Visual Arts
Thank you to Staff and Students
What a very different term this has been for all, particularly for the Visual Art department. I want to start by acknowledging my amazing, creative, dedicated team of teachers who are continuing to work very hard to deliver a new course, one that needed to be completely re-designed for online learning. I also want to acknowledge our amazing students who have been with us, every step of the way. Their engagement is humbling. Thank you!
Term 2 Art Activities
This term, the Year 8 students were supposed to start a Lino-print unit, Year 7 students Ceramics, Year 9 students Impressionist painting, Year 10 students Calico painting, Year 11 students finishing off their oil paintings and beginning messy sculpture. Primary were about to get messy, with various things from paint to ceramics and dry pastels. Without access to these materials or suitable working areas, we had to develop completely new tasks and resources, ready to inspire creativity in those we teach and using what should be available at home.
Year 7 Art
In Year 7, the use of a found image, recycling a package, brochure, magazine, old book or product label drove the first task. Students extended the image with coloured pencil. See the task example below.
The added difficulty for our visual subject was deciding how to provide tangible assistance and feedback to students, so their work could progress and improve in a suitable manner. Below, I have included a snapshot of what that looked like. Secondary students submitted progress files each lesson. Teachers then annotated these, able to draw and provide feedback on the work using their iPads. As the term progressed, audio feedback was also given, explaining what should be done to improve the work. This was in addition to technique instructions, video tutorials and examples on My Aitken, Zoom and live feedback sessions.
As you can see, this development is clearly trackable. The advice for the above piece started with choosing this idea over two other sketches, adding pattern to the Kimono, adding a second person and curving the lines to add form. The final suggestion was adding a blossom tree to the background, to finish off the composition. Here are some other examples of how students responded to the task.
We are very proud of the efforts of our students to engage in their Art and our learning programs from home. They have really tried, working through various processes to complete great work. I am incredibly proud of my staff who have been working diligently this way to ensure students were successful. We look forward to seeing the finished artworks on our return, to be framed and displayed for the Art Exhibition.
Year 11 Art
Senior students have been receiving feedback in the same manner, often in combination with live Zooms and shared screens, enabling clear communication and immediate assistance. This Year 11 portrait development is a team effort, with the student responding each time to the suggestions made.
Finals were all very impressive. While it is not common practice for Aitken students to undertake a ’copy’ task, these reproductions targeted observation, proportion and shading skills. They were shown an example from the Ufizzi Gallery in Florence, something I purchased while on Long Service Leave last year; a beautiful pencil drawing of a master painting. It clearly inspired them.
Year 10 VCD
The Year 10 VCD students completed the online task below, their designs resolved through the submission of a developmental process, a collection of work that precedes the final. Here’s a little peak at some finals.
Primary Art
Primary students have been encouraged to use the world around them, from developing fruit and vegetable images to the incorporation of found objects into creative designs. See below.
There will be more Primary art works in the next newsletter. I aim to share these and more amazing work that senior students have been completing. This includes an appropriated photography piece, a creative/surreal observational drawing and environmental artworks and photographs - all from units designed specifically for the Home Learning period.
Until then, take care, stay safe and keep smiling and creating.
Mrs Linda Camilleri
Head of Faculty Visual Arts