Have a Great Holiday Break! See you in 2011!
~Mrs. Highsmith

Today in class:
1. Art History Video- prehistoric art
2. Unity discussion
3. Mosaic project explanation
4. Work on Mosaic Project

Homework:
Bring in old magazines
Turn in all make-up work

Today in class we glazed our pinch pot critters. I can't wait to see what they look like when they come out of the kiln!


4th period students listening to Zach, the program director at the Cabarrus Arts Council Gallery, explain some of the artwork.

Joe's self-portrait
Isa's self-portrait

Field Trip to Cabarrus Art Council Gallery! Pictures soon to come!

HOMEWORK:
1. Bring in magazines for EC!
2. Self-portraits were due today but several students need to turn them in!
3. Weekly sketchbook check- Draw a landscape (due Friday)
4. Progress Report Signed

Students' Oil Pastel Painting

Hunter's interpretation of Vincent van Gogh's Irises
Raquel's interpretation of Vincent van Gogh's Church
DJ's interpretation of Vincent van Gogh's Chair

Students' Self-Portraits!

Hunter
DJ
Tyler
Katie
Adriana
Lacy

It is Art History Monday again. Today we watched the art history video on the famous artist, Vincent van Gogh. Next we looked at one of van Gogh's most famous paintings, Starry Night. We discussed how van Gogh used the art principles of variety, emphasis, and harmony in the painting. Next, I demonstrated how to use oil pastels to mimic van Gogh's style of painting. Then the students worked on their own to create their own oil pastel paintings. Progress reports are being sent home today. They need to be signed and returned. If you have any questions please email or call me here at the school.

Homework:
1. Bring in old magazines for an up coming project.
2. Self-portrait due on Wednesday.
3. Weekly Sketchbook due on Friday. Draw a landscape(real or imaginary)
4. Returned signed progress report.

Today in class we continued working on our self-portraits.Jaime's self-portraitMadalynn and Raquel's self-portraitsKasandra and Whitney's self-portrait

Today in class we continued working on our self-portraits.

DJ working on his self-portrait.A better view of his drawing.

We began class with storytime. The book was called "The Dot". Then I demo-ed to the class how to shade skin tones with color pencils. But most students are not at the point to begin using colored pencils on their project yet. After the demo, students finished creating line drawing with the aid of the grid. The next step in the process is to erase all grid lines. After the lines have been erased, students can begin shading clothes and the background.

Homework: due Friday!
1. Signed December newsletter
2. Sketchbook activity: draw a scene from your favorite movie or TV show
3. Finish and turn in facial feature project

Today in class:
1. Written reflection on previous project
2. Grid white paper
3. Grid photo
4. Create a line drawing using the grid

Homework- Due Friday:
1. Signed December newsletter
2. Sketchbook Activity- draw a scene from your favorite movie
3. Turn in finished facial features project

Today is Art History Monday. We began class watching the art history video on the British Master, Turner. After the art history video we watched a video clip on how to draw lips with computer software. After watching the first clip, we watch a second clip on how to draw lips with graphite pencils. After watching the clips, we drew a pair of lips together as a class. Then the students drew 2 more sets of lips to finish up the project. Examples of the project are included below.

Today we learned how to draw noses. This is a very difficult facial feature to draw because there are no lines only value changes. But the students are doing great. I'll be sure to post pictures on Monday. Have a great weekend.

Today we learned how to draw the human ear. This is not an easy facial feature, but the students tried really hard. Their drawings are much improved from the ears they drew on Monday. We watched a video on how to draw an ear using Microsoft paint and then a video clip on how to draw a human ear with graphite. Then we drew an ear together. After drawing the ear together as a class, the students drew two more ears on their own using the magazine photos as reference materials.

Today we started my favorite drawing project, facial features. Students usually can see real improvements in their drawing abilities from the beginning to the end of the project. We began class by watching a video online "How to draw an eye with Microsoft Paint Software". This video never fails to grab the students attention. After the video we practice using the paper strip viewfinders to focus in on the eyes in magazine advertisements. Next, we watched a video clip on how to draw eyes. This video the artist was working with graphite (like us). Then using the steps we learned in the video, we drew an eyeball together as a class. These eyeballs were much better than the eyeballs that students drew on Monday. It is amazing the difference in just 2 days. After drawing together as a class, students drew 2 more eyes on their own.

