VISUAL ARTS

36 SQUARES OF SPRING: STUDIO ARTS PAINTS LA PRIMAVERA 

Our combined Year 11 Studio Arts classes created a collaborative artwork of La Primavera by Botticelli with oil paints. We learnt how to develop and use materials and techniques with the oil paints, as it was very new to many of us, and further our knowledge of Renaissance art. 

We each selected and were assigned a small section of the painting and were given individual canvases to do our section on. This allowed us to show our own styles in the final result, and we were presented with a uniquely put together remake of La Primavera.

We first started with a pencil sketch of the basic outlines of the artwork, and from there we began our painting process. We learnt how to lay out our basic tones and develop depth using this by creating our underpainting with brown acrylic paint. This helped us map out basic shapes and shadows and develop our understanding of using tone in our artworks. 

Using the underpainting to guide us, we started using the oil paint to lay down our base colours, and then more detail and tone. This was a tedious process but was fun to experiment and experience regardless. Overall, our large-scale project was a new and enjoyable learning experience where we were able to broaden our knowledge of new materials and techniques, and art history. 

We displayed our painting in the halls of S block to bring some art and brightness to the building. 

Audrey Zhou 

Year 11N Studio Arts