Happy Halloween
For the past several years I have been creating my halloween costume based upon famous paintings. This year I fancied the piece "Tree of Life" by Gustav Klimt.
TK and Kindergarten: Leaf Prints
TK and Kindergarten students were introduction to printing with leaves. TK students made ghost leaf prints and Kindergarten students worked on watercolor 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 under painting. 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!
1st grade: STEAM: Reflecting Light
This 1st grade STEAM lesson focused on exploration of light. Students experimented with materials which allow light to pass through them, and with others that allow only some light through, and others that block all the light. Students explored that mirrors can be used to redirect a light beam. (Boundary: The idea that light travels from place to place is developed through experiences with light sources, mirrors, and shadows, but no attempt was made to discuss the speed of light).
Mirror Walk: Students used one small mirror held close to their faces below their eyes, to walk around the classroom. Students explored the world around them through the upside-down image reflection in the mirror. Students were guided in the exploration how mirrors work. Students used artistic expressions to experiment with mirror reflection and duplication of their drawing and designs.
2nd GRADE: Warm/Cool Color Hand Study
Second grade students continued their studies with color theory, working with the color schema warm and cool. Through colors an artist can set a mood, attract attention, or make a statement. Color can be used to energize, or to calm down. By selecting the right color scheme, artists can create an ambiance of elegance, warmth or tranquility, or convey an image of playful youthfulness. Color can be an artist's most powerful design element if use effectively.
Colors affect us in numerous ways, both mentally and physically. A strong red color has been shown to raise blood pressure, while a blue color has a calming effect.
Students used colors consciously and harmoniously to create spectacular results.
Students traced their hands and sketched creative patterns and designs for their background compositions and used a color marker/water wash technique to carefully color in their hand compositions with warm/cool color combinations.
Colors affect us in numerous ways, both mentally and physically. A strong red color has been shown to raise blood pressure, while a blue color has a calming effect.
Students used colors consciously and harmoniously to create spectacular results.
Students traced their hands and sketched creative patterns and designs for their background compositions and used a color marker/water wash technique to carefully color in their hand compositions with warm/cool color combinations.
3RD GRADE: Chinese Brush Paintings
Third grade students have been studying the amazing art of Chinese Brush Painting. Students were introduced to the Chinese prodigy artist Yani, who became famous with her whimsical depictions of monkeys, as well as other traditional Chinese plants and animals when she was only 4 years old.
After a lot of practice, how to use a Chinese brush and ink correctly, students worked with 4 subjects Yani often depicted in her works: bamboo, orchid, crane, and monkey. The final paintings were painted on rice paper and each student created a “seal/chop” to print onto their finished piece.
A Chinese seal or chop is a stamp containing Chinese characters used in East Asia to prove identity on documents, contracts, art, or similar items of importance.
Chinese chops, or seals are used to inscribe a person's name or family name onto items such as government documents, art, and literary works. Used since the shang dynasty (s600-1046 BCE), Chinese chops were also seen as works of art.
The original use of Chinese chops may have been to help those who could not read easily identify certain characters on official government documents or even to make the documents appear official. Whether it was the emperor who could not read or write, or the people of the emperor's empire, using a chop to make a mark on a piece of paper helped everyone understand more about what they were being told.
Since ancient times, artists sign paintings with their chop. So did our 3rd grade students. In China, people who buy paintings often add their own chop. Some paintings from Ancient China have over 20 chop marks. The marks do not take away value from the painting but can actually increase the price depending on who purchased the parting over the years.
4th GRADE: Inktober
Inktober, the moth-long challenge where artist post one ink-drawing work for each day of the month according to a list of prompts. The rules of Inktober are simple: make an ink drawing - you are allowed to use a pencil under-drawing if you wish - and post your work on your favorite social media networks come October 1st with the hashtag of #inktober and
#inktober2019. Although lots of illustrators use this period as a great way to showcase their art, Inktober is open to anyone and everyone.
Inktober began in 2009 thanks to an artist who refers to himself as Mr. Jake Parker. Jake says on the Inktober website that he started Inktober as a way of challenging himself to improve his "inking skills" and as a way of developing positive drawing habits.
Mr. Jake Parker said: "Inktober is something I look forward to with my fellow artist and fans. I think it's a simple amazing concept; 31 Days, 31 Drawings". More and more drawing enthusiasts take part in Inktober each year. This holds artists either professional or amateur accountable for one another and fosters global sharing and connectivity between artists.
