MC Escher and Perspective Drawing

 

News Letter to Families

 This News Letter went home to families to update them on the Art Room News. 

The Phoebe Hearst Art Gazette

January 2021

Dear Phoebe Hearst Families, Faculty and Friends,

Wow! What a great start to our New Year. I have been able to Zoom visit with every class this Month. This should be your student’s second or third time to enjoy an art workshop. And what better time to start an Art Newsletter than with a new year. This “masterpiece” will appear monthly (or there abouts) and bring you art updates, upcoming events, and resources.

What Happen this Month in the Zoom Rooms:

Kindergarteners enjoyed experiencing the book Where the Wild Things Are, complete with howling and a Wild Rumpus too. They drew shape mini monsters that showed expression while adding fun details. What are details and how do they make a picture more interesting?

1^st grade found lots of humor in the book the Art Teacher is Weird (based on a true story) then followed a series of directions to create 4 or more Weird creatures based on 2 given shapes and 2 additional/choice forms. How do we use our face to show how we are feeling?

2^nd grade was introduced to the celebration of Lunar New Years and following a series of direct drawing steps created a serpent dragon from the inside out. Fun creativity while building on drawing skills and following a series of complex directions. Where does your dragon live, what is its habitat?

3^rd grade’s art focus for this year will center around animals, Native/Aboriginal peoples and their connections (folktales, artwork and habitats) The owl is our first subject of interest. For this project students relied on their knowledge of cursive writing to shape and design their own whimsical creation, while learning fun facts too! Spotlight artist: Kenojuak Ashevak

4^th grade looked at images of several paintings by American Master Georgia O’Keeffe, comparing and contrasting her approach to painting trees. Then, following a series of direct drawing images they built their own “Tree in a Landscape” composition. They learned vocabulary such as: Foreground, Middle ground, and Background, while learning the basics of creating an illusion of space on distance on a flat piece of paper. Spotlight artist: Georgia O’Keeffe.

5^th grade artists began learning the steps to create a realistic rendering of a human face. What are the proportions and where do the parts go? Looking at famous works such as Portrait of Henry the VIII, Mona Lisa and Girl with a Pearl Earring, they used art vocabulary to build an understanding of the role of portraiture in world history. Using class resources and following a series of direct drawing steps they began to practice with facial placement developing more confidence. Spotlight Artist: Vermeer and
Leonardo da Vinci

6^th graders explored one point perspective using the work of M.C. Escher as a jumping off point. They looked at several of his prints that played with vanishing points and twisted perspective. Together we began to draw 3-D projecting shapes from a central vanishing point. Students were given numerous resources that allow for further exploration including creating 3-D letters and designing your own wacky Zoom Room.

Next month a few of our Spotlight Artists will be: Vincent Van Gogh, Mary Blair and Jean-Michel Basquiat…plus surprises! Upcoming projects; the human skeleton in art, feelings connected to colors, hibernation and migration and some music appreciation too! We hope to work with Model Magic clay in March.

Are you looking for art resources or inspiration for your young one? Check out the Phoebe Hearst Art Blog. This online site is family friendly and has lots and lots of printable pages, video links, fun facts, and book connections. Here is the link: https://phoebehearstart.blogspot.com

Have a question or suggestion for Ms. Jane or want to share a piece of student artwork that I can post, bi-weekly, on our blog send emails to:   MJane-Hastings@scusd.edu  (Jpeg images work the best)

Lastly this week is Kindness Week so here is a coloring image for you to relax and enjoy.

Stay Safe Stay Arty,

Luv and Kindness