No Rose-Colored Glasses

Landscape drawing is a great way to teach the illusion of space. It is also a wonderful way to have students experience with the blending of colors in oil pastels. We began this unit by exploring one-point perspective with rulers and pencils, then the students practiced the six steps to show space in a drawing: size; overlap; shading; placement; value and focus and linear perspective. They study this through drawing still lifes in an earlier unit, so that their schema of such techniques continuously develops.

Prior to getting down and dirty with the oil pastels, students practice techniques with the media, such as using the side of the pastel for broad strokes and easy blending, the tip of it for more precise or saturated lines, stippling and cross-hatching for effect and also for blending. I find that this type of investigation with the media helps build the confidence that my Everyday Students really benefit from.

The students used color to create the feeling of a particular mood. To do this they studied color theory extensively, first creating a color wheel with tints and shades, and then using that to uncover color schemes. Their artworks look like two separate painitngs, but their objective was to use two different colors schemes.

In these works they were to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the horizon, background, middleground and foreground. Which I tell them are simply illusions, because the paper is a two-dimensional surface. As a matter of fact I tell them, "Artists are in the business of creating illusions." They find that amusing. I sing rhythms to encourage recall, and sometimes I'll have them clap along with a rhythm.

High school students act too cool to clap or sing along. Unfortunately the child's-play-snatchers have invaded their homes around the age of 13 so they roll their eyes at me when I sing, as if I were crazy.

My feelings... Great! Think I'm the crazy-singing-art-teacher-lady. Then perhaps they'll never forget it.

Have a colorful day! And remember, life is wonderful when you see through rose-colored glasses.

Chatskis In Perspective

Students wrap up their object drawings after blindly choosing an object from what I call my Chatski Bag. Their objective is to show the illusion of space in an object; The students have to consider as they draw: linear perspective, three dimensional form, size, overlapping, value and focus, etc. and draw the object from different positions to create an abstract composition. I plan to extend this lesson in to our Color Theory Unit. The paper is folded in thirds, as students consider the next phase which consists of using three different color schemes painted with Tempera.The results should be striking! Tune in later to see them.

Back To The Future

First week, students play Soul Train Scrabble Board (complete with theme music) to arrange the class procedures in order of occur acne.

Students used jigsaw strategy to read, summarize and present text. Art class is about so much more than production.

I Know What They Did This Summer!

Every Summer, for the last few years I am lucky enough to work with the young leaders of the C5 Georgia Youth Foundation. The paintings are called Golf Trophy Art, because they are awarded to participants in a golf competititon which is also a fundraiser for the organization. The workshops are only two days from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The objective is for students to express in a painting thier experiences within C5, or their hopes and dreams from participation in C5. The self-portraits are
9" x 12", acrylic on canvas. The students volunteer their hours to create beautiful artworks, enjoy fellowship and pizza lunch. Want to see more paintings? We're working on a mid-year workshop, an exhibit and fundraiser. Want to learn more about C5, want to volunteer time or donate to this amazing organization. Visit http://c5georgia.org/.

Art History & the Mechanics of Pop-Ups

Imani S.

L. Robinson

T. Butler

Summer Bridge... to Cross

Summer Session, "Summer Bridge" is nearing an end, and what a whirlwind three weeks it has been. First just attempting to condense a 16-week lesson into a 9-week quarter is already quite a fete. Now to squish that into a three-week session, that's some magic for you!
One of the classes I'm teaching ("Intro to Art") is Maskmaking. I've taught maskmaking before, in one-day workshops in community centers to semester-long classes with middle school students. I feel that it is a subject that exposes students to a wide variety of cultural expression. They can analyze the origins of their own ideas in relation to community, culture and the world. [GA Visual Arts Standard VAHSVAMC.4] For this class, I was incredibly inspired by the art of Warren King. http://wrnking.com.
Because I always embed math, science, and history in every lesson of course the students complained  "It's too hard!" Nevertheless, fact is, in crafting the cardboard pieces into a cohesive representation, one must consider geometry and physics as well as creative expression. Students had to consider the symmetry of their shapes, and when it was necessary to use a rotation, a reflection or a translation. I can't tell you how many times I watched someone cutting what should be two identical shapes at two different times -- there's no way they will turn out the same shape.
The students began the lesson by exploring the cultural significance of masks in Native American, African and Mexican traditions. We used a chart at www.whats-your-sign.com then I encouraged them to think about an animal spirit who's characteristics best matched their own. I encouraged them to think about the function and the form of their masks as well. From there they compared and contrasted characteristics on a double bubble map - here's where it got tricky... explaining that their mask was representational and not literal. Oh, what fun!
When the students were frustrated I would tell them "that's good, frustration leads to problem solving." When the students grumbled I said "it's like a science experiment -- you are testing theories." Oh, and "there are no mistakes, only your expression" is my mantra. Even with my best efforts there were a few students who decided to retaliate against the rigor to make my three weeks a living hell. I had the remedy for that -- one-to-one lessons (when everyone else got cooking) Alas, mini-session or not, the class still had an amazing learning experience and most of them produced amazing works. I hit at least eight State and Common Core Standards in the lesson, examples of their base masks are posted. Next up... painting. Stay tuned.

POP ART - Painting Translations

Bobby L. chose Jordans as his Pop-art expression.

Jacoby S. uses the negative space expertly in his translation of Beats for his Pop-art painting. I think Warhol [Andy] would have been very impressed.

