Middle School Art: Elements of Art and Principles of Design Cubes

Students studied each element of art and principle of design in depth and went on to create their own cube showing every concept.  Each side of their cube shows one element and one principle working together to create an interesting composition and clear showcase of the concept. 

Middle School Art: Ink and Watercolor Leaf Contour Drawings

One of the "tricks" of being able to draw well is learning how to teach your eyes and hands to work together effortlessly.  Middle School Art students practiced this skill by creating blind and modified contour drawings of autumn leaves. Student used ink and watercolors to complete their works. 

Middle School Art: Silhouette Collages

Middle School artists began the year by looking at the art Guiseppe Arcimboldo, a Renaissance painter who created portraits made up of other objects (such as fruit, vegetables and birds). The students took this concept and made it their own by filling their own silhouette with images of things that tell something about themselves.  Students used pencil, ink and watercolors to complete their works.

Inspired by the Masters I: Van Gogh - Sunflower Paintings

The students studied the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh and created a painting inspired by his sunflower paintings. Student looked at a vase of real sunflowers and drew them from close observation. Students used thick tempera paint to create Van Gogh's impasto technique and distinctive brushstrokes. 

Inspired by the Masters I: Matisse - Paper Collages

Students studied the life and work of Henri Matisse and created their own abstract collage inspired by "Les Betes de la Mer" ("The Beasts of the Sea"). Students used geometric shapes for their backgrounds and added organic shapes inspired by the sea. 

Inspired by the Masters I: Kandinsky Abstracts

Students studied the life and art of Wassily Kandinsky and created an abstract composition using geometric shapes and lines. Students tried to create pleasing and balanced compositions with these basic elements and used watercolors to add bold colors to their pieces.

Inspired by the Masters Workshop: Monet's Impressionist Landscapes

Students studied the art and life of Claude Monet and created their own impressionist landscapes using the stippling technique with acrylic paint on cardboard. Students used landscape photographs for reference.