FOURTH GRADE . . . The Art of Photoshop

Fourth graders are discovering the magic of modern technology in their general art class. With our self portrait, we are going to explore how art can be expressed with the traditional tools of a graphite pencil on paper as well as using modern tools and digital images on the computer. Leonardo da Vinci will be our inspiration for the more traditional lessons in drawing portraits, but I have always thought that Leonardo would have been a very eager student of all things digital in our modern world. Imagine what he could have done with the art and science of Photoshop!

Adobe Photoshop is a wonderful retouching tool for graphic artists as well as anyone who owns a digital camera. Most of us know how to upload photos to a computer and use them in different applications. Therefore, we should also know how to correct a photo, change its size or alter the color. With Photoshop, my students will learn how to do all of that, as well as discover how to change a digital image into a creative and original work of art.

With new advances in technology there is always a moment we have to step back and review what impact this new technology will make in our lives. When I was younger, cameras used film to record images. Unless you were very skilled at darkroom techniques, the image was printed just as it was captured by the camera lens. The best we could do at the time was use a pair of scissors to crop the photo. Now with software such as Adobe Photoshop, photos can be altered and you would never realize a change was made.

Here is a video put out by Dove Beauty a few years ago that I shared with my classes today. This really highlights the significance of Photoshop and the impact it has on our perception of beauty and reality.

FIFTH GRADE . . . Our reflections of a drawing

Fifth graders brought in their sketchpads to art for the first time today. We took turns presenting our drawings with the class and we learned how to talk about each drawing. We were able to point out something specific about the sketch and we were able to ask the artist questions as well. How amazing would it be to go to a museum and actually ask Vincent van Gogh why he painted swirls in the sky of his "Starry Night." To be able to ask an artist a question gives us an opportunity to learn and appreciate so much more about the art.

It is not enough just to say you like a picture; we want to know why you like it. When we discuss a drawing in class, these are some of the elements of art we can recognize or talk about:

• Is the image realistic or abstract?
• Are the colors soft, bright, bold?
• How was the object shaded? 
• Is there an interesting design or composition on the page?
• Details about the subject of the drawing
• Details about the background
• Do you notice anything about the use of line or shape? 
• Is there a sense of movement in the picture?
• How does the picture make you feel: happy, sad, calm, excited?

Here is a sketch by Abbi S. that was presented earlier today. We heard some wonderful thoughts about the drawing in class. Click on the comments option below... can you come up with your own reflection?

SECOND GRADE . . . Pop Art Portraits!

We started working on our portraits in Second Grade. Everyone created a wonderful outline drawing of themselves in pencil and black marker. These simple portraits will be reproduced 4 times on a copy machine and then handed back to the class next week to complete in many shades of colorful markers.

The artist we will be introduced to next week is Andy Warhol, a well known Pop Artist from the 20th century. His art was a reaction to the sudden popularity of celebrities and mass produced items of that century, such as Coca Cola bottles and Campbell's Soup. He was also the one who came up with the expression, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Most of Warhol's images are done as multiple prints to reflect just how "popular" the image is to all of us. We did not see Marilyn Monroe once, we saw her over and over again in movies, on TV, and in magazines. Warhol's portrait of Marilyn reflects her fame and her popularity.

Here is a question we will discuss in our next art class . . . If Andy Warhol was still creating Pop Art images, what very famous person do you think he might want to do a portrait of today?



