step in drawing a realistic looking pumpkin. Then students outlined everything with glue.   A 3d loop in the vine and leaves were also added.  Having the colors blend was stressed and not to have a pumpkin that looked like a piece of candy corn.  Students colored the pumpkin orange making sure they colored in ONE direction.  Next white was added at the top for a highlight.  Yelllow was then blended into the white and orange.  Shading was done coming up from the bottom of the pumpkin by blending with red.

 

GRADE 4

FIFTH GRADE ART

Students chose various gourds for their shape and color.  They arranged them making a still life in the middle of their table.  They were to draw the gourds LARGE, OVERLAPPING, AND GOING OFF THE PAGE.  Then the picture was outlined with glue.  After it dried ,  a mixed media approach was taken by using oil pastels and chalk pastels. 

Lessons for the week

KINDERGARTEN- SUNNY LINE DESIGNS

OBJECTIVE:  Kindergarteners learn about HOT colors (yellow, orange, and red) and use three different kinds of lines in a pattern (abc) to create a unique and artistic sun.  They did a red wash of paint over the entire picture at the end.

 GRADE 1 – GRANT WOOD LINE AND SHAPE LANDSCAPE

OBJECTIVE:  First graders will use a variety of lines and shapes to draw a simple landscape that shows depth.  They will use a variety of art media (pencil, crayons  & paint) to draw and color.

 

 The artist Grand Wood is famous for doing the picture AMERICAN GOTHIC.  Unlike his contemporaries the Impressionists, he painted simple paintings with a classical feel. Many depicted the landscapes of Iowa where he was born.  Grant was not a very good student in class.  His teacher not tolerating his behavior would send him outside the one room schoolhouse.  He spent that time enjoying drawing chickens and other farm animals.  

           

 GRADE TWO – FISHY NAMES

OBJECTIVE:  The students will create a fish that contains the letters of their name.  Students will incorporate use  of lettering in a design as well as incorporating color or line design for accent and exploration of elements of art.

 GRADE THREE – ANIMATED NAMES

OBJECTIVE:  Third graders used the letters of their name to create unusual animated creatures and characters.

 GRADE FOUR -  NAMES IN ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE

 OBJECTIVE:  Fourth graders learned how to use 1 point perspective.

            

GRADE FIVE -  ONE POINT PERSPECTIVE AND OPTICAL ILLUSION NAMES

 OBJECTIVE:  Fifth graders draw their first names using one-point perspective.  Students add an optical illusion background using an irregular pattern that enhances the use of perspective.

New Technology in the Artroom

The students have been evaluated on their creativity and artistic skills.  These skills  include coloring, drawing themself, making a design,  and  creating with paper.  They also did some writing to share what they like/dislike  doing in art and what they might want help with. 


New lessons begin this week.  Most classes will be working with the Art elements of LINE and SH
APE.  The artroom has a new data projector and  a  ELMO (computer camera) .  With this technology, I can draw on a whiteboard under the camera and the image is projected onto the chalkboard or movie screen.  Gone are the days of drawing on the chalkboard and trying to make sure that everyone in the class can see what you are doing.  Also no more of the gather around Ms. Hemmens at the table to see how to paint or maybe make something with clay.  All I have to do is work under the camera and it shows  on the screen for all to see!!!  I also have the computer hooked up and can show examples of student work (courtesy of the site...Artsonia)  of the lessons we will be working on.  I am very excited about using this new technology ( I guess you can teach an OLD dog new tricks). 

I hope to have student artwork from these lessons up next week.  Be sure to stop by the garden of Art to see what is blooming in the artroom. 

characters for our PBIS bulletin board - TEAMWORK

We have been busy in the artroom.  The first week everyone made a cartoon character of themself.  Our theme at school this year is teamwork so every class dressed as a team.  Students were given a tracer of a person for continuity and taught how to draw a shirt and pants on their person. They used their own creativity by adding their own personal details.    Every grade level and class has team colors.  Every week their classroom teacher will choose one of these characters  and write the number of gold tickets that the class has earned for the week.  They will be displayed on the TEAMWORK bulletin board in the office hallway.  Some students volunteered to make their teacher and other staff members.  All of the students will have their character displayed by the end of the year.

Welcome Back

I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and is ready for another great year at May Watts School.  I would like to welcome all returning students and students who are new this year.  The artroom is up and running thanks to some art helpers who came  in to help get it ready for our school year.  Applications for artroom helpers will be given out the first week of school.  Students in grades 3-5 are invited to check it out. 
The artroom has a garden theme this year.  Wait till you see some of the fun things that are hanging over the tables this year.  We will be working on some great projects involving bugs and flowers.  You will learn about artists who chose to use nature in their artwork.
This idea all came about when I decided to try and enjoy gardening instead of hating to pull weeds and water flowers.  I also think the fact that my allergies are under control and dont bother me helps alot.  So I have been planting bushes and flowers as my art canvass.  I have used the principles  of design (such as repetition)to group flowers together.  I have also used the elements of art (such as texture and color) in choosing types of flowers and where to plant them. 
As the school year begins,  remember that children are like flowers.  They each grow at their own rate.  Some are slow to grow and others grow  at a medium rate and then some are the  fast growers.  
They all turn out to be awesome...........
When your children bring their artwork home, I hope you will look at it from different points of view.  If you look at the pictures  of the flowers below, which one would you choose?  Just as in Art some people like the familiar and pretty look of the geranium.  The other plant looks weedlike and prickly but it has great texture and the stems are an intersting neon blue.  Both of these plants are wonderful in their own ways.