Scratch Board Landscapes

I am so proud of my students.

Scratch board can be a challenge. Students are used to making marks that are dark and with scratching, the lines are light. (My co-worker does not do it with students until they are in Art two or three) For me, I felt like scratch board was a natural progression after working with shape and line, specifically line personality and line quality. I took it as an opportunity to review foreground, middle ground and background as well. Plus, we discussed texture and touched upon value.

We watched a couple of YouTube videos that I feel worked really well to reiterate key points.

We watched the second one first (sorry, I am just learning how to import videos). It totally caught students' attention and the music was energizing. We watched the first few seconds a second time in order to really catch how she began her scratch board. I encouraged students to take notes too. After watching the second video, I asked a few follow up questions and drew examples of hatching, cross hatching and stippling on the board. 

I think what also allowed students to be successful with the scratch board was supplying them with many, many visuals. I have collected numerous landscapes over the years, from calendars to magazine pages and postcards. These provided students with a great starting point. That, and their cellphones. Many worked from images they had or found.

I also noticed early on that many were intimidated by the scratch board. After watching the videos, we simulated drawing with scratch board by experimenting with white charcoal on black paper. It was a real challenge NOT to outline shapes before filling them in. Seeing this, I put together a Power Point for one of the following classes. 

 

I borrowed some info from here. Mainly the idea of what they might do when they really don't want to. Check out the man in profile illustration. I think that image really helped to put things in perspective for students. 

I followed that with several examples of landscapes. We discussed a couple, pointing out foreground, middle ground and background as well as scratching techniques. Finally, the last slide was a sunset with a palm tree. It looked okay at first glance but I asked students what was the big "mistake"... outlining the palm tree. I then asked, if it was their image, what would you do to improve it? This got students to think of all aspects of the page. They realized, upon further inspection, that the light source was not consistent and that areas were left black when it was supposed to be light out. 

 

I felt like a genius! Engaging students in this way made all the difference. 

The two images in this post were just the two I was able to snap. There was a huge success rate. And if anything, students realized that the creation of art is a thought process and one that takes effort and care.

From here we are moving on to observational drawing with emphasis on contour lines, followed by volumetric drawing.

If you would like the power point presentation for this lesson, please feel free to leave a comment with your email. I love sharing!

Atmospheric Perspective Watercolor and Acrylic "Studies"

I am really proud of my sixth grade students who followed through with this challenging assignment. Our schedule was very broken up right before the holiday break, so even though I started this with all students, only a few finished. This was a challenge not only for the students, but for me. After each class I needed to reflect and take note of what worked and what didn't work. As I suppose I should with any lesson, but this one in particular needed extra thought.

There have been multiple pins floating around lately of assignments using the basic concept of value to define space. One of the units in the sixth grade curriculum focuses on nature, so to continue our study of trees, I thought this would be a nice follow up and addition. I was inspired by this pin:

from Pinterest

I made sure to test the materials before I started this assignment. I like to try my assignments first so I know what might be frustrating for students and have some tips ready. The trickiest part of this painting was the timing. For the background we used watercolor which needed to dry before applying the acrylic layers of gray and black.

1. We started out viewing a completed work and talked about what we saw. Kids picked up right away that it looked "3D." I would ask why and list things like overlapping and shade on the board. I wrapped it up by talking about atmospheric perspective. I knew that in science students had recently learned about atmosphere so I explained that a way to remember atmospheric perspective in art, is that there is more atmosphere between us and the farthest horizon. Therefore it looks hazier, the atmosphere starts to blur the details. 
2. Students then decided what colors they wanted to use to describe the time of day in their painting and used watercolor to fill a 9x12 page. I challenged students to blend at least two colors. I also showed them how to use paper towel to create texture (and in some cases pick up excess/too much paint).
3. If there was any time left in the first class period, students planned the placement of their trees and horizon lines on newsprint.
4. The next class began by talking about value and a review of atmospheric perspective. Each student was given a small palette and brush. Tables shared water cups and had a small container each of black and white acrylic, which could be scooped onto their palettes with pop sticks.
5. Thankfully, I have a document camera, which after a disastrous first class, I realized I should use for the following steps. First of all, I was able to show them what their work station should look like, including about how much paint should be on the palette. Next, we drew the farthest horizon line and small trees, like their sketch, right over the watercolor painted page from last class. 
6. Using the document camera again, I explained how to make a very light value that would be used for the trees and land farthest away. 
7. After a few minutes of working, I would ask for ideas about what we would do next. Remembering atmospheric perspective, most student understood that the next layer would be a little darker. I again modeled with the document camera. At this point, the students understood the patterned and worked independently.

