Visual Arts

Communicating with the Specialist Team

We look forward to partnering with you in 2025, and welcome your input:

Danielle Haines (Visual Arts)  danielle.haines@education.vic.gov.au 

Our Foundation students butterflies are all finished, with some up on display in the art room. Over the last Three weeks, students have explored texture in art by taking rubbings with oil pastels and experimented with printing tools to create the idea of texture on their acrylic painted fish. Each student learnt how the acrylic paint behaves differently than our watercolours, carefully painting inside a fish to create a unique base coat. This week they used building blocks, tubes, cotton buds and off cuts of plastic to print designs on to their artwork. We can't wait to put our school of fish up on display for Term Two. 

Year One and Two students made the finishing touches to their Melinda Harper inspired abstract paintings. They are fabulous and bright, each one unique in shapes and colour. 

To finsih off Term One, students have used collage techniques to create an alien landscape painting. They tore paper to create mountains, layering pieces to place mountains further away at the back, and closer mountains in front. They were able to experiment with small details like caves, and paint alien skies of different colours. Students practiced their cutting skills to choose pieces that would create a story in their work, before adding the finishing touches, by fingerpainting flames from the back of their rockets.

Year Three and Four have finished their zentangle animals and they look amazing! I was so excited to put these incredible artworks up on display outside the art room. Their careful designs catch your eye and brighten up the space. 

To finish off Term One, students have experimented with a couple of other projects while others were finishing their animals. Some created geometric hearts that look like gem stones. Using analogous colours, colours next to each other on the colour wheel, they were able to paint the small spaces to give the illusion of light reflecting from different angles. Others had a try at neurographic art, a form of art therapy used to relax your mind through the methodical drawing and painting techniques. Students let their pen flow across the page in a random fashion, letting it go wherever. There is no wrong answer with this style of work and experimentation when painting is strongly encouraged. 

Year Five and Six have worked so hard on their project this term. It has been a major challenge for most students and they have risen to it with resilience and pride. Their task was to use intricate patterns to help camouflage a mask into its background. They discovered the endurance required for the more intricate designs, especially drawing on the curved surfaces. 

Some students were able to have a go at some larger Op Art designs. Optical Illusion art is designed to play tricks on your mind, looking like holes in the page, or simply making you take a double take at what you are seeing due to the contrast of black and white shapes. These were formed into cubes and are also going on display alongside our mask project outside the art room.