Note to families . . .
    This art blog will be updated regularly with new posts sharing our daily activities in the art room and news about upcoming art exhibits. To respect the privacy of our students, names will always be limited to first name only and identifiable photos will never be accompanied with a name. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write in the comment box below or send me an email at blevine@ranneyschool.org. I would love to hear from you!
    In my class, students are given the chance to explore different materials and fun new techniques as they develop their signature style. Some young artists love to draw with a pencil, some like to paint on canvas or create images in a digital format, while others prefer working with clay and molding three-dimensional forms. In my classroom, we use a variety of materials allowing all artists to experiment and figure out which type of art they like the best. At Ranney School, we place a strong emphasis on originality and celebrate artistic differences, always nurturing and encouraging the imagination of every student.
     Remember to check out our display of finished artwork and student portfolios in the Ranney home page of Artsonia.com.  http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839

FIRST GRADE... Learning About the Mona Lisa

First Graders have started their Lower School journey into the rich and colorful world of art history. As we experiment with different materials and art techniques, we will be inspired by famous paintings and sculptures. We will also learn about the artists who created these masterpieces and the cultures they came from.

As we do every year in art, we began our discovery into self expression with a portrait of ourselves. Today, first graders learned about the history of one of the most famous works of art, Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa". (By the way, I was so impressed by all of my first grade friends who knew the name of this painting. Some even knew that it hangs in a museum in Paris!) We looked at the painting and talked about why it became so well known. Leonardo dedicated his life to studying the human body, learning all about the bones, the muscles, the correct proportions, and how the body looks in motion. His studies in light and shadow also help us to see the form of Mona Lisa's features and give us a better sense of depth.

Besides being a brilliant work of art, this painting may have become so famous because of a much more exciting reason! In the early 1900's the "Mona Lisa" was stolen from the museum. A janitor from the Louvre took the painting off the wall and walked right out of the building with it. He wanted to bring her back to Italy, the birthplace of Leonardo. After a two year investigation, the painting was finally discovered in the attic of someone's home and returned to the museum. The Mona Lisa now hangs behind a protective glass panel and is roped off so that visitors can only admire her from a safe distance.

Our self portrait will be based on the pose of the "Mona Lisa" showing our face, shoulders and folded hands. We began drawing the features of our face, and next time we meet we will add distinctive details to make our portraits look just like us!

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KINDERGARTEN...Art Can Tell a Story

Kindergarteners tried using some of the materials we have in the art room. Some drew with pencils and crayons, while others built a sculpture with shapes or blocks. The common theme for every kind of art we create is that we could tell a story about it.

In Jonah's story, he is throwing a football and his daddy caught it!

In Serena's story, she is swimming at the beach and it is a very sunny day.

Each project we create in Kindergarten this year will be based on the style of a well known children's book illustrator. Inspired by the artwork Kindergarteners have come to love on the pages of their favorite books, we will explore different techniques for creating our own pictures. Our first project in art will be a book that we will write and illustrate ourselves. The cover of our books will be a self portrait and the pages will be filled with drawings of our favorite things.

"The Art Lesson," by Tomie dePaola

Tomie de Paola is the author and illustrator of 200 books, including Caldecott Medal winner, "Strega Nona". Today in art class we read "The Art Lesson," an autobiographical story by Tomie dePaola. He knew he wanted to become an artist by the time he started school and as we read this story together we discovered what it was like for young Tomie to go to his very first art class. Using the wonderful style of this illustrator's drawings, we will learn how to draw our self portraits and start to make our own books!


Note to families . . .
    This art blog will be updated regularly with new posts sharing our daily activities in the art room and news about upcoming art exhibits. To respect the privacy of our students, names will always be limited to first name only and identifiable photos will never be accompanied with a name. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write in the comment box below or send me an email at blevine@ranneyschool.org. I would love to hear from you!
    In my class, students are given the chance to explore different materials and fun new techniques as they develop their signature style. Some young artists love to draw with a pencil, some like to paint on canvas or create images in a digital format, while others prefer working with clay and molding three-dimensional forms. In my classroom, we use a variety of materials allowing all artists to experiment and figure out which type of art they like the best. At Ranney School, we place a strong emphasis on originality and celebrate artistic differences, always nurturing and encouraging the imagination of every student.
     Remember to check out our display of finished artwork and student portfolios in the Ranney home page of Artsonia.com.  http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839

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THIRD GRADE...Learning about each other in art!

