Friday 28 September 2012

A Week at a Glance

Now that our murals are (nearly) all complete, we're back in the art room conjuring up creative ideas for our first projects. Here are some photo highlights of the week from grades 2, 3, and 4!

Be sure to check the grade page tabs at the top of this blog for more detailed descriptions of the current projects while the blog posts will feature more day to day updates and memorable moments.

Printmaking + Self-Portraits


This morning 4A and 4C printed their self-portraits in and on their sketchbooks as well as the first corner of their self-portrait poster.  As we know, pop art is well known for its' repeated images and bright colors. Both classes did a fantastic job cleaning up the art room also- showing responsibility for their materials and respect for the classes coming to use the space after. Great teamwork in both classes!


3B got to explore the wet on wet watercolor painting technique this morning to create "crazy-fuzzy-porcupine-blob-shapes" I can't wait to hear the stories we'll be telling with these organic shapes next week! 

Thursday 27 September 2012

Blessings of a big basin

Those of you who have seen last years art room will recall that we had a tiny inadequate basin in the corner of our room with two taps for supply and student clean up. Often the nearest bathrooms recieved a colorful splash on messy days in the art room with clean up overflow. This year we are blessed to have a long trough sink with not 2, but 10 sink taps! It's taking a break today with conferences but know our artists have already been testing it out with paint filled brushes, sticky fingers, and ink covered printmaking supplies. We are so happy to have our new sink! (it's the little things in life... Really)

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Where we are in place and time.........

This week our grade 1 artists learned drawing their self portraits using mirrors. They learned the proportion of the face and positioning of their eyes, ears, nose and lips. After having practiced in their sketch books they began working on their master pieces with crayons and water wash.






The artwork they are working on is inspired from the french artist, Henri Matisse, and during the week they were introduced to his life and works. The final art pieces will be collages and the students are excitedly progressing towards completing their works.

Healthy Habits with Grade 2


Grade two has completed their analogous color background and are now working on the subject for their masterpiece.  We are using the theme of the current unit of inquiry: as inspiration.  Each artist brainstormed healthy habit images and symbols in their sketchbook, finalized their plan including color coding, and has begun drawing and cutting out their designs using construction paper in the opposite analogous colors.  (If the background was warm colors, the collage on top is cool colors)




We're having fun using art to create posters to show and remind our family and friends about habits they should follow to live a healthy life.  Some of us are drawing fruits and vegetables, some are drawing sports for exercise, some are drawing toothbrushes and paste.  I wonder what good habits we should develop in the art room?  We'll be finishing these projects in the next week and look forward to deciding on a display area for our art to make an impact on others!



Tuesday 25 September 2012

Mural mania finished today!

This afternoon grade 5 finished their Zentangle mural on 5th floor, making all 6 murals at ASB complete. They spent several classes learning this new doodle drawing technique based on repetition and practicing creatively collaborating a piece of art inspired and influenced by designs drawn by other artists. Each artist will be leaving their signature on a banner to be hung above each masterpiece along with student artist statements as soon as they are printed but the artwork is completed and hung. Stop by each floor to admire the work our amazing artists have done this year to leave their mark at ASB if you haven't yet (Thursday while you're at school for conferences would be a great opportunity to see the pieces as a family) Way to go guys! So proud of the work you've done!

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Art up on our walls

You'll notice that our student artists have been busy beautifying our school even after the impressive murals on each floor. Notice the grade four posters hanging in their cafe as well as the keep left signs hanging in our hallway that not only add color and life to the walls but also help remind us to pass through the school safely and responsibly.

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Grade 5 Zentangle in the works!

This week grade five joined the mural making madness on fifth floor with their Zentangle mural- a type of contemporary doodle art that resembles op art and in our case encourages high levels of collaboration!

Saturday 1 September 2012

Welcome to ASB Art!




We're starting this brand new school year in a brand new art room!  We've also got brand new walls to cover with art and places to leave our mark.  Each floor will be starting the year with a collaborative mural inspired by an influential artist and reflecting a particular color scheme.

1st floor: KG mural inspired by Jackson Pollock
2nd Floor: Grade 1 and 2 mural inspired by Georges Seurat and pointillism, reflecting primary and secondary colors
3rd Floor: Grade 3 mural inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, reflecting analogous colors (warm and cool color groups)
4th Floor: Grade 4 mural inspired by Pop Artists such as Andy Warhol and Jim Dine, reflecting complimentary colors
5th Floor: Grade 5 mural inspired by Op Art and Zentangle designs, reflecting black and white high-contrast art with the use of accent color

It's been a fun and at times messy start to the year.  *Note that we're using acrylic paints to ensure long lasting murals, but these paints do not wash out of clothing*  Each student will be helping contribute to these murals, and also adding their own handprint to the completed mural to allow each student to start the year by leaving their mark on their new school! Check out the murals on each floor near the elevators (so far we've started 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors- look for the others to come soon!)