Zentangles!

Towards the end of the year when the summer is quickly approaching, we all (teachers included) can get a bit silly and crazy. So this year I decided that we needed some ZEN. We created zentangle art!! Zentangles are an art form that uses specific patterns and lines that many find calming and relaxing. It was exactly what we needed!! Students were asked to pick nah object to showcase on the middle with color and then at least 6 sections of different Zentangles around the object. My eighth graders really enjoyed this project. A group of boys decided to work together and each chose a different superhero logo!!! Loved their idea and that they worked together!!! They all really loved it and many did more than one and asked to keep the zentangle packets. 

Mural

 This year, our school allowed me to create an elective mural class.  We completed two murals during the last trimester of the year.  The first was the mission statement in the building, and the second was the mural across the street from our school.  The homeowners asked us to come and paint their wall (that faces our school) and we said, "of course!!"  Next, students and I brainstormed ideas for the mural.  There were so many wonderful ideas that we decided to create a collage of images about our state and community.  Each image on the mural has meaning to our school or our state.  Students worked so hard to complete this and results are beautiful!!! The homeowners are also thrilled with the results and said it has been the talk of the town!

I absolutely love where the students put the paint tray so they wouldn't have to  bend down to get the paint.  The cacti caused us a lot of pain most of the time, but they came in handy here.  

This is one of the painted buildings on the mural which is a small version of the mural.  Students called it the "baby mural!"

Art Timeline

Today was the last day of school at Herrera.  The last day for me is always so bittersweet.  I am sad to see my 8th graders leave, but happy for them as they go to High School and start a new chapter in their lives.  I will definitely miss the smiling faces I get to see every morning when I walk through the halls, but know there will be many more in my future.  This year was truly amazing for myself and my students.
               I have posting pictures all year about my art history timeline, and as the year ends, so does the timeline.  Here are some pictures of the results. 4th and 5th graders started with cave art (where we painted with the lights off in our "art cave") and continued until the 20th century (impressionism).  Junior high students started the timeline at the 20th century to contemporary art.  During this year we painted under our tables like Michelangelo, splattered paint like Pollock, printed like Warhol and much much more.  After each lesson, I chose one student's artwork to display on the timeline (for visual learners, like myself). I believe it is so important to learn about art history at a young age (on a personal note, my grandfather took me the Cleveland Art Museums every month for many years, which is why I am so passionate about art and art history). I cannot count the number of times students have ran up to me in the hallway to tell me how they saw the artwork we studied on their favorite show (many times on Family Guy or Simpsons), movie, commercial, clothing, etc.  I am so proud of my students this year for all they have accomplished and learned.  

THE Phoenix ART MUSEUM!!

Herrera students (along with the rest of our district) got such an absolutely AMAZING opportunity to show artwork at THE PHOENIX ART MUSEUM!!! This year was Arizona's 100th birthday and we celebrated the centennial by creating a large-scale group project. Each school picked one county from Arizona. Next, each school received a wooden cut-out of that county. Each school decorated their county any way they chose (with a copper border to create some uniformity). When all schools counties are complete, it will create a large "puzzle" of ARIZONA!!! We decided to make a copper border because it is one of our most important natural resources from AZ. Also, we designed our counties based on the county we chose. My student's county was LA PAZ (pictured above, written in black on county). La Paz county has a large wildlife conservation, so I chose to showcase that by making a fish, flowers, owl, and a cactus. Also, Paz means PEACE in Spanish, so we divided it up using a peace sign. I chose to use twilled paper to create texture, dimension and just something different. Selected Junior High students worked on this piece.
The finished product was chosen to display at THE PHOENIX ART MUSEUM!!! We had a small little reception with cookies and juice. It was an amazing opportunity for our district and students!

CoLoR ScHeMeS!!!

Junior High studied different color schemes and created this project based on those color schemes. First, we divided up the paper into 8 5x7 equal rectangles. Next, we used a 5x7 index card and created an abstract design and traced it in sharpie. Then, we traced the index card 8 times on the white paper (flipped around). Next, we learned the 8 different color schemes that they were required to use...

1. Primary

2. Secondary

3. Neutral

4. Warm

5. Cool

6. Monochromatic (primary color)

7. Monochromatic (secondary color)

8. Student choice(any color)

Lastly, we used sharpie to outline the lines a second time to clean it up a bit.

Silhouettes

Last month, a professional silhouette artist, Varin, (who also happens to be my beautiful mother) came to Herrera School to teach us about the art of silhouettes. She came all the way from San Diego to teach Kinder-8th graders about the history of silhouettes and how to cut them. She started each lesson by talking about the history of silhouettes and how they are made. Earlier that morning, I asked teachers from our fine arts team and junior high to come to my room to have their silhouette done. During class, I layed out the teacher's portraits and called students up to the table as a challange to see if they could identfy each teacher portrait (and they guessed correctly!!!) Next, Varin chose the student with the closest upcoming birthday and cut a silhouette of that student. She gave them pointers, for example, always have the model sit so the front of thier face is on your right hand side (if you are right handed) so that it is easier to cut the tiny details on the face. Also, to turn the paper when you are cutting, not you hands. Next the students paired up and cut silhouettes of their friends!!! Students were surprised at how difficult it was, but had a lot of fun!!!

You can view Varin's work at www.papercutsbyvarin.webs.com

INK MONSTERS!!!!

I love this project!!!! This was a project that I have been meaning to do for the past three years but haven't had a chance to try. Well, I am so glad I finally tried!!! Not only do they turn out amazing, but the kids had a BLAST creating these!! I completed this project with 5th graders and later (because I loved it so much) used it as an incentive for Jr. High. I used liquid watercolors,card stock, sharpies, and colored pencil (only one extra color). First, I demonstrated how to do the project and my expectations. We learned that you do not need to squeeze the bottle, just turn it upside down over the paper. Let about 5 drops of paint drop on the paper. Then quickly, you get really close to the paper, take a deep breath in and blow!!! (some people use straws for this but I did not). Next, we used sharpie markers to add the details such as eyes, shoes, claws, spikes, and much more!! This project really challenges our artists to think creatively! This idea was inspired by http://www.dailymonster.com/ which is a website where the artist posts a new ink monster everyday!! Check it out becuase it is amazing!!!