I find it really interesting the wide range of brush "techniques" student used. I think in order for this to be more successful, I need to go back to basics. I made the assumption that sixth graders would know how to hold a brush. I also made the assumption that after drawing trees for an earlier assignment, students would know how to paint the silhouette of trees. Overall, the complete images are really beautiful (and already caught the attention of their homeroom teachers) and I would try this lesson again.

Symmetrical Monochromatic Paintings

Another gem from school years passed AND based on a lesson from Making Amazing Art.
I think these paintings were by fifth and sixth graders my second year of teaching, as a way to introduce color, value and balance.

1. Create a symmetrical drawing.

The original lesson called for an outline of a butterfly. I didn't want these preteens to be insulted, so we stuck to abstract, tessellated designs.

a. Fold a piece of paper in half hot dog or hamburger, and draw any kind of line that starts at the top and ends at the bottom. This was a great way to review kinds of line as well. 
b. Add five more lines to break up the two shapes. Remember to use a variety of lines to add more interest. Keeping the number of lines limited helps to not make the final composition an overwhelming design. (As it was, these took weeks!)
c. Re- trace all the lines heavy and dark with pencil.
d. Fold the paper in the opposite direction and apply pressure in order to make the lines "jump" to the other side. There are multiple methods to transfer the lines, but you don't want to spend a ton of time with retracing everything perfectly because painting takes the most time.

2. Pick a color and paint!

• Make sure to introduce or review value and monochromatic color schemes. 
• Remind students that for their paintings to be truly symmetrical, whatever value they paint in one shape, they must paint the corresponding shape the same value.
• Demonstrate the process you want your students to use when mixing their own paint values and clean up procedures. 

In my room, each student gets their own "palette" or Styrofoam lunch tray and is responsible for their own materials. Tables are labeled by color and each are called to the sink by me. Clean up time has to be an orchestrated event for chaos not to ensue. My students know the routine and know my expectations. (And it took a lot of patience and learning on my behalf to figure out what works!) 

3. Retrace original lines in black if desired.

Willow Pattern Plates in progress

I can't wait any longer! I have to share how our Willow Pattern Plates are coming out.

In the beginning  of DECEMBER, grade six  read The Willow Pattern Story by Allan Drummond. We discussed illustration, pattern, value and monochromatic. Students made a rough draft of a design illustrating a part of the story, the entire story or their own story. We are now finishing up painting our design on sturdy paper plates, adding some details with blue sharpie and finally coating the plates with a nice, shiny varnish.

On the right side of this picture, a student has her story map handy. After we read, we filled it out in order to remember the story the next few classes, but also to remember certain elements which could add to our design AND its good practice for upcoming standardized test.

Each set of tables has a tray with two kinds of blue acrylic and white. Students scoop with a pop stick a small amount of paint into the palate as needed. Each student is in charge of cleaning up her own supplies and I call table colors up to the sink a couple at a time.

not yet finished, but paying close attention to detail and craftsmanship

I love how he created a square in the circle. Not yet finished.

first one done out of over 100 students. very painterly.

this student decided to tell his own story. something about Sumo wrestling.

Many of the boys in this class enjoyed the part of the story where the star crossed lovers are placed in a maze. I love the color of this maze!

an underwater story!

the girls loved the part where the star crossed lovers become immortal doves. simple and beautiful.

