Lots of Lines!

Students in grades 4-6 created these fun layered line designs! We began by doing layers of different types of lines. The only requirements were that they should go from one edge of the page to another and stay relatively thin. We looked at lots of different examples of patterns and lines for inspiration. Next, students added more lines that needed to overlap to create depth in space. During the final class, students needed to use paint to create a strong contrast between the lines and the negative space. The results are both beautiful and fun to look at!

Texture Shoes

International Academy students continued the year with a different type of self-portrait. We did some detailed contour line drawings of our shoes in class. These drawings were then transferred onto a larger paper and outlined with different colors of crayon. Before painting, students used crayon and rubbing plates to add a variety of textures to the shoes and backgrounds. These paintings are great because they show a great deal of the students personality, both in the style of shoe and the way it was painted.

Southwestern Landscapes

Middle School students painted these southwestern landscapes to learn the art principle of space. We learned about aerial perspective; that when you go back farther in space objects become duller in color and smaller. Students then designed their own original landscape and painted to show depth in space. 

Value Landscapes

Students in grades 4-6 created these beautiful winter landscapes exploring value and depth. We began by painting the sky. We learned about value- the lightness or darkness of a color. Students chose a cool color to paint the sky and needed to create a minimum of five values with at least two tints and two shades. We attached tissue paper to another white paper with glue water and cut that into triangles for winter trees. We talked about how artists use space in their artworks- objects that are closer are large and towards the bottom of the composition while things that are far away are smaller and higher towards the horizon line. 

Make-A-Robot

Students in grades 1-3 created their very own robots! We began by looking at many examples of robots, from cartoons to real life models. Students then sketched several different types of robots while being encouraged to include a lot of details. For the next class, students chose their favorite design and drew it out large on a colored paper. They painted the entire shape gray and had to make sure each side of the robot came close to every edge of the page. During the final class, students drew in the details with black crayon, painted highlights on one side with white paint and a shadow on the other side with black paint. We also added a bit of color to the robots, some aluminum foil for shine and rubbed a texture into the background. The students were very proud of these and each robot has so much personality!

Contour Line Hands

International Academy students created these contour line hand paintings. We began by creating contour line drawings of our hands. A contour line is essentially an outline that defines the form or edge. These were then transferred repeatedly onto a larger paper. Students needed to arrange the hands in a way to make a good use of space. Once complete, these hands were painted with watercolors and blended. Students were assessed on the form of the hand, the use of space and the blending of analogous colors.

Optical Illusions

These optical illusions were designed by the artists in 7th and 8th grades. We began with a lesson on perspective so students would understand how to use lines to make their drawing go back and forth in space. I then showed the class how to draw several different types of optical illusions step by step. Students could choose which optical illusion they wanted to draw for the project. Once a sketch was completed and done accurately, students drew a larger version. We then talked about atmospheric perspective and how colors appear brighter up close and duller as they get farther away. Students used this in the coloring to enhance the illusion. 

Stencil Paintings

Students in grades 4-6 created these Jasper Johns inspired stencil paintings. We began by choosing a letter, number or symbol and repeating it throughout the composition. Students were encouraged to make a good use of space and to incorporate visual balance with their design. Next, students chose three analogous colors and began to blend using oil pastels. The backgrounds were painted in using a color from their analogous color scheme. As a final touch, students used cardboard or bubble wrap to do some unconventional printmaking. This is a great project for teaching the principles of space and balance but also keeps a more loose and abstract style so all students can succeed.

Notan Paper Collage

Notan is an arrangement of light and dark that creates an impression of beauty. Notan is a popular form of collage in Japan. Students focused on two art principles for this project- shape and space. Students were allowed to work with either realistic or abstract shapes when creating their collage. Notan collages are so unique and beautiful because they focus on a play of positive and negative space that create interesting shapes. We overlapped several different colors to create an even more dynamic and layered design.