October 2016 Art Blog

TK & Kindergarten: Leaf Prints

TK students used green leaves to create ghost prints. Students learned to use a brayer to roll white printing ink onto the leaves and use the inked leaves to create ghostly looking prints on a black paper. 

Kindergarten students were introduction to watercolor and printing. Students were taught the wet-on-wet watercolor technique - using a water wash on the paper, on which a color is applied while the paper is still wet.  

The myriad patterns and textures found on fall leaves, which were collected around campus were transferred by placing wet leaves onto a yellow underpainting. Students painted on top of the leaves with a variety of colors. Leaves must stay on background until completely dry! The result - soft backgrounds contrasted with beautiful textured patterns from nature!

To create a frame for the leaf prints, students experiment printing with different tools such as corks, forks, tubes, etc. to print a pattern. 

1st GRADE:

Color Theory: Fall Colors/Leaf Composition

First grade students were introduced to their first color theory lesson. We read the wonderful book titled “Mouse Paint” by Ellen Stoll Walsh and learned about primary colors. Students used the primary colors to mix beautiful fall colors and painted an entire large background with colors you might see looking at fall leaves. 

During the second part of this painting unit, students were introduced to the concept of how artists compose/arrange and plan their paintings. By overlapping and cropping leaves, students created interesting, dynamic compositions of fall leaves, outlined with black paint on their previously painted backgrounds. 

2nd GRADE: Color Theory, Color Wheel

Second grade students were introduced to the basics of color theory. Students were fascinated by the connection of art and science and how all the colors in the color wheel can be mixed by using just the three primary colors. Students had the opportunity to mix their very own color wheels using only red, yellow and blue.

Warm/Cool Color Sun/Moon Study

Second grade students continued their studies with color theory working with the two color schemes warm and cool. Students sketched imaginary, circular sun/moon compositions and used a color marker/water wash technique to carefully color in the sun/moon compositions with warm/cool color combinations. Students also practiced giving peer feedback written on post-it notes. Students were directed to start their feedback notes with: I notice...., I wonder....

3rd  GRADE:  Impressionistic Water Lilies

Third grade students created moody water lilies as an interpretation of the works of Claude Monet (1840-1926), who was a founder of French Impressionist painting. He was the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement’s philosophy of expressing one’s perception of nature, especially as applied to “plein-air”, or outdoor, landscape painting. Monet was very fond of painting nature, using his own garden in Giverny, France, where his famous paintings of water lilies, ponds and bridges were inspired. 

For this project, students learned about Monet’s life, and viewed samples of his work, taking notes and sketching in their art journals, then applying Monet's impressionistic and distinct style to their very own version of water lilies. Students painted their water lily compositions in a glue/soft pastel technique. Students practice to apply a variety of colors and color transitions, capturing impressions of different moods. 

4th GRADE:  Life-Size Posters inspired by Keith Haring

Four grade students were introduced to the works of Pop artist Keith Haring. Haring (1958-1990) was famous in the 1980s for his often large scale art, which was a mixture of graffiti and pop art. He used bright colors and simplistic, cartoon like images, expressing his social, emotional, and political views. 

Student recorded important facts about Haring in their art journals and viewed samples of this work. Focusing on Haring's iconic imagery students analyzed a few samples of his works and used "his clues" (color, symbols, and motion marks) to identify, and guess Haring's message to the viewer. 

Students sketched ideas to express a message or thought in a Keith Haring style. Students presented their ideas in assigned groups and worked on combining their ideas to create one large scale poster.  Each group selected one-two students to act as models for their poster.  Group members directed the models to lay down onto the poster paper in a specific pose and traced around their bodies. Each group carefully selected bright colors to paint their life size posters. Can you guess the students' message/idea/story they are communicating? 

Bacich 4th grade students will have the honor to showcase their "Life-Size", collaborative paintings inspired by Keith Haring:

When: November 11, 2016, 5:00-8:00pm (one night exhibit)

Where: Art Works Downtown, 1337 Fourth Street, San Rafael 

Gallery: Multipurpose Room

Please bring your family and friends.