Third Grade Coil Pots

Third graders are also creating coil pots. They have been exploring how you can use coils to create a unique design for their pottery. We learned about the importance of securely attaching each coil to the previous one. To do this. you "slip and score." Slip is very wet clay. It is almost used as a glue to fuse pieces together. Scoring is another word for making small scratches into the clay. When rough clay is attached to rough clay, it is much stronger than a smooth on smooth connection. Each pot came out great! They are all so different. I will post the finished pieces once they are glazed and fired.

Expressive Self Portraits

Third grade artists have been studying portraiture. We explored how artists create expressive drawings of people by using certain colors and facial expressions. To begin this project, students created three self portraits. In each one, they were asked to convey a different emotion. We used ebony pencils for these studies and created value by smudging and shading. Students used mirrors and drew from observation, noticing how the lines and features of their face changed with each new expression.







Next, we talked about how artists use color to express emotion. We discussed how different colors show feeling. Students were asked to choose one color and one emotion and to create a monochromatic self portrait.


What emotions do you think these students are expressing?




For more of this work, check out the Digication page! (click here)

Organic Shape Collage

Third grade students have been studying shape and color. For this project, we were inspired by the work of Elizabeth Murray. To begin, we learned about organic and geometric shapes. Artists noticed that organic shapes often have curved and irregular sides and geometric shapes are shapes that we recognize (square, triangle, rectangle, etc.). Next, we learned about complementary colors. Complementary colors are across from each other on the colorwheel. When you put two complementary colors next to each other, they become vivid and stand out. Students were asked to create organic shapes out of construction paper. Once they had their shape, they used the complementary color to create patterns on top with collage. Students made a number of shapes using the same pair of complementary colors.

Next, we looked at the work of Elizabeth Murray. Students noticed how she put many shapes together into one composition. We also noticed that new shapes were created in the space between the colored shapes. This is called negative space. Students took all of their shapes and played with their own composition. They experimented until they made a piece that had interesting positive and negative space. Once they were finished, they glued their shapes to large pieces of paper.




Check Digication for more finished pieces in the coming week.

Third Grade Castles and Color

Third grade artists finished their castle drawings! There are a number of examples up on the Digication page and don't forget to check out the display near the office. They came out great.

Since we worked for so long in black and white, we are jumping right into color explorations. For the first one, students explored color mixing. We focused on how to create a variety of colors using primary and secondary colors. We also discussed previously learned concepts such as tints and shades. Third graders spent a class simply experimenting with color mixing. They created a large painting with as many different colors as they could fit.

The following class, we discussed how we made brown with paint. We talked about how when two colors that are across from each other on the color wheel are mixed, brown is created. We learned that these colors are called complimentary colors. Students noticed how when two complimentary colors are next to each other, they stand out.

Students then explored sorting geometric and organic shapes on the Smartboard. For the activity, students were asked to create organic shapes out of paper that have a pattern on top. Students were only allowed to use one pair of complimentary colors to create a dynamic color contrast.

Each artist created a number of different organic shapes with pattern. In our next class, we will look at how the artist Elizabeth Murray created compositions of different shapes. Students will take the shapes they created and put them together to create a finished abstract collage.

The Year So Far: Third Grade

Third grade artists have been working on a drawing project. We have been exploring castles. Students looked at a number of examples of castles and artistic representations of them. We have been focusing on how artists create texture with line and shape. We also discussed how castles were historically built for protection, so were made out of materials like brick and stone.

via Wikipedia

Third graders have been working on creating their own castle drawings. They began with drawing the basic shapes. They used pencil first and then outlined everything in Sharpie.

Next, we explored how you can create simulated texture using line and shape. Artists went back into their drawings to add texture and detail. Each artist is including at least three types of texture in their work.

These drawings are large (18x24) so we continue to work on them. Throughout this project, we have been discussing craftsmanship. Since it is easy to quickly rush through the texture stage of their work, students have been practicing working slowly and concentrating. The work is coming out beautifully and I will post pictures of the finished drawings as soon as they are done.

The Year So Far: The First Day of Art

Welcome to the South School Art Studio! Here are some photos of the studio:

This year, in South tradition, students in every grade created a self-portrait on the first day of art. They will repeat this activity on their final day of the year to see how much has changed about their drawings and themselves. Here are some examples:

See more examples on display outside of the art studio!