Calder Rocking Birds

First Graders began studying the elements of art- starting with line.  Using paint we created 4 or 5 different kinds of lines on our paper.  Afterwards we filled in the shapes that were created by our lines.  Finally students discussed patterns and used a variety of lines to create patterns on top of their paintings.

Next, we looked at artist Alexander Calder.  We discussed his love of motion as well as how he used to create his own toys.  After looking at and discussing his work we set out to transform our paintings into our own rocking birds!

Knights in Armor

Fourth Grade students studied armor from 3 different places in the world- Europe, Japan, and the Islamic world.  In Europe we discussed how the design of the armor often reflected popular clothing during that time period.  Students were able to analyze the designs on the armor; understanding how the artistic choices represented the person inside.  In Europe we saw symbols as well as illustrations that described scenes from the bible or military designs from Ancient Greece and Rome. In Japan, the samaurai's armor was very different.  Warriors wore masks to protect them and also to scare their enemies.  Their helmets also contained symbols.  We saw one helmet that used a praying mantis to represent fearlessness or bravery.  Students were also able to identify other symbols on their armor (like turtles to represent a long life).  Lastly we looked at some Islamic armor.  This armor did not include any symbols of people or animals like the others we viewed but instead was decorated with arabesques( looks like vines) and Arabic writing (often quotes from the Qur'an.  Human and animal symbols don't appear very often in the decoration of Islamic arms because using such images to decorate mosques and the Qu'ran was forbidden. 

    After viewing and discussing these examples students set out to design their own armor, drawing inspiration from what they had just seen.  Students began their design with tag board, covered it with foil, and etched their own symbols into the foil using a pencil.  Later students discussed medival weaponry and shields and added these elements to their work as well.

More Aztec Portraits

More Blue Willow Plates

Calder's Circus

Second Grade students studied the work of Alexander Calder.  We learned how Calder was very inspired by animals and their movements.  In fact, he often visited the zoo to sketch the live animals.  Calder also enjoyed the animals and movements he saw when visiting the circus and it gave him an idea for his art...Calder's circus! (video above).  Students also decided to draw inspiration from the circus.  Each student drew their own circus animal based on a photograph they were given.  We learned how to draw an animal by looking at it shape by shape.  Once the drawing was complete their images were cut up and we attached them together to make it look like a circus train.  On the top of the train studets designed a shape that has symmetry.

 

Acrobats!

Self-Portrait before being attached to trapeze...

First grade students began their year by studying self-portraits.  After looking at the work of Frieda Khalo, they set out to create their own.  students were given a precut shape of a person that included everything but the head.  Each student drew in their own head, trying to represent themselves in their drawing.  once the drawing was complete we returned to the smart board where we studied a very different portrait by Picasso titled The Acrobat.  We learned how Picasso was very inspired by the circus and painted many pictures of harlequins.  After looking at Picassos work we also viewed work by other artists of circus performers and acrobats.  students then returned to their portraits adding patterns of lines or shapes in order to create a costume like a harlequin or circus performer.  students colored their work with colored pencils.  lastly, students watched videos of real circus performers on the trapeze to give them ideas of how they might want to attach their own self portraits to their trapeze

Chihuly Videos!

Rewatch the videos we saw in class on Chihuly!!