Art Term 2 Newsletter

Welcome to Term 2

Last term, all students were invited to participate in the Southland Mother's Day gift wrap design competition. It was so lovely to see so much love for Mum's and the vibrant designs that they made. I am proud to see so many of our students designs being displayed in Southland this week in the lead up to Mother's Day at the gift wrapping stall located on Level 2, near Country Road. Congratulations to everyone who participated. All the mums are winners!

 This term, students will explore drawing and painting, making links with the learning they are doing in their classrooms. They will also try out printmaking with gel plates and stencils. Some map-making will be experimented with,  and our older students will learn to use tools safely as they explore textiles through felting. These are great mediums for students to learn about line, shape, space, texture, colour and composition. There are many traditional and contemporary artists and processes for students to explore through these mediums.

Teaching and Learning in Art

Across all year levels, Art lessons are designed with engagement in mind and incorporate the development of art skills, imagination and creativity. The learning intentions are based on the elements of art and principles of design. Students learn about other artists and explore a wide range of media throughout the year.

Foundation

In Term Two, Foundation students are given opportunities to experiment with different materials and techniques to make artworks. They are developing listening skills through stories about artists and learning to follow simple instructions about using art supplies and packing up. Foundation students explore drawing portraits through observing their own image in mirrors and try to replicate the lines, shapes and colours they see. They draw portraits of themselves and others.  This term, Foundation students have drawn poppies for ANZAC Day and created artworks of things they will find in their community, linking with the learning in their classroom. These artworks focus on experimental mark making, allowing students to explore textures, lines, shapes and colours. They are learning about colour mixing using primary colours and share their discoveries with their class.

Year 1 and 2

Students are developing their skills in communicating their ideas through drawing, painting and printmaking this term. They learn about art and artists through picture story books and create artworks inspired by illustrations. In Years 1 and 2, students become more experienced in drawing their own image.  They use mirrors to observe what their facial feature look like and become more detailed in their drawings. This term, students have drawn and painted poppies for ANZAC Day, some creating poppies up close, others creating a poppy field using 'Here, Near and Far' perspective. Grade 1's have begun drawing the Ripponlea Mansion that they visited on their excursion. They will also be using gelliplates to create the wallpaper for their diorama inspired by Ripponlea. Grade 2's are creating artworks based on the theme of water, such as seascapes, waterfalls, ponds and Underwater scenes. Through the process, they are learning about colour mixing using primary colours to create secondary colours and add black or white to create tints and shade. Students share their discoveries with their class and learn to talk about what they like about artworks that they view.

Year 3 and 4

Students become more expressive in communicating their ideas through drawing, painting and printmaking. They learn about art styles and artists through looking at images and learning about the artists' lives and influences. They use these artworks as inspiration for their own work in that style. In Years 3 and 4, students are creating artworks based on Australia, indigenous plants and animals, mapping and voyages. Year 4 students are also comparing Australia with South America and Africa. They will be using gelliplates and stencils to explore these themes, as well as painting and drawing. Students are able to communicate their ideas through art and are given opportunities to share their art in gallery walks as well as present their work to the group.

Year 5 and 6

Students explore how visual artists work and explain how ideas are expressed through the artworks they make and view. They explore these processes to create artworks of their own. In Years 5 and 6, students use gelliplates, brayers, texture plates and make stencils of their own for printmaking. Concepts such as radial symmetry, positive and negative space and image reversal are explored. Students have been learning to use tools safely, using a felting needle and foam block to create a felted poppy for ANZAC Day. They are now creating their own felted design, making links to the first Australians, convicts, settlers and immigration. Students are using merino wool and learning from their classroom activities to create a meaningful design. These themes will also be used to create drawn and painted artworks. They learn to create a wide range of colours, create contrast with complementary colours and use colour to express emotions through art. Students are able to communicate their ideas through art, evaluate their processes, and discuss their art and the art of others when presenting their work to the group.

Communication

If you have any queries along the way, please feel free to contact me using my email.

                         Suzanne Reid - (suzanne.reid@education.vic.gov.au)