Visual Arts

Communicating with the Specialist Team

We look forward to partnering with you in 2023, and welcome your input:

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

An Overview of our Learning

Streaton Art Show

The Streaton Art Show was on again last weekend. It was wonderful to see all of our students work up on display. We had 63 students work from USPS on display this year alongside other schools in the area.

A special mention to Charlotte Newby who placed second in the Jnr age category.

Congratulations Charlotte!

Foundation students have been creating something special for Mother's Day so I won't say much here and spoil the surprise. Let's just say that they have been getting their fingers messy.

This week students have been cementing their knowledge of line in paint. We have been exploring the life of a worm and the wiggly, zig zag, bumpy tunnels they make underground. This project gives students opportunities to paint, draw and cut out complex shapes. 

Year 1 and 2 students started the term by adding lots of details to their treasure maps. Over the holidays these maps went through a rapid aging process so students could add pops of colour using watercolour pencils.

The last two weeks saw us explore the work of the Impressionists, a group of rebellious artists from the late 1800s who had the radical idea of going outside and painting what they saw. We examined the work of Claude Monet and used his painting 'Poplars in the Sun' as inspiration for our own painting. This style introduced a quick 'dab dab' application of paint rather than a smooth stroke which allows us to play with colours and watch how they blend and merge together.

Year 3 and 4 took a closer look at the colour wheel, splitting it in half to recognise warm and cool colours. Using this knowledge, students drew an abstract landscape and used soft pastels to colour bright skies in warm colours or cool nights and contrast their landscape with the opposite. 

This week we got out the acrylic paints to explore the element of value. Students have painted a deep ocean background using analogous colours that represents the changes of light colours to dark colours.

Year 5 and 6 have been adding colour and texture to their chameleon project, adding the finishing touches with paint pens and markers. Each chameleon is completely unique and an excellent exploration of what watercolours can do. 

Next week we will start inverstigating the work of Yacov Agam, the inventor of the Agamograph. For this project students will create two contrasting images such as night and day, light and dark, good and evil etc. If they would like reference pictures to use in class be sure to bring them along next week.