March! MOVING toward Spring...we hope!

This coming week in the Art room in the ARG building:

We will continue to work on screenprinting/designs for sculptures in Art II as well as

painting the set for the MS Musical (Music Man Jr. March 26th).

Morgan continues working on her drawing, and discovering new sites, tools and techniques in

Photoshop and on my wikispace. (www.gthsart.wikispaces.com)

Jeff is adding shading and depth to his drawing of a car with colored pencils.

Kristi took photos of Mrs. Frambach and will touch them up, add effects and prepare them

for her to use as she wishes. We are doing this for many of the teachers, as we need profile photos for our blogs. : )

Heather is working on her Graphic Design assignments (this week a Self Portrait collage), and her Op Art painting.

Phillip is working on Channel 3, shields to hang in the gym/hallway, and other projects that come his way...there's always someone and Phil is there to help them!

Sandy is working on a video for graduation, creating her own graduation invites and wedding invites and program for her sister. She is also the one who creates and posts our school's menu. In the next few months she will turn that duty over to Heather. :)

Photography students are working on Portraits--teachers, students, and a group or two.

Their assignment is due Friday.

Graphic Design students are working on a Self Portrait project where they take a photo of themselves and alter it with color and design layers. A project borrowed from a great website I found.

2nd Grade will finish their castles and begin working on cutting a Shamrock from a folded piece of paper. We will learn a little about St. Patrick's Day, seeing how we are so near Emmetsburg...

1st graders will learn about and draw a picture involving the Red Cross, as we missed that lesson last week.

Kindergarteners are really excited, as we are going to build a trap to catch a Leprachaun, having drawn gold and other shiny objects last week to attract him! We hope we can at least get ahold of his pot of gold. We are going to try!

Dance Team is preparing for 3 performances--March 6th at the Armstrong Showcase, March 9th at the Pops Concert, and March 20th at the ELC Drill Team Showcase. Callie will be performing her solo as well on the 6th and 9th! : )

Leah B and I are working on an iMovie as a background for the Pops Concert. She is learning a thing or two about cutting, and splicing, timing and transitions. I have the OLD version of iMovie, and am looking forward to upgrading to a newer more sophisticated edition with our new machine (soon, I hope!).

I hope that everyone will plan to attend the upcoming events involving the Fine Arts Department!

Also, be sure and wish our FFA members good luck as the prepare for District and State competition! Go FFA!

GDsn Assignment Text on a Path

Using the pen tool in Adobe Photoshop, you can write along a path, around a shape or in

a chosen design.

This is illustrated in this piece done very well, by Katie Friday February 26th.

She also added some layer styles over the text to add depth and emphasis!

Graphic Design--Text on a Path

I've been called "sick" before...but this is ridiculous!

Ok, so I finally went to a doctor. Turns out I have sinus and middle ear infection.Guess I've had it for nearly a week. Oops.

Probably let that go on too long. I already feel better and I've only had one dose of medication!

The moral of the story is...see a doctor. Don't wait. Ha!

This week in the ART ROOM in the ARG (think pirate, matey) building:

Morgan's drawing is really great and looks like a photograph. Charcoal pencil seems to be her best medium.

Today in Art II we finally burnt an image into a screen to be screen printed. Tomorrow we'll do the rest and then be able to print our images to paper or fabric, which ever each student chooses.

Next we will either be creating relief or 3D paper mache sculptures or molded handmade paper pieces. : ) Can't wait to see the results of some brainstorming we did this morning.

In TAG, Isaiah and I watched some experiments on youtube that showed air pressure, and chemical reactions (mainly vinegar+baking soda). We also found out how cheese was made and determined that we should make some glarch next time. Green glarch...definately, GREEN.

(Equal parts of Elmer's Glue and liquid laundry Starch added into a ziploc bag and needed together.)

In photography the students will begin working on portrait photography this week. Today everyone was working on finishing their Slick Ad. They chose something they wished to "advertise" and took photos of it. Then using Photoshop created an advertisement complete with photo, background and catchy words or phrases to "sell" their product.

The second grade students are working on finishing up their "Building block castles". Students drew a castle (that looked like it had been built out of blocks). Next they used torn construction paper to create a collage background. They then cut their castles out and glued them to the background. Those who had finished created a cover for "Popular Mechanics" magazine, drawing a futuristic form of transportation. I saw many rockets, some hovercraft, and other interesting all purpose/multipurpose types of vehicles.

