3rd and 4th grades are continuing to work on their 3D cities with one point perspective.  This week we are working on windows, sidewalks, more buildings, and rooftops.  The cities are really coming together quite nicely.  Here are some student examples...

1st and 2nd graders are starting a project about mandalas and sand painting.  This week we started designing our mandalas by using rulers and compasses.  I also demonstrated what next week will look like by showing them the sand painting part.  This is always an exciting activity!  How often do you make art from sand?

In 3rd and 4th grade we are continuing our work on creating 3D pictures.  We have spent some time taking basic shapes like a square, rectangle, circle, and triangle and turning them into 3D shapes like cube, rectangular prism, cyclinder, and pyramid.  This week we are working on 3D shapes by creating a city using one-point perspective.  Here is a cool video about one point perspective: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZYBWA-ifEs

 In 1st and 2nd grades we are having an 'Artist' week.  This means that they decide what they want to make, how they make it, and if they want to make something with a friend.  We haven't had an 'Artist' week since Christmas break so we are way overdue.  The students were all very excited about it.

3rd and 4th grade will be starting a drawing lesson on solid shapes this week.  A solid shape is a three dimensional shape instead of flat.  This is a math concept that they all have worked on.  We will be working on drawing 3D shapes and practicing shading. 

1st and 2nd grades are studying Marc Chagall and his imaginative paintings.  After looking at his famous picture I and the Village, we created our own stories.  After drawing, I let the students have the choice of what kind of art tool they would like to use for their pictures; markers, crayons, colored pencils, watercolor paints, or oil pastels.  We should be finishing these up this week.

I and the Village by Marc Chagall



In 3rd and 4th grade we have been studying the artist George Seurat and creating pointilism paintings.  George Seurat created 'pointilism' by making millions of dots of paint on his canvas.  He thought by letting the eye of the viewer mix the dots instead of his brush it would make a more vibrant painting.  Here is his famous painting Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jette. 




Students working on their pointilism painting with tempera paint and q-tips. 

1st and 2nd graders worked on sumi-e paintings.  Sumi-e in Chinese means 'ink'.  Sumi-e paintings are usually made with ink and a bamboo brush.  Sumi-e artists hold the brush at the top instead of the bottom so they can make flowing lines.  Sumi-e painting is very cool to watch.  Check some videos out on YouTube!