Jumping Toy

Here's a great tutorial.


1. Sketch your idea on a piece of drawing paper.
2. Transfer your image onto tag board so it looks like this.
3. Cut it out.
4. Use oil pastel and magazine pictures to work color and texture onto your jumping toy.
We'll talk about how to fasten these together a little later in the week.

skull snowflakes

Done with everything? This done well could earn you 10 extra credit points!

typography relief sculpture

This is our next endeavor in sculpture and jewelry. Find a complete tutorial here.

Inspiration

How can we take the "ordinary" things we need to do and own them? This guy does it.

Friendship Bracelets

We're easing back into the week with some chevron friendship bracelets! The directions are here.

Oil Painting Final

Our final oil painting will be 20 x 20 inches. As you begin your planning, I'd like to direct you to something a little more simple. Here are some examples. What you're looking for is something that would divide the canvas into big pieces, versus a lot of tiny little pieces. We also need to talk about composition and a color scheme.



Which frog would work better for a beginning oil painting? Why is the eye cropped where it is? What is the basic color scheme?

Daruma

The Daruma doll is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red, vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist. Though considered an omocha, meaning toy, Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement.

When you receive one, you make a wish (or set a goal) and color in one eye. When the wish comes true you color in the other eye.






This year we will be designing darumas for our printmaking unit. Today I want you to take time and design a daruma. They are round, have only a portion of their face showing, have two eyes, usually have facial hair, and include a word in the design.

Clay Pots

Starting Today, we'll be working on clay bowls in Art I this week. I love working with clay! Here is a video showing what we'll be doing in class. We'll be making 2 bowls and we'll add words by stamping letters into the wet clay. These will be due on Friday.

TIPS:
The less you handle your clay, the less it will dry out and crack while you're still trying to work with it.
The more you support your clay with both hands and handle it carefully, the more cooperative your clay will be.
While you can stamp your clay with letters, you could also imprint things like your pencil tip or eraser to make a mark.

Grading:
slab is thrown with uniform thickness. Thin edges are removed and there is no cracking.

Background texture is smoothed, while the song lyrics are boldly stamped and visually appealing.

The foot is attached with NO seams showing.

The glaze is applied evenly and is visually appealing.

Craftsmanship: name on the bottom, attention to detail.

50 points each.

Gesso your board today

Please take a board from the middle table, but your name on the back and gesso it. Gesso is a thick white paint that we will paint over with oil paints. You should have about 2-3 layers of gesso, each layer applied in a different direction. For example, the first layer could be applied horizontally, and the next could be painted on vertically. You don't want super thick layers. Tomorrow when these are really dry, we'll sand them a little bit and draw in a color mixing chart.

Beaded necklaces

Our new project is definitely inspired by one of my favorite modern day artists. Elsa Mora. Her work and style reminds me very much of my favorite artist Frida Kahlo.

Here is your challenge:

1.Create at least one medalion that has a minimum of 5 rings. Don't let each ring be the same width. Use some of them as borders. (I'll clariy this in class)
2. Even if the example isn't something that is your style, think about how you could make it your style or how you could style it for someone else? We don't want to rip off this artist's idea, but instead be inspired to make something our own.

Today in class you'll get colored pencils and paper to plan your design.

Here is some additional inspiration:



Mandalas are often used for meditation or spiritual rituals. Here is a coloring sheet if you're interested.
I also think this project could be very inspired by Native American beadwork and design.

T-Shirt Design

Bring in your t-shirts! It's your turn to design what you want to be on your shirt! Got school spirit? Put it on your shirt. Into music? Put it on your shirt. Want to tell a knock-knock joke? Put it on your shirt. The possibilities are endless. You need to have both a picture and words!
Here is a video that shows the process a little more elaborately.

Paintings are due on Mon!

Paintings are due on Monday! Please use your long weekend to get things looking good!

The grading sheet for the self portrait is on page 6 of your grading book. Here is your grading sheet for the copy a masterpiece:

Copy a Masterpiece for Painting Class

*The painting that I chose to copy has an appropriate level of challenge for me
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
*I have matched the colors used in the original painting 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
*My drawing is accurate and matches the original painting 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
*Blending is gradual is shows a strong understanding of how to use slo-dri
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
*There are no pencil lines showing 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
*There is no under-painting showing 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
*All colors are mixed 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
*The correct brush was used to create clean edges 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
*Overall presentation and use of class time 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
___________/90 points

color wheel bursts

Students have been reviewing primary, secondary and intermediate colors this week and then painting them onto circles. Today we start cutting them out and making them into 3D star color bursts. The directions are here. These will be due when we get back from MEA break.

Painting Clouds

Today we'll be having a demonstration about using slo-dri and blending colors using your paintbrush (as well as your fingers sometimes):)

Planning day for mask making

Today you should start drawing out what you would like to make for our mask making unit. No areas should be flat. I'll do a demonstration showing how to make things 3D.

Please turn in your bowls today

Please fill out an evaluation project for your magazine bowl today. You will need to self evaluate, as well as have it evaluated by a classmate.

At least 100 rolls of tightly wound paper were used in creating my sculpture

The sculpture feels strong and securely built

There are no glue strings visible.

Good use of time, effort and attention to detail.

more installation art

Alejandro photographs trash that washes up on Mexico’s shore.

Demo Day

Today I'll do a demo at 1:10 and another at 1:30 showing how to either graph your painting, or how to use the opaque projector for the self portrait.

As a reminder, here are your painting choices...