Graphic Design students all were creating program covers for various events, remembering to include the name of the event, date and keeping in mind the event details given. Next they will study some art careers, do a few tutorials on Adobe Illustrator and work on the school's 2010 yearbook.

Phillip is working on creating a Channel 3 website on Freewebs.com. He'll be able to have several avenues for getting the school's information out to our adoring public!

Heather is creating a collage of photos and articles chronicling her year/life as of late. Her next project involves paint and an optical illusion she found online.

Jeff is drawing a car with graphite and colored pencil. Sometimes, because Jeff tends to talk with his hands, it's better for me to leave the room. hehe. He tends to get more done when I am not there to talk to...and it is my prep hour. Nice guy, Jeff. Helpful too. (as is Phil)

Sandy is creating an iMovie of family photographs. I am afraid I have rubbed off on some of my students as she is constantly talking to the computer. I guess I'll worry when she answers in a robotic voice!

The 1st grade students will learn about the Red Cross tomorrow and draw pictures to illustrate what they do. In light of all the recent tornados, floods, and earthquakes in the headlines, I feel that it's something worth highlighting.

Kindergarten students will begin discussing St. Patrick's day and those little green men...NO not aliens, and I was never abducted! Leprechauns. We're gonna catch one of those little devils this year, and we're going to create some shiny objects and mirror images to attract them!

With luck, we'll begin making up the missing days and not have any more snow days this year...I really want to finish the year in May if at all possible.

I will be taking classes and possibly teaching one or two this summer! I'll also have 4H kids from our club and others if they wish, creating their "wares for Fair".

Don't forget to visit and join my wiki...it's a direct connection to all of my "goings on" these days!

http://gthsart.wikispaces.com/

Looking for the School Newsletter...

Guess what?

I created a Wiki! Now that's where I've put all my links, including the school newsletter!

http://gthsart.wikispaces.com/

One reason was to centrally locate all my "stuff" including the websites I have created and manage. The other was to get students involved and for them to be able to upload, display and discuss their work.

You will find within the next year, there will be many new sites and spaces created to aide our

students with the new technology rich environment they will reside in. It's pretty exciting and fun for me. I'm hoping that we are able to inspire others through our work and our sites!

TAG video from last year

Sorry.  I had to delete this post for 2 reasons:
1.  We didn't get the sources listed on the end.
2.  It contained the students first and last name.

Things you need to remember when posting.
Where was my brain that day?

Tuesday-Friday Feb. 16-19

So...some of us slid into G-town today, and some of us were stranded. A few went in the ditches.
Thankfully...driving about 35-40 in some spots down Hwy. 4, I made it, safe and sound!

With shortened class periods it's hard to get much accomplished, but we will try.

Art II is doing the "20 Minute draw" today. They choose an object and draw/shade what they can in 20 minutes. Sometimes it's surprising to see what can be accomplished in this short amount of time!

Kollasch (TAG) came in and we were looking of trees in National Geographics to paste into his
dinosaur diorama. Eventually we'll get our claymation movie made, complete with sound effects!

Photography will continue working on slick ads and hopefully creative juices will be flowing!

Graphic Designers are working on program covers for various upcoming events using either Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator. They will also be exploring various art careers this week via a very well done HS Graphic Design Class website. I feel like I should be paying dues to use the site! There is SO much useful information there. She's not teaching anymore, but left her site for the rest of us!

The rest of the week we will be working on set and props for Music Man Jr. which will be presented by the Terril/Graettinger MS in late March (the 26th I believe). Having seen this musical and the movie numerous times, it's easy for me to envision and execute items needed to aide Mrs. Sexe in this endeavor. I LOVE musicals. Have been in a few myself. Imagine me as a Nun?! ha!

In the Elementary we will be doing a drawing of our Knight logo in the Kindergarten and 1st Grades--reminding students that you can create drawings using lines and shapes is necessary and needs to be done frequently.

So...good luck to our 2 wrestlers and to the Boys Basketball team as they enter State and District competitions. To our FFA folks as they compete and prepare for State and State offices. If you have ever visited our school you would see that we have creative, talented and great students here! Small schools RULE!

df
OUT.

If You're Happy and You Know It...

clap your hands!

Trying to work up a positive attitude to start off my week.

Late start on a PD day? Sure. I'll take that.

The question is...do we have to make up the day if we all stay home, OR

can I work at home and "show my work" and not have to?

It's not looking good folks.

There's a 4 foot drift on my side of the driveway.

More tomorrow, you can be sure of it!

df

Dear Mother Nature...

