8th Grade: How to Posterize an Animal Image for Our Animal Portrait Project

8th GRADE

Please watch and follow the directions. 

Print to 117 (MS Computer Lab). 

The key for 117 hangs by the art room front door. 

7th Grade: How to Posterize an Portrait Image for Our Portrait Drawing Project

7th GRADE:
For our pencil grid drawing project.

PLEASE NOTE: I did this tutorial on a Mac. Our versions of Microsoft Word at Wheeler are different, so everything is in a slightly different place. However, I am confident that you will be able to figure it all out!!

Please print to 115 (art room) or 117 (MS Computer Lab, the key to which hangs by the front door of the art room).

Instructional: Marker Blending Tutorial

Here's a simple instructional video on blending with markers. I've also posted some examples of projects created with markers below.

Important Vocab:

Blending: Basically, the overlapping of selected colors to either create a transition of color or to create a new color (a secondary color). Tip: Blend neighbors on the color wheel; not opposites.
Primary colors: Red, yellow, and blue. You cannot "make" these colors. You use these colors to "make" secondary colors.
Secondary colors: Orange (yellow and red), green (yellow and blue), and purple (blue and red); each is made by combining two primary colors.
Complementary colors: Colors that sit opposite on the color wheel: red and green, blue and orange, purple and yellow. Mix these colors and get brown. Place these colors next to each other and they make each other POP. (They "complement" each other...!)
Color Wheel: A chart of colors explaining how the colors relate:



Instructional: Two Point Perspective Tutorial

Here's a simple instructional video on two point perspective. I've also posted some examples of two point perspective projects below.

Important Vocab:

Vanishing Point(s): The point(s) at which lines converge and disappear.
Horizon Line: Where the sky meets the land. Also, where the Vanishing Point(s) sits.
Perspective: Basically, things get smaller as they go farther away.



Instructional: One Point Perspective Tutorial

Here's a simple instructional video on one point perspective. I've also posted some examples of one point perspective projects below.

Important Vocab:

Vanishing Point: The point at which ALL lines converge and disappear.
Horizon Line: Where the sky meets the land. Also, where the Vanishing Point sits.
Perspective: Basically, things get smaller as they go farther away.

Here are some additional examples of one point perspective. Don't forget to use the Internet to find other examples that you might like better!

Instructional: How to Print (and Clean Up Afterwards)

Here's a simple instructional video on printmaking. I've also posted some examples of printing projects below.

Important Vocab:

Printing Plate: Either Styrofoam or linoleum (rubber). Whatever you are "carving" into to make a design/picture.

Plexi Plate: The Plexiglas plate upon which you spread out the ink using a brayer.
Brayer: A "roller." What you use to spread around the ink once it's on the plexi plate.

Printing Ink: We have many colors! Only use a dime sized amount and do so with a palette knife.

Palette Knife: A white plastic knife used to get ink and place it on the plexi plate.  

And here's the link if you'd like to watch it on YouTube.

PLEASE NOTE:

You can print in any color (you don't need to use just black).

Printmaking works best for line-type drawings. Meaning, the more "expressive lines" you have, the better your print will be. Look at all the expressive and decorative lines in the prints below. Imagine how boring they would be without them. Lines add so much INTEREST!

An up-close of a linoleum block printing plate.

Look how much energy and focus the lines of the background add. They show your eye where to look. They tell you that the car is REALLY IMPORTANT! AND EXCITING!

Look how much ACTION the lines add to this already action-filled piece. The way the white background is carved out in an almost halo/sun-ray pattern around the bird tells your eyes that the focal point of this piece is the bird/alligator mouth. Lines are SO IMPORTANT!

Faux Stained Glass

This is the first year I am doing an art history class here at Wheeler (and here's the awesome website I created for the course). It's a great class because it's a unique group: those who like art AND like talking about history. We do a lot of looking at and discussion images and events from history, creating art in the style of the movement we're studying, and.... cooking up feasts that relate to our topic of study. It's fun!

The first time period/movement we studied was medieval art in Europe (specifically Italy). Besides doing a presentation on a medieval artist of their choice, students were also required to complete an art project. Because stained glass was such a prolific art form in the middle ages, we decided to create faux stained glass pieces using a product called Gallery Glass. Below you can see the process, products, and pictures from our medieval feast day.

And in case you are interested in what we cooked.... Here is the recipe for medieval waffres, or "waffles"... except, they're made with about a billion eggs, ginger, and... cheese. But with chocolate chips, syrup, and whipped cream, they were pretty good!

Working on a beautiful representation of "hamsa," a sign of protection. 

Working on a composition featuring the Italian flag, theater curtains, and a family dinner table. 

Creating his perfect golf course. 

Making that perfect, relaxing, island paradise. 

Mountainous landscape!

This composition features a hand holding a pomegranate and musical bar featuring the seeds of the pomegranate as musical notes. 

Almost done!

About to start cooking!

Grating cheese for our... waffles!

Yum!

He ate all of our leftovers like a champ!

YUMMMMMMMMMMMM!