Art Foundations
{CREATIVITY} is the process of having original ideas which have value.
WELCOME
Want to know what we are up to? Scroll down to see a week by week summary....
What is Art Foundations?
Art Foundations is an introductory class for freshman and sophomores. This class will provide the student with a basic introduction to drawing and 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional design. Students will learn basic vocabulary, be exposed to various media, color theory, and drawing from observation. Art movements and artists from history will be integrated throughout the course. An emphasis will be placed on the elements and principles of design. Students will be expected to keep a sketchbook/journal for homework and reflective writing. Portfolios and self-assessments are also required. Students will be exposed to a range of art materials and processes!
SBRHS Core Beliefs and Values Statement
In partnership with students, parents and the community, Somerset Berkley Regional High School will provide a safe and secure environment in which all students will have access to a rigorous curriculum that fosters critical and creative thinking. Somerset Berkley Regional High School will strive to develop students into responsible and productive citizens of a technological and global society.
S = Safe
B= Be critical and creative thinkers
R= Responsible and productive citizens
H= High expectations for all
S= Skills for the 21st century
Academic Expectations
The academic expectations are aligned to the SBRHS Core Beliefs and Values statement and the Common Core Standards for College and Career Readiness. These expectations are measurable.
Students at SBRHS will:
1. Read analytically to support conclusions drawn from text
2. Produce clear and coherent writing that is appropriate to task, purpose and audience
3. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks
4. Solve problems and complete tasks by reasoning critically and creatively
5. Process information critically to become capable researchers
6. Demonstrate technological literacy to facilitate learning
Social and Civic Expectations
Students at SBRHS will:
1. Demonstrate responsible behavior and citizenship
2. Respect themselves and others
3. Communicate and collaborate effectively with others
S = Safe
B= Be critical and creative thinkers
R= Responsible and productive citizens
H= High expectations for all
S= Skills for the 21st century
Academic Expectations
The academic expectations are aligned to the SBRHS Core Beliefs and Values statement and the Common Core Standards for College and Career Readiness. These expectations are measurable.
Students at SBRHS will:
1. Read analytically to support conclusions drawn from text
2. Produce clear and coherent writing that is appropriate to task, purpose and audience
3. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks
4. Solve problems and complete tasks by reasoning critically and creatively
5. Process information critically to become capable researchers
6. Demonstrate technological literacy to facilitate learning
Social and Civic Expectations
Students at SBRHS will:
1. Demonstrate responsible behavior and citizenship
2. Respect themselves and others
3. Communicate and collaborate effectively with others
What's Going On This Week?
September
WELCOME! For the next week or so I will be introducing students to the Art Foundations room, policies, safety procedures, and providing an overview of what we will work on this year. We will also discuss level selection and students will have an opportunity to switch between level 1, 2, or 3 after learning about the expectations for each level. Students will begin their first project which will illustrate understanding of the elements and principles of design. I will also provide students with my school e-mail address and Art Foundations web site.
OCTOBER
Students have been learning about the fundamentals of drawing and the elements and principles of design primarily line, texture, space, and shape. Later this month we began focusing on value. Students worked on a "GESTURE" unit, creating several classes worth of gesture drawings (drawings focused on rapidly drawing to capture the essence of the pose, mood, and movement). They chose on of their drawings and learned how to "draw" in 3-D with wire, creating a gestural wire sculpture.
Next we moved back to drawing and students created a drawing using the subtractive process. They toned grey paper with vine charcoal and used an eraser to illustrate light. They then worked back in to the drawing with charcoal and white chalk. They also made 5 step value scales.
Next we moved back to drawing and students created a drawing using the subtractive process. They toned grey paper with vine charcoal and used an eraser to illustrate light. They then worked back in to the drawing with charcoal and white chalk. They also made 5 step value scales.
NOVEMBER
Positive and negative space studies. Students are using view finders to isolate an area of a still life that is set up in our room. Students have learned about some of the elements that contribute to a pleasing composition such as contrast, texture, variety (line weight, size), and space. Students will create a positive negative space painting and then create a tonal drawing of the same view of the still life.
DECEMBER
Students will continue on with their positive/negative space studies and create a ceramic vessel. I am pleased that this course exposes students to a variety of materials and processes. Students will learn how to roll out a slab of clay and they will use ceramic shape cutting tools to create a pattern of negative (cut out) shapes on their slab vessel. Students will learn about the process of working with clay from the plastic stage to the fired/glaze stage.
Next, we move back into a drawing assignment and work on a SUBTRACTIVE DRAWING in charcoal. Students continue to fine-tune their observation skills, trying to accurately render objects, value, and space. Students "draw" with an eraser, removing charcoal from the paper to render light and shadow. This year, students drew from the photo of Isabella Seney, a digital photography student. In an attempt to make connections with history and the community, I chose a series of images of the Swansea Meeting House in Somerset.
