General Art Level 1 Vocabulary for Drawing

To see your vocabulary for the exam - if you are missing the written copy - check back to my posting on January 12, 2015.  You will find the powerpoint there.

Art Honor visits the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Last Homework Wall of Fame

You have to love Dylan Taylor's latest creature and the great use of perspective by Sarah Johnson and Katie Dagle! Great way to end the term.

It's all about color in homework 5/20

What great use of complementary colors in level 1 and creation of a botanical study in level 2.

One more noteworthy homework

Congrats Sydney Carter!

Homework wall of fame 5-14-15

Congratulations Katie Dagle, Brandon Marsh, and Ben Baldi.

Congratulations semester 2 art students

Great work - great art show!

Art 2 Homework for the remainder of the year!

1.  DUE by Wednesday       May 6, 2015

  Botanical Study In Pencil.  Find a plant or tree that you can study.  Draw the formation of the stems, leaves, buds etc. carefully and accurately.  Add shading in pencil to define the shape/forms of the individual parts and to indicate where your light shines on the plant.  This should be like a scientific study and needs no background.    

Evaluation…..          Quality and accuracy of underlying drawing           30 points

                              Level of difficulty /complexity                                30 points

                              Shading/form development                                   15 points

                              Use of full page                                                   15 points

                              Use of correct media, neatness,                           10 points

2.  DUE by Wednesday     May 13, 2015

  Botanical Study in Color.  Find a plant or tree that you can study.  Because the study will be done in color, you may want to select an object that appeals to you because of its color.  Draw the formation of the stems, leaves, buds etc. carefully and accurately.  Add color and shading to define the shape/forms of the individual parts and to indicate where your light shines on the plant.  This should be like a scientific study and needs no background.            Media possibilities – colored pencil, tempera paint, water color, pastel---- stay away from markers, they are too flat to allow shading.  Let me know if you need supplies!!!

Evaluation    ..         Quality and accuracy of underlying drawing              30 points

                              Level of difficulty /complexity                                  30 points

                              Shading in color/form development                          15 points

                              Use of full page                                                     15 points

                              Use of correct media, neatness,                             10 points

3. DUE by Wednesday   May 20, 2015 (seniors last assignment)                                            YOUR CHOICE – NATURE STUDY – This assignment is not an optional one, but does give you the opportunity to express yourself and to select a subject from nature that interests you. 

Evaluation….             Technique and use of medium                                50 points  

                                  Level of difficulty and effort                                     50 points  
4. DUE by Wednesday  May 27 (Not optional for Honors Level)                                               OPTIONAL – This assignment is an optional one and you the opportunity to express yourself and to select a subject and medium that interests you.
                               Technique and use of medium                                50 points  

                               Level of difficulty and effort                                     50 points 

5. DUE Wednesday June 3, 2015                                                                                            Create an original artwork in a medium of your choice!!!                                                            Evaluation….           Technique and use of medium                                50 points 

                                Level of difficulty and effort                                     50 points

Art 1 Homework for the remainder of the year!

Theme - Elements of Design/Unusual Combinations

1. Due by Wednesday May 6, 2015.

Pattern - The Pfautz family is sitting for a portrait.  They are unfortunately artistically challenged.  The pattern of the wallpaper clashes with the pattern of the couch.  The carpet design has no relation to either pattern.  And you should see how the parent(s) and three children are dressed.  Do your best to capture this clashing family in their living room.  You may use any color media you wish.  You may also draw the people in a cartoon style if you wish.

             Selected subject - visual appeal-required items/people                 30 points

             Composition, interesting negative spaces/use of full page             30 points

             Use of media, neatness                                                             30 points

            Level of difficulty   - added details                                                10 points

2.  Due by Wednesday May 13, 2015

Lines - In this assignment pick some objects to arrange or some objects that are already grouped together.  Carefully draw their outlines lightly.  Use the entire page so that your objects are not lost in the middle of the composition.  Now fill each object with a different kind of line, wavy, zig zag, curving, straight, dotted, etc.  Fill in your background as well.  The objects should be seen because of the lines inside them - not because of their outlines.  You may use colored pencil, gel tip pens or markers

             Selected subject - visual appeal                                                    30 points

             Composition, interesting negative spaces/use of full page               30 points

             Use of media, neatness                                                               30 points

            Level of difficulty/complexity                                                          10 points

3.  Due by Wednesday May 20, 2015 (last senior homework)

Color - The color combinations that bother your eye the most are the complementary colors.  They are located across from each other on the color wheel. (red and green --- orange and blue --- yellow and purple).  Draw a scene from nature or indoors.  Color the drawing with one pair of two complementary colors.  Suggestion - use one color for highlights and one for shadows, or use a similar strategy for dividing up the space.  You may use tints and shades of these two colors.  Use paint, markers or colored pencils.

             Selected subject - visual appeal                                                         30 points

             Composition, interesting negative spaces/use of full page                     30 points

             Use of media, neatness                                                                     30 points

            Level of difficulty /complexity                                                               10 points

4.  Due by Wednesday May 27, 2015

Optional homework – you have the choice to not do this assignment!  If you elect to do it, you may select any type of art related project to complete.  You will be graded on your craftsmanship and the level of difficulty of the project.

5.  Due by Wednesday June 1, 2015

Your view point – Ant?  Bird?   Draw a real or imagined scene and use a vanishing point that makes it look as if you are seeing the scene from far below or far above. You may use a reference photo if it helps you.  You may work in black and white or color.