I have a tradition in Ranney Lower School. We begin each new year in art with a self portrait project. It is a wonderful way to get to know our new friends through self expression and creative discovery. Some grades do a pencil sketch, some classes show off their love of color with markers, and some retouch their photo on the computer.

Today, third graders began their self portrait as a full painting on canvas. We are using 11 x 14 canvas boards for this project and we will learn how to select a color palette that best represents us.

As we do with every portrait, we began with a pencil sketch of the features of our face. Using a basic oval for the head, we followed light grid lines to determine where to place our eyes, nose and mouth. It always surprises everyone that our eyes are half the way down the oval and not at the very top. We learned how to draw the eye as an almond shape and how to add the round area for color inside. We discovered how to draw a realistic nose and we began the expression line for our mouth. Next week, we will complete the drawing part of the project by adding lips, correcting the outline of the head, and adding other details, such as hair, a neck, and shoulders. We will also use a mirror to make our portraits look just like us.

Note to families . . .
    This art blog will be updated regularly with new posts sharing our daily activities in the art room and news about upcoming art exhibits. To respect the privacy of our students, names will always be limited to first name only and identifiable photos will never be accompanied with a name. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write in the comment box below or send me an email at blevine@ranneyschool.org. I would love to hear from you!
    In my class, students are given the chance to explore different materials and fun new techniques as they develop their signature style. Some young artists love to draw with a pencil, some like to paint on canvas or create images in a digital format, while others prefer working with clay and molding three-dimensional forms. In my classroom, we use a variety of materials allowing all artists to experiment and figure out which type of art they like the best. At Ranney School, we place a strong emphasis on originality and celebrate artistic differences, always nurturing and encouraging the imagination of every student.
     Remember to check out our display of finished artwork and student portfolios in the Ranney home page of Artsonia.com.  http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=114839 

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First Day of Art!

During our first day in the art room, we talked about the Ranney School Honor Code and how important some of the words in our Honor Code are to art. For example, we should be RESPONSIBLE for our own actions, for the supplies we share, and for the safety of ourselves and others. TOLERANCE in the art room refers to being nice to our friends and always looking for ways to encourage someone's creative efforts. It is never okay to tease or make fun of a project, especially when the drawing or painting is out on the table for everyone to see. We can all think of something nice to say about a work of art. Perhaps you like the colors that were used, or the idea for the project. Being a good friend in art class is encouraging others to feel proud of their work.

Sharing brand new crayons

Meeting new friends in First Grade and learning about 3D art

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Welcome back to school!

Welcome to my daily art blog for Ranney Lower School! As we take our creative journey through this school year, you may notice that many of our projects are based on the work of a famous artist or illustrator, and that we often look beyond our classroom walls to other cultures for inspiration. Together, we will see how the style of an artist can influence our own creative efforts as well as help us realize and represent our place in the rich world of art history.

All of my students are given the chance to explore different materials and fun new techniques as they develop their signature style. Some young artists love to draw with a pencil, some like to paint on canvas or create images in a digital format, while others prefer working with clay and molding three-dimensional forms. In my classroom, we use a variety of materials allowing all artists to experiment and figure out which type of art they like the best. At Ranney School, we place a strong emphasis on originality and celebrate artistic differences, always nurturing and encouraging the imagination of every student.


Getting Ready for Art

All art students, grades Kindergarten through 5th grade should bring in an artist portfolio. If you have one from last year, you are welcome to use it again. Place a new label on the front with the student name and new homeroom teacher. I prefer to have these thin cardboard portfolios for storage in my room, frequently found as a red cardboard portfolio with plastic or woven handles. 17" x 22" is a perfect size. Please do not bring in a very large or thick leather case. It is only for storage in my room and I will not have the space to hold extra large cases. I look forward to filling these portfolios with wonderful artwork all year long!

5th grade art students should also bring in a sketchpad each week on art days. We will talk about sketchpads in class. Otherwise, all materials you need for art, including artist's smocks, are already in my room. Come ready to have fun!