Creative Arts -
Visual Arts and Photography
VISUAL ARTS AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Year 7 Visual Arts students have been developing skills in the basics of visual arts. Students have examined the use of the elements of art and their importance in artmaking. Students have also learnt about Modernist styles of art, Cubism and Impressionism where students investigated each movement, experimented with their styles of artmaking and applying the elements of art and techniques have created a number of artworks.
A very important part of the students engagement in learning has been the implementation of our whole School Writing Initiative across all classes from Years 7 - 10. The focus in Year 7 Visual Arts has been writing about purpose and below are two excerpts from students who have written about Paul Signac, an Impressionist artist and his artwork “The Setting Sun” and how the elements of art are used in his work.
This painting, Setting Sun, Sardine Fishing, was painted by Paul Signac in the year 1891. In this painting, the horizontal line that goes through the middle of the painting draws your eyes to the sunset. There are lots of small horizontal lines that make everything look a lot more detailed. The tone in this painting is quite bright, making it look like a warm summer sunset. The shape of this painting is very balanced, meaning there isn’t one object that stands out. The shape is very flat however the shape of the waves draws your attention to the sunset. There are lots of warm colours in this painting. There are also lots of contrasting colours. The colours of the sky are reflected in the ocean. The colours transition very well from one to another. The form in this painting makes it look like a very calm and tranquil evening. The texture of the painting looks to be like a mosaic with lots of little dots. The fact that the sails are down is a sign that this is the end of a day. The colours symbolise a very calm and tranquil evening. The size of the waves also make it seem like the evening.
Ivan Sokolov
The painting ‘Setting Sun, Sardine fishing’ was painted by Paul Signac in 1891. This artwork uses horizontal lines to draw your eyes towards the middle of the painting or sunset. Paul Signac has used a very bright tone to betray a sunset across the boats that are sardine fishing. In this painting the waves pull your eyes to the background sunset/ horizon. Paul uses contrasting colours to make the boats pop because they aren't as bright as the sky reflecting on the water. The painting puts across a sensation that everything is calm and peaceful and quiet. There's lots of dots which make up the painting and when you zoom in it look like a mosaic. The sails are down which is a sign that it is the end of a long day.The colours symbolise a sunset with the yellow colours.
Jack Keane
Year 8 Art have recently studied the unique artistic styles of two Australian artists John Olsen and Emily Kame Kngwarreye. We used a mixture of paint, pencil, pen and pastels to create our own interpretations of their work. Students are now beginning the process of Lino Printing and are creating works that symbolise objects and places that are significant to them.
Year 9 Photography and Digital Media students have examined the basics of photography identifying the importance of elements and principles and composing images. The students captured a number of images and are learning about selecting and digitally enhancing select images. Students have also engaged in learning about photographers related to their own photographs and Steve McCurry an artist who uses strong themes of culture and aspects of that culture which we rarely see. Student have produced a range of wonderful works so far and we are now about to embark on our next topic of Photoshop and Video.
Year 10 Photography have been studying postmodern self-portrait photographers and applying their knowledge to create their own postmodern self-portraits. The students have studied many examples of Photoshop and other editing tools to create an image of a reality which doesn’t really exist. Students are concluding the term by constructing their own fantastical or grotesque realities, which involves piecing together different images to create something that did not exist together, but appears to do so.
Year 12 Visual Arts students have just completed their Mid-Course exams and are now back into the art studios. Students have been developing their Body of Work in their Visual Arts Process Diary and are now starting on their artistic journey to create each artwork. Students have explored a range of themes and materials to make their artworks. Students next term will engage in a conversation about their artworks to a panel, for feedback and later next term will exhibit their artworks along with Design and Technology students.