4/5s Craft Native American Drums

The 4/5s are studying the Iroquois and learning about their music and art. Combining all three disciplines, they are each crafting a large drum, made from a construction tube and nylon packcloth, that will be decorated with Iroquois designs and symbols and used to accompany their voices in music class.

Painting a primer coat on the construction tube

These will be sizable drums!

Sketching the design onto the cylinder

From the bottom up!

Working around the cylinder

Drawing continues on the floor

Painting a background for a substantial snake!

Lots to consider when working in the round

Everyone painting their drum cylinders

Four almost finished drums

Drums being played around the fire circle

2/3s Add Frogs to the Pond

After creating some remarkably detailed turtles the 2/3s went on to draw and paint frogs to join the turtles. Frogs are a considerably larger challenge as the shapes are not as obvious or straightforward as a turtle,  but after some careful analysis and observation of photos, the frogs took on a life of their own!

The frog turns green

Adding Sharpie to enhance details

Adding some snakes to the picture

And a dragonfly

4/5s Learn About Japanese Notan Paper Design

"Notan" is the term used by the Japanese to express the principle of “dark-light” as an element of design. This concept illustrates the interaction of positive and negative space, emphasizing that one can not exist without the other. The 4/5s tried their hands at this exercise in design using black and white construction paper to illustrate the principles of positive and negative space. They cut simple shapes into the center of the smaller black paper and flipped their cut shapes out and glued them onto the larger white paper to mirror the negative space that was cut away. This was challenging initially, but once they grasped the idea, the results were clearly worth the effort. 

Cutting a practice design

Cutting a shape from each side

Refining the shape

Working on a final black and white design

Carefully fitting all the pieces in place

A finished piece

And several more

Middle School Students Design Islamic Inspired Printing Blocks

The 6/7/8th grade students were introduced to Islamic art and their use of calligraphy, geometric forms and floral patterns, rather than human or animal representation. The students designed small squares that were carved into Safety-Cut blocks that could be turned and printed repeatedly, making a larger design from the initial small square.

Beginning to carve the block

Carving with the right blade

The printing begins

K-3 Pond Study Turtle Pictures

As a pond study got underway for the k through 3 classes, the students spent time in art class observing and sketching the science room turtle. With the turtle sitting in a tank in the middle of the art room tables, the students closely observed and commented on the shapes, colors and textures they noticed. After discussing what they saw, the students took pencil to paper and began sketching the turtle while still looking at him. Next class began with a viewing of educator Ron Berger's video called "Austin's Butterfly", where Berger guides young students through the process of constructive critique. The students then took another look at the turtle sketches from last class with an eye toward helpful critique that would prove useful as they began drawing and painting larger turtles emphasizing pattern and texture on the shell.

Observational drawing..what are you noticing?

Focusing on that turtle

Working from a photo

Figuring out what part to draw next

Getting the shell shape on final paper

Shell patterns

The bottom edge is curved

Emphasizing the pattern with Sharpie

Two turtles on this one

Checking that the color is right before painting the turtle