Ms. Edwards' Art Room

This lesson was inspired by two separate ideas, the first involving the use of pattern and texture, and the second, applying color theory to create a focal point. The discussion started with the concept of texture and visual texture and how one can create different textures. I held a contest where each table was challenged to write down as many examples of textures they could think of. The winning group had over sixty different textures!!! We then talked about how to draw these textures and practiced by repeating lines and/or shapes. The next part of the lesson was selecting an animal to be the focal point of the piece. The students were asked to create emphasis through their use of a color scheme demonstrating their understanding of color relationships from the color theory unit. A critique was held to view and talk about the finished product. Check them out below...

In the perspective drawing unit, students learned how to draw boxes in one point perspective and buildings in two point perspective. After practicing from various vanishing points and different horizon lines, students were given the challenge of creating a scene where they demonstrate master of one and two point perspective. The finished work was drawn on black construction paper and colored with colored pencils. Students were encouraged to be creative with their scene, and some amazing pieces were completed!!

Finishing up our drawing unit, students were challenged to create two miniature still life arrangements. Each arrangement had to follow the Rule of Thirds. In the finished compositions, students added an appropriate light source and shaded all objects.  

Sketchbook Assignment #4, Due April 22nd.   Before and After Step 1: On one page of your sketchbook please set up 2 frames for your still life arrangements. In the first frame please set up a still life with at least 3 food items in a balanced composition, keeping in mind the Rule of Thirds, overlapping and staggering of items. Please draw all details and add color! (You may take a photo at this point if you can't take the time to draw everything) Step 2: Eat most or all of your food items. Stop and draw what is left over in the second frame. Shade and color. Have Fun with this one!!

  We started our drawing unit learning how to use contour drawing. At first we drew our shoes, our hands, and the still life. We practiced contour, continuous contour and blind contour drawing with random objects.  We moved on to gesture drawing, practicing on the still life and our fellow students. We then learned how to shade effectively to make a two dimensional object appear three dimensional. We practiced with a sphere and applied our understandings of shading to a cone, cube, and a cylinder. Look at some excellent examples below!

 Students demonstrated their understanding of symmetry and the use of positive and negative space in their compositions. Using scissors and exacto knives, students carefully cut and glued their pieces, deconstructing a rectangle of paper. In the end their projects were completely transformed into beautiful works of art!

These were so clever I had to post a few more...