Look Out for Stamping

I am still really into my "Zentangles" (I still need to get all of you to love it as much as I do!)but my latest passion is stamping. I splurged on ink pads, so there will be much more stamping to come. I discovered an easy way to make stamps. By putting those foam stickers on a little piece of cardboard (letters do not work well unless you glue them instead of use sticky side), you can make cheapest stamps ever!! These are some creations that 8th graders did in a short class period. The only requirement I gave them was to have a border and something bigger in middle. I can't wait to see all the ways the students think to use the stamps. I learn as much from all of you, as you learn from me!

Artwork by Frensua
Artwork by Chante
Artwork by Kennedie
Artwork by Akeisha

Artwork by Lavonte

Give these 8th graders a HAND!!

The 8th graders wrapped their hands up with striped paper! ;-) Not true, but they were able to make it look like that using just a pencil and white piece of paper.

Artwork by Walter

Artwork by Kenda
Artwork by Heaven
Artwork by Lavonte

Illuminated by these Letters

Do you want to do more Illuminated Letters? Everyone did great with this project! To print out your own decorative letters, click HERE for more Printable Letters.

This is also important announcement: From now on, I will be listing the artist's name ABOVE the artwork. This might take time to get used to since I have been doing it below the artwork, but it is better this way! Also as always, remember to click on artwork for close up, and right click "Save As" if you want to save your artwork to your computer.

Artwork by Lavonte

Artwork by Jarrien
Artwork by Fahrenheit
Artwork by Kala
Artwork by Tyler
Artwork by Adrian

Which is your Favorite Dr.Seuss Character?

Every grade has done a Dr. Seuss project, so I know you've seen lots of his characters floating around the art room. Which Dr. Seuss book do you like the best? Which character is your favorite?

Hortons by Amillion, Timothy, Alex, and Brandi


Fish by Jaren

Lorax by Lavonte

Cat in the Hat by Lamya, Alex, and Sereniti

Black History Month with Aaron Douglas

Aaron Douglas has been called the father of African American art. Douglas was an important part of the circle of artists and writers we now call the Harlem Renaissance. His paintings reflect his confidence that African Americans can learn from the past "to carry us on to new and higher levels of achievement." Many paintings of Africans creating civilizations, overcoming oppression, and building new worlds. Working in 1920- 40s, Douglas proudly showed black Americans with their African past before the dawn of the civil rights movement.

**Remember click on artwork for close-up, there are great details to see**

The students were given the choice of doing their own interpretation of one of his painting or do n "abstract" work of art using Aaron Douglas' style as their inspiration

Adrian and Jennifer chose to do abstract interpretations of Aaron Douglas' paintings.

Aspirations (1936) contains symbols of musical accomplishment and achievement in scholarship and business Unlike many of the artists who have come of age after the civil rights era, Douglas is most interested in showing self-determined success. Douglas' most common signifier of such is not government, but industry, as at top in 1936's Aspiration.

"Aspiration" Artwork by Jallayha and no name
Jungle scene by Aaron Douglas
Jungle scene by Kendra and Mayuan

Ship scene by Aaron Douglas
Ship scene by Chloe, I am so proud of how she used all those different values!
Ship sene by Darneisha, and again great use of values!
Ship scene by Fahrenheit
Ship scene by Lavonte
Ship scene by Malik

We Value Obama

The students who finished with their Picasso Value Study, did the same thing but with a picture of Obama. With teamwork, we made some really cool looking Obama portraits. We also talked about the other definitions of "value".

Artwork by Demetrius, Unique, Tatianna, and Shanice
Artwork by Jazmyne

Artwork by Janeia, Lavonte, Heaven, Darneisha, Talaiyah

Picasso's "Guernica"

"Guernica" by Picasso
After learning how to make dark values and light values by either pressing hard with our pencil or light with our pencils, we made value scales. Then we made our version of Picasso's "Guernica". Each student was given a different section of the painting and practiced using their dark and light values. Plus, Picasso is fun to replicate. You will see more of him this month!
Artwork by Jeffon and Calvin R.
Artwork by Akilah
Artwork by Tameia
Artwork by Larry, Mayuan, and Lavonte
Artwork by Alexis and Taylar

Go Chicago! Room 307 Skyline Design

With pride, the Upper Grades designed their own artistic Chicago cityscape. They looked at pictures of the Chicago skyline and decided which buildings they wanted to highlight. Half of the students used watercolors and half used tracing paper. Those who used tracing paper have skylines that are more exact and they focused more energy on using creative colors. Which room do you think worked the hardest?!

Artwork from Room 307:
Artwork by Talaiyah
Artwork by Lavonte
Artwork by Erica
Artwork by Kennedie
Artwork by Farenheit
Artwork by Walter
Artwork by Jimmie (you can not see the detail with this photo but Jimmie is great, he has an eye for art)
Artwork by Kenda, she requested that I post her painting, but I hope that she finishes it!