art toys.

I finished my DIY (do-it-yourself) Trexi figure. Do you like it?!

Mural & Extra Credit.

Check out the progress we're making on our new mural in the basement hallway! It's a crazy, creepy, fantasy-garden. We're using a reverse-stencil technique that masks off areas of the wall to create designs out of the NEGATIVE space behind the paper cutouts we've taped to the wall. Right now you see pieces taped on top of the first layer of designs. Adding a second layer makes the mural look more 3-dimensional because overlapping adds depth to the picture.

...This makes me think of an EXTRA CREDIT question! If you could paint a mural of anything you want in the school, what would it be? Where would you paint it? And why?

(Be sure to follow the posting rules on the right in order to receive your extra credit points!)

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY!

Hey - are you in art and would like some extra credit?!

Here's what you gotta do: This Thursday night is the York High School student art show, from 6-8 pm in the commons. If you GO to the art show and get an AUTOGRAPH from any of the art teachers there (thus proving that you went there!), I will give you 5 extra credit points in class! Wow - you get to see some awesome work by former Sandburg students AND get extra credit for it?! What a deal!

quote.

"One of the most difficult challenges of the last 10 years has been to argue the case for more art education in a political climate where only things that are quantifiable are considered worth knowing. This runs contrary to what today’s social thinkers are telling us is needed for the future: an educated population that can think imaginatively, critically, and metaphorically; that can problem-find and problem-solve; that recognizes subtle nuance and ambiguity while seeing the big picture—all things that art contributes to today’s broader curriculum goals."

- Michael Parks, National Art Education Association

punk rock flyer

I was really excited that PTA asked me to make a fun poster for the all-school dance in January. Check it out!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Olivia Olsen, 8th grade Sandburg student, whose design was chosen as the WINNER of the Snowflake design contest! Her design will be printed onto the t-shirts for Snowflake, and she gets to go to Snowflake for FREE! Snowflake will be held this year on Saturday, February 7th at Bryan Middle School. If you'd like more info about the event, you can see Mrs. Blazejak, who is our school's Social Worker.

New Idea...

I think I'm going to buy myself a Jr. raglan T-shirt in black & white - it's pretty cute, actually!

Check out the Sandburg Art store site I created here:
http://www.cafepress.com/msmillerleban

Neat, huh?!

merge...

Sometimes I make things too difficult for myself... don't you just hate that? So anyways, I've decided to merge the art blog with the art news webpages. Then I don't have to go repeating myself so often. Should be completed sometime later tonight. We'll see.

Drawing day is June 6th! Too bad for us it's a Saturday!

Extra Credit Opportunity for current 7th & 8th Graders

ART CONTEST!
DESIGN THE T-SHIRT LOGO FOR SNOWFLAKE!
What is Snowflake? It’s a day about fun, team building, and making positive choices with Bryan, Churchville, and Sandburg 7th and 8th grade students. This year’s event will be held in February, but we need to come up with a T-shirt design NOW!

The winners will receive free registration to Snowflake on February 7th!!!
Here are the rules:
· Any 7th or 8th grade student may submit an entry.
· The entry should fit the theme… REACH FOR THE STARS!
· It needs to fit on an 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper.
· It needs to be simple in design, but can be done in color.
· You can draw your design by hand, or it may be done on the computer.

Please turn in your designs to Miss Miller or Mrs. Blazejak by Thursday, November 14. You can also see either teacher if you have any questions.
All entries will be displayed at Snowflake on Saturday, February 7, at Bryan Middle School!

Extra Credit Opportunity! (due by Nov. 1st)

Lincoln Bicentennial
Signed, Sealed, Delivered

The Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission has launched a statewide envelope design contest with categories for kindergartners through adults. Winning designs will be featured on special limited-edition envelopes to be sold before and during February 2009.

The State Board of Education is a coordinating partner with the Commission by serving to enlist schools and students to participate in the envelope design contest. Contestants are not limited to students in Illinois schools, but anyone and everyone interested in participating in the Bicentennial art contest. Winners will be recognized in Springfield on February 12, 2009.

