Tuesday, November 26, 2019

POP ART- trading cards

Finished pencil drawings for the 2 trading cards were due 11/126.  If you did not finish, the expectation is that you will hand in the 2 completed pencil stages of both cards for Monday 12/2.  DO NOT forget them at home over the break.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Drawing and Painting Mural Painting Expectations

Begin each day by gathering with your group and discuss what everyone will be doing that day.  No one should be sitting doing nothing or "waiting"and no cell phones out for any reason.

Before leaving the room to work on murals making sure everyone has pencils, erasers and chromebooks with the appropriate photo references.

Make it a point to communicate clearly with your group so that everyone is on the same page and no assumptions are made.

You will be given a 5 minute heads up when it is time to bring supplies back to class and pack up.  

No one leaves early and will be dismissed by teacher to avoid confusion with the clocks continuing not to be accurate.

Once painting begins after break the floor underneath the mural needs to be covered at all times and if paint spills please use a sponge/wet paper towel asap, do not wait.

Make sure all round brushes being used are point up, not down in containers of water to preserve the points.

Rob Kearney Assembly Follow-Up

Rob Kearney Assembly Follow-Up 
Monday, Nov. 25th


  1. Please complete this survey: https://forms.gle/Auk5i3oAEwkXHd7E8

    1. Discussion Questions
      1. What is your overall reaction to Friday’s assembly?
      2. Rob said one of the common things he hears is, “You’re can’t be a Strong Man because you’re gay.” Why do you think people believe that? 
      3. Do you think boys at this school feel pressure to be “manly?” What does that mean? How does it impact everyone?
      4. Where’s the line between joking around and harassment? How do you know when you cross it? Is it the same for everyone? Is there anything that it’s never ok to joke about?
      5. What are the things that you like about our school? What are the things you wish were different?
      6. How would you describe our school culture? Do you think anything needs to change? Why or why not?


  1. write a response either on paper or using this form: https://forms.gle/M2QE6qXqhLM3y56L9 
    1. Students can respond to any of the discussion questions, reflect on their reactions to the class discussion, or tell us about their overall response to the assembly. 
    2. Names on these responses are optional

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Foundations 1 & 2- Two Point Perspective Watercolor

Using the skills from our last project students will move on to create a finished watercolor painting of an architectural structure in an environment of their choice.
Begin by looking at some examples:
https://www.google.com/search?q=2+point+perspective+watercolor&rlz=1CASOCH_enUS866&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6gvW7p_blAhUEnlkKHSFtDrIQ_AUIEigB&biw=1517&bih=694&dpr=0.9&safe=active&ssui=on

Find a photo reference of a building that shows two sides of the exterior creating a corner just like you have seen on the two point perspective poster.

FInd a photo reference of an environment that the buildng exits in which could be realistic or unusual.

Tape two strips of paper on the left and right of your 9 x 12 paper as demonstrated to extend the horizon line and create vanishing points on those strips off of your finished work.

Carefully choose where your horizon line should be on the page depending on the point of view you chose in your photo references.  Begin to figure out where to place your vanishing points. (remember they are points, not circles)

Do your best to represent the buidling accurately but do not expect to replicate it.

When your drawing is developed and complete you can begin painting with watercolor.  The goal is to utilize all four techniques we learned, and do your best to combine those techniques as well.  

Make sure you have a solid light source when you paint so that the background and subject work in unison and make sense.

Foundations 2- Same as above except that your subject has to be 3 or more skyscrapers.  You will include a third strip of paper on either the top or bottom of your page to allow for a third perspective point that you will include.  This will essentially be in place of your vertical lines that you would normally use in a two point perspective.


Monday, November 18, 2019

Sketchbooks due by 11/22

Expectations for all sketchbook assignments are to spend a focused, undistracted hour drawing the assignment.(an unfinished drawing is acceptable as long as the time is spent.)  Assignment is given on Monday and due by Friday.  Begin with basic shapes and "sculpt" the details to bring it to completion. 
Make sure to write the date you turned it in on the back along with a word or two about what the assignment was.
If for some reason you misplace your sketchbook, do the assignment on white paper and turn it in.  We can put it in your sketchbook at a later date.

Late work is accepted but drops a letter grade every school day that it is late.  Do your best work and have fun!



Foundations- Draw a hallway from observation.  This can be done in one point perspective.  This can be done at home, at school or anyplace that has a hallway that you can sit at one end and draw what you see.  Since you are drawing for an hour this piece should be developed with some texture and maybe even value.


Pop Art- Create a layout for text on the back of your trading card.  The information you will include will be:

the artist's name
date of birth

Create a design that in some way visually describes the artist so it is not just plain text on a blank background.

Utilize real fonts.  You can search free fonts and you can search sites lile www.blambot.com



Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Ceramics- Tiles

Students will create ONE set of 4 tiles that have a unified theme but work as individual pieces of art.  The shapes of each tile must be untraditional in the sense that they will not be simple squares or rectangles.  Examples will be provided in class.  Do NOT make one piece and slice it into four.  Each tile must be a minimum of 5" x 5".
Begin by choosing a theme and sketching your ideas as always.  For example, if your theme is music, each of the tiles could be a different instrument that fit together in a creative way and can all be different sizes/shapes as long as they have visual qualities that unite them.
Each piece will be approached with a relief technique meaning that there will be several layers of depth.  You will need to both cut into the clay and build up the surface of the clay to create several planes.
Choose a subject that is meaningful to you, work hard and have fun!