Care in drawing, accuracy, perspective, shading                                  40 points

Level of difficulty                                                                               20 points

Use of media and full page                                                                40 points

This week's homework standouts!

Congratulations and great work Kerry Dougherty and Hiyori Kunst!

Anime club gets a lesson in Onigiri!

Homework Wall of Fame 4/8/2015

Congratulations to Kerri Dougherty, Kelina Smith, and Dylan Taylor for depicting objects seen from an unusual perspective!

Get ready for the NAHS silent auction!

Twenty-four members of the West Boylston High School National Art Honor Society met at Claytime in Shrewsbury on April 2, 2015 to design and glaze plates with a Spring/Summer theme.

Pictured are two NAHS members who are sharing their designs which will look very after firing.

Join us the last week in April to place your bid on the plates. Proceeds will go to support research on Parkinson's Disease.

Homework wall of fame 4/1/2015

Congratulations to Chrissy Aoude, Nate Dawidczyk, and Kerri Dougherty!

All good things must come to an end

The mood was somber in the conference center as things wrapped up on Saturday. I had a wonderful dinner at a classic New Orleans restaurant Arnaud's in the French quarter and had one last walk through the city.

In the airport it was easy to spot art teachers reading through supply catalogues and saying goodbye to old and new friends. My suitcase weighed much more than it did when I arrived because of the samples and freebies the vendors generously shared with all of us. I donned my fleece and jacket and boarded my flight ready to head back home where I hope to find that some of the snow has melted,

Local students complete an on-site mural.

It was quite interesting to watch this temporary mural evolve over the past three days.

I am sure that only my students will understand how excited I was, along with two art teachers from Utah, as we met with a representative from Strathmore to discuss paper! New products include a multi-media paper and a really heavy printing paper in pads. We were literally ooooing and ahhhing as we felt the papers and learned about their properties.

And then I learned all about copic markers and how to us them. I also discovered that they are refillable!

Workshop highlights today were sessions on integrating contemporary art into art curriculum and creating "choice-based" classrooms. I also created a design prototype from insulation blocks using a heated foam carver! Fantastic tool and will hope my creation survives the flight home so that I can continue to work on it.

The French Quarter

This afternoon after leaving the conference I explored galleries and antique shops in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The distinctive architecture was accented by the sounds of impromptu jazz performances and the spectacular weather.

Art teachers love to have the chance to do some of their own work

and to experiment!

Can you believe that this work was made from masking tape?

Picking up all sorts of interesting ideas from the product exhibitors! This is called masking tape window art.

The day ended even better than it began!

Workshops on 3-D printing and improvisational drawing - a presentation by D'Wayne Edwards, shoe designer and Pensole Footwear design academy - and finally all topped off with (after standing in line for two hours) a book signing with my "tough love critique idol". Sometimes it's just plain great to be an art teacher.

I am also keeping track of where folks come from as I meet them and chat - Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Iowa, and Oklahoma ...

Now I hope to join my friend who is a New Orleans native tonight for some Louisiana food! And did I mention that it is in the 70's!

What a fantastic way to kick off the 2015 NAEA Conference

Greetings from New Orleans and the National Art Education Association's national conference!

Tim Gunn was entertaining and honest about his life as an arts educator, mentor and administrator. Speaking to the assembled group of over 4000 art and museum educators, he fully engaged the group of admiring fans.

Following his talk an New Orleans marching jazz band came into the room to usher us into the exhibits hall where art schools, art supply companies and publicists are set up to share the latest products with us all.... And it's only 10am!

Homework Wall of Fame 3/24/15

Congratulations Hiyori Kunst, Dylan Taylor, and Bridget Morrissey!

Art 2 Homework through April 2015

Your homework assignments carry the minimum expectation for you to spend one hour of time at home on these projects.  The assignments are designed to challenge your imagination and powers of visual observation.  The assignments should be turned in on paper that is a minimum of 9” x 12” and should never be folded.  It is required that these be in a bound sketchbook.  Because the homework is given out well in advance of the due date late work will not be accepted.  All of these assignments may be done in after school work sessions if you wish.

1.  DUE by Wednesday April 1, 2015

Drawing from Observation - In this assignment, you may draw anything you choose, but you must draw three real objects that show your interests.  Photographs are not to be used as references.  The end result should be a still-life.

Care in drawing, accuracy, detail, and shading                     40 points

Level of difficulty                                                                    20 points

Use of media/excellence in technique                                   40 points

2. DUE by Wednesday April 8, 2015

Drawing from Observation - In this assignment, you may draw anything you choose, but you must draw an object or scene from an unusual point of view. ie put it up high above you, or on the floor below you.  Photographs are not to be used as references. 

Care in drawing, perspective, detail, and shading                  40 points

Level of difficulty                                                                    20 points

Use of media/excellence in technique                                   40 points

3.   DUE by Wednesday April 15, 2015

Drawing from Imagination - In this assignment, you may draw anything you choose, but you must draw purely from your imagination.  What is it that you doodle? Just go for it! Photographs are not to be used as references. 

Care in drawing, detail, and shading                                       40 points

Level of difficulty and effort                                                    20 points

Use of media/excellence in technique                                   40 points

4.  DUE by Wednesday April 29, 2015

Optional homework – you have the choice to not do this assignment (unless you are in honors)!  If you elect to do it you may do it, you may select any type of art related project to complete.  You will be graded on your use of media and the level of difficulty of the project.