For the second unit of the year, our 8th-grade students focused on the art element: value. Students studied value and contrast and learned about the differences between low and high values. They practiced making these wide ranges of values through various value scale exercises using special graphite pencils. For their final project, students looked to artist Chuck Close and his method of creating realistic portraits using the grid method. Students had the opportunity to chose their own photo to draw and enlarge using this method.

Our printmaking club spent some time experimenting with different monoprinting techniques. First, students used liquid watercolor and bubble solution to make bubble prints. Then students used Gelli plates to create abstract designs with letters and texture.

​Gyotaku is the Japanese art of fish printing. “Gyo” means fish, and “taku” means rubbing. As the story goes, fishermen in Japan invented this art form as a way to record the size of their catch. After all, there were no cameras! The ink was applied directly to the fish, and the image was printed on rice paper to memorialize the moment.

The fifth-grade students created two prints for the project. For their first print, students created an under-the-sea-themed background using oil pastel and watercolor. For their second print, they used a more traditional printing method with rice paper.  

​The fifth-grade students used their knowledge of reflectional symmetry to create beautiful cursive art designs. The students first reviewed how to write their name in cursive. For many, this was their first time learning how to write in this manner. After they felt comfortable writing their names in cursive, students applied it to their final art piece. For color, the fifth graders used oil pastel and a blending technique to create a wide range of value and gradation in their work.

It all started with a selfie and Pop Art.  After having a look at various portraits and the elements that make some more interesting to the viewer than others, the 6th-grade students used iPads to take their own selfie. Afterward, students created a digital contour line drawing and enlarged it using a computer program. Students redrew the contour lines on big poster paper and added black glue to the lines. In the final lesson, students looked in depth at how artists portray the light and shadows on faces. With this conversation, they set off to apply chalk pastel to their artwork.

​The 5th through 8th-grade students have been hard at work creating masterpieces for the Square 1 Art fundraiser. The students in 5th grade created inspired artwork by famous Pop Artist Romero Brito. The 6th graders used their previous knowledge of zentangles to create a zentangle flower with watercolor. The 7th and 8th graders explored multiple mediums to produce a unique and individual design. 

During the graphic design unit, the students in 7th and 8th grade learned how to use the vector program Adobe Illustrator. They learned the importance of graphic design in our society and how it has impacted them. After creating simple imagery in vector format, students began their final project. They were asked to choose a logotype of a particular business or service and re-create it in vector format for large scale printing. However, they had to use their own name in place of the business's name. 

The 6th grade students are experimenting with printmaking techniques using foam plates this month. Students created geometric and organic designs and then carved out their designs onto foam plates. During the printmaking process, students were asked to focus on placement and color between the two designs.​​

Students in the 8th grade learned how to create parabolic curves from straight lines. After learning some simple curved line designs, students set off to create their own line art design on graph paper. Once their design was complete on paper, they transferred their design to tag board using needle and thread. 

The 8th graders are currently sewing their parabolic designs onto tagboard. Finished works of art will be up soon! 

Students in the 5th grade are currently learning about tints, tones and shades. After learning proper color mixing techniques, students set off to create an abstract painting focusing on the creation of a gradient using a tint, tone or shade. Finished paintings should be up soon.

The 7th grade students learned how to transform shapes into forms using 1-point perspective. The drawing method is used in various disciplines and careers, including 3D modeling programs and architecture. Using their knowledge of 1-point perspective, students created a street view of a city or town. Students had the chance to become architects, creating various facades for their building. Great job, 7th graders!!!

Students in the after school art club (4-8th) learned about the art of making paper mosaics. Students had a range of paper material to choose from and were given full artistic expression in their design. Nice job, Art Club!

For their painting unit, the 8th grade students created their own watercolor paintings, focusing on atmospheric perspective. We took a look at 18th century artwork from Asia, specifically from China, Japan and the Koreas. We used their style as inspiration to create the paintings you see below. Students used atmospheric perspective in their first painting and then experimented with the watercolor to create a unique background in the second. To complete their work, students learned how to write their name in Korean to sign their art.

The after school art club read the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. This is a book about a young girl who discovers her unique artistic style by painting a dot. The artists first painted their own dot with tempera paint and then transformed their dots into a sculpture using paper strips.