Sunday, June 7, 2020

Time to Reflect

Please answer these questions about your year of learning in art. You can post your answers on your class's Specials Seesaw, or send them to me in an email.

  • Which was your favorite artwork that you created this year? Why was it your favorite?
  • What was one new thing that you learned in art this year?
  • What are your thoughts about art making at home, since home learning began in March? For example, were the lessons challenging or too easy? Were they fun? Did you have the supplies that you needed? Any other thoughts?

Sunday, May 31, 2020

The Tallest Ice Cream Cone!

Patterns are an element of art. Patterns repeat. They can be created with lines, shapes and colors.

Yahoo Kusama is a contemporary Japanese artist. She is a painter, sculptor, and installation artist.


Yayoi Kusama uses a lot of polka dot patterns in her artwork.


Click this link to Find out more about Yayoi Kusama

Since it is almost summer, let's practice pattern while drawing an ice cream cone.


At the bottom of your paper, draw a bowl or an upside-down triangle for a cone. Then, draw curved lines to create your ice cream scoops. Keep adding scoops to fill your paper to the top!


Think of your favorite flavors. Add color and pattern to your ice cream cone. Add any other details that you like.


Please share your art with me on our Specials Seesaw page, or by email.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

This week's art activity starts as a scavenger hunt to find objects that are different sized circles. Make a collection of big, medium, and small circular shaped things from around your home. 

You'll also need paper, and something to draw with. Trace around the circular objects you collected. Overlap is okay, and circles can even go off the edge of the paper. Try switching your color or drawing utensil.


You could add more color or designs!


You could work monochromatically, using just a pencil!


You could even put the circles together to make something!



What unique artwork can you make with circles? When you are done, you can take a picture and post it on our "Specials" Seesaw, or send me an email!

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Picture

Watch the video, and reflect on what you are experiencing and feeling during this time.


Let's create a drawing about our feelings and experiences. Draw a heart shape and divide it into different parts with lines. Use words and pictures to show the things that you feel, have been doing, and other things you want to share about learning at home. 


Here's an example, made by a friend:


Sunday, May 10, 2020

Use empty toilet paper tubes to create an artwork!
After collecting some empty tubes, cut or tear the tubes into smaller pieces and arrange them to create an interesting composition. Your sculpture could be abstract or representational. You can use glue, or not. You could even include other interesting found objects.




Here’s a short video about an artist that uses toilet paper tubes in her art:


You could add color.




If you do not have a tube, try using a cut or torn cereal box.



Sunday, May 3, 2020

Line with Piet Mondrian

Piet Mondrian was a Dutch artist. His abstract paintings have a distinct style. What kinds of lines do you see? In what directions are the lines going? What shapes and colors do you see?





Look around your house for rectangular and square items that are black, white, or represent the primary colors. Place them carefully in a snug arrangement so they fit well together. A dark background will work best. Take a snapshot of your creation and send it to me, or post on Seesaw. Be sure to clean up when you finish, just like we do in class.






Sunday, April 26, 2020

This week, our focus is Art History. Below are 3 artworks by well-known artists. Choose one image to respond to. Answer the questions, and then create an drawing inspired by the artwork.


The Persistence of Memory, by Salvador Dali

What do you see in this picture?

Why would an artist paint melting clocks?

What do you think it might mean? 

Salvador Dali referred to his paintings as hand painted dream photographs. Have you had an unusual dream lately? Try to show it in a picture.



June, by Janet Fish

Janet Fish creates stunning still life paintings of objects including glass and other transparent materials (like plastic bags). She captures the light reflecting off the objects.


Arrange some interesting objects, including some that are transparent or glass. Try to draw or paint these with as much detail as you can.


The False Mirror, by Rene Magritte

What’s going on in this picture, what do you see?

What do you think this artist is trying to say in this artwork? What is the meaning or message?

Magritte was a Surrealist artist. He painted unusual and mysterious pictures, often combining two or more images in a new way. What did he combine in this painting? Can you draw your eye in a Surreal Style?

Please share your art with me by sending me an email at ruthven@aaps.k12.mi.us or by posting on Seesaw.




Saturday, April 18, 2020

Wednesday is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. 

Let's use natural materials to create an artwork! Go outside and collect sticks, stones, leaves, flowers, petals, tree bark, grass, etc. Use these elements of nature to make an artwork. Arrange the items as you'd like.  


Watch the video below to see the artwork of Andy Goldsworthy, an artist using nature in his artwork.



Kathy Klein is an artist who uses nature to create colorful mandalas.





I would love to see what you're creating at home! Take a picture and send me an email, or post a photo on Seesaw!


Sunday, April 12, 2020

This week, let's create a found object color wheel!

Arrange objects of different colors, from around the house, to create a color wheel. Add more objects to create color groups.

*Make sure to include the primary colors: red, yellow and blue.

*Don't forget the secondary colors: orange, green and purple.

*What about intermediate colors, like yellow-green? Can you figure out where they would go?





Sunday, April 5, 2020

Here are some more links with many art ideas. I would love to see what you're making! Take a picture and send me an email at ruthven@aaps.k12.mi.us


Ann Arbor Art Center


Weavesilk Online Drawing Tool


Artsology Games and Videos



Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Hey kids, I think it's a great time to be creative! I'm going to miss making art with you at school. I am sharing some ideas here that you can try at home.

Click one of these links and try an activity...




Sunday, March 1, 2020

Student artwork is on display at Starbucks on S. Main St. during Youth Art Month!