Visual Arts News

Prep

Last week, the preps were introduced to a new medium – acrylic paint. They learnt about the hexagonal structures that form a honeycomb in a beehive. Each student was given a hexagon template to paint with yellows, oranges and browns, focusing on creating texture in their work. This week the preps will complete a guided drawing of a bee, which they will cut out and add to their honeycomb background. 

One

In Visual Arts last week, the grade one students were introduced to the picture story book “Are you a snail?” They learnt how to use shape and line to draw a snail, including a spiral shaped shell. After drawing their snail, students outlined their work and added colour. This week they will continue this project by scrunching tissue paper to add texture to their snail’s shell. 

Two

Last week the grade two students began a two-week project – a mixed media artwork of a vase of flowers. In the first week, students drew their vase and flowers in grey lead, focusing on adding detailed patterns to their work. They then began to paint their vases and backgrounds. This week they will complete their painting and use tissue paper to add texture and colour to the flowers.

Three

In visual arts, the grade three students have been working on creating a still-life artwork inspired by the famous artist, Vincent van Gogh. They looked at one of his paintings entitled “Sunflowers” and discussed what colours and shapes they could see and how the painting made them feel. Students drew their own vase of sunflowers and used pastel to blend colours on the petals. This week they will colour the vase in pastel, focusing on value, and use watercolour paint to colour the background. 

Four 

Last week, the grade four students learnt about the “Pop Art” movement and its pioneering artists including Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.  They learnt that icons and every day products were often used in pop art so that the public would recognise the subject matter. Students chose an icon or symbol to draw on a small piece of paper. They then began to trace their symbol so that they would have four copies of the same image. This week they will use fluorescent pastels to add different colours to each image in their piece of pop art. 

Five

Last week grade five students learnt how to make their own leaf/petal templates to use in a paper collage. Students discussed “colour schemes” and decided on their own colour scheme (e.g. warm or cool colours, complimentary colours etc). They used their petal templates to trace designs onto coloured paper matching their colour scheme, then cut the petals and arranged them to create a floral design with movement.   

Six

Grade six students have been learning about the elements of value and texture. This week they sketched an echidna, then used chalk pastels in different shades of grey to colour their animal. They focused on value, adding shades with darker greys or black and adding tints with white to show highlights. Some students began layering fur and spines in different shades to add texture to their echidna. They will continue this project this week by adding more value to their work.