Welcome back to the SES Art Room!

The SES Art room kicked off the year with a "Dot" project based on the popular book, The Dot, by Peter Reynolds.

The Dot is the first book in a trilogy dedicated to creativity. In "The Dot", we meet a girl named Vashti who has convinced herself she can not draw. Her teacher dares her to make a mark. Vashti makes one little dot on her sheet of paper... which turns out to be the beginning of her creative journey!

Teachers around the world have used this book as inspiration for teaching children about expressing themselves through art.  As a result, September 15th has become International Dot day, when students make their "own mark and see where it goes".  

Second and third grade students made their own "dots" and explored the use of color symmetry and line shape.  See examples below.

June Project: Portfolios are ready!!

Portfolios are ready to go!  Students will bring home their portfolios at the beginning of the month.  It's an exciting time for them to show off the work they have been creating all year!  Enjoy this special time with your child, and refer to previous posts on this website if you have any questions about the lesson plans behind their projects. 

Have a fantastic and creative summer!!

May Project: Still Life Flowers

Wild Flowers in a Long-Necked Vase, Odilon Redon, 1912

Project attributes:

• Looking closely at lines, shapes, textures and colors that make up a still life picture.
• Recording what you see using a contour, outside line then adding details.
• Analyzing colors seen, then exploring color blending using multiple water color pencils
• Discussion about Odilon Redon's technique used when painting his still life pictures.

Resource:

• Odilon Redon paintings of flowers in a vase, found on Internet

Vocabulary:

• Still Life defined
• Transparent (vase)

Art Materials:

• Black sharpie
• Watercolor pencils
• Crayons
• Watercolor paper

Examples of Student Work:

April Project: Louise Nevelson 3-D Sculpture

Sky Cathedral, Louise Nevelson

Project attributes:

• Investigation of three of Louis Nevelson's sculptures employing VTS - Visual Thinking Strategy.
• Compare/Contrast each sculpture
• Record five facts about Nevelson after reading an article about this Russian artist.
• Choice of found wood objects and then careful placement of objects with a focus on creating interesting negative and positive play in space.
• Collaborative relief sculpture.

Resource:

• Magazine: Highlight Magazine article based on Louise Nevelson, October 1993, pgs 22-23

Art Materials:

• Found wood objects
• Wood glue
• Illustration board
• Acrylic paint

Examples of Student Work:

February & March Project: Snowflake Prints

Snowflake photo, by Wilson A. Bentley

Project attributes:

• Snowflake Bentley (Wilson A Bentley) developed a microphotography technique in the 1860's to reveal the mystery of the snowflake.  He learned that most crystals had six branches and that no one design was repeated.  He stated, "Snowflakes were masterpieces of design."  His work inspired our own personal exploration of snowflakes.
• Exploration of art, math and science based on topic of snowflakes
• Students learned about the basic construction of snowflakes
• Rough drafts of a variety of snowflakes were developed by each student using a ruler.  Students chose their four favorite flakes and printed them using a variety of simple tools.  Once dry, oil pastels and glitter were added.

Resource:

• Book: Snowflake Bentley, by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Art Materials:

• Popsicle sticks
• Bottle caps
• Q-tips
• Cardboard
• Printer's Ink
• Oil Pastels
• Glitter

Examples of Student Work:

January Project: ART OF OAXACA, MEXICO

Deer, by Manuel Jimenez

Project attributes:

• Introduction to the work of woodcarver, Don Manuel Jimenez.  He carved large wooden toys out of green Copal wood, sanded and then painted them with bright detailed patterns, each a one-of-a-kind piece.
• Our project uses wonderful Oaxacan carvings as inspiration for creating a "Oaxaca" from black construction paper and paint markers.  The black creates a bold silhouette and striking contract to the bright, colorful patterns.

Resource:

• Book: ABeCedarios by Cynthia Weill & K.B. Basseches (Spanish/English)

Art Materials:

• Black Bristol paper
• Silver/Gold gel pens
• Assorted paint markers

Vocabulary:

• Patterns
• Copal wood
• Contrast
• Oaxacan (Mexico)

Examples of Student Work: