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.

Today in class:
1. Story time about Norman Rockwell "A Boy and His Dog"
2. Video- Pencil Drawing with Gail Price
3. Texture in your face drawing activity
4. Reminder HW is due Friday
5. Hand back graded work

HW:
1. Sketchbook activity due on Friday- Draw a superhero or a super villian

No school on Thursday!

Students looking at the Norman Rockwell exhibit with the help of NC Museum of the Art's tour guides.
Students posing beside one of Auguste Rodin's sculptures.
Students' sketching in the Rodin gallery from his sculptures.We all made ourselves comfortable as we sketched.
One of the tour guides discussing some of the details of Rockwell's work with the group.

HW:
~Sketchbook activity due on Friday: draw a super hero or a super villan

More Photos from Friday!Lacy teaching 2nd period students how to attach one piece of clay onto another piece of clay.
Michael working on his mask with his design in the bottom of the photo.
Tyler etching into the clay of his mask.
Laura adding details to her mask.
Marshall adds horns to his mask.
Maria works on the intricate details of her mask. You can see the design on the table.
Amber teaches 4th period students the score, slip and join method of attaching one piece of clay to another piece of clay.
Students listen intently to Amber's instructions.

Today we worked on the following activities.
1. Discuss tomorrow's fieldtrip
2. Art History Video: Rubens
3. Notes on texture
4. Drawing Activity: texture in your face

HW:
1. Weekly sketchbook check- draw a super hero

Today we finished working on our masks. We will let the masks dry out and then underglaze the masks and fire them in the kiln.
To review, Hunter demonstrated how to attach one piece of clay to another using the score, slip, and join method.
Students listened intently to his instructions.Madalynn works on her masks. You can see her design in the bottom of the photo. Megan recreates her drawn design out of clay as well.

Have a great weekend!