Hunter's eyeball drawing.Raquel working on her second drawing.Jaime's eye drawing with the help of the viewfinder.

Visual Journals!Ali and Shelley drawing eyes in their visual journal page. Kristina and Courtney use the reference materials at their desks to accurately draw their eyes.

Today in class:

1. Art History Video- Vermeer
2. Draw an eye, an ear, a nose, and a mouth.
3. Video- how to draw faces (intro to our next project)

HW:
1. Write a generic thank you/happy holidays letter to a soldier serving overseas.
~check spelling
~ minimum of 8 sentences
~ suggestions: tell about yourself, thank him or her, wish him/her happy holidays

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the long break; I know I will! (:

Congratulations Katie! Katie, one of the students in my 2nd period art class, is a winner! Katie's design was selected by North Carolina Big Sweep to be used on this years t-shirts and posters. I am so proud!

Today we watched the next video in our art history video series. Today we watched the video about the life of Rembrandt. This video will lead us in to our next two projects (facial features and self-portraits) that we will begin when we return from Thanksgiving break.

Next we finished up our tiger drawings that we started on Friday. While working on the tiger drawings, students went in small groups to take photos for their self-portraits.

As students finished their work for the day, they were allowed to start working on their homework due tomorrow. The homework for the week is a "free drawing".

Today we read a short story, "Katie Meets the Impressionists" before getting back into our impressionist paintings.Next we took a quiz on pottery terms. I have been very impressed with our grades! Great job guys and girls!

Then we continued working on our impressionist watercolor paintings.Shelly working on her painting.Rachel's finished painting.

Finally, those that finished the watercolor paintings early began working on a drawing of a tiger. These drawings will be submitted to the MPHS prom committee who is putting together a 2011 calendar.Daniel drawing his tiger.

Today we started class by reviewing, for the last time before our quiz tomorrow, our pottery terms. While students were studying their flashcards, I handed out graded artwork. Next, we watched a video on the Impressionist Painters. Finally, we used watercolor paint and copied one of Monet's famous impressionist painting.Monet's paintingMegan's working on her paintingKristina and Courtney's painting

More Fun With Pinch Pot Critters!

AC's penquin
Nathan's turtle
Courtney's horse
Ali's raccoon
Victoria's ladybug
Madalynn's squirrel
Lainey's pig
Whitney's penquin
Hunter's elephant

Our pinch pot critters look great!

Today we started class by making flashcards for pottery terms. Students should study these flashcards each night to prepare for the quiz on Friday.Tyler working on his flashcards.

Next, we added attachments to our pinch pot critters. They are starting to take shape.Dylan adding ears to his pinch pot critter.Michael and Grayson adding attachments to their pinch pot critters.

Art History Monday means that we started the day off with one of our art history videos about the Spanish painter- Velazquez. The we made two medium sized pinch pots and joined them together to make a hollow sphere. It sounds easy, but trust me it is harder than it seems.

Homework for the week:
1. Signed November Newsletter- returned by Friday
2. Sketchbook activity due on Friday- draw a list of 5 things that make you happy

I think it is always hard to come back from a break, but at least it is already Friday! :) Today we are continuing our practice with visual texture. Next week we will return to making things out of clay which explores tactile texture. Ask your son or daughter if they can tell you the difference.

Today I am checking HW- draw a superhero or a super villain. This assignment was suggested by my students. I love it. Here are some of their drawings.Madalynn's "Batman"
Ali's "Hulk"

Then we worked on our assignment called "Texture in Your Face". This activity required students to draw from a large picture projected at the front of the class. We drew close-up pictures of snake skin and feathers.
Jordan drawing the snake skin.Example of the finished activity.

Finally we got to draw texture by looking at real objects and trying to recreate their texture on our paper in either colored pencils or pencils.Students tried to recreate the texture of the smooth. hard, blue glass with colored pencils.
Meagan drawing the blue glass.Students then had to draw the soft pale marshmallows.Jared and Alex drawing their marshmallows.