Goals for the 2011/ 2012 School Year or Activities (techniques/concepts) to Revist

F.Y.I. It has been ingrained in me since my days at UMD with my all my art education professors, to say "activity" instead of "project."

Looking through my photos, I think I have posted about most of the lessons I documented last school year. There are a few however that didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, for various reasons. So, with a new school year (at a new school and with new age group) just weeks away, I think I will make a list of things I'd like to "re-do" or try again.

Weaving
I tried a pattern (strips) pumpkin paper weaving last fall, with 3rd grade.
Ultimately, like any activity, there were fantastic woven pumpkins, while others were finished, but not entirely correctly. I'd like it to have a higher success rate.

see at the bottom left and top right

A few things didn't work:
1. Being the "new" art teacher, I only had these students for a few weeks at this point, and I did not fully know their capabilities. Some knew how to weave, some did not.
2. Timing- if I recall, this "one class period" lesson I found in a Scholastic book, took us two class periods.
3. Not having the right words- something I struggle with is phrasing directions in an appropriate, "kid" language, while still using the correct art terms and formal language.

If I did this again, I would possibly do some lead up, practice weaving sorts of activities. I think I would also make the pumpkin warp bigger for smaller hands. I would also nail down the language that would work best, before presenting the material.

As I will not being teaching 3rd grade this year, my goal would be to teach weaving this winter. There is a TON of yarn at my new school, and pre- notched cardboard looms begging to be used! The one other time I taught weaving, I had 12 kids in the class and I made the looms myself. I think making a small tapestry during the cold New England winter will be a perfect activity for my seventh or eighth graders.

Observational Drawing

Now transitioning to all middle school, all the time, I need to get into a different mind set. Middle school kids get it stuck in their head that art, and in particular drawing, is only good if it is realistic. While I don't agree with that, and will try to change their minds over the course of the year, I do want to give them tools to become better drawers.

These two observational drawings are done by 5th grade students. I feel like the process worked well and I would like to use it with my middle schoolers this year.

I had a couple of boxes at the back of the room, filled with the random nick nacks only art teachers could have. (Seriously, a fish on a stick!) I randomly called on a student to select an item. I encouraged certain sized items, but the choice was theirs. They then brought the item to a table in the front of the room, and the class sketched. After a few minutes, the next student selected an item and placed it behind the previous item. As a class, we made observations using key terms, and added the new item to the sketch. We continued this process until our square was filled. Over two classes, we did about 4, small sketches. 
We had also talked about value and had previously completed a "shattered" value, abstract drawing. I feel like the transition from that activity, to this drawing helped the kids understand the concept more completely and then were able to practically apply the idea. I feel like there could be more contrast in the values in these drawings, but then I have to remember that this was 5th grade! How great is this 5th grade drawing!? And, in just 2 classes?

So back to middle school, a goal for the year would be to complete more activities that build drawing skills.

3D
Two little characters that when placed next to each other, evoke fear and anxiety in the hearts of some art teachers. --I tried this past school year, I really did. Not until the end of the year, but I did try.

Actually, both 3D- ish lessons we did came from There's a Dragon in my Art Room. We made abstract cardboard sculptures in 5th grade and Louise Nevelson inspired shoe box top reliefs in 6th grade. Unfortunately I do not have photos of the cardboard sculptures, as we finished them about a day before the end of school. However, I managed to collect so many pieces of cardboard, that I lugged two boxes full to my new school yesterday.

There are two reasons why I feel like I avoid 3D activities:
1. The "engineer" part of my brain is not strong. I feel like I would be unable to answer construction questions.
2. Managing 100+ student works is like trying to flamenco dance. I don't know the steps, I don't know how to contort or balance. Chances are I am going to fall or step on some feet. However, with practice, the dance can be beautiful.
So for the new school year, my goal is to learn, plan, and manage a few more 3D activities.

Seriously, how cool would a wall of these be?