Crazy Weather/Winter Week!

So...since Mother Nature has not been kind to us we missed PAJAMA DAY!

: ( (Oh well...I'll just wear my pajamas all day some other day.)

Here's what's happening in here this week:

Art II is working on creating black and clear images to make screenprints.

This is a tedious process and involves tiny little lines, paint and a small paint brush!

Art III is working on learning new things in Photoshop. We have Creative Suite 2 and love it...

(Adobe is now up to version 5, but we like CS2 and hesitate to upgrade because we'd lose Image Ready, which makes animation of images easier)

Graphic Design I, II and IV are creating their name with a drop shadow effect, using a color gradient inside the word Knights, and warping a "school appropriate" exclamation.

They also can work on personal projects. One student is creating her sister's wedding invitations and programs!

Photography is working on turning in a list of three things and adding effects. Their next assignment is to create an advertisement using the 10 Steps to Better Photography (Kodak),

and their skills they have learned the past few months. Each student will choose and object or something specific to photograph for their "ad".

Elementary...well, we are going to have 2nd grade today, since they missed 2 weeks in a row.

They are creating castles using shapes as if they were built from blocks. They are using colored pencil to add color and texture to their masterpieces!

In Kindergarten we talked about patterns and traced around our hands to make a mitten (it IS Winter Week, afterall...). They then added their own pattern and colored them with "fat" Crayola markers.

One of the things I am trying to communicate to all my students K-12 is drawing is just lines and shapes put together. Anyone can draw. Seriously. You have to have patience and then practice to do it well!

The Dance Team is trying to raise funds for new tops by having a "Dance Off" at Friday's Pep Rally...any donation is great. We will be dancing, at the last game (hopefully) February 12.

We also plan to dance in Armstrong on March 6, Estherville on March 20 and at the Pops Concert as well. Callie Herke is also performing a solo...You shouldn't miss it! Pops Concert is March 9!

Art students will soon begin working on the backdrop for the MS Musical. They will be presenting Music Man Junior on March 26th. I am very excited to be assisting Mrs. Sexe and the students, as I have been in many musicals and MM happens to be one of my favorites! I believe Mr. Hector, Mr. Benedict and Mr. Pedersen will be part of the quartet...cool, huh?

Ok. I have SO much to do these days...I best get at it!

Thanks for visiting my BLOG. df--Out!

Ice--NOT nice!

But it can be pretty.
If any of my "photographers" see this today, extra credit for some excellent "ice photos"!
We may have to change the due date on our new and improved list, although most of you
can work on things at home with your own cameras! : )

Elementary Art

Due to Teacher Inservice we didn't have 2nd Grade Art this week.
Last week we drew "shape castles". The castles look as if they have
been built out of building blocks.

In my first grade class we are drawing 2 point city perspectives.
The students are learning about the horizon line and the vanishing point.
Each student names his or her "city" and adds detail like doors, windows,
a road, trees, etc.

Last week the Kindergarten students drew pictures of a person. They learned
to see each element as a line and/or shape. If you do that, drawing doesn't seem
quite as intimidating! Also...Mrs. Farnum has had quite a few years of experience!
You can't compare your drawing to hers! : ) This week we will move the glaze
from the clay room to the new room. That way we can say we had a "hand" in the
move like everyone else has.

What are you doing out there?

This week in Art II we are working on our designs for our screen prints.

When the designs are complete we will be using the Photo Emulsion method

to burn them into the screen:

Students create a "black and clear", in other words an opaque image on acetate.

The students prepare their screen by stretching fabric over a frame and adhering it

with staples.

Next the screen is coated with a light sensitive chemical mixture that looks like

thinned green pudding.

The surface of the screen is then allowed to dry in a dark place. When it's dry the

screen is place on a flat surface and the black and clear is placed inside the screen.

Light is then shined through it (much like a photo negative onto photo paper)

in a darkened room, thus burning the opaque image into the screen's surface.

The screen is then gently washed leaving the design free of emulsion allowing the image to print.

In Photography, students are working on portrait photography and a short list of three items

that will each not only be shot utilizing the 10 Steps to Better Photography, but will have been altered in some way in Adobe Photoshop before being printed 9 up on a page for viewing/grading.

In Graphic Design the students are exploring the new online classroom I created on Nicenet.org.

I found another educator's site that she is allowing us to use that has tutorials and assignments that are excellent ways to learn tools and tricks in the Adobe Creative Suite package. Because I am not a graphic designer and am still, and will always be learning we will utilize this site. I hope to post photos of some of the work from last week soon!

The advanced students are working on drawings and various projects. We will begin a focus on work for the Conference Art Show (April 19) soon!

Contrasto

Kayla is creating an intricate design utilizing a specialized material that is 2 surfaces of white and black "paper" stuck together.

The design is drawn onto this surface and students use an exacto knife to cut away the white layer to reveal the black layer beneath.

It is a tedious process that requires a lot of time, patience and attention to detail.

If you need to work on your fine motor skills or patience, this is one way to do it with obvious results!

Contrasto!