7th and 8th grade students worked to develop their drawing skills in creating large-scale reproductions of digital reference images of their choice.  Artists were able to work alone (~12"x18") or with partners (~18"x24") and had their choice of coloring and/or shading materials, depending on their desired, finished appearance. The end results offer a celebration of different art styles and subject matters that speak volumes about the diversity of interests and aesthetic preferences of the student artists. 

5th and 6th grade students expanded on their typography unit by filling up a chosen outlined image related to winter with various sizes, shapes, and directions of text related to the season. Some students chose holiday song lyrics to fill-up their image, while others chose associative words. Surrounding the image, students explored the use of watercolor pencils for controlled, vibrant designs. 

5th and 6th grade students observed and discussed the typography work of graphic designer, Deniz Ackerman, before practicing techniques meant to help blend their preconceptions of  distinctions between writing and drawing. Students were invited to bend, stretch, and squoosh letters in ways they had not previously considered in order to fill-up space and make a statement. Acrylic markers were used to illuminate their words and, in some cases, add shadow and reflection marks for a sense of three-dimensionality. 

Additional weeks between the conclusion of unit projects and the beginning of Quarter 2 were devoted to self-directed, studio projects by 7th and 8th graders. Depending on the time available to them, these projects varied significantly in size and scope, and represent a large range of materials available for use within the art room. A number of students seized this opportunity to create collaborative projects, such as the chipmunk portraits and Halloween-movie composition seen below. 

5th and 6th grade students recently completed their Square 1 art projects, serving as a culmination of the doodle methods they'd explored throughout the first quarter. Students created varying sized drawings related to a unifying theme and were asked to pay close attention to maintaining consistent negative space within their design. Liquid watercolor was applied to the backgrounds for a vibrant effect and images were outlined with fine line Micron pens to help enhance contrast. 

Student designs will soon become available for purchase in various forms (mugs, magnets, candles, jewelry, etc.) through the Square 1 website. In addition to creating family keepsakes that support our student artists, funds from these sales will help support future arts programming at Bateman Elementary. 

Student projects at both the 5/6th and 7/8th levels have focused on the bringing attention to   n e g a t i v e   s p a c e   in their art making as a way to help achieve more harmonious compositions. The 5/6th grade color blob characters seen below were inspired by the doodle designs of Kira Kira Doodles and the 1/8" inch tape resist works were inspired by the paintings of contemporary artist, Cecilia Biagini. 

To begin the school year, we have been focusing on the fundamental elementals of line, shape, and space while developing mini projects inspired by techniques utilized by artists past and present. 7th and 8th grade students have made ballpoint pen hatching compositions modeled from the line work of Albrecht Dürer, as well as calligraphy pen designs atop watercolor washes in the style of Joan Miró's constellation series. Meanwhile, 5th and 6th grade students have been looking towards more contemporary artists for inspiration. Flowing line compositions were created with Mr. Doodle's meditative art-making approach in mind, while intersecting line compositions were drawn from the cubist-like doodles of Jon Burgerman. 

​Room 322 has a new look and feel to it, as Mr. Schreiber takes on the distinct role and responsibility as the middle school visual arts teacher at Bateman Elementary. A few new additions to the space include, LED-lined whiteboards, a flying paper mache luchador, post-it note window pixel art, and a "Mini Masterpiece" wall, on which students are invited to share and exchange visual inspiration. Stay tuned for more to come!

​Students in 5th grade created a landscape painting inspired by the abstract and colorful style of Alma Thomas. They explored color mixing techniques and applied rhythmic, mosaic-like brushstrokes to capture movement and energy in their compositions. Through this process, students developed an understanding of how color, pattern, and texture can evoke emotion and bring their landscapes to life.

​For the 7th-grade painting project, students explored color and texture in a bold and expressive way. Each student began by drawing their own self-portrait onto acetate. They then applied acrylic paint to the reverse side, working in layers to build depth and vibrancy. Once the painting was complete, students created textured paste paper, using various tools and techniques to add visual interest and contrast to their work. Finally, they added finishing touches with Posca markers, enhancing details and bringing their self-portrait to life. 

For our 6th-grade drawing project, students explored mathematical and artistic concepts by employing reflection and rotation techniques. Each student designed up to four unique tiles, showcasing their creativity and understanding of symmetry. These tiles were then repeated systematically to form a large-scale tessellation composition, resulting in visually dynamic patterns that highlight the interplay of geometry and art.

In our drawing unit, students explored the concepts of movement and space by studying the Op Art movement. Op art, short for optical art, is a style of visual art that employs optical illusions. Op art works are often abstract, with many well-known pieces created in black and white or contrasting colors. Students learned to create the illusion of form, movement, and space by using various art elements, including line, shape, and color.

​For their first project, 6th-grade students focused on the artist Keith Haring. Haring was an influential American artist and social activist known for his vibrant, cartoon-like imagery and social commentary. Emerging in the 1980s, he gained fame for his public art, including chalk drawings in subway stations, as well as his bold, colorful paintings featuring recurring motifs such as dancing figures, hearts, and dogs. Using his artwork as inspiration, students created their own compositions in the style of Keith Haring using permanent markers.

​For our first project, 5th grade students created a self-portrait featuring sunglasses. They were introduced to proper facial proportion techniques for portraits and learned how to use line and shape to draw facial features such as the eyes, mouth, and nose. Afterwards, students applied their knowledge of these techniques to create a self-portrait based on a photograph of themselves. They used Sharpie, tempera sticks, colored pencils, and markers to complete their artwork. These portraits will be sent in to Square 1 Art! 

For our first mini project of the school year, students created inkblot creatures. First, they used droppers and straws to manipulate India ink onto paper. Then, they transformed their inkblots into creatures, adding a variety of details to enhance these fun compositions.

​Our 8th-grade students explored the world of Pop Art by creating a close-up, cropped view of a candy wrapper of their choice. They discussed emphasis and graphic design elements throughout the unit. After spending time sketching drafts in their sketchbooks, students completed a final version on canvas board using acrylic paints.

For the 7th grade painting unit, students created a monochromatic silhouette painting. Starting with a pure hue, they developed a wide range of tints, tones, and shades for the background. They then chose a silhouette to paint in the foreground using acrylics, resulting in a striking contrast.