This week in art: August 26 - 30

6th Grade:


In sixth grade, we've been working hard, constructing 3-dimensional cardboard letters.  It was really fun to see how our knowledge of drawing 2-dimensional block letters (from sketchbook drawing #1) could be useful in another art project.  Today (Friday), we began applying paper mache to our cardboard forms.  We'll finish that step next week, and start the decorating process, too!  This week, we also turned in our first sketchbook assignment (it was due Thursday) - so be on the lookout for our first Artsonia gallery uploads coming very soon!

7th Grade:


Seventh grade is well into their first painting project.  On Monday and Tuesday, we used Adobe Photoshop to alter digital portraits that will be used for our paintings.  By Thursday, we began mixing paint colors and practicing painting in value scales.  We explored tints and shades, and saw the sometimes surprising results when colors mix!  By Friday, most students had begun painting their final self-portraits.  Want a preview?  You can check out last year's paintings here.

We also turned in our first sketchbook assignment on Thursday, so be on the lookout for grades to be posted and artwork to be uploaded on Artsonia real soon!

8th Grade:


Look how far we've come on our clay mug projects!  These clay pieces will be fully functional by the end of the quarter!  After the bisque firing, we'll paint our mugs with food-safe glaze, so we can actually enjoy beverages out of them.  Pretty neat.

Today (Friday), our first sketchbook assignments were due.  Stay up-to-date on your art grades via Powerschool, and watch out for our first 8th grade Artsonia uploads very soon!

In other news...


Have you seen our Sandburg student artwork on the "blocks" sculpture in downtown Elmhurst City Centre? It's right in front of Brainfreeze, on the south side of the train tracks!



All of the artwork is from last year's 6th and 7th graders (aka this year's 7th and 8th graders!).  It's a project that's been in the making since last spring!  I was so excited when I finally got to see it in person!

Thanks for another great week!
- Mrs. L.

Welcome Back 2013-14!

We're back!  Welcome to a new school year filled with amazing art classes!  Each week (typically Fridays), I'll post here and give you a re-cap of what happened in each grade level during art class.  I like to include pictures and other fun goings-on and news stories sometimes, too.  Let's get this started!

6th Grade Art:


Sixth grade art is at the end of the day this year (8th & 9th periods).  Sometimes we're a little tired, but mostly it's a super relaxing and fun way to end our days.  During our first week, we completed a mini-project in order to fill the bulletin boards for Open House (next week already - eek!).  We traced our hands onto colored paper, decorated it, and wrote down some of our favorite things about art.  The last half of the week, we began our first sketchbook assignment: our names, drawn in block letters, and given a 3-D effect using 1-point perspective.  This finished sketch will be due next Thursday (8/29).

7th Grade Art:


Seventh grade art is in the middle of the day (4th & 5th periods), right before lunch!  After the usual first day business, we completed a short "hand" project in the style of 6th grade art (see above).  The bulk of our week was spent learning about 2-point perspective shapes: we drew boxes that are on, above, or below our line of sight.  These boxes will be transformed into a surreal landscape drawing!  We looked at examples of surreal art from Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, and Meret Oppenheim for inspiration.  This drawing will be due next Thursday, August 29th.

8th Grade Art:

This year, eighth grade art is first thing in the morning (1st & 2nd periods)!  What a great way to kick off the day!



Just like 6th & 7th students, we began our art class with a quick "hand project" where we traced our hands onto colored paper, decorated it, and wrote different things we like about art.  When they're all displayed together, the impact is pretty fun.  We then started our first sketchbook assignment: a profile zentangle drawing (it'll be in black and white, filled with patterns/symbols/objects that tell about ourselves), which was made by tracing our actual face onto a sheet of drawing paper!  This drawing will be due next Friday, August 30th.

On Friday, we began planning for our CLAY PROJECT!  Students have a plan drawing to complete (due Monday!) of a clay mug design that has a "book" theme.  It can be a favorite book, or a genre/type of books, like mysteries, sci-fi, or historical fiction.  Students cannot use clay next week until this plan drawing is finished, so don't forget!

In other news...

I like to do something new with the art classroom each year, if possible.  This year, I turned the two large columns in the art room into GIGANTIC POP ART PENCILS!



Pretty cool, huh?

Thanks for a great week to kick-off the school year!
-Mrs. L.