THE ARTS
Term 1, 2014 Report
Please note for the first semester, Years Prep, 2, 5 and 6 have Art
Prep
In Art this term, Prep students have explored a range of art elements, including line, shape, colour and texture. They have experimented with printing, drawing, collage and use of dye washes with pastel resistance. The focus for this term has been the introduction of primary colours, and the students have created art works incorporating the colours red, blue and yellow.
At the beginning of Term 1, there is always a large focus for Prep students on friendship and building new relationships. To incorporate this into our primary colour focus, we created our own ‘Rainbow Fish’, using pastels and blue dye wash, hand printing, and a number of paper skills such as twisting, scrunching and tearing. We also incorporated texture with the addition of sand to the base of our art work.
Following this, we moved onto the colour red and created some printed ladybirds. Again, we explored paper tearing skills, drawing, collage and printing with different media, including potatoes and fingers.
We will continue our exploration of primary colours in term 2 with the creation of some yellow giraffes, and will further explore a number of art elements and skills.
Year 2
Started discussions of making secondary colours. A formal colour wheel was painted and students explored mixing colours.
Flowers were brought into class for observational drawings in pastels and washed with food dye to create a Wax Resist. We then painted and printed flowers to build and extend their knowledge. Ken Done was a perfect Australian artist to study. We discussed his use of bright colours, simple pictures and how he depicts Australia in his works. Students have applied this knowledge and have created colourful printed flower arrangements within patterned pastel vases. They completed a Magiclay modelled dragonfly that was painted and added to their collage. The manipulation of their wired dragonfly wings was a challenge. They are super creative and look fabulous!
We are currently working on our sewing skills and tying knots. Students are making small hessian pockets and will place a constructed dog inside. This is inspired by the book “Pocket Dogs” by Margaret Wild. They are currently displaying wonderful persistence and patience and are enjoying the challenge.
Year 5
Students have been looking at an Integrated Unit in Health Lifestyles. Exercise is an important component to remaining healthy. Surfing would be a fun activity to do. The’ Surf’s Up’ Project involved students drawing with pastels to create cool coloured waves. Smudging in one direction and overlaying many colours was the technique used to create realistic moving waves. Paint was added to show froth. A surfer was strategically placed to complete the realistic appearance. Year 5s should be very proud of the art they created as they are eye catching.
Please take a look at our surfer's in the corridors.
Next we studied Picasso Pablo and Cubism. In cubism art work, objects are analysed, broken up and reassembled in an abstract form – instead of depicting objects from one point of view, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude viewpoints. We looked at Picasso’s work. Mainly ‘The Weeping Woman’ and one painting of Marie-Therese Walterwere discussed. Then students reproduced their own brightly coloured portraits and stuck printed facial features to distort their faces. They are interesting and fun. Take a look at some displayed in our corridor they are fabulous.
Year 5s are recently completed woven wired bird nests. The idea was influenced by the Australian Indigenous artist Treahna Hamm. Indigenous weaving was discussed. We discussed the purpose of weaving and what materials were used. Students then modelled Magiclay birds for their nests. Birds were embellished with feathers and Posca Pens. The finished art work is superb.
Year 6
Started the term learning about the French Impressionists, Claude Monet. Our focus was to study Monet’s famous Water Lilies. Class discussions on Monet’s work, increased student’s awareness of the artist’s technique, colour choices and style. Monet used dashes of colour in his work. We created a water scene using dashes of colour with pastels and constructed three dimensional lilies that were attached to their artwork. Creative colourful water relief collages were constructed. For extension, students created three dimensional Lilies. Both pieces are currently on display in the corridor.
Andy Warhol the ‘Pope of Pop Art’ was our next artist study. Students learnt how to draw faces. They created their own faces and copied these onto printing foam. The faces were printed numerously onto colourful paper. The challenge was to arrange and frame these faces for display purposes. All work was embellished with Posca Pens. They are very colourful and are also on display in our corridor.
We are currently dry felting three dimensional teddies. Students have created 2 dimensional teddies before, but this is a challenge for them to extend their knowledge. So far, teddies are very cute but still need various appendages before they are complete. Year 6 students have demonstrated great persistence and concentration in this unit of work. Well done!