Unity- Sense of wholeness in a work of art achieved through effective use of elements and principles of art.  Unity utilizes proximity, repetition and simplicity.

Relief-  Relief sculpture is any work which projects from but which belongs to the wall, or other type of background surface, on which it is carved. Reliefs are traditionally classified according to how high the figures project from the background. Also known as relievo, relief sculpture is a combination of the two-dimensional pictorial arts and the three-dimensional sculptural arts. Thus a relief, like a picture, is dependent on a background surface and its composition must be extended in a plane in order to be visible. Yet at the same time a relief also has a degree of real three-dimensionality, just like a proper sculpture.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Ceramics 2- Mochina

Students will discover Peruvian work in the Moche culture from 100-800 AD and the organic nature of the work which were often used as musical instruments. Students will be introduced to using molds to create a variety of handles that they will attach to their work to represent trademark aesthetic choices of this culture. White clay will be used with a monochromatic palette of reds.(and browns, perhaps textured glazes)  There can be reasons to stray from that color palette so consider all of your options by reading and looking at the four links and exploring beyond.

Students can choose to focus on 
1) Goddesses/Gods/Shamans with coils/handles integrated into the design
2) Musical instruments integrating elements of animal anatomy and coils/handles

Please read the following and outline a plan and comment on how you want to proceed with your three individual pieces (you will turn in the single piece that you feel is strongest):


Your response only needs to be a paragraph and will be done by commenting on this entry after signing in.  

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Middle School- Symbolic watercolor self portrait

We are creating a self portrait but not a traditional one.  a symbolic self portrait allows your to use imagination and show other aspects of who you are other than your likeness. 

Your first step is to have someone take a picture of your face/shoulders.  It can be a side view, front view or even an unusual angle as long as your face is recognizable.
Send it to your school email so that you can access it on your chrome book.

Think about images you could incorporate into your face/head/shoulders that can give the viewer an idea about your interests/ambitions etc...
Create at least two different thubnail sketches that we can look at and figure out which one works best.
Some examples:

http://juliasanderl.com/2015/09/01/symbolic-silhouettes/

When you are developing with your design you need the following:
At least two different photo references of elements you will include that will be included with your head/shoulders.
Clearly demonstrate all four painting techniques that we have practiced and identify where they are used in writing on the back of your work.

As always, begin your finished drawing with a light pencil drawing focusing on structure with basic shapes, center line, construction lines.



Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Pop Art- Pop Artist trading cards

We will be creating 2 trading cards each after choosing an artist from the Pop Art movment.
2.5" x 3.5" trading cards #1 will consist of:

A portrait of the artist on the front
On the back will be the following information in 8-12 point type:
d.o.b.
2 interesting facts about the artist as it relates to their work or why they work in the way they do.
What are they best known for in the art world and why?

Trading card #2 will consist of:
A reproduction of their best known piece or a significant portion of that artwork.
On the back will be the following information in 8-12 point type:
Name of the artwork
Medium that was used 
Size
Why is it significant in their career and/or in the art world?

Look at examples of trading cards that are presented to you.  You can use whatever program you are most comfortable with to generate type on the back of the card.  Focus on using appropriate colors, black and white will not be acceptable.  You can print them at home or email the finished file to Mr. Purcell to be printed.

Our objectives are :
Create accurate information that is presented clearly and delivered in a visually appealing manner that resembles examples discussed in class.  (use a minimum of 3 colors)


Create an accurate likeness of your artist and representation of their work.

PENCIL SKETCHES FOR BOTH CARDS DUE BY TUESDAY 11/26

Middle School Exploratory- Watercolor

Please watch this video carefully with either 1) headphones or 2) no volume and captions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fgkwcym4j4

Monday, November 4, 2019

Sketchbooks due on November 8th

Expectations for all sketchbook assignments are to spend a focused, undistracted hour drawing the assignment.(an unfinished drawing is acceptable as long as the time is spent.)  Assignment is given on Monday and due by Friday.  Begin with basic shapes and "sculpt" the details to bring it to completion. 
Make sure to write the date you turned it in on the back along with a word or two about what the assignment was.
If for some reason you misplace your sketchbook, do the assignment on white paper and turn it in.  We can put it in your sketchbook at a later date.

Late work is accepted but drops a letter grade every school day that it is late.  Do your best work and have fun!



Foundations- Draw the interior of a room in 2 point perspective.  Focus on rhe structure of the space before concern with any details.  Consider putting your vanishing points off of the page which will make it easier to draw.  All elements like windows, posters, frames should be in persepctive.


Pop Art- Draw a portrait of a public figure who is currently in the news and print out/attach a news article related to that individual.


Middle School Exploratory- Choose any item to draw from observation.  The item must have no text of any kind on it and needs to have at least one dark value on it and one light value.  A chess board with chess pieces would be a great example.