Port Allegany High School Art
The following lessons/activities/projects are underway this week:
WEEK 1
Students will receive a course overview and their Student Sketchbook assignment. This is a homework assignment that spans the semester. Whenever a student completes a class assignment early, he is expected to work in his Student Sketchbook. General topics are assigned for the sketchbook, totalling 10 entries each quarter. STUDENT SKETCHBOOKS 2014.doc Entries are evaluated on composition and effort.
Students will make progress on Project #1 which entails an introduction to blending Acrylics, while focusing purely on Design and Composition. A subjective Acrylic Painting will follow later in the semester.
WEEK 2
Students continue developing painting techniques, learning to control the consistency of the Acrylic Paints to blend edges between colors. Students will apply two more layers of Acrylic colors while building a composition with successfully balance and focus. Next week the students will begin a realistic acrylic painting using the techniques they practiced on the completed acrylic design. Students should work from a realistic image they have selected. They may use their own photos or find one in a magazine, from a calendar, or on the internet. Good examples can be found in the following document. acrylic images.doc Each of these images can be recreated by chunking the painting into several manageable portions. Each image also allows for the students to expand their techniques since the backgrounds are blurry and soft (requiring blending) yet the foregrounds are crisp and focused (requiring a stippled effect for textures, or requiring the student to establish detail).
WEEK 3
Students will begin the week sketching from the images they provide, transfer their sketches to canvas and begin to develop the realistic acrylic painting using the techniques they practiced on the completed acrylic design. Students should work from a realistic image they have selected. They may use their own photos or find one in a magazine, from a calendar, or on the internet. Good examples can be found in the following document. acrylic images.doc Each of these images can be recreated by chunking the painting into several manageable portions. Each image also allows for the students to expand their techniques since the backgrounds are blurry and soft (requiring blending) yet the foregrounds are crisp and focused (requiring a stippled effect for textures, or requiring the student to establish detail).
WEEK 4
Students will continue to work on their current project using acrylic paint. These paintings are coming along beautifull and I hope to post some photos of some of the finished projects. Students are working more slowly and with more detail as they move into the foreground of the paintings By the end of the week we will discuss the next project so the students can start to prepare. By mid-week (next week) we will begin a sketch as we start a new project exploring artist quality colored pencils. These Prismacolor pencils are a top of the line product and allow for bright, rich, color and captivating details. Students should carefully select a realistic image (homework) for use on this project. We looked at examples last week and will revisit them before they are due in class. colored pencil images.doc
WEEK 5
Students will be completing and transfering new sketches by the end of this week, learning how to build and blend artist quality colored pencil, and progressing on their selected images. The goal is Realism in proportion and form by being consistent with their light source. Individual styles will be evident.
WEEK 6
Students are continuing to build and blend optical color using colored pencils. Students should be applying their colors evenly while maintainly a uniform stroke direction, then using the colorless blender to lightly stir their colors together or blend.
WEEK 7
By mid-week students will begin an art piece influenced by the work of Georgia O'Keeffe. Students will be exposed to her work and the project will be discussed. Students should bring ideas and images for reference on Wednesday and decide what materials they will be using. They may need to supply non-traditional art materials or strong adhesives, depending on their ideas.
WEEK 8
In class this week the students are continuing to make progress on their O'Keeffe-inspired pieces in which they are attempting to give beauty to the mundane. This is not an easy task if the idea is weak or ill-conceived. These young artists have a lot of freedom on this project by selecting their choice of materials as well as concept & composition.
WEEK 9
On Monday and Tueday students are putting the finishing touches on their upcycled pieces and writing a short prompt explaining their thought process and their individual goals as to what they were attempting to communicate through their art. On Wednesday we will take a look at Talavera-style ceramic design. This is a beautiful Mexican hand-crafted style that has become highly collectible and very popular in our country. Students will select an authentic Talavera design, but change the motifs within their design to express their own ideas. In this respect they are borrowing the composition but being creative and original rather than "copyists." They will be developing their designs on a pre-fired ceramic dinner plate.
WEEK 10
Students are continuing to work on their "Talavera-inspired" plates. By Tuesday students should be starting to apply glazes using glaze applicator bottles and brushes. Multiple coats result in brighter, more opaque finishes. Single coats of color will result in semi-transparent finishes.
WEEK 11
Students are continuing and completing their Talavera-inspired plates during the beginning half of the week. By week's end, students should be ready to move onto another project. We will be revisiting shading techniques introduced and practiced in 7th grade, but extending and expanding our knowledge. Students will be using graded pencils, ranging from 9H to 8B to complete a realistic image containing strong contrast and careful detail, and void of outlines.
WEEK 12
On Monday students will begin working with graded pencils to complete a realistic VALUE study, working from an realistic image of their choice. Students should strive to develop a strong sense of contrast, shading soft-edge shadows, while maintaining crisp details and clean highlights.
WEEK 13
Students will continue working with graded pencils to complete a realistic VALUE study, working from an realistic image of their choice. Students should strive to develop a strong sense of contrast, shading soft-edge shadows, while maintaining crisp details and clean highlights.
Students will begin a new design project midweek, exploring Rhythm and Pattern in Art. Students will have the choice to work from a photo, or to work with pure design, creating a repetitive yet interesting motif, and working within a repeating pattern of rows and columns.
WEEK 14
Students continue to explore Rhythm and Pattern in Art, some working from images they have selected while others are embarking on a design that plays with a balance of positive and negative space.
WEEK 15
Students complete their exploration of Rhythm during the first half of the week, and begin to explore Non-Objective Design during the second half of the week, by selecting a non-objective artist and creating an original piece in that style.
WEEK 16
Students are exploring Non-Objective design by creating an original piece inspired by three non-objective artists whose works and styles that inspired them.
WEEK 17
Students are completing their Non-Objective designs and organizing projects for the Spring Art Show.
WEEK 18
Students are organizing and using the Mat Cutter to mat projects for the Spring Art Show.
