Our 4th and 5th grade artists are exploring the fascinating world of Optical Illusion Art, also known as Op Art! This exciting art movement became popular in the 1960s, with artists like Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely creating mind-bending designs that trick the brain into seeing movement, depth, and dimension on a flat surface.

Students are discovering how artists use repeated patterns, contrasting colors, curved lines, and shading to fool our eyes! Through two exciting projects, Op Art Vortexes and Floating Spheres, students are learning how to transform simple lines and shapes into amazing optical illusions. Their vortex designs appear to twist, swirl, and pull us into the page, while their floating spheres seem to pop right off the paper! By experimenting with value, shading, highlights, and patterns, our young artists are discovering how a little artistic trickery can make a 2D drawing look surprisingly 3D!

Second and third grade artists are now exploring realistic art through landscape drawings! Students are learning how artists create the illusion of depth and distance by dividing their artwork into three important spaces: foreground, middle ground, and background. The foreground is the area closest to the viewer, where objects appear larger and show more detail. The middle ground is the space between near and far, while the background is the area farthest away, where objects appear smaller and less detailed. Understanding these three areas helps young artists create a sense of distance and make their flat drawings appear more realistic!

Taking this concept one step further, students are transforming their 2D drawings into 3D stand-up trifold landscapes! By cutting, folding, and arranging their artwork into separate layers, they are turning the illusion of space into actual space. This creative project combines drawing, painting, and paper construction while helping students discover how artists bring depth and dimension to their artwork!

Our 2nd and 3rd grade artists have been exploring the exciting world of abstract art! Students used bold black painted lines to divide their paper into interesting shapes and spaces, then filled them with vibrant colors, patterns, and designs. Using oil pastels and tempera paint, they experimented with color blending, layering, and the fun effects of oil pastel resist. This project encouraged creativity, artistic expression, and thoughtful use of the elements of art—line, shape, and color. Each finished masterpiece is as unique and colorful as the artist who created it!

First-grade students studied the illustrated designs that adorned Pueblo Native American pottery from long ago. They learned how these images help us understand the history and daily lives of people from hundreds of years ago. Students explored these designs by reading When Clay Sings, a Caldecott Award–winning book featuring authentic images found on ancient pottery. Inspired by the abstract insect designs highlighted in the book, students created their own unique bugs. They applied their knowledge of insect body parts, along with shapes, lines, and patterns, to design imaginative and creative works of art. 

Second and third grade students have been very busy designing and creating a variety of imaginative buildings while learning about the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Throughout this unit, students explored architectural ideas and practiced thinking like real designers.

Students began by drawing a cylinder-shaped dream house, using value and shading techniques to create the illusion of realistic three-dimensional form. They then used their drawings as inspiration to sculpt whimsical cylindrical buildings out of clay, bringing their designs to life in a whole new way.

To finish the project, students put their imaginations to the test as they learned about skyscrapers and designed their own towering buildings that could reach into the clouds. While creating their designs, students carefully considered the size of each section, textures, and the layout of windows to make their buildings unique and visually interesting.

I am always impressed by my students’ ability to think outside the box and add their own creative ideas while meeting the goals of each lesson. Their imaginative designs truly showcase their growing artistic skills and creativity!

Polynesian Tiki Art

Fourth & Fifth graders recently began an exciting project inspired by Polynesian tiki carvings and the mythology behind them. In many Polynesian cultures, tikis are carved figures that represent a variety of important diety guardians, or spiritual beings. We explored how artists use shapes, patterns, and expressive faces to give each tiki its own personality and meaning.

Students made wonderful connections using their background knowledge from watching Moana and by exploring the lively tiki animatronics found in the garden of the Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland Park. These familiar examples helped them notice the bold eyes, geometric patterns, and storytelling elements that appear in tiki art.

Using these ideas as inspiration, students began designing their own tiki drawings, focusing on symmetry, patterns, and expressive features. Soon, they will take the next step by sculpting their very own tiki figures using earth clay, bringing their designs to life in three dimensions. We can’t wait to see the unique guardians our artists create!

Students recently explored color and culture in art class by creating African-inspired symmetrical masks using oil pastels. As part of the project, students practiced their understanding of color families and learned how to blend colors with oil pastels to create rich, vibrant designs.

Before beginning their artwork, students learned about African cultures and the beautifully detailed masks that are traditionally used for ceremonial and cultural celebrations. Inspired by these intricate patterns and bold colors, students carefully designed their own symmetrical masks, focusing on balance, pattern, and color blending.

The results were amazing! Each mask shows creativity, bright color combinations, and thoughtful design. Students did a wonderful job combining their art skills and cultural learning to create powerful and eye-catching works of art.