Tinfoil Knights Stand Tall and Proud.
The fourth graders had quite an exciting time preparing for the Winter Festival by creating "heavy metal" knights to display around the walls of the castle. They looked at images of different suits of armor and then designed their own as detailed and original as they wanted. The students had to take special care to ensure that their suits would "work" by adding knees, elbows, fingers, and shoulder bends. Chainmail was another favorite detail to add, and this also served as a way to make the armor "movable." Once finished, they transferred their designs onto a large sheet of metal tooling foil using pencil and then completed their details. The knights were washed with an India Ink bath, dried, and then scrubbed with steel wool to give them a tarnished look. The fourth graders then learned about heraldry and designed a shield to back their knights. Some students added colored marker details and weapons to complete the finished projects. Click on the example to view the entire gallery of stunning projects!
Eighth Grade Captures "Our Nation's Generations"
The eighth grade had the honor of developing and curating a special exhibit for the Fairfield Museum and History Center. Working with Christine Jewel of their education department, they spent the month of December delving into their own families’ histories and finding objects that best represented their traditions and cultures. Each student brought in a treasured heirloom and photographed it, and then they wrote about the history of the object and why it is special to their families. The photographs and written statements were then combined into a visual memento of their own personal family history. The museum printed, mounted, and displayed the finished works in one of their galleries along with several of the actual objects in glass cases. On Thursday, January 8, 2009, the eighth graders and their families attended an opening reception of the exhibit where they were able to share with each other and visitors their special and unique heritage. It was truly a remarkable and monumental event for everyone involved, and it showcases the talent, diversity, and insight that our students possess. The exhibit runs from now through February, with a special Family First Sunday event on February 1st.
Abstract Swirls in Metallics and Color!
As part of our study on color, students in grades 6th through 8th experimented with line, shape, color, and design in a free-form exercise where anything was possible. They started by swirling a metallic marker on a page in random loops, and then used colored pencils to shade, overlap, contrast, and highlight the resulting shapes. Some students tried out different patterns and color-schemes, and those who finished early tried a second experiment with their own stencils they cut. They created shaded lines and repeating shapes that danced around the page in a whimsical manner.
Stained Glass Windows to Grace the Castle Walls!
Paragraph.In preparation for our annual Winter Festival, the fifth graders have been busy creating amazing stained glass windows. Starting with a sketch of their design, they then traced their lines onto a clear sheet of cellophane with a black permanent marker. Tempera paint was used to color in the designs before the panel was flipped over to give a neat and clean look. The students then had to decide on the colors that would fill in their backgrounds and used sheets of tissue paper to arrange an interesting pattern. Finally, black frames were added to complete the faux stained glass effect. Enjoy the entire gallery by clicking on the example, and be sure to look for their amazing windows on the walls of our Winter Festival castle!
Fourth and Fifth Graders Journey to the Rainforest!
The Fourth and Fifth Graders journeyed to the Rainforest to create colorful mixed media animals. Students used tissue paper to “paint” backgrounds and a thickened paste paint to scallop the edges of their frames in two colors. We then learned about wrapping techniques to place an animal either on, around, or hanging from a tree branch. Snakes, birds, butterflies, and monkeys populated our exotic habitats in tempera upon branches of oil pastel. The finished projects definitely reflect the spirit and colors of an exciting tropical world! Click on the playful monkey to the left to see a gallery of the students' work.
Student Docents at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum.
On October 29, students in grades 6th, 7th, and 8th experienced the exhibits at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield through the eyes of the Upper School Student Docents. After having trained for four sessions at the museum, the Docents lead the students in thoughtful discussion about the current exhibits and elicited unique insights and observations through their purposeful line of inquiry. The Aldrich's motto, "Look. Look Again," is exactly what the Docents encouraged their peers to do while viewing the galleries. After a few minutes, a swirl of paint suddenly become a portal to another dimension, or a random collection of nonsensical computer printouts came into view as the moon. Experiencing the Aldrich's contemporary works through the guided observation of the Student Docents was a completely unique and rewarding experience unmatched by any indpendent visit to the museum. No curator's detailed descriptions of artistic intent or context can create the personal sense of artistic ownership and appreciation that is felt after listening to a discussion among students taking the time to really observe what they see. Congratulations to this year's Docents for their wonderful and professional job of exposing us to the wealth of enjoyment and artistic posibility found in contemporary art. It was truly a unique experience, and one that has become an integral part of the art curriculum at Unquowa. Click on the images above to view a gallery of the Docents' tours.
