Springman Visual Arts

The Discovery and Genesis teams have finished up their final project, with a furious rush up to the last day! Projects were assessed only on the prints due to time constraints. Click on Maddi O.’s great print here to go to a gallery of the finished prints. Enjoy your summer and I’ll see you all in 7th Grade!

The final project of the year for the Genesis and Discovery teams is an Illuminated text. We looked at historical examples of how letters could be emphisized and highlighted by using contrast or harmony. Students will be creating a linoleum block print, a form of relief printing. The print will be the text of the image, giving the black of the image, then the students will be using colored pencils and gold and silver paint to highlight and emphasis the work. Click on the image here to go to a gallery of the work in progress.

The 6th graders have done an outstanding job with their composition project. The hand paintings utilized washes of complementary colors to  increase the feeling of contrast in the image. Click on the Lauren R.’s or Paula Z’s outstanding examples here to go to the full gallery of the Genesis and Discovery team paintings!

The 6th graders have been looking at composition, and how cropping can effect how we view a work of art. We have utilized the drawings created in our last project to study this process. Students have been using cropping tools to enlarge and focus their drawings. The goal is to create a drawing that utilizes up to 70% of the space in the drawing in positive space. We will be using complementary water color washes on the drawings for contrast when we finish the drawings. Click on the image here to go to a gallery of the work in progress!

Hey guys,

Hope your all having a great memorial day weekend. I’ve uploaded the practice final exam. Log into your art online account above to check it out. You can take it as many times as you would like, I suggest that you take it one time, study a bit then try again!

I have also uploaded copies of the Grotesque movie notes, and the notes from last week’s presentation on illuminated letters, these can be found above on the resources page. Don’t forget…

Study from the art packet, your grade sheets, grotesque movie notes, Illuminated letters presentation notes, and be sure to look closely at Color in your packet!

Contour Drawing- A practice meted of drawing that focuses on observation and hand eye coordination

Composition - The organization of the elements of art in a work of art

Cropping - the removal of the outer parts of an image to improve the composition

Harmony - the use of similar elements of art to give a feeling that everything belongs together

Contrast - a principle of art that stresses the difference between elements of art

Emphasis- Directing and focusing attention by using the elements of art

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, but don’t forget to take a few moments to study for next week’s test!

I have started to assess the latest online homework, Online #3 - Space, and have been quite impressed by the critiques written by the Discovery and Genesis teams! Students were asked to find a panting on the web that was a good visual example of the element of art space that interested them, and write both a formal critique focusing on space, and informal critique focusing on why they picked the painting in their critique. Click on Emma B.’s outstanding example here to read what she submitted, and ask your 6th grader to log into their Art Online Account to see what they have submitted!

The Genesis and Discovery Teams have completed thier contour drawings in class. Click the image here to go to a  gallery containing both blind and full contour drawings and don’t forget  ask your child about how to distinguish between the two as well as where foreshortening and overlapping were used!

On Monday, May 11th I had the opportunity to visit the new modern wing of the Chicago Art Institute for a pre-opening presentation for Chicago area art teachers. The wing houses the extensive modern art collection of the Art Institute, as well as new classrooms and facilities for the public to utilize. I was also re-exposed to the outstanding Art Institute Website and all it has to offer to Internet visitors as well. I highly recommend that you take advantage of the upcoming free week, from May 16 to May 22, to celebrate the opening of the new modern wing. Students from my 6th grade classes who attend can choose one work from the museum to write a formal critique on the element of art space, and an informal critique as to why you picked the artwork you are writing about, for up to 10 enrichment points. I’d look in the second floor galleries, there is one featuring some fantastic architectural drawings showing foreshortening. Download and print the critique sheet by clicking here!

Some of you have been asking for extra opportunities, so I’ve put together a video challenge for you! I’ve found a neat little video animation done by animation artist Marcelo Ortiz, that utilizes artwork from four major movers in art history. Go to your art online account to take the challenge, it’s “Name the Artist” in the May 4th week.

On the challenge you should use only the artist’s last name,no spaces or punctuation, and spelling counts!

The 6th grade teams have started their next next unit, contour drawing. We have been looking at blind contour this past week, where students concentrate on direct observation, as well as hand - eye coordination. We have also looked at the effects of foreshortening and overlapping on space in the drawings. Next week we will be looking at full contour, continuing with the concepts from last week, as well as introducing the ability to correct the drawing as it is being made. Click on the image here of the Red 4 Flagg table guys to go to a gallery of the work in progress!