Winslow Homer Clipper Ships
Students learned about the work of Winslow Homer, an early American painter during the Progressive Era (which they study in Social Studies). They saw how his work evolved from print maker to illustrator to drawing scenes from camp life and battle during the Civil War to finally settling in with the iconic seascapes that he is known for. Students then had a chance to create their own seascape in the style of Winslow Homer using watercolor paint and oil pastels. Their seascapes needed to convey a mood through color and line.
Pop Art Self Portraits
8th graders studied the Pop Art movement, including the work of Roy Lichtenstien and Andy Warhol. They learned about Ben Day dots, a technique used by printers and many pop artists. Then they created their own Pop Art inspired portrait including Ben Day dots, the use of primary colors, and an onomatopoeia.
Ink Blot Monsters
Students began this project by looking at the work of graphic artist Stefan Bucher who runs the website dailymonster.com. Then they created their own ink blots using techniques similar to Bucher's and transformed them into monsters with sidekicks. Their composition was required to use color in some way to enhance it. We also made the connection between this project and a book they had read in ELA called Flowers for Algernon, in which the rorschach inkblot test plays a key role.
Op Art Hands
Students learned about the Op Art movement and created their own art that includes an optical illusion. Students had to use three analogous colors and really concentrate on changes in value for the illusion to work.
2 Point Perspective Tree Houses
Students reviewed vocabulary associated with perspective and looked at the artwork of Gustave Caillebotte, a french impressionist who used one and two point perspective in many of his paintings. Then they used their knowledge to create a Tree House in two point perspective that contains 4 shapes and 6 details.
Zentangle Watercolor Still Life
Students studied and critiqued some still lifes throughout art history. Then they created their own based on arrangements of fruit in the classroom. Engaging their knowledge of line, color, value, shape, form and composition; students painted and drew Zentangle designs on their artwork.
Charley Harper inspired winter collage
8th graders studied the work of graphic artist Charley Harper and his "minimal realism" style. We talked about how he breaks animals down into their simplest forms or shapes then sketched a few examples imitating his style. Then students created their own Charlie Harper birds and enhanced their compositions with texture and shadow.