Students studied the political, social and economic factors that contributed to the Pop Art Movement. They investigated the lives of the notable artists of the time. However, for this assignment I asked them to reflect upon the "popular culture" images of today. I required the students to place a great deal of focus on the negative and positive space, so that emphasis would be placed on the iconic imagery.

12th grade, Gray Scale Object Translation - J. Blair

12th grade, Gray Scale Object Translation - N. Hakikah

Come Together (social studies + art)

Red Cloud, by N. Hakikah

What joy I felt last week after one of my students, J. Hutchinson let me know that he was more aware of the content in his GA High School Graduation Test, because of his art class. He said "Ms. Hill, Manifest Destiny was on that test!" I had no idea, honest... I had just hoped that by reinforcing SSUSH7 students may do better in social studies period. The standard states: Students will explain the process of economic growth in the early 19th Century and the different responses to it. The students  found this part of history fascinating (I love history!). We compared and contrasted the economic effect of Eli Whitney's cotton gin, with the legalization of marijuana in certain states in the U.S. - SMH, hey... if the shoe fits.... I required my students to choose an element from the standard: a. - e. and then from their research settle on an individual who had an impact on it, or was impacted by it. That person became the subject for their block prints. Then the art began. They had to choose parts of the portrait to show in white (the recessed areas) and parts to show with different values. Earlier in the Quarter I'd introduced them to linoleum block printing, then this became their culminating project. A student, T. Anderson remarked, "dang, we started with those little samples now look how far we've come."

Eli Whitney, by J. Hutchinson

John Brown, by J. Blair

If You Build It They Will Come

I am amazed at my students, they make me very proud, daily. A new 9-week quarter has just begun. I have a new set of Everyday Students; a new set of non-believers. I've already had one say, "I can't draw, my drawings look like a kindergartener's!" So, my first response is: "There's nothing wrong with that. I will show you very sought after and valuable art that one might interpret as child-like." My next response is: if you can write a letter, or make a line or a shape -- you can draw! The work here illustrates this...I teach them and they grow. [On the bottom: contour line drawings of three dimensional foam shapes that they draw first as simple 2-D shapes, then I encourage them to see their depth and draw the arrangement. Soon after, (top left) students’ careful use of shadows in a drawing of a paper bag helps to establish the ground beneath it, its creases and interior. To encourage them to understand how to represent the highlights on creases, I used a peanut butter sandwich analogy: the light is the peanut butter in between the bread is the shaded areas that flank the light. Hey - I gotta do what I gotta do!

Self Portrait: Psychology of Color in Pastel

 

 

 

 

 

11th and 12th grade Everyday Students, paint with pastels for the first time. The color palettes were established from a list of words, characteristics from research about the psychology of color.  ©2013

Math in a portrait? Oh My!

So, historically I assign my students a self-portrait project, because they are the everyday students. My students aren't the super artsy, so-called "naturally" talented art students whom one could ask: "Select a familiar object or item of food. Create a series of sequential sketches in which the object gradually transforms into something else." They would look at me like - Are you crazy?!

Now this is not to say that I don't believe in my students’ abilities -- no way! I've always taught from the perspective of high expectations. I scaffold, and teach with all kinds of analogies, every day examples that they can relate to. I fold in history and math, reading and writing always...even if they do say "Ms. Hill, I thought this was art class?" LOL 

The reality is that my students typically have never experienced an art class with rigor. The greatest compliment I received recently was from a student who said, "Ms. Hill, you know... I had art before, but he never taught us about artists and their work, he never taught us how to draw a face like you do, you know the eye lines up with the... you know?" I had received so much push back that quarter that I'd begun to wonder if I'd lost my mojo. She confirmed it for me, and so I keep going on. I've posted her before and after self-portrait drawings.

Teach Your Children Well

Isn’t it amazing when you begin teaching figure drawing, the figure’s arms appear to end at the waist, the head is larger than the torso, or the legs end where the knees should. That's art - right? I don’t let my students go out like that! We start with non-standard measurement. I have them measure the height of their head by standing in front of a piece of paper on the wall and then – measure each other to determine how many ‘heads’ length they are… and they say, “What are you up to now, Ms. Hill?!”

Next, I talk with them about proportions and the relationship between the size of the head and the body.  In a recent lesson, I tried something different. I asked the students to find standing figures in magazines, paste them into their sketchbooks. Next they used a piece of paper to determine the size of its head; then the torso; and finally the legs and arms. They seemed to get the idea of human proportions by comparing the images, and it helped them with their figure drawing. I believe that everyday students can draw once they connect the dots, lines and shapes. [smile]

Mural Arts: Art Ignites Change

Cooperative Learning | Syllabus Solved

What does one do when older students want to take responsibility for signing my class syllabus, but  don't read it to fully understand it? Well, I being the Jedi Master that I am, created an activity. The students would gain an understanding of my course and my expectations. "Contextural understanding, assessment and reflection in visual arts - an apprentice you will be! Math and cooperative learning you shall use! Pow! That's how my Lightsaber works.
I almost unconsciously integrate history, mathematics, science and literature daily in my visual art lessons. I firmly believe that one cannot separate the so-called "core subjects" from art. In this situation, I chose an artist whom the students could relate to -- Jean Michel Basquiat, he is perhaps one of the representative artists who made the transition from street art to canvas. I printed "Trumpet" from his website poster-sized. I broke down parts of the syllabus and pasted them on the back. Then, I drew puzzle shapes, and laminated the poster board for durability. Finally, I cut out the puzzle pieces. I wanted to observe the students working collaboratively, and research suggests that puzzles improve math, science and technology skills.  At last I had the satisfaction that I now know that the students really read my class syllabus.