Mixed Animals

So what do you get when you cross a wasp, a lion and an eagle???

This....

Jon C.

I asked my Art 3 class to create mixed animals.  They had to combine at least three different animals to get a new species.  Some of them are a little interesting to say the least.

Ashley G.

Mariah B.

Sabrina L.

The Leboeuf Technique

Like any art teacher out there it is really hard to teach kids how to draw faces, especially their own.  Self portraits are dirty words that send kids screaming from a classroom.  However, one South Dakota art teacher has found a way to not only make them easy but even fun.

The art teacher from White river, John Leboeuf, taught this technique at our state art teachers convention.  I was shocked that he does it with 6th graders, but once you get going into the technique it is amazing how easy it is to use.

Start with a photograph copy of the student or whoever they are drawing.  A head shot works the best.  Then use a fine sharpie or pen and mark a few key points on the face, like the hairline, forehead, eyes, sides of the nose, tip of the nose, points on the lips, the chin and ears or whatever else is a prominent feature of the picture.

Now cut the photo in half down the middle of the face and tape it inside of a folded 12x18 piece of construction paper.  Then using charcoal and white charcoal pencils you will start finding those key points in the face.  How you might ask?  By treating the picture like a flip book.  Start by picking up the corner in the center of the picture and start flipping the corner as fast as you can while letting your eye focus on one of the dots there.  When you feel focused use the charcoal pencil to add a dot to the paper under the picture.  Then flip your book really fast again to see if your dot moves.  If it moves you are in the wrong spot, just erase and move the dot.  Now try again until you slowly create lines and build up the face.  Use the white pencil to add in the highlights as you move throughout the picture.

The girls that created these pictures moved the original off of the drawing and put it to the side so you can see the comparison.  These pictures were taped over the drawings while you work on them.

Ode to a waterfountain

I have to make this post about the "Oasis" which has now had to be replaced.  We painted this water fountain three times, before this was the final design that was with it when it officially died.  I had to tell Jasmine thank you for painting such a beautiful swan and flower.  It will be missed.

Drawing Games

So in the past I have done perspective with 2pt building drawings, but to be honest I was getting tired of those.  And I really couldn't handle another drawing of Wal-Mart.

So this year thanks to Art at the Apex I decided to switch it up and do game board drawings.  I did learn a couple of things along the way.  Next year I need to do a better lesson at how to use the different perspectives just in case they don't all use the same one, which is what happened this year.

Aside from my little fumble I think they came out really well.

Aleah B.

Madisyn V.

Riley H.

Mikayla R.

Dylan B.

Carter H.

Bridget B.

Jaymon L.

Yeva S.

Emily H.

Jacob H.

Bella J.

Malary M.

I would like to thank all of the teachers that loaned me games.  It was fun to see the variety that is in our building.

Late Entries

I just wanted to show off and give another shout out to some of the finished projects that have come in a little bit later than the other ones.

Brooklyn

Dani H.

Dani H.

Connor F.

Jena F.

Jon C.

Jozlynn P.

Karly N.

Kelsey C.

Marcelle W.

Mariah B.

Kenzie R.

Sammie K.

Making Foam board 3D

My Art 2 class was given the challenge of making one piece of foamboard into a 3D sculpture.  That was at least part of their criteria for this project.  They also had to make the sculpture stand up, be at least 12 inches tall and it had to have a theme.  I said the theme could be as broad as under the sea or as specific as elephant act at the circus.  They also had to paint it and find a way to add color.

 Some of them struggled with making it 3D and interesting on all sides, but after a few reminders they made it work.

Demi H. "Blue Whale"

Sydney Hag.  "Under the Sea"

KaSandra K.  "Lost in Space"

Kelsey C.  "Beach Party"

Maggie H. 

Meghan H.

Sydney Hau.

Contour drawings

Last week my art 1 classes drew two drawings.  On thursday I set up a still life display that had books, a chair and a guitar.  Then on Friday I brought in my son's bike that he won at the circus for the students to draw.  My son was very concerned as to what they were going to draw "on" it.  It is hard to explain to a 5year old that they are going to draw it, not on it.  Anyways, after both drawings they then got to choose which one was for a grade and which one was for points.  Overall they picked their better projects to grade.  I only disagreed with one girl, who in my opinion picked the wrong one.

Anyways, here are the pictures.  The biggest problem with these pics is that it is too hard to tell who made which one.  Also a new camera made them dark.  I need to figure out that problem too.

Lesson gone wrong

Okay so maybe that title isn't completely right, the lesson hasn't gone wrong, but they have somehow managed to finish both today and most of tomorrow's lesson in one class period.  So that kind of leaves me wondering if I will need to find something else to do tomorrow.

This week we are looking at shading and for the most part my Art 1 class is pretty gifted at drawing and shading.  In fact it was hard to hold a couple of them back last week when we were drawing in just contour line.  They wanted to add shading to that project.  I did manage to slow some of them down on this challenge by making them draw in pen and try not to pick up that pen if they could help it.

But this week with shading they are racing through all of my lessons with ease.  I guess I will have to try to find something to stump them.  Maybe tomorrow's fabric shading lesson will slow them down.  I guess we will see.