Bacich 4th grade students enthusiastically embraced the Inktober challenge and practiced the following ink techniques: ink blotting, pen and in drawing, and calligraphy.
Ink Blotting: For this blot painting technique students applied small amounts of ink on one side of a glossy folded photo paper with a brush. The artist then folds the paper and prints the black ink onto the other side of the fold creating a mirror image. The artist repeats the steps of adding more ink and folding the paper. By adding water and applying ink in the thin layers gorgeous color nuances can be achieved on the glossy photo paper.
Pen an Ink Drawing: Pen and ink drawing describes the process of using pens to apply ink to a surface. There are lots of pen and ink techniques artists use to create visual texture in their works. Students were introduced to the basics of pen and in drawing techniques using fine tipped sharpie pens. After practicing these techniques in their art journals students used their favorite pen and ink techniques to create strong ares of contrast, interest, and texture on top of their ink bolt paintings.
Calligraphy: Calligraphy from Greek is visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a broad tip instrument, brush, or other writing tool. A contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art o giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious, and skillful manner". Students were introduce to the practice of Faux Calligraphy, "faux" means false, fake, an imitation, essentially the same as traditional calligraphy, except more accessible for beginners.
No fancy pens are need to practice faux calligraphy, any old pen or pencils works. Although students had a chance to practice their lettering using dip ink pens with nibs and brush pens. Faux calligraphy is created by focusing on up- and -down stokes on each letter, going over the down stroke parts of the text to create bolder lines and filling in the lines to create the look of a fancy calligraphy tool.
A Chinese seal or chop is a stamp containing Chinese characters used in East Asia to prove identity on documents, contracts, art, or similar items of importance.
Chinese chops, or seals are used to inscribe a person's name or family name onto items such as government documents, art, and literary works. Used since the shang dynasty (s600-1046 BCE), Chinese chops were also seen as works of art.
The original use of Chinese chops may have been to help those who could not read easily identify certain characters on official government documents or even to make the documents appear official. Whether it was the emperor who could not read or write, or the people of the emperor's empire, using a chop to make a mark on a piece of paper helped everyone understand more about what they were being told.
Since ancient times, artists sign paintings with their chop. So did our 3rd grade students. In China, people who buy paintings often add their own chop. Some paintings from Ancient China have over 20 chop marks. The marks do not take away value from the painting but can actually increase the price depending on who purchased the parting over the years.
4th GRADE: Inktober
Inktober, the moth-long challenge where artist post one ink-drawing work for each day of the month according to a list of prompts. The rules of Inktober are simple: make an ink drawing - you are allowed to use a pencil under-drawing if you wish - and post your work on your favorite social media networks come October 1st with the hashtag of #inktober and
#inktober2019. Although lots of illustrators use this period as a great way to showcase their art, Inktober is open to anyone and everyone.
Inktober began in 2009 thanks to an artist who refers to himself as Mr. Jake Parker. Jake says on the Inktober website that he started Inktober as a way of challenging himself to improve his "inking skills" and as a way of developing positive drawing habits.
Mr. Jake Parker said: "Inktober is something I look forward to with my fellow artist and fans. I think it's a simple amazing concept; 31 Days, 31 Drawings". More and more drawing enthusiasts take part in Inktober each year. This holds artists either professional or amateur accountable for one another and fosters global sharing and connectivity between artists.
Bacich 4th grade students enthusiastically embraced the Inktober challenge and practiced the following ink techniques: ink blotting, pen and in drawing, and calligraphy.
Ink Blotting: For this blot painting technique students applied small amounts of ink on one side of a glossy folded photo paper with a brush. The artist then folds the paper and prints the black ink onto the other side of the fold creating a mirror image. The artist repeats the steps of adding more ink and folding the paper. By adding water and applying ink in the thin layers gorgeous color nuances can be achieved on the glossy photo paper.
Pen an Ink Drawing: Pen and ink drawing describes the process of using pens to apply ink to a surface. There are lots of pen and ink techniques artists use to create visual texture in their works. Students were introduced to the basics of pen and in drawing techniques using fine tipped sharpie pens. After practicing these techniques in their art journals students used their favorite pen and ink techniques to create strong ares of contrast, interest, and texture on top of their ink bolt paintings.
No fancy pens are need to practice faux calligraphy, any old pen or pencils works. Although students had a chance to practice their lettering using dip ink pens with nibs and brush pens. Faux calligraphy is created by focusing on up- and -down stokes on each letter, going over the down stroke parts of the text to create bolder lines and filling in the lines to create the look of a fancy calligraphy tool.
