Tin Art Animalitos
November 2019
These Animalitos are a reference to the tin folk art of Mexico. The students learned what a "series" is and made a series of 3 animals. The Animalitos were embossed from a single sheet of tooling metal with tools. Then we colored them with permanent markers and made them "safer" by gluing black felt to the back of them. Each student made three!
Pointillism Pieces
March 2018
Pointillism Pieces
June 2017
"African Masks"
April and May 2015
Students learned about 8 different types of masks from the Ivory Coast. These masks and their origins are explained in a video which we studied. Using influences from the African Masks we've studied, students created their own masks out of Papier Mache, newspaper, and various craft projects. Below is a gallery of some shots of our masks!
The Finished Products :
Masks Progress: First Step- Construction and Papier Mache!
"Pointillism Pieces"
March 2015
Students learned about the origin of Pointillism and Divisionism, and some basic color theory during this project. Images were created using only markers on drawing paper. We chose our images from magazines first, then traced and transferred the drawings. The results are truly breathtaking, as our student surely succeeded in this assignment.
Learning the Pointillism Technique / In progress....
"One Point Perspective: Names"
January & February 2015
Students learned the history of linear perspective , which began during the Renaissance. We designed a 3-dimensional looking name. Students learned about the art of typography, renaissance math & art, color schemes, and drawing in SPACE. Vocabulary for this unit included: Horizon Line, Eye Level, Linear Perspective, Orthogonal Lines, Perpendicular, Parallel, Space, middleground, foreground, craftsmanship.
"Dia de Los Muertos" Magazine Mosaics
October & November 2014
Although the photos below are of unfinished artwork, they are a valuable insight into the process of creating a magazine mosaic. Students learned about the culture in Mexico, where "Dia de los Muertos," or "The Day of the Dead" is celebrated. In the Mexican culture, October 31st and November 1st are reserved especially for honoring relatives and loved ones who are no longer with us. They spend those days visiting their gravesites, where they celebrate their lives by eating, drinking, singing, and leaving offerings that their relatives' spirits may enjoy. Skeletons are a common motif at this time of year.
The students observe common motifs of the holiday (skulls, flowers, bright colors, celebration, etc,) and construct an outline of a skull and decorations on a black paper. They draw their design in white colored pencil initially. Afterwards, they cut small pieces of color from magazines to painstakingly fill in areas with color. The results are bright images that celebrate the circle of life.
The students observe common motifs of the holiday (skulls, flowers, bright colors, celebration, etc,) and construct an outline of a skull and decorations on a black paper. They draw their design in white colored pencil initially. Afterwards, they cut small pieces of color from magazines to painstakingly fill in areas with color. The results are bright images that celebrate the circle of life.
"Value Bumps" Project
September 2014
Students learned to create the illusion of depth through proper colored pencil techniques. Using Sharpie Markers and colored pencils on white paper, we created optical illusions that make it look like the bumps are coming out of the paper! We study a small amount of color theory before completing the project, and end with a peer critique. These have a definite WOW factor!
"Thumbprint Biographies"
August & September 2014
Our first project lets the students introduce themselves to me by first writing a small autobiography. The students then stamp their thumb on a piece of paper and draw their fingerprint largely on a piece of paper. They then wrote the sentences of their autobiography while staying on the lines of their fingerprint. The result is a piece unique to each student, and then we all get to know each other through a final peer-critique!