Project of the Month
January Traditional Technique
Gridding Portraiture
This month students are creating portraits using a traditional gridding technique after studying the work of Chuck Close. Students choose a celebrity to draw a portrait from using grids to keep their contour line accurate. Students use blending techniques to add value and realistic depth to their drawing in this project.
Why do we study from the old masters techniques and how can they help us grow as artists today?
Students are studying traditional drawing techniques to grow their understanding of mark making and dedication to the craft.
December Portraits
Contemporary Art
This month students are creating portraits of loved ones. Carving bold contour lines, in a likeness to Andy Warhol's, into clay tiles students create original imagery hand painted with bold glazing colors for added drama.
Is any one form of portraiture ‘better’ or more valid?
Students are studying today's contemporary art whose artists are more interested in the audience participating in discovering the meaning from their artwork.
Think about this:
A picture of someone VS A page from their diary
or
A painting of a bird VS A real empty nest with shells of eggs in it.
Which might be stronger to emphasize the artists message about his/her subject matter, and does it change with how the artist decides to express themselves through their work?
November Dreams
Landscape; A Place to Visit
Have you ever closed your eyes and dreamed of visiting new an interesting places around the world? This month students are painting their dream place to visit using reference images and a new twist on an original painting medium.
Does art have to look realistic to be valid?
Students are studying Fauvism, an art moment that shook the art world when it came to galleries because it was considered 'Wild' and 'Crazy' due to it's bright, vivid, unrealistic, and dare I say 'Dream Like' colors and rough bold outlines.
The important thing we take away from Fauvism is that art is about how it makes the viewer feel and what message it sends verses it's photo like, hyper realistic, quality.
Think about this:
The painting 'Starry Night' VS a photograph of a starry night.
or
Intense colors, reds, yellows, oranges in an image VS blues, greens, grays.
Which might be stronger to emphasize the artists message about his/her subject matter, and does it change with how the artist decides to express themselves through their work?
October season brings...
Ceramic Pumpkins!
How cool is this little guy? Made by high school students these little ceramic pumpkins are whimsical way to learn about form.
How does Medium impact the Message of our artwork?
Ceramic artwork, like this pumpkin here, are made from clay. Clay comes from the earth. Artists can make an artwork out of clay to emphasize a message about nature or bring awareness to a cause. Not only could the artists make something natural, or in contrast something man made out of the clay, but the clay it's-self comes from the earth so the artists message is addressed through the entire piece of artwork, not just in subject matter.
Think about this:
Drawing a picture of a tree VS carving a image of a tree into wood.
or
Taking a picture of a river VS painting the river using water from the same river.
Which might be stronger to emphasize the artists message about his/her subject matter?
September
Photography in full bloom
How great is it that we have the technology now to take a picture of just about literally anything right at the tips of our fingers. In this unit students are working in teams to create beautiful nature photography.
How does composition strengthen a work of art?
Find out in this months project!
June
Functional/Wearable Art
To wrap up the year students are creating functional or wearable artwork. Students draft art work using the elements and principles of art and design that they have learned and used throughout the school year. Students are creating personal and creative artwork that they can wear or leave as part of a legacy to for the high school.
May
Loom weaving
This month students are creating detailed loom weavings using colors, patterns, beads, and extra materials to depict symbolism of their life story: all of the things that make them who they are today.
April
Identity Project
This month students are creating sculptures paintings that capture who they are as people using typography and quotes that resonate with them. Students choose meaningful symbolism that embodies the meaning of the words they have chosen to emphasize their thoughts and feelings.
Think about the following questions:
Are we the sum of our experiences?
How can artists shape the world they live in through imagery and written word?
'March' for your rights
Social Commentary
This month students are creating sculptures that speak to what they want to change about the world. Using plaster, students work together using creative problem solving and engineering to build paster casts of their hands. Students work as a class, individually and as small groups to develop brainstorming webs and imagery that goes along with their social issue of choice. Student work will be on display in the display case reflecting their personal creative choices when it comes to creating social commentary in art.
Think about the following questions:
How do life experiences influence the way we relate to art?
How do images influence our views of the world?
How does art-making contribute to awareness and understanding of one’s lives and the lives of others in the community?
February call to action
Action Pose Figure Drawing
Students create dynamic gestural drawings using line of action, gesture drawings and adding details to create a finished work of art. Students work in pencil and charcoal, work in groups, and explore art studies through construction and practice.
Real World Examples:
A great place to see dynamic figure drawing today is in comic books or illustrations.
These are called ' Action Poses’