Art One
Art one students are just beginning to develop their art skills at the high school level. We intently focus on slowing down or hands and eyes while we draw at the beginning of the year. Placing a strong emphasis on drawing and shading. As the year progresses, we add in color assignments and 3-D projects such as sculpture, human centered and product design, and ceramics. This course challenges students to be creative problem solvers, and to take on big challenges, only to find out time and time again students are successful at things they once thought they couldn't do. The attributes in this course help students to become more confident and provide them with a skill set that will be beneficial for all school and job areas. It's not just about drawing and creating, it's about creating a well balanced brain and strengthening critical thinking areas while focusing on themes and big ideas with community connections, personal intentions and much more!
Life/Observation Drawing
Students continue to build on key concepts from technique builders. By observing, students draw line, by line, shape by shape, and draw slowly from observation. Students look at their hand 80% of the time and look at their paper 20% of the time. This is known as the 80/20 rule. By observing, our memories don't struggle to fill in information and we are able to copy it easily. The results are OUTSTANDING!
Watch the videos to guide yourself step-by-step through our intro to drawing. Make sure you do the blind contours first, followed by the modified contours. Take your time and concentrate! You will be surprised at how good you are! Add objects being held for additional depth and composition! |
Students practice drawing from life to enhance their ability to see details. Often times we overlook small changes in brightness or eliminate shadows. overlooking and eliminating these small details causes the final outcome to be less realistic and effective. WE have to train our brain to observe the details.
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Technique Builders
Mastering an effective value scale is very important with drawing. If we don't draw using a full range of values, our drawings will look too dark, too white, or very muddy. An effective drawing will have a good balance of dark, medium, and light values. Students also need to understand where shadows form on three dimensional shapes in order to make them look realistic. Different techniques are used to convey different objects and textures.
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Pen and Ink:
Students practice using pen to create different textures. The practice is necessary for developing both confidence and technique. These techniques are then transferred to images. The art 1-4 students work on creating a pen and ink calendar every year. Keep your eye out in local shops to be able to purchase your own copy. |
Pen and Ink Calendar Project
Students enjoy working hard to publish an artwork. Students tend to work harder and are more motivated to do a great job when they know others will be viewing their artwork. The students created pen and ink pictures according to the theme "Around Town". Students are
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Art one students often don't believe they can create such great projects so early on in the year. However by breaking instruction into small steps and strategically choosing photos to draw according to each student's strengths and abilities, the outcomes are outstanding, and empowers students do do more and accomplish more challenging and impressive projects.
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Re-Purposed Materials
Students were presented with a challenge to create something new out of old objects or repurpose a material for an alternate use. Some students created found object sculptures, others designed tape objects, fashion and more. By challenging our students to solve a problem and use materials in an alternate way than they were designed, they are forced to make original thoughts and ideas...a quality that is invaluable in today's society...no mater what path students choose!
Clay and Ceramics
Students were challenged to create and design a clay form. The students are required to use at least two techniques, demonstrating mastery of any of the following sills; slab construction, coil construction, additive sculpture, subtractive sculpture, carving, texture and much more. Students' had to effectively solve the problem by creating an object that was at least 6" in one direction. Manipulating larger pieces of clay presents a unique challenge, students learn through trial and error and teacher guided demonstrations and techniques to create effective attachments and designs. Students also need to demonstrate mastery in glaze application and creativity.
Clay Techniques-From Amaco Clay Supplier
Clay Techniques-From Amaco Clay Supplier
Still Life Drawing
Drawing a still life is hard work. Students needed to create a composition with objects, or use a provided composition, based on their interests. The challenge is to start drawing from life, and maintain correct proportions and angles to create a realistic representation, while also focusing on an emphasis point and creating an effective range of values.
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Scratch Art
- Choose a photo that you have taken, or a copyright free photo from a friend or the internet. Make it meaningful to you. What are you interested in or passionate about? Think about the composition and quality of the photo.
- Make sure the photo has high contrast; meaning there are many highlights and shadows with few gray areas. Scratch art is a good medium to practice line direction and quality.
- Think about your subject matter. Is the photo just plain and boring or is it engaging and interesting? For example is the angle unique or blah? A photo of a dog just sitting there, or a photo of a dog playing, or showing cute emotion?
Colored Pencil/Soft Pastel Techniques
Photography Challenges
Big Idea
Choose any medium you would like! The main focus of this project is creativity, originality and problem solving. Here's what to do....
First...think of a Big Idea....the big picture...something that holds meaning to you...maybe it's bullying, friendship, academic pressure, music and it's impact on you...the impact of social media, relationships, celebration, spirituality, family, materialism, diversity, culture, community, conflict/change, rituals, social justice, power, identity, heroes/sheroes/, dreams/nightmares.... Your artwork should tell something about how you think or feel about your big idea or show a part of the idea.
Second....create a dynamic composition which conveys your BIG IDEA from your own photos or materials...OR use AT LEAST THREE, yes I said THREE different resources from the internet to CREATE your own image. images are designed to inspire your creativity....You, the artist are in charge of making an idea your own, not copying directly.
Solve the Problem: Use an art medium(material) to create an art project that is meaningful to you, and relates to a bigger idea. Use strong composition skills (focal points, contrast, unique arrangements etc) and images you take or resources to inspire your artwork.
First...think of a Big Idea....the big picture...something that holds meaning to you...maybe it's bullying, friendship, academic pressure, music and it's impact on you...the impact of social media, relationships, celebration, spirituality, family, materialism, diversity, culture, community, conflict/change, rituals, social justice, power, identity, heroes/sheroes/, dreams/nightmares.... Your artwork should tell something about how you think or feel about your big idea or show a part of the idea.
Second....create a dynamic composition which conveys your BIG IDEA from your own photos or materials...OR use AT LEAST THREE, yes I said THREE different resources from the internet to CREATE your own image. images are designed to inspire your creativity....You, the artist are in charge of making an idea your own, not copying directly.
Solve the Problem: Use an art medium(material) to create an art project that is meaningful to you, and relates to a bigger idea. Use strong composition skills (focal points, contrast, unique arrangements etc) and images you take or resources to inspire your artwork.
Children's Books
Watercolor Technique and Painting
Watercolor is a difficult medium to work with. Students began by doing an exercise where they learn different watercolor techniques. Then they choose an image to use for their painting. At this point, students should be using good values in their work, have a good composition, use the technique well, and have a point of emphasis, while showing good contrast and color balance.
Screen Printing
Students learn about the graphic design industry and the business of screen printing. This basic method shows students the big concepts that are used at major printing companies to make the t-shirts they buy from the store. Students design, create, or edit an image to use. They stretch and staple a screen to a frame add emulsion, expose their screen, and begin printing with fabric ink. |
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