2nd and 3rd Graders are also exploring line!

The whole school is exploring line this month! In the coming week, we are starting our "B" schedule art rotation which includes 2nd and 3rd graders as well as morning kindergarten classes.

In the 2nd grade we have been learning to do line by line drawing as we combined geometric lines and simple curves to draw buildings in the style of the Missions found in the South West. We are going to be adding color, design and pattern to our pictures in the coming week. The big push for 2nd grade is to understand the difference between Organic and Geometric design and then to apply it to their artwork. As we finish our mission pictures we will post pictures. (They are now posted above!) We hope you check back to see them.

The 3rd graders are all learning how to draw. We all got sketchbooks and each week we will work on our drawing skills for a few minutes as a "self-starter" when we first come to class. We learned about the Mola Art of the Kuna Indians who live on the San Blas Islands off the shores of Panama. We analyzed the Molas and determined if the design was geometric, organic or both. Each child sketched a simple Mola in their sketch book. This coming week, we will be creating a Mola design on beautiful black scratch paper. Please check back to see pictures!

Kindergarten Purple Crayon and Navajo Blankets

During the last few weeks, the kindergarten children at East Elementary have also been exploring line.

We read the story "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and then each child drew their own purple crayon adventure. We learned about scribble lines, straight lines, curvy lines, zigzag lines and how to write simple letters.

We are also making very interesting Native American blankets with symmetrical line pattern. Our favorite part has been cutting the fringe!

First Grade Curvy Community

This week the first graders have been learning about CURVY lines. Each child drew a curvy community that was filled with the curvy things they loved the most. We painted our curvy communities and then later in class, each child was given the opportunity to write about their curvy community. We will post pictures when we get everything together.

Home tie in: See if you can see curvy lines and straight lines as you observe the world around you. This is something fun to discuss with your child.

1st Grade Mondrian Cut and Paste

The first grader's in Mrs. Percival's class created unique artwork in the style of Piet Mondrian's "Broadway Boogie Woogie!"  We first looked at Mondrian's artwork and the students listed the interesting things they noticed about it.  We started with lines, squares and rectangles, then added the colors red, yellow, blue and white.  We talked about vertical and horizontal lines.  Each child created their own unique interpretation with strips of red, yellow and blue paper.

Welcome Back!

The trail in this map is leading back to school!   Last spring the 2nd grade students created these beautiful aboriginal "bark paintings" depicting a life  journey.  This year in art we are going to travel "Around the World in 180 Days" in the style of the famous Jules Verne novel. We will visit every continent as we teach geography and cultural art from around the world.   As part of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program  (BTS ALP)  Your child's classroom teacher and I will be teaching side-by-side to create a truly unique art experience for your child. Come join us on this wonderful adventure!

3rd Grade Polynesian Art

Each 3rd grader created a large watercolor picture of a polynesian scene to decorate the gym for the artist in residence program.  These  pictures were all different and they were all beautiful. The students learned how to block in the picture, create watercolor washes and draw palm trees.

3rd Grade Space Fantasy

This was one of my favorite projects for the school year.  We studied the moon cycle and learned to add shading using different patterns.  As our final project we created this beautiful moonscape using pastel chalks.  Each student used line patterns and choices of color. The final step was to add a moon in one of the phases we had recently learned.