Final Acrylic Painting Choice 1: Self portrait with 10 objects that represent you

You will need to bring in a photo of yourself to class asap and using a projector you will trace it onto the paper. The rest of the space will be filled with 10 objects that represent you. Those objects can be anything EXCEPT: numbers, words, hearts, rainbows, crosses or otherwise cliche. Think about the important people in your life, or the important events. How can you represent those things in a way that isn’t predictable?

Focus:
Interesting images carefully drawn
Mixing skin tones
Adding layers to under-painting to create depth and value
Craftsmanship: no pencil lines showing, correct brush choice, no paper showing through
Blending
Creating an interesting composition: using all of the space, and not putting the photo smack dab in the middle.

Final Acrylic Painting Choice 2: Copy a Masterpiece

You will need to find a painting on the computer that you would like to duplicate exactly. After discussing your choice with Mrs. Cannon, you’ll use the grid method to transfer the painting onto your paper and then you’ll replicate each color and brush stroke used.

Focus:
Choosing a painting that has the appropriate level of challenge for you
Drawing the painting with the grid method, exactly
Matching the brush strokes and color
Blending
Adding layers to under-painting to create depth and value
Craftsmanship: no pencil lines showing, correct brush choice, no paper showing through

Specifics:

The finished size will be 22 x 24 unless otherwise discussed with Mrs. Cannon
You will be expected to show your work to the class on critique days. This is point earning.

Inking your pencil lines

As you continue outlining your pencil lines, use this drawing as your inspiration! Lines that are gracefully change from thin to thick are interesting. See how much variety you can find in your lines.

Art Installations for Participation Points

These Surrounded Islands were completed in 1983 near Miami Beach. The 11 islands were surrounded with 6.5 million square feet of floating pink woven polypropylene fabric covering the surface of the water and extending out 200 feet) from each island into the bay. The fabric was sewn into 79 patterns to follow the contours of the 11 islands.

For 2 years prior to the installation marine and land crews picked up debris from the eleven islands, putting refuse in bags and carting it away after they had removed some forty tons of varied garbage that included refrigerator doors, tires, kitchen sinks, mattresses and an abandoned boat.

On May 4, 1983, out of a total work force of 430, the unfurling crew began to blossom the pink fabric. Surrounded Islands was tended day and night by 120 monitors in inflatable boats. Surrounded Islands was a work of art underlining the various elements and ways in which the people of Miami live, between land and water.

The outer edge of the floating fabric was attached to a 12 inch diameter octagonal boom, in sections, of the same color as the fabric. The boom was connected to the radial anchor lines which extended from the anchors at the island to the 610 specially made anchors, spaced at 50 foot intervals, 250 feet beyond the perimeter of each island, driven into the limestone at the bottom of the bay. Earth anchors were driven into the land, near the foot of the trees, to secure the inland edge of the fabric, covering the surface of the beach and disappearing under the vegetation. The floating rafts of fabric and booms, varying from 12 to 22 feet in width and from 400 to 600 feet in length were towed through the bay to each island. There were eleven islands, but on two occasions, two islands were surrounded together as one configuration.

As with Christo and Jeanne-Claude's previous art projects, Surrounded Islands was entirely financed by the artists, through the sale of preparatory drawings, collages, and early works. The artists do not accept sponsorship of any kind.

For two weeks, Surrounded Islands, spreading over 7 miles (11.3 kilometers), was seen, approached and enjoyed by the public, from the causeways, the land, the water and the air. The luminous pink color of the shiny fabric was in harmony with the tropical vegetation of the uninhabited verdant islands, the light of the Miami sky and the colors of the shallow waters of Biscayne Bay.





This week several of our students will be creating art installations at Irondale. Our purpose is to draw attention to structures in the building that are not typically seen. Our vehicle will be yarn bombing.

Abstract Time Line

Helen Frankenthaler, Mountains and Sea. 1952. Abstract Expressionism. The painters who came to be called "Abstract Expressionists" shared a similarity of outlook rather than of style-- an outlook characterized by a spirit of revolt and a belief in freedom of expression, and freedom from realism.

For the next week (or so) students will be creating a time line of their lives that will use abstract symbols to represent their 10 most important life events. The finished work will be 2 x 28 inches long and will use ink, colored pencils, glue, collage, paint and anything else we can find around here.

Objectives:
utilizing life experiences as subject matter
communicating in an abstract way

Paper marble and Origami

Students used the suminagashi method for paper marbling and really enjoyed the results. The next day they folded 2 of their many sheets of paper into origami boxes.

Apple Painting

We'll watch this video today. Every time the instructor in the video says to mix the paint with water, substitute slo-dri. We'll talk about that today too.

Underpainting
Building form by adding Layers
Slo-dri

Still Life due this Wednesday!

Last week Art I students compiled a list of how to be successful at this assignment:

No outlines, use the 10 values instead
draw lightly to begin with
Erase often
Measure your objects and how their proportions relate to each other
No smudges
Take your time
Erase around your object if it looks blurry

Just keep rolling, rolling, rolling...

Have you decided that you just love rolling paper? This map idea might be for you.

This week we'll use hot glue to start building up the sides of your bowl. I would say aim for around 100 coils to make an awesome looking bowl. It's easy to use too much hot glue and have a stringy mess. All glue strings can be removed when you're done, but neatness now will save you time later.

Teaser...

Here's what we're starting on Monday... Here are the notes that we'll take in class.

Keep on painting your color wheels!

Keep on painting your color wheels! Remember you need to include the hues, tints, shades and complimentary mix of each color.