We have had ENOUGH!!!

I wonder if Mrs. Alesch still loves snow? ha

Okay, so...we need a full class period to burn our screens to screenprint in Art II.

HOPEFULLY that will be tomorrow! Then we are going to create a life sized tape

sculpture. Should be fun! We have been talking about doing this for many years and

utilizing the "Dale tape" we have. :)

In photography, we will begin to work more dilligently on our slick ad that was introduced

in January. Students will be advertising something. An example one student is doing is

Crayola products. Photography is involved in lots of magazine and print ads. This will be

our attempt to mimic that process!

In graphic design students will be creating program covers for the Pops Concert, Jr. High

Musical (Music Man--March 26), the ELC Dance Showcase (theme: Welcome to the Jungle), or for the Open House (TBA). They will incorporate and utilize some of the Photoshop tricks they have learned to date.

Art III students are working on drawings. One of a car and one of a rather emotional young man...go figure. : )

In Kindergarten art we are going to make a Valentine. I know it will be a fun process. They love making cards...some of them are experts!

I am proud of all of our G/T kids accomplishments lately!!! Wrestlers, basketball players, Speech (Choral Readers), FFA, Band and Choir and Juniors (who have been doing a great job getting ready for prom by working in the Concession Stand and preparing ideas and planning).

It's gonna be an exciting Spring. I hope you can be a part of many of our endeavors!

df

1:1 Presentation

The first example is a way to show how to use the layer style tool.

Students were told to write the word Knights and add the drop shadow

layer style. Kady added the blocks around it with various other styles added.

Wooo HOOOOOOOOOOO!

I am SO excited that we will all have computers next year!

Imagine the possibilities?

What a great opportunity for us all!

Thanks to everyone who helped and supported our endeavors. : )

One thing I wanted to explain so badly was that the machine

the students have will be equivalent to the machine I bought two

years ago for $1800! Their machine may cost close to $500 per machine,

but that is one heck of a deal with all the tech support, training, etc.

that comes with it. I actually estimated that each machine would cost

$800 prior to meeting Thursday night. The student machine has a

similar platform to my machine, which I use for my photography.

I highly recommend, if you can afford it, to purchase your own external

hard drive for your household, and back up anything you want to save.

All my photos are now saved on one as well as being uploaded to my

website (www.mrsf.smugmug.com). I learned this the hard way, and it

wasn't my computer's fault! (I was "cleaning" my machine and got too

carried away...)

I can't wait to get started in our new technology rich environment!

Thanks so much G-T Board, for believing in us, and supporting

this initiative!

This week!

I've been crazy busy here.

I have to say that I have been so excited to be a part of presenting to the board about the 1:1 laptops, it's hard to stay focused.

Do you see the potential? If not, let's talk!

This week in Art II we are finishing our black and clear designs and will burn them to our screens

hopefully on Thursday or Friday. In the meantime, the students are working in photoshop, familiarizing themselves with the tools and gadgets.

Art III students are doing the same, and beginning new drawings.

The Photography and Graphic Design students are playing catch up, trying to get

all the assignments from this quarter done and printed, so they may be graded.

When you only have 4 computers and need 9 or 10, that's a REAL problem!

Also, 2 of my computers no longer print now that we have moved to the "ARG"

building. Frustrating!

We have solved this by dragging our work to a thumbdrive and loading it onto a machine

that WILL print, but all this takes TIME. PRECIOUS amounts of time!

Mr. Pedersen was a guest on Monday and showed the photography students how to

create their own music in Garageband. WOW! It's SO much fun! I haven't had much

time to try to make my own music, but when I do get some time it'll be great. I can

also now load the dance team music and slow it down so that practicing a new dance

can be a little easier! Thanks Mr. P!

In Elementary classes (2nd and 1st, we didn't have Kindergarten art this week due to the shortened class periods on Wed.) we worked on the castle collages and learned how to cut

hearts for Mrs. Brown's bulletin board. You'll have to stop in the office and see what a great

job they did! Hopefully, the 2nd Grade's castles will be ready for display next week. They are

very neat!

Callie Herke, who is a sophomore here at G/T, will be dancing on Thurday Feb. 4 at the basketball game. It's a tribute to her mother, which I'm sure you won't want to miss!

I think I heard Spring whispering behind the large snow pile next to our driveway...it said

"Don't worry, I'll be there soon." It was soft, but I heard it. Honest. : )

Take care everyone, it's slippery in spots out there!