Visual Arts

Term 3 

Term 3 has of course begun and the department welcomed a new round of elective students in Year 8 to Year 10. Our elective students are often very passionate, eager to develop and experiment with new mediums and topics. Unit 2 also started while Unit 4 began in Term 2, for Studio Art and VCD. In Unit 4, students work on their final pieces for the duration of the term. It is an exciting time where they refine skills and master techniques. These School Assessed Tasks are due in approximately 7 weeks, so the students are working very hard, with many using their holidays to further develop their work. Sharing these with the school community during the Art exhibition in October will be a highlight and I hope you can all attend to support their incredible journey.

Senior Studio Arts

In Unit 1 Studio Arts, the senior students completed a ‘Festival’ themed painting which was then coated in resin. We use a two-part mixture that sets hard and glassy, making the work look like a tile or glass sheet. It is tricky to set up and I am working towards perfecting the pour; however, I am not quite there yet. These new products are exciting and the students really enjoy these hands-on experiences. It also means collaborating as the run off is recycled onto the following canvas, to reduce wastage. The paintings need to dry raised, as they would stick to any surface as the product continues to work its way off the edges slightly.

Year 9 Semester 1 Art

The Year 9, Semester 1 Art students produced beautiful Impressionist paintings that are too good not to share. The process includes washing and layering paint to avoid gaps in colour. Students had to mimic the artist's technique and replicate both the image and paint application of these masters. This is quite challenging as matching oil paint with an acrylic paint is difficult. The original is on the left. I hope you will agree, they have done an amazing job!

Year 5 Art

For several years now, the Year 5 classes have produced 'layered stencil canvas’. The unit has proved so popular it remains on the program. Many parents have commented on the pride of place these canvasses take in their homes and we are honored to hear such things. It is wonderful to imagine students' work on display at home or in offices. I have had many students over the years say that they still have this or that piece. These colourful artworks require a minimum of 7 layers to achieve complex colour mixes that are produced using transparent paint/glazes. Students plan compositions and stencil in between wash layers, extending the colour range as they layer upon one another.

Art Displayed at Home

If your child’s art is displayed in your home, I would love to see it; possibly including a few images in my next article. Please email me at lcamilleri@aitkencollege.edu.au with your photos. We (the department) would really enjoy seeing how the work produced here lives on, particularly, if your child is now older and the work is from their early years. If you have displayed something, please share this with us.

Mrs Linda Camilleri

Head of Faculty Visual Arts