Light and Color

We have officially entered the world of color!

This photo is courtesy of one of my seniors in our Art One course. 

I'll explain how she made it in a moment.

Much of this introductory lesson is adapted from Exploring Visual Design.
Through our first activity, I attempted to emphasize the importance of color. With the desks in groups of four, I placed a black and white photocopy of an image at each set of tables and asked the group to discuss what was in the image, what the story might be and what the mood or emotion is that the artist is trying to convey.
After a few minutes of discussion, I asked for them to make predictions: What color would each item be? How might the story change?
Then I gave students the color copy and they compared. I loved hearing the ohhhs and ahhhs. Color made a huge difference?

But where does it come from? What is it?
I enlisted the help of someone a little more qualified:

From the video we learned about light, white light and the reflection and absorption of color. We briefly talked about neutrals as well.
Next, we played around with light and the reflection of light and color. I borrowed some gels from the drama teacher and allowed students to use the camera on their phones plus the filters to see what happens when certain colors are filtered out.

This doesn't seem like much, but the blue is greatly intensified. Plus, extra kudos for composition.

The wizard was part of our drama production last year. Looks menacing with an extra layer of green!

Same subtlety as the blue and interesting composition.

Probably one of my favorites. Great composition.
Seems like everyone had fun, just hope students actually learned something.

Hershey Kisses and Coal

I am still a little in shock that we completed the week relatively unscathed.
I pumped myself up for a long week of behavior issues, attitude and anxiety after students received their progress reports and we all waited for the holiday break. (Thats awful, but like a big game, you have to psych yourself out) Maybe I got used to the high energy of middle school students before vacation, but the week was calm while students continued to work on their value drawings.

I didn't want to be a complete scrooge, so Friday we took it easy.
I started class, when technology was working for me, with the Disney short, Paperman. If you have not seen it, go do a quick youtube search. The imagery is beautiful and the story is classic Disney. There is no dialogue, but much like the images students have been working on, it is a visual language.
As the movie came to an end, I passed each student a baggie with three Hershey Kisses and a black piece of paper (my dorky art teacher self referred to the paper as a lump of coal... nerd). I asked students to try not to eat all the candy, but leave at least one to try to draw on the black paper with charcoal.

It was not an easy challenge. However I was not met with resistance... either students now know me too well or really didn't mind. I forgot to take pictures through out the day, so the selection above was from my last class. 

I wanted to try it out too! Thats my drawing above. 

The last twenty five minutes or so of class, students chose their own art adventure. I had these handouts and supplies available. The top half of this handout came from Tiny Art Room. I added another challenge and re-phrased a couple of things.

All in all, students were entertained, I snuck in some learning and we're now on VACATION!

Celebrity Half Challenge

A huge emphasis in our Art One curriculum is learning about observation and value in drawing. To be totally fair, I drew a lot in high school, but didn't really "get it" until college. As a second year high school teacher, I am still trying to find that balance of what is art one really about and how can my students be successful?

Term Two started with some observational drawing, value scales and vocabulary. We discussed cast shadow, full light area, half tone and reflected light, taking notes and practicing gradations. I did the same along with the students, under a document camera that I am borrowing from the Drama department, which was projected in the front of the room. oooh ahhh technology. But it caught the students' attention! We then drew pumpkins like the ones above.

Next we broke things down into simple, geometric shapes. Under spot lights on tripods, students observed cast shadow, full light and reflected light on spheres, cones and cubes. This part was totally boring to them. I knew it and tried to emphasize that everything they will draw from here on out can be simplified to these shapes... and that this was so important that I am counting it as a "project" grade.

I kind of just threw together the next assignment as a filler between observation and their own value drawing, but I am so, sooo glad I did. Inspired by this pin, I typed up very specific directions, with a vague rubric, as I am counting this as a mini project grade as well.

Students were asked that as they finish their observational shape drawings and value scales, to go into our small (six) computer lab and find a picture of a celebrity.

After cutting the picture in half and pasting one side to a new paper, they were asked to observe the value and proportions from the discarded half or the pasted side, in order to recreate the other half.

I am overjoyed for these kids.
Many were taking pictures of their work with their cellphones before turning it in. One even posted it to Instragram and another told me he was trying to prove to his mom what he had accomplished in art class.
From a teacher stand point, this was a fabulous exercise. Students didn't want to "mess up" because they wanted their celebrity to look as real as possible. They had to draw upon everything I have taught them about observation and measuring, as well as value, and making comparisons between lights and darks. The face can even be broken down into spheres, which they had already drawn. As students were working, they were actively seeking feedback from me and their peers, taking photos and making considerations about how to improve. What more could you ask for!?
Again, I am so very proud. From here, students have been given the task to create a drawing that uses value, communicates an idea and defines the space. Many are overwhelmed by the openness, but we spent a couple of days in the library looking for images and inspiration, so our creativity gears are turning. Look for value drawing final images sometime in December or January!

New Room

It seems like school is back in session for most of my blogger buddies. I've been jealous looking at photos of cute elementary and middle school art rooms, knowing there is not much I can do with my room(s) at the high school. I think my teens are beyond color coded table buckets, but you betcha I will be labeling supplies!

Above is a photo of what will be my homeroom and where I will teach two classes. My other three classes will be taught in the room in the back. For some reason, that room is bigger by about three feet and actually a rectangle. My homeroom is this weird, uneven quadrangle so no matter how I have tried to arrange the desks so that I am not bumping into them, its going to be squishy somewhere.

I am sure you are wondering what that big, green head is. This room is used as a changing room for drama performances, and is a bit of a hang out spot after school. Our photo teacher also does set design and this year will be the jack of all auditorium needs. The green head is the all powerful Oz from last year's drama production. A part of me wishes I could hang it from the ceiling with the lights still in the eyes. 

I love the high ceilings and the natural sunlight. There is even a skylight (which I am sure will prove to be annoying once we start observational drawing!) This year the art department, if you can call us that, since we don't have a department head, is two full time teachers and one part time. This is the space I set up for the part time and I.

And this is our big project this week as we prepare for school to start after labor day. Remember how I said this room was a hang out spot after school? Yea, kids destroyed the supply closet. That is paint on the floor...
Last year, I left this building at eleven in the morning to go teach at another school. All my classes were in the other room, so while I put my two cents in, there was nothing I could do. I  have my "do not enter" sign from my last supply closet, laminated and ready to go.