6th Graders create Environmental Installations inspired by Andy Goldsworthy.
There are so many beautiful colors outside at this time of the year, it inspires many to manipulate the elements and create works of art which capture the feeling and experience of nature. Our 6th graders were so inspired to venture into the woods one cold, frosty morning to create their own environmental designs inspired by the sublime work of the artist Andy Goldsworthy. Known for his ephemeral pieces from sticks, stones, and leaves, Goldsworthy uses the earth and its materials to draw attention to the inherent beauty in things we so often take for granted. A pile of rocks is transformed into a magnificent radial design vibrating with subtle color changes and textures. Reeds become woven and interlaced to create a delicate balancing act whose beauty lies in its fragility. The students watched a documentary on Goldsworthy, Rivers and Tides, and then created their own magnificent works of transient art. Click on the picture above to view a gallery of their august creations.
Sumi-e Lanterns by 4th and 5th Grade.
Fourth and Fifth graders started the year off by learning about warm and cool colors and watercolor techniques using salt and plastic wrap. The students painted four panels for their lanterns using a combination of the colors and techniques. We then looked at images of Japanese brush painting, or sumi-e painting, and then learned how artists use the "four treasures" (ink stick, ink stone, brush, and paper) to create pictures with as few strokes as possible. The students practiced painting bamboo, trees, and mountains, and then carefully painted their own images onto the panels of their lanterns. Finally, the panels were woven together with yarn and beads were attached if desired. The finished colorful projects are hanging in the art room adding a touch of Eastern culture to our decor. Click on the image to view the gallery of lanterns!
6th Grade Icosahedrons: Color theory and math collide!
For their first project of the year, the sixth grade created colorful geometric works of art. They started with a stencil and carefully connected lines to produce a series of 20 equilateral triangles. When arranged in a pattern of 5, 10, 5, the triangles fit together in a three-dimensional geometric shape called an "icosahedron." The students then designed the triangles with any pattern of their choice, however, the color scheme had to be as follows: the top 5 triangles were only to be done in primary colors, the middle 10 only in secondary colors, and the bottom 5 only in neutrals. By blending, shading, and overlapping, the students were able to stretch their limited color palettes into a much larger spectrum. Click on the examples below to see the entire gallery up close! I bet you never knew math could be so colorful, and so much fun!
Unquowa students get digitized with iPod Silhouettes!
For our first graphic design project and introduction into the digital world of Photoshop, students in grades 6, 7, and 8 transformed their pictures into silhouettes reminiscent of the famous iPod ads. Starting with a digital picture, the students learned how to create a path around their bodies, cut and paste into a new layer, change the background color, desaturate and silhouette, and finally add a realistic shadow and even an ipod or two. In such a challenging new environment as Photoshop, the students quickly picked up the skills and techniques needed to produce exceptional digital works of art. Click on the gallery to view each individual silhouette, and stay tuned for more digital art projects in the future!
Rotation, Reflection, Translation...Tessellation!
Seventh graders learned about the mathematics term "tessellation" and how to create one from a known tessellating shape. For those of you not versed in geometry, a tessellation is a repeating pattern that fits together with no gaps or overlaps. Modifying a square without reducing its surface area creates a fancy tessellating pattern whose orientation depends on the alignment of the modified sides. Translations, reflections, and rotations were all examined, and then the students chose the shape they felt was the most promising. The task then fell to them to figure out exactly what their shape was...as there was no pre-planning involved, creativity was paramount to finding a solution to the puzzle. After a design was determined, the students traced their shape onto a piece of paper and then drew and painted in the design in each. Click on the example to view their fabulous work!
Hidden Triangles by the 6th Grade!
Sixth graders learned about color mixing, blending, and shading through the Hidden Triangle project which requires them to "hide" a triangle cut from an abstract magazine image in their own pastel design. The goal is to match the colors in the triangle with the pastels as closely as possible so that the triangle recedes into the background and is invisible to the eye. The results were fantastic as the students carefully extended the borders of the triangle onto their paper and then created a pleasing abstract design. Click on the sample to the left to view the projects!
3D Paper Toys by the 8th Grade!
For their first project of the year, the Eighth grade got off to an impressive start with their 3D Paper Toy Designs. Based on a collaborative project by illustrators and graphic designers from around the world, the Paper Toys have a common boxy shape and a thought bubble, but that is where the similarities end. Each student created his or her own thematic project, working first on the two-dimensional flat surface while envisioning the finished three-dimensional toy. Aliens, snails, monsters, and alligators came to life thanks to the careful work of the students. Click on the picture above to view the gallery!