The 2021-2022 school year was incredibly challenging. The measures and policies put in place in order to protect the public during the Covid 19 Pandemic have very much affected the growth mindset, behavior, and social emotional development of Elementary school aged children. Furthermore, protocols put in place by the schools and in the classrooms, have significantly hindered the learning and teaching experience for both students and teachers. This is not a criticism of policy or policy makers, merely a testament to the Action- Consequence Consideration Matrix. However, though this year has been daunting; a year of assessment, adjustment and catch- up, I am very proud of my students (all 800 of them!). I am currently building a Visual Art program at a duel language TK-6 Elementary school, and despite all the hurdles and hardships this year, my students created some amazing art! I was able to enter 49 works of art into the San Diego County Fair – 48 individual works and one collaborative piece created by the entire 6th grade class, all 91 of them! Each student received the honor of having their work on display, but also a ticket to the fair. I look forward to continuing to build this program and seeing my students grow as artists and as humans! Enjoy!
Bilateral Symmetry Bugs 2nd Grade
FISH! 3rd Grade
Crazy Cacti- 3rd Grade
Pet Portraits – 4th Grade
Tribute to Wayne Thiebaud- CAKES! 4th and 5th Grade
When I was student teaching for my California Teacher Credential requirement, I worked with 7th and 8th students. One of my favorite projects was teaching the students about the art technique called chiaroscuro. This refers to the use of light and dark to create the illusion of three- dimensional volume on a flat surface. “Chiaroscuro is an Italian term which translates as light-dark, and refers to the balance and pattern of light and shade in a painting or drawing. Chiaroscuro is generally only remarked upon when it is a particularly prominent feature of the work, usually when the artist is using extreme contrasts of light and shade.”
Ideally, I would have 3 dimensional heads from which the students could work, but instead they have a choice of photographs of ancient Greek and Roman heads that I have photo copied. They select a working image, chose a color of paper, they are given vine charcoal, and some white tempera paint – Then they get to art-ing! I’ve created a demo video if you care to learn more about this lesson. The following is the amazing art work of my student teaching kids. I was so proud of their efforts that I created a display in the school library!!!
Strong contrast between deep shadows and bright highlights heighten the DRAMA, produce an illusion of depth and create that jewel-like sparkle you have always wanted. Learn how to create your own virtuoso vignette in the November edition of Children Paint the Masters’ How It Gets Done video : CHIAROSCURO -ing IT!
A few years ago, when I was student teaching at a Middle school, I wanted to create a lesson for my new students that was quick and fun. They had just completed a painstakingly detailed project, that took 10 art classes worth of time and used color pencil exclusively. I began by discussing color theory and then introduced them to the work of Mark Rothko with a slide show presentation and then I gave them this assignment:
Make 2 or 3 Rothko inspired paintings using either a Complimentary , Monochromatic or Analogous color scheme. Pick 2 or 3 sheets of colored paper and decide what colors you want to work with and then paint…. with your finger!
Mix paint directly on paper. Create a rectangle or line or square using at least 2 colors of paint that work with either the Complimentary, Monochromatic or Analogous color scheme (the color of your paper will be part of your decision making process and help determine what color scheme).
Paint using your finger- add color as need – add white or add black – color in your shape, but also let the color of the paper show through the shape. Remember to leave edges or a frame around your shapes — (don’t paint from edge to edge, remember, that the paper itself is part of your color scheme).
Once you have your shapes painted, you can use a wet brush to soften the edges if desired and then let the paintings dry …. Tempera paint dries quickly and will have a matte finish.
Once you have completed 2 or 3 Rothko- inspired paintings – you will choose one to submit for grading as a “Rothko”—then pick one of the others to enhance in your own creative style…. make it your own!
I suggest that the painting you turn in is as your “Rothko” is the most successful one, i.e. follows the correct color scheme – has nice forms and color mixing etc…
On the other painting you are going to draw using oil pastels… add color and texture or draw something over the underpainting— a fish, a flower, a face— or other shapes, designs, or patterns— whatever you want because this is your creative opportunity!!!
The resulting creations were so fabulous that I hung the most successful works in the school lobby for all to enjoy! This is a fun and inexpensive project, it only requires basic construction paper, tempera paint (red, yellow, blue, white and black only) and oil pastels.
Middle school students collaged surrealistic imagery with magazines and black construction paper. This was a one day assignment that was designed to encourage students to think outside of the box of realism and explore the visual effects of texture, space, multi-point perspective, and incongruous imagery.
Informative video on the art of yarn bowl making! We used balloons and wall paper paste that was leftover from the 5th Grade’s papier – mache’ project. Next time we’ll try this method. The excitement is never ending in Visual Art Class!
This lesson helps students learn about the Ancient Egyptian system of writing using pictures or Hieroglyphs. It demonstrates a different format and style of communicating. It also exemplifies a common connection between the modern cartoon or Manga cartoons, the communication methods of the Ancient Egyptians and contemporary emoticons or Emojis.
CA State Standards: 1.Develop Perceptual Skills and Visual Arts Vocabulary: • 1.1 Identify and use the principles of design to discuss, analyze, and write about visual aspects in the environment and in works of art, including their own.
• 1.2 Describe the principles of design as used in works of art, focusing on dominance and subordination.
2. Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools • 2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements of art and the principles of design. original works of art of increasing complexity and skill in a variety of media that reflect their feelings and points of view. ((TPE 7)
3. Historical and Cultural Context: Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts Students analyze the role and development of the visual arts in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting human diversity as it relates to the visual arts and artists.
4. Role and Development of the Visual Arts • 4.1 Identify similarities and differences in the purposes of art created in selected cultures. • 4.2 Identify and describe the role and influence of new technologies on contemporary works of art. 5. Diversity of the Visual Arts • 5.1 Identify and describe trends in the visual arts and discuss how the issues of time, place, and cultural influence are reflected in selected works of art. • 5.2 Discuss the purposes of art in selected contemporary cultures.
Students will be able to solve visual art problems by : Learning about a Cartouche ( an oval or oblong enclosing a group of Egyptian hieroglyphs, typically representing the name and title of a monarch). Students will determine the spelling of their own name in Ancient Egyptian. Students will effectively use Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs to write and communicate a story line. Students will learn that Hieroglyphs are read in vertical rows that are delineated by parallel lines or columns and that the viewer reads starting from the upper left corner and then reads down the length of the column. Students will understand that complete grammatical sentences do not apply in Ancient Egyptian writing. That there is no punctuation or overall sentence structure and no “waxing poetic”, just the facts.
Students will understand that visual images that are incorporated into the drawing, are stylized and easily reproducible and are to be featured though out their own Hieroglyphic composition in varying sizes and vignettes.
Materials to be used are student sketch-book, Papyrus paper, ruler, erasure, pencil, Sharpie and watercolor.
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