8th Grade Project 1: "Organic or Geometric" theme using B&W drawing center

8th Grade Art students learned the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design. Their first project involved Shape, one of the Elements of Art. Our artists had to choose to create work using Organic or Geometric shapes. Students were introduced to our Drawing Center. They learned about the value scale using H and B drawing pencils, stippling, hatching, cross-hatching, and scribbling. They also became familiar with vine, compressed charcoal, charcoal pencils, white pastel on black paper and neutral pastels on different colored papers. They were introduced to different types of papers and the "teeth" that hold the medium in place. Students were responsible for researching at least 2 artists that inspired them. They wrote down the names and titles of their artwork. Students created at least three thumbnail (preliminary) sketches in their sketchbook before moving on to their final pieces. 

I acted as facilitator, mentor, artist, and brainstorming buddy to allow them to envision their final work. Occasionally, small groups receive a relevant demonstration and everyone receives one-on-one support. 

Before the project is due, the class participated in a TAG critique. TAG stands for

T- Tell them something that you like
A- Ask a question
G- Give advice

Students are able to take the feedback and apply it to their work before it's due.

Busy creating art!

Cadet Zhou creates a white chalk study of a bird based on the artist Kellas Campbell

"Outstretched Wings" by Kellas Campbell, charcoal on paper

Cadet Zhou's interpretation of the bird with oil pastel on pastel paper

Cadet Racine designs his name based on Superman

Cadet Racine's Logo-inspired name design using drawing materials

Cadet Ye creates a pencil drawing of Easy E, using the grid drawing method by Chuck Close

A portrait of Phillip Glass using the grid method of reproduction by Chuck Close

Art class allows Cadet Ye to go in a different direction. He chooses to explore military drawings

Cadet Ye's final drawing using pencil on paper

Cadet Graham studied the work of Georgia O' Keefe and created studies of flowers before deciding on a large black pastel drawing of a Yin Yang

Cadet Graham's final black and white pastel and charcoal drawing of a Yin Yang

Cadet Maier researched the art of H R Giger and other artists that worked on the movie Alien and Predator. Maier begins drawing the Predator on black paper with white pastel.

Cadet Maier's final drawing using white pastel on black paper

Cadet Maier draws from a reference as he creates his work

Cadet Lorenzo works on a drawing of a bull dog

Cadet Lorenzo's final piece was created with charcoal and brown pastel on paper

7th Design Typography project

7th Grade Design students are finishing up their typography projects. Their challenge was to design font that visually represented an adjective to describe them. They learned how designers use Elements of Art such as shape, line, color, and texture when creating font to convey a message in addition to the written words. 

Cadet Geng created this work by using a transfer technique. He used watercolor and oil pastel to depict his love of money

Cadet Zelenger created this work using colored pencil based on his love for winter and skiing

Cadet Pena created this work with marker to represent his love of street art and music

Cadet Sun's mixed media drawing includes animal print

Cadet Thermidor created this colored pencil drawing using a grid-drawing technique with font based on The Flash

Cadet Geng creates font using an oil pastel transfer method based on his love for money

Cadet Geng adds a watercolor wash to his oil pastel paper.

Choice-Based Art... what is it?

Our students are learning how to become innovators, problem-solvers, and authentic art learners. How? Our class allows the freedom for students to pursue their interests by Teaching for Artistic Behavior, or TAB.

Our students are learning how to think and work like artists in the studio. We watch for 8 Studio Habits of Mind, as defined and researched by choice-based art teachers such as Lois Hetland and others in the book, "Studio Thinking" and Studio Thinking 2".

1- Develop Craft - Artists in our classroom learn the limitations and possibilities of different mediums. They practice and experiment and are able to gain mastery by revisiting mediums. In addition, they learn to care for their art materials and studio space, as an artist would.

2- Understand Art Worlds - Artists learn about different artists, art history, and the realm of art. They learn to engage in a community of other artists with their peers through collaboration and weekly critiques.

3- Envision - Artists imagine and create mental pictures of what is not observable. They imagine possible outcomes.

4- Express - Artists create works that convey a personal meaning, idea, or feeling.

5- Engage and Persist - Artists solve problems and develop a personal interest in