Next, we move back into a drawing assignment and work on a SUBTRACTIVE DRAWING in charcoal. Students continue to fine-tune their observation skills, trying to accurately render objects, value, and space. Students "draw" with an eraser, removing charcoal from the paper to render light and shadow. This year, students drew from the photo of Isabella Seney, a digital photography student. In an attempt to make connections with history and the community, I chose a series of images of the Swansea Meeting House in Somerset.
January
We move on from our REPRESENTATION unit to a unit centered on ABSTRACTION. Students learned about Abstraction and focused on Non-Objective art. Students looked at works by Mondrian and Kandinsky and created their own non-objective drawing using the "scribble" method. They reviewed basic color theory (primary, secondary, warm, cool, analogous, tertiary, triadic) and chose their own color scheme for their drawing drawing. Next, students will use their autograph as a means to arrive at a purely abstract composition. This composition of line, shape, and space will be used to create a cardboard relief tile. Students enlarged and isolated an interesting area of their signature and added line weight. They transferred this onto an 8x8" piece of cardboard and carefully outlined with an x-acto knife. They then removed the negative space (the area around the signature) to create a relief tile.
February
Students will take a break to work collaboratively. We will look at the work of Louise Nevelson and Leonardo Drew. Students will work with a box of recycled materials (wood scraps, computer parts, etc.) to create a non-objective relief sculpture.
Next, students will create modular paper sculptures inspired by the work of Dutch artist, Ferry Staverman. Students sketched a variety of cactus plants for shape inspiration. They came up with an interesting shape and cut 4-6 folded shape out. When assembled, these two dimensional shape create a 3D form. Students defined and discussed the following terms: module, modular sculpture, volume.
Next, students will create modular paper sculptures inspired by the work of Dutch artist, Ferry Staverman. Students sketched a variety of cactus plants for shape inspiration. They came up with an interesting shape and cut 4-6 folded shape out. When assembled, these two dimensional shape create a 3D form. Students defined and discussed the following terms: module, modular sculpture, volume.
March
We have moved on from the unit "abstraction" into a new unit: "PERSONAL MEANING." Students are moving back to an observational drawing project, building on previous knowledge of perspective, value, and proportion. Students thought about and discussed the symbolism of shoes.... Shoes can provide clues about our personality, hobbies, gender, style, and life. Students are drawing 2 shoes (parts of 2 shoes) and focusing on composition. The shoes should take up most of the 12 x 18" paper. Students should illustrate at least 5 different values, and use of negative space, line, shape, perspective, and proportion to accurately render their chosen shoes.
We will be working with the theme of "Maps and Journey's." Students will come up with a proposal for an individual project that addresses this concept. Students will be given many different ideas and opportunity to brainstorm during a class . At this point in the year, students have worked with many 2-D and 3-D materials and processes. They are able to come up with their own project idea for this theme and will use problem solving and planning skills to figure out how to make their idea a reality.
We will be working with the theme of "Maps and Journey's." Students will come up with a proposal for an individual project that addresses this concept. Students will be given many different ideas and opportunity to brainstorm during a class . At this point in the year, students have worked with many 2-D and 3-D materials and processes. They are able to come up with their own project idea for this theme and will use problem solving and planning skills to figure out how to make their idea a reality.
April
Students will be working on a torn paper self portraits. Students are now breaking value down into areas of shape. Students are expected to use text and images from newspapers to visually describe themselves. Quotations, images, stories, etc. will provide the viewer with information about the student. Students are also using newspaper to illustrate value. They will translate areas of pattern and text into value. This is a long-term and challenging project but I look forward to the finished work!
This month students learned about one and two point perspective. Students learned about this system, and the fact that this mathematical system helps create the illusion of space and depth in a 2D drawing. Students spent several class periods rendering our art gallery hallway using one-point perspective to accurately record the space including floor tiles, windows, doors, and all walls. They did an exceptional job.
May-June
We are in our "natural world" unit. Students are wrapping up their torn paper self-portraits and I have to say - I am AMAZED. Students have gone above and beyond to incorporate symbolism in their portrait backgrounds. You will find meaningful and related words and imagery that provide a glimpse into the lives and personalities of each student.
We are moving on to a non-traditional type of portrait next and connecting to our Natural World Unit. Students will create woven portraits using branches, yarn, fabric, etc. Students will focus on text, color, texture and pattern. Students are invited to bring in fabric that is meaningful to them (an old, worn in t-shirt, yarn, scraps from a childhood tu-tu.....).
Next we will get back into drawing. Students will learn about Georgia O'keeffe and work on macro images of natural objects like plants, shells, etc. Students will focus on color schemes and blending.
We are moving on to a non-traditional type of portrait next and connecting to our Natural World Unit. Students will create woven portraits using branches, yarn, fabric, etc. Students will focus on text, color, texture and pattern. Students are invited to bring in fabric that is meaningful to them (an old, worn in t-shirt, yarn, scraps from a childhood tu-tu.....).
Next we will get back into drawing. Students will learn about Georgia O'keeffe and work on macro images of natural objects like plants, shells, etc. Students will focus on color schemes and blending.
