Art with Miss Em
What’s new in the art room.
The F-2 Class has had a great time in the art room this term and it has been wonderful to welcome Izzy, Ben, Isla and Keira into our class.
This term we have undertaken three main projects. To begin with we have been learning about media, we learned that a medium is any material used to create a work of art, and that the word media refers to more than one medium. Mixed media art is a type of art created by combining different types of media together to make one artwork. We have studied artists that used mixed media to create artworks before diving in and having a go ourselves. We created wonderous jellyfish artworks using a mixture of collage, paint, pastels and sculptural techniques. You can find these works on display in the art room for your viewing pleasure.
Secondly we have been learning about Impressionism, an artistic movement that began in France in the late 1800’s. We learned that Impressionism actually got its name from an insult! Critics said this art was unfinished, a mere impression of the subject, and that it wasn’t real art. We studied Impressionist artists that created these works focusing on Monet. We used Monet’s Waterlilies as our inspiration, mixing colours on the paper instead of on a pallet to embrace our brush strokes, making each one purposeful.
To finish the term off the class has looked at the science behind art, making our own art materials. We are in the process of making our own coloured chalk, using eggshells as the calcium carbonate component, flour and water as the glue and both food colouring and natural dyes such as turmeric and cinnamon to compare product quality. Washing and separating the egg shells from the membrane lining inside the shell was a task that taught us patience and persistence and focused on our fine motor skills but it was worth it when we were able to crush the shells into powder using a pestle and mortar.
The 3-6 class and the 7-8 class have both been working on Gel plate printing. Both classes began their journey by experimenting with the use of stencils to create prints and ghost prints. These prints are then redone with multiple layers to create wonderous patterns. Students also experimented printing onto different surfaces including tissue paper, cartridge and copy paper and brown textured paper, each have pros and cons that are dependent on the overall outcome. Gel plate printing works differently to most printing techniques as it is a backwards process. The first layer of paint to go on the plate is the last layer to come off onto the paper, this took a little getting used to for some students but once understood the results were beautiful.
Next came using the gel plate to do image transfers and backward painting. The 7-8 students used photoshop to learn how to adjust and manipulate their images making them compatible for an image transfer onto the plate. After much trial and error with different adjustments and different printers the students were able to successfully transfer images onto the gel plates. Using these image transfers (5-6 students used pre transferred images) the students began their backward painting learning journey. Using their understanding that the first layer on is the last layer off, students began layering their paint to create their works.
To finish off their printmaking unit, The 5-6 students will be using the prints they created to make one final art work. The 7-8 students will be creating a lino print using carving tools and making comparisons between the two printmaking techniques and outcomes.
The 3-4 art class Made their move from stencil printing as stated earlier, to creating their own stencils using playdoh as a soft surface to imprint found objects. This process proved a challenge as it required soft hands and an even amount of pressure so as not to crush the stencil but as they say, good things come to those that persist. The second half of the term we moved into creating layered prints. We began by using straws to manipulate the paint on our boards by blowing it around. Second layer we mixed water, paint and detergent together to blow bubbles onto our board, this is a more subtle layer as the pigment is watered down and as the bubble sits on the board the pigment gathers only where the bubble touches the paper. Control is important in this step and it’s a learning moment that sometimes we need to know when to stop, when enough is enough and walk away. If we get carried away and put too many bubbles on and don’t patiently let them pop on their own before adding another light layer to slowly pop, the layer will become one solid blur. We have two more layers to add over the next two weeks and you will be able to view these works at the end of term assembly.