October 29th

Wow, I'm quite surprised at how fast time goes by when we are all so busy working on amazing projects.

Three week's ago our sketchbook assignment was to draw a stack of teacups. Here 2 of the winners from that week. (If you are the third, please come see me during class)

Two week's ago sketchbook assignment was to draw an Owl. I know I made this one hard to think outside the box, as I try to get you guys to do but I promised this weeks would be wide open. Here are the owls that the class drew.

I'm amazed at the details you all went into on these drawings. Great work!!

Ok and as promised, last week's sketchbook assignment was to "Scare Me" with something spooky, gory, or frightening. I forgot to take photos of the winners but I will post them with next classes blog.

In class we continue to work on the 3 different projects.

1. Melted Wax Canvas

2. Large 3D Letters

3. Water Colour Pumpkins (which I think are finally complete)

Here are a few pics of you guys hard at work!

Finishing up the Watercolour Pumpkin

Prepping for the Melted Wax Canvas

Putting finishing details on to her Melted Wax Canvas

Cutting our the Large 3D Letters 

(the hallway was the only place big enough for all 3 of them to work together)

As of this coming week we are starting something brand new and so exciting. I can't wait to tell you all about it! And we even have a guest or two popping in to talk to us about it as well. Oh the suspense........

October 8th

Well this session we are going to be doing a few things differently. For starters we will not all be working on the same project at the same time. Today we started 2 new projects: Melted Crayon Art & Large 3D letters. Due to a limited amount of supplies only 2-3 students can work at a time. For example: there are only 3 heat guns so only 3 students can do the melted crayon art at a time. So it means that the students are spread out among 3 different classrooms and may have to wait for me to come around if you have any questions. 

This week we also took a look at a new artist:

Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock was an American Painter from the 50's. He was a major artist in the Abstract Expressionism movement. He was a "drip" style artist, with extra large canvas that he painted on the floor instead of on an easel. Here is a few photos of Jackson Pollock painting.

And here are a 2 of my favourite Jackson Pollock paintings:

Alchemy (1947)

Full Fathom Five (1947)

It's unfortunate that Jackson Pollock died at the age of 44 (1956) in a car accident. I would've loved to see what else he would've painted in the 1960's.

In our first Art Club class we voted on what we should call our artist groups. Since it was a tie vote twice, we brought in another student to break the vote. We will officially call our groups after the Divergent Factions. Groups will be named:

Amity

"Amity farm the land. They are all about kindness, and harmony, always happy"

(Amity - Divergent Wiki)

Erudite

"The smart ones, the ones value knowledge and logic are Erudite. They know everything."

(Erudite - Divergent Wiki)

Factionless

"The factualness, the ones who don't fit anywhere." 

(Factualness - Divergent Wiki)

Since I did not have a chance to photograph last week's sketchbook winners I will post them with this weeks winners in next weeks blog. However I have not posted the sketchbook winners from our first sketchbook assignment: draw something with a triangle shape.

Here are the sketchbook winners from our first sketchbook assignment:

Winner from the "Amity" group

Winner from the "Erudite" group

Winner from the "Factionless" group

This week's sketchbook assignment is to draw a stack of teacups. 

If you need inspiration, check here:

How to draw a teacup

A stack of teacups

This stack is the type I'm looking for. They have a 3D look like the teacups really do sit inside each other.

This stack of tea cups are flat and straight. Try to make your stack of tea cups look more "real".

My last bit of advice is the differences between a teacup and a coffee mug.

A teacup is smaller in height, rounded near the bottom, has a shaped handle and a saucer to rest on.

A coffee mug is taller, with straight sides and simple handle.

Remember when making you stacks the "Rule of Odds", so I should see stacks of 3, 5 or more! Happy drawing!!

October 1

I'm so glad to be back in the art studio. This week we are wrapping up our pumpkin watercolour painting, and they look great. I will post a few pictures next week. 

We also started to design our next project as well. We will be doing a melted wax crayon canvas. There are 3 different techniques to chose from.

1. Drip style

2. Nebula style

3. Splat style

(photo is from Artistjunkie.com)

Each artist needs to pitch an idea for their wax canvas to me before they start to prep. This way I can guide you to push your creativity just a little more.

We also handed out letters for the Extra Large 3D cardboard letter assignment that we will be doing. The letters need to be a minimum of 24" in at least one direction. I will demo the 3D portion in class. But as a sneak peak check out this photo from "Apex Elementary Art" blog.

Our letters will eventually spell something. Once we are all done I'll let you guys figure it out.

Last week's sketchbook winners are:

Very well done for Romero Britto! This week's sketchbook assignment is to draw an "eye". And the only rule I'm giving you is that it can't be human.

Fall Art Club is Back...

We are officially back for the Fall Session of Art Club. 

This session will run for 12 classes and end on December 10th. We will not have class on November 12th as there is no school this day. 

Last class we started drawing pumpkins on our water colour paper. Designing our layouts with the "Rule of Thirds" and the "Rule of odds" in mind. Then we started to watercolour them one section at a time. Some artists did finish and will be able to move on next class. Others will have a chance to finish next class.

We also discussed our "Artist of the Week": Romero Britto. Which will be our sketchbook homework for the week. Here are a few samples of his artwork:

I can't wait to see what you make!

Our Spring Art Show

It has been brought to my attention that I forgot to post photos of our Spring Art Show. With the hustle and bustle of summer activities I never got around to posting the photos. I do apologize and here they are.

Our Candy Collage

Our "Rule of Thirds" Photos

Wire Word Hashtags

#liveyourlife

Funko! Pop Cans

Thumper, The Evil Queen, and Snow White

Barf & Belch, Bruce, Dory, and Scrump (From Lilo & Stitch)

Clay Cabins

Nylon & Wire Sculptures

Our Sketchbooks

We had a great turn out for the show. I can't wait to get started again this fall!

We do have a full art club in the fall, and will not be signing up any new students.  Thank you to all the returning artists.

June 4th - Our Last Class

Well June 4th was our last official class but we've been given permission to work at lunch times next week to finish wrapping our wire words. I believe that there is only one Funko! Pop can still to be finished but that everyone else is done. I also think that all but one of the Wire/Pantyhose sculptures are all complete now as well. So we just need to finish wrapping our wire words. If anyone needs help just let me know and I can give you a hand.

On another note I got the Clay Cabins back from firing the other day and they look amazing now that they got a little glaze on them to antique them. Thank you to my neighbour Mary once again for coming in and teaching us how to make these. 

Here are a few of the finished ones:

This one has twists in the windows, and a small flower bed.

This one has great texture, love the chimney.

I loved the attention to detail on this one.

This one has great windows.

I can't wait to display them all at our up coming Art Show on June 18th. I'm still working on the invites for the show, but I hope to have them done by the end of the week.

Since this was our last class there is no sketchbook homework but here are the winners from this week's "Self-Portrait Cartoon"

Ravenclaw's Winner

Hufflepuff's Winner

Gryffindor's Winner

Great job to all the artists. They all turned out very nicely.

Lunch Break Art Club will start on Tuesday as I am on a field trip on Monday and won't be back to the school till 2:30pm.

See you in the Art Room Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at lunch!