This Week in Art

Kindergarten got an intro to art by creating Art Books. We practiced lines, shapes, and basic pictures. They had fun and I got to see what they can do. 

1st grade began work on the backgrounds for their Stonehenge paintings. We practiced value by painting lights and darks to create a "moon in the night" effect. Next week we'll add our Stonehenge with foam brushes.

2nd grade used various painted paper techniques to create cave-inspired papers. Next week, we'll learn how to draw some basic cave art images and cut these into shapes to create a collage.

How awesome are these wire racks I found in surplus? Perfect for 3D drying.

3rd grade began work on their cave carvings. They were so excited to get to do clay in their second week of school!

4th grade created collages of Meath Spiral designs. Next week, we'll add metal sheets over these to create a relief sculpture. You can see some of those on the left side of the rack.

5th grade began the background of their Aboriginal Dot Paintings with black and white patterns. Next week we add dots!

I am very happy with these kids so far! Guild is a spectacular school! :)

Back to School Night

For our open house this week, I hosted an art-making activity for the parents and kids. I drew an alligator on the board (he's under there, I promise, and he looks great) and the kids decorated a scale with their yearly goal written on it. Here are a few pictures of their work. I also met some incredible parents and got some volunteers signed up for the year. :)

Gator Parents Are the Best Parents

Only the first week of school and I've already gotten two big boxes of new paints like these and lots of recycled items like bottle caps and newspapers from Guild parents. Loving this community, thank you parents! 

Also, I won the poll of "Favorite Related Arts" this week for a class of fourth graders. Hooray confidence boost. ^_^

New Classroom Tour

Today is my first day at Guild Elementary School and I am so excited to meet my kids and make some awesome art! Okay, we are doing rules, procedures, and sketchbooks, but that's exciting too, right? My rooms in the past have been really nice, each with their own pros and cons. This year, I have a portable. So excuse the carpet (with paint stains that likely predate me) and the wood panelling (which is not always even and flat). You should focus on the clean lines, color schemes, and custom made posters. ;)

So let's start from the front door. To the left is the "Ask the Artist" area. It's a place to put up student work and have the kids ask questions about their art. I have an artist's beret on order for them to wear when they are the artist. :)

Then there is my desk area. Not exciting, but neatly kept.

In the back is the "drying rack". I do have a real one on order, but for now we have file holders turn sideways. :D

Next to that is the painting station. It's so convenient to have the paints out and ready to dispense, I'd really recommend those paint dispensers.

To the right of that is the "supply shelf" with common supplies labeled and sorted. There are also some blank spots for "project-specific" supplies to be put out as needed.

I made a cardboard class sorter to store artworks from flat boxes.

Paper is arranged by color and type.

The world map will be up to show us where our inspirations are coming from for each project. 

Next to that is a kind of "Pin Board" for what we are currently studying. Our first projects are Prehistoric Art, so I have images that inspire our artworks. Students are also allowed to bring in things to hang and share.

Under that board is the Exploration Station. You always have early finishers. I hate "free draw" and I tried centers last year. My kids used centers as an excuse to be lazy because they knew I couldn't be in seven places at once and nothing they made at centers "counted for a grade". ugh. So now I'm trying this. There will be one activity that all grades can do with directions and supplies. Each Exploration project is based on our current unit. For prehistoric art, I have rocks and various materials to create rock art with primitive supplies. These can be taken home with the student and since they only change with each new unit, that should encourage them to spend more time on their actual project.

I also have a reading nook for extreme finishers and rare "extra days" when we might do centers and art games.

Next is our art history timeline. I found a great time line here and edited it for my needs. This has each unit we are studying this year. We can move our Guild Gator to show our progress.

I posted my "This Artist Can" board next to the timeline. It is our class rules. Everyday we will say these four things and do the hand motions (pointing to eyes, etc.) before we make art each day.

On the whiteboard is the Noise-o-Meter. My first year, I had no problem with noise level. Ever. At all. Even on "fun" days. During my second year at my next school, it was a constant battle of noise. I don't know what to expect this year, but I'm prepared. The arrow is on ribbon and easily slides. If they are in the Green at the end of class, they gain a Dojo point. The Gray area is a warning. If they go to the black we have silent art and do not gain a point. :( Let's hope that doesn't have to happen this year. ^_^

Above the whiteboard are those essential Elements & Principles of Art. 

Next to the whiteboard is the "Current Projects" board. It was hard to line up those die cuts to get this stenciled look, but so worth it. I have clear plastic pockets for my "I Can" statements.

In the middle of the room is my beautiful green rug ($20 at Big Lots), and the demo table, which currently holds my projector and iPad until maintenance installed the ceiling mount and my laptop arrives. :/

The tables are labelled with crayons handing from the ceiling and there are laminated white papers in the middle to show where supplies should be at clean up.

I also have a tape line on the floor for line up. Hopefully that stays for a while.

And that's the new art room at Guild! Let's see how long it stays like this. ;)