So we’ve had a busy month in the Art Room!
Pre-School has done several projects related to their “Human Body” unit this month. We’ve sculpted and painted human bodies out of model magic and studied the human skeleton then painted black body-cutouts with white tempera. This week we read Todd Parr’s It’s Okay to Be Different and made fingerprint paintings with liquid watercolor. We’ve also explored some paintbrush technique while working with watercolor paints, and have spent several classes working with Play-Doh.
In Kindergarten, we’ve explored paintbrush technique and learning to use primary colors to mix secondary colors, both with tempera and watercolor paint. During the week of 1/23, we spent two classes cutting, painting bird parts (using only primary colors and secondary colors that students mixed themselves), and gluing them together to construct birds. We’ve also spent several classes making temporary art with various choice materials like Twisteez Wire, Play-Doh, Wooden Blocks, dry-erase boards and markers, and Smart Sticks (popsicle sticks with cut-out grooves for building).
ELC has spent a significant portion of this month working on their “Suminagashi Sea World” projects. Here we made “ocean paper” using Suminagashi, a fascinating Japanese paper marbling technique that uses special ink and water. Students blow on the floating ink to create smoke-like patterns, then dip paper onto the floating ink to capture fascinating color swirls and patters. Students used their “ocean paper” as a background, then drew imaginary or realistic underwater worlds in the foreground. These are now on display in the ELC hallway. Come check them out!
IA and Bridges have been working on projects as well! IA is just finishing up a collage project where students had to bring in 3 items that reminded them of the “comforts of home”, then combine these with classroom collage materials. We explored various elements of art, and specific elements and techniques of collage, and students had to incorporate and identify at least 2 of these elements in their work. On Thursday, 1/26, Karen and Devin’s classes viewed their artwork during a “Gallery Walk” activity. Bridges has been focusing on drawing and the use of drawing pencils. We’ve explored 2 elements of art, value and perspective. After doing short activities focusing on these elements, students started working on a “Value/Perspective Drawing” on 6’x9” drawing paper, which we will display in the hallway.
Most classes will continue art for about another 2 weeks before transitioning back to Music.