3rd Grade Sunflowers

 

The 3^rd grade students learned about the artist Vincent Van Gogh through a video that showed a little girl interviewing Van Gogh.  We also read the book, The Man with the Yellow House.   We looked at Van Gogh’s artwork and talked about how he expressed his feelings through his art.  We discussed how different colors create different moods or feelings in a painting. Van Gogh used an impasto  technique, which is short, thick brushstrokes.  Students learned that Van Gogh’s favorite color was yellow.  Students were able to re-create Van Gogh’s Sunflower Painting using oil crayons and blending techniques.

4th Grade Birch Trees

Students looked at Various Landscape examples and learned about Horizon Line, Foreground, Middle Ground and Background.  When adding their birch trees students had to keep in mind that smaller/skinner trees should be farther back in their landscape to create the illusion of depth.

4th Grade Self Portraits

 

 

 

The 4^th grade students were learning about character writing in their classrooms so we did a self-portrait art project where students had to describe themselves.    We discussed what an adjective is and how it gives more detail and description about a person or object.  Each student had to come up with a list of at least 8 adjectives that described themselves.  As they were doing this I took their photo.  Next students learned about value in art and how it is going from light to dark using tints and shades.  Students had to choose one color for their background and create value using water color paint.  Students used various lines and shape to create patterns overlapping on top of their background.  We also discussed how to create movement in a piece of art using lines.  Finally students were able to use metallic paint to add more detail and pattern to their piece of art. 

4th Grade Victorian "Haunted" House Sculptures

 

The 4^th grade students studied Victorian Style Architecture.  We talked about what the architect Frank Lloyd Wright and learned what an architect does.  Students were able to learn what an arch, vault, cantilever and a post and lintel are.  Students had to use at least two of these characteristics when they were designing their house sculptures and had to identify them to me.  Students were able to learn what a sculpture is and we talked about the various materials a sculpture can be made out of.  Students worked really hard using various recycled materials to create a unique haunted house sculpture.  Finally students were able to add patterns using metallic paint to complete their sculptures.

4th Grade O'Keeffe Skulls

 

 

The 4^th Grade students learned about the life and artwork of Georgia O’Keeffe.  Georgia O’Keeffe grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and has become one of today’s most famous painters.  Her mother thought art was very important, so growing up O’Keeffe had many art lessons and was encouraged to go to Art College.  O’Keeffe loved nature, so most of her paintings were of flowers, mountains, seashells and even animal bones.  O’Keeffe often simplified her paintings, creating more emphasis on the beauty of nature.  Eventually O’Keeffe moved to New York to start showing her artwork.  After being in New York for a while, O’Keeffe took a teaching job in Texas and loved the clear skies and the bright sun there.  After teaching for a few years Alfred Stieglitz, a famous photographer, offered Georgia to come back to New York and he would pay for her expenses and all she had to do was paint. It was hard for O’Keeffe to leave the beauty of Texas, but she could not pass up the offer and this was the beginning of O’Keeffe’s fame! 

5th Grade Snowmen At Night

5th Grade Picasso Roosters

 

 

The 5^th grade students learned about the artist Pablo Picasso through a power point.  Picasso was born in Spain and has become one of the world’s most famous artists.  The students were able to see the progression of his different styles of art.  The Blue Period was a time that was depressing and sad for Picasso.  He showed this through painting his artwork in all different shades of blue.  His next period was called the Rose Period.   He used more bright and cheerful colors.  This was a more happy time in Picasso’s life because he was involved in a relationship with his future wife.  The period that Picasso is most famous for is CUBISM.  Cubism is using various shapes to create multiple viewpoints. 

5th Grade Victorian House Designs

 

 

The 5^th grade students studied Victorian Architecture.  We looked at various examples and found similarities between them.  Most Victorian Style Houses have porches, dormers, columns, lots of windows, at least 2 stories, arches, towers and multiple colors.  Students were able to look at different examples and had to create their own Victorian Style House using these characteristics.  Finally students were able to learn how to create their house so it looked 3-D on their paper.  We also review TEXTURE and they created a textured background with some glitter details.

5th Grade Op Art

 

The 5^th grade students learned about OP art, which is short for optical Illusion.   An optical illusion is something that tricks your eye.  Some optical illusions look like they are moving when they are really not.  Other optical illusions look 3-D or seem like they are popping out of the painting when they are really flat.  The students were able to see many examples of optical illusions from a power point shown in class.  They students were able to create their own optical illusion using REPEATED curved lines.  We also discussed what VALUE is and students were able to add value to their op art to create a 3-D effect.