Term 2, 2014
(Emma Munnikhuis, Kelly Roberts)
Please note for the first semester, Years Prep, 2, 5 and 6 have Art
Prep
In Art this term, students have continued to explore art elements, including line, shape, colour and texture.
They have experimented with printing, drawing, printmaking, collage, and textiles.
The focus for this semester has continued to be the introduction of primary colours, and the students have finished creating art works incorporating the colours red, blue and yellow.
We have used a range of children’s literature to inspire our art work, as well as other relevant influences, such as seasons and the weather. Students created Gerald the Giraffe, from the story ‘Giraffe’s Can’t Dance’; they experimented with weaving and sewing during our textiles activity, based on the story ‘The Red Woollen Blanket’; and they created paper doily snowmen to celebrate the beginning in Winter.
Year 2
Pocket Dogs were completed this semester. This activity covered the Threads and Textiles area and was based on the book, ‘The Pocket Dogs’ by Margaret Wild. Students, cut, stitched and embellished fabric. Students persevered and worked extra hard to stitch neat stitches. After creating their pocket they constructed a dog. These dogs are super cute. Take a look at their work hanging in our corridors. Our Year 2s are super sewers!
The visiting artist, Brett Cardwell taught the Year 2s to draw cartoons. Their drawings were amazing. Teaching young children is both motivating and inspiring. They have freedom of imagination and place very little restrictions on their drawing skills as they continually work to their best abilities. In this workshop that is exactly what they did. I believe they surprized themselves as to how competent they are at drawing cartoons. Thanks to Brett for his efforts. Every Year 2 class has a different animal cartoon that they have drawn, painted and cut out. These will be stuck onto a collaborative canvas. Keep your eyes peeled!
Bird nests and birds were modelled from clay. The small clay birds were challenging to squish, roll, join and manipulate. They will be coming home soon. To extend their modelling knowledge we will model with plasticine. Using different media helps children compare the differences and make knowledgeable connections. This time we are using Chinese Dragons. We have discussed where they originated from and their purpose. These dragons will be modelled out of plasticine and embellished with other media. Students can’t wait!
Year 5
Students have discussed Reverse Applique and where it originated from. We then explored reverse applique using paper and continued to extend our knowledge with reverse applique using Threads and Textiles. Lucky cats inspired our work. Stitching, cutting and tracing skills were used on fabric. The cats were embellished beautifully and will be placed on display in our corridors soon.
Brett Cardwell also worked with children. He inspired expressive cartoons and each Year 5 class has a different character that they created for their collaborative canvases. All students loved the workshop and have gained more knowledge of how to draw cartoons.
Before the semester comes to an end we wish to continue to explore our modelling skills with clay. The timing is a critical factor with clay. The process of clay drying, firing and decorating can be time consuming. Students are aware of the challenges clay proposes. However, Year 5s are always up for the creative challenges!
Year 6
An indigenous unit of work was incorporated. Talk and engagement came from watching the movie, ‘The Rabbit-Proof Fence’. This touched on our history of The Stolen Generation. A collage of a desert was then created with paint. The three figures of the actresses were stuck onto the collage in silhouette. Many areas and many skills were incorporated in this activity. Drawing, painting, cutting and rubbing skills were explored and enhanced. This topic was of great interest to students. Take a look at their work on display in the corridors.
Students also completed their 3D dry felted teddies. This was a challenge to keep the teddies body parts rounded and solid. The fun began when they were able to create teddy characters from their incredible imagination. These too are on display, please take a look.
Currently, students are completing their collaborative canvases based on super heroes. All cartoon drawings were inspired by Brett Cardwell, our visiting artist. Students loved Brett’s cartoon workshop and have now refined or learnt new ways to draw cartoons. We looked at Japanese Animee and Manga cartoons and drew inspiration from these. The fabulous characters have been painted and cut out. Shortly they will be placed onto canvas. Keep an eye out for these!
The semester is coming to an end and we wish to move onto the Terracotta Army of China. The sculptures are impressive and we wish to model a stylized bust from clay to represent a tomb warrior. Fun times ahead.