Still-Life unit coming to a close soon and Pop Art Unit begins this week

This week the 7th grade artists continued with their still-life drawings and their study of realism,in additon to light and shadow.

For our art history unit students have studied the work of three Post Impressionists who worked with value and color in their work. We have explored the interesting life and artwork of Paul Cezanne,Paul Seurat,and Vincent Van Gogh who worked during the 19th -20th century in France.

Also, near the end of this week we have begun a unit on Pop Art and the relationship to the comic and comic strip in advertising. Students will be transposing small full-color comics into large blow-up images much like the work of Pop artist Andy Warhol and the Pop artist named Roy Lichtenstein of the l960s.

Still-Life Compositions come to life and artist Caravaggio

This week the 7th grade is working on their shading techniques on their Still- Life compositions.

Students are selecting still life objects to draw or working from a still-life set-up in the art room. Each student is using a full range of values from black to pale gray to enhance their work.

Students have explored the concept of both "additive drawing" and "subtractive drawing." In addition, students have been using various erasers to practice the subtractive technique of drawing to create both sharp and soft highlights on their objects. Also, students are starting to show texture or surface quality of the objects in their still-life.

We are also studying the life and work of the famous Italian Baroque artist named Caravaggio from the 17th-18th century who as a master of dramatic lighting,deep shadows and compositions that emotionally involve the viewer in the work.

This week the 7th grade will practice and review pastel shading techniques that can be used in renderings or still-life drawings as well.

Still-Life and Realism unit continues

This week students continued to work on their still-life layouts and finished drawings. Students have been using various shading techniques and have incorported the concept of overlap and linear perspective in their work.

The 7th grade artists have practiced shading geometric forms with several gradations in value.
Students have also used the elements of line,shape,form,space and texture in their artistic compositions. Also, in conjunction with this unit on realism and value we have explored the life and work of the 20th century American artist named Norman Rockwell. He is best known for his realistic illustrations and covers for The Saturday Evening Post. He frequently created compositions with props and photographs and incorporated a still-life about everyday life in his work which had universal appeal to his audience.

Still-Life,Color Layering,and special effects in shading

This week the 7th grade artists have reviewed and created a value scale in a color and shades of gray to be used in the creation of a finished still-life drawing. We have also reviewed the basic geometric solids and shapes,in addition to their relationship to blocking in a form for a still-life composition.

Students are drawing from still-life set-ups of wooden geometric solids,everyday objects,and organic forms such as fruits and vegetables. Students also learned the technique of color layering with colored pencils which lends itself to the rendering of still-life organic forms.

Also, the 7th grade artists have studied the life and work of the 17th century Dutch artist known as Rembrandt. This artist was a master of realism plus light and dark in his artwork. Rembrandt also created mood and emotion with his use of "hidden lighting" which had the effect of a spotlight on the subject or focal point of a painting.

Value Unit continues for the 7th grade

This week students began a series of value exercises in various types of media.
These exercises are part of the unit on Still-Life drawing. We have started a value scale in pencil which will be added to the final still-life drawing.

Students are also learning about the life and work of the French artist named Paul Cezanne of the 19th - 20th century. Cezanne is considered the father of modern art and is very well-known for his unique realistic still-life compositions.

Students are busy practicing a variety of shading techniques with colored pencils,shading pencils and crayons in their exploration of value.

Closure of Contour Line Shoe unit and start of Value Unit

The 7th grade artists completed all their contour line shoe drawings this week. They used accentuated contour lines to show form and a 3-dimensional illusion.

Each student selected an interesting shoe or sneaker to draw. They included the Elements of Art such as texture,shape,color and expressive line quality in their drawings.

Examples of student drawings can be viewed in the small showcase and in the art room at Lakeview. Also, color examples can be viewed on this blog and will soon be posted to the Lakeview web gallery site for viewing and enjoyment.

This week we have also begun a unit on value and shading techniques of organic forms such as fruit. This week we have worked on worksheets dealing with a review of geometric solids and shading in colored pencil.

7th Grade Contour Line Shoe drawing unit

This week students were busy working on the final touches of their reflective contour line shoe drawings. Students have made great effort to show their texture and special details of their shoe.

Various examples of 7th grade drawings can be viewed in the small showcase by the lockers and in the art room.

Students also assisted in the preparation,matting and display of the work in the art room at Lakeview.

In additon, when all students have completed their shoe drawings a small team of student artists will assist in the digital photography and computer presentation of student artwork for the Art Room Blog and the Lakeview Jr.High District web gallery space which is refreshed with each new series of student art submissions.