The U.S. Postal Service will offer a special Bicentennial cancellation on Lincoln’s 200th Birthday, February 12, 2009, at the Old State Capitol Historic Site in Springfield. Those who purchase the Bicentennial envelopes will have the opportunity to cancel them that day for a truly one-of-a-kind collectible. Funds raised from the sale of the envelopes will benefit the Tinsley Project, the effort to turn the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices building in downtown Springfield into a living history site, complete with Post Office identical to the one that operated in the building from 1841-1849. Next February, the U.S. Postal Service will also issue a block of four stamps to commemorate Lincoln’s 200th Birthday.

The top 200 envelope designs submitted will be used to create an exhibit entitled "Lincoln: As We Know Him" in the Old State Capitol during February and July 2009.

Those interested in submitting artwork for consideration should follow the rules and requirements below:

1. The categories for design entries include students in grades K – 7 and grades 8 – high school; college students and adult amateur artists; and adult professional artists. Please designate the category you are entering.

2. If the entrant is under age 18, the artist release must be submitted by parent, legal guardian or teacher.

3. Entrants must submit artwork that is proportionate to fit on a standard number 10 envelope with enough space left for address and postage.

4. The contest is open to Illinois residents only.

5. Entrants must submit the original, color artwork as a 300dpi or larger jpeg file to hpa.bicentennial@illinois.gov.

6. Entrants will be judged on their representation and interpretation of an image of Abraham Lincoln.

7. Entrants must supply the following information upon submission of artwork: Name, Address, Telephone Number, and E-mail Address.

8. Entries must be received on or before Saturday, November 1.

This is NOT a political ad... it's an extra credit opportunity!

No, I'm not pushing my political views onto you... but artist Shepard Fairey is. He is using his artwork to help support a candidate that he believes in (and you thought artists just painted pretty pictures...).

Shepard Fairey is pretty well-known. In fact, I bet you've seen his work and never even knew his name! The artwork he is most known for is referred to as the "Obey Giant." But he's done some other artistic projects you might be familiar with as well - he designed the loading screen for Guitar Hero II, and the game menu of Tony Hawk's American Wasteland features some of his art as well.

So how does all of this equal extra credit for you? One of two options:
1. Find another artist creating political posters/artwork for either candidate, and tell me about it (web links would be nice - provide the address, please, so I can check it out).
2. Look up Shepard Fairey, and tell me about another one of his artworks (besides the Obama and Obey Giant pieces) that you enjoyed - and WHY.

Don't forget about the posting rules to the right! Thanks!

"F" Term Extra Credit

Last extra credit question for this school year...

What is the best art project you've ever done at school (at Sandburg or at elementary school) and WHY?

"E" term extra credit question.

How does ART affect your life?

(I mean art in the general sense - not specifically art class...)

Extra Credit "D" Term Art Question:

You know that feeling you get when you're making art and you get in "the zone" - when you're so engrossed in your work that you don't even notice other things going on around you?

Try to transport yourself (mentally) to that time, and try to describe what the environment is typically like. Is there music? If so, what kind? Any other noises or things going on, or do you prefer total silence? Are there other people around you, or do you need to be alone? What's the temperature like? Are you wearing shoes or comfy slippers - or even barefoot?!

(When posting, be sure to follow the rules located in the column on the right.)

Last day of "C" term art - DO THIS!!!

7th grade art classes - you will be sitting in the computer lab during class on the last day of art "C" term (1/25/08). During this time, I'd like you to give me your final thoughts on art this year. Please give me a well-thought paragraph (minimum) about art class this year. Here are some questions to guide you along:

• What was your favorite project or activity in class, and why?
• What was your least favorite project or activity, and why?
• If you were the art teacher, how would you run class differently?
• Tell me 3 new things that you learned in art class this year.
• Was there a medium you wanted to work with, but did not get to? What was it?
• What advice would you give to 6th graders about art class for next year?
• If you could repeat 7th grade art class over again, what would YOU do differently?
• Is art class hard? Is it supposed to be?
• What is art, anyways?

Please post your answers here on the blog in the form of a comment. You may choose to write your reply in a word document and then copy/paste your words into the comment form, if that is easier. Don't forget to include your first name and class period!