Terrific Totems

Alex, Grade 3

Lily, Grade 3

Analiz, Grade 3

Melanie, Grade 3

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, our student artists in grades 3-5 have been learning about the artwork of the Pacific Northwest Tribes.  They located states in that region of the country on the map, and they studied some art from that region that is on display here in Chicago.  One example is the totem pole on Lake Shore Drive.  They learned why and how these carved designs were made, and they found common images and colors to use in their own work.  The students read about animal symbolism and chose an animal to represent themselves.  These animals were sketchen, and then revised to match the abstract and geometrical designs of totem art.  They added color to their final designs, and will combine all classroom totems to make totem poles. 

Pumpkin Patch Paintings

Elizabeth S, Kindergarten

Kindergarten has been experimenting with new art-making tools.  They learned about applying paint with a sponge to create repetition in artwork.  They used line to create balance.  They brainstormed what kinds of living things would be found living in a specific environments.  All of these lessons came together to create some fun pumpkin patch paintings. 

Fantastic Fall Watercolors

Ariadna's Tree

Ava's Tree

Dillon's Tree

Ella's Tree

Jakyla's Tree

Students in first and second grades have been using what they learned about warm colors, lines and shapes to make some fall trees.  They used watercolor paints to create a wash of warm colors.  While the wash was drying, they talked about direction of growth and how thinking about how trees grow can help us draw them realistically.  They practiced drawing trees, and then drew their best tree on their painting with a marker.  They are all different, and they all show the beauty of autumn. 

Symbolic Self-Portraits



Mercedes, Grade 6



Kayla, Grade 8



Jammah, Grade 8

Keyshana, Grade 8

Marcus, Grade 8

 Our middle school students have been learning about the life and art of beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.  They have analyzed symbolism in her self-portraits, practiced portrait techniques and facial proportions, and have created some interesting self-portraits.  They were asked to study faces in magazines to find the common facial proportions that can be used in drawing realistic faces.  They used these proportions to draw a self-portrait that incorporates autobiographical information like Frida Kahlo did in her work.  They have taught me a lot about the students I am excited to teach here at Prescott.  Hopefully, they learned something new about themselves as they created these unique compositions!

Clowning Around with Color

 

The third graders in Ms. Phares's class took color mixing to the next level this week.  They began with the primary colors, and they drew and painted a color wheel.  They continued with their project by designing colorful circus scenes with the color wheel as part of the composition.  They were challenged to use at least 6 colors in their painting, and to avoid mixing all colors together to make brown.  These three examples show how colorful they turned out to be!

A Color of our Own

Cover Art for Lionni's Book

Ally, Room 106

Christa, Room 106

Christina, Room 106

Samuel, Room 106

Ms. Kirshner's first and second graders had some extra time in class on Friday, so we read Leo Lionni's color-themed book, A Color of his Own.  This story tied into our color theory lessons from the past weeks, made a transition into our upcoming fall colors project, and taught a nice lesson on diversity.  After reading the story, students sketched and painted their own chameleons.  They used only primary colors to mix as many colors as they could, and they were challenged to keep their colors from over-mixing into brown.  Just like our students, each project was both colorful and unique. 

Warm Fish, Cool Ocean

Avery, Room 104

Maureen, Room 103

Dasha, Room 104

Our Kindergarten artists have been learning about warm and cool colors.  They just completed a project that challenged them to review their knowledge of lines and to distinguish between these two types of colors.  They used horizontal line designs to create a cool background, and they used vertical line designs to decorate an oval with warm colors.  They then reviewed shapes as they added triangle fins and circles became bubbles in the water.  Students who finished their designs added glitter, yarn and "fish eyes" to their compositions.  They also practiced using their scissors to cut out some of the shapes.  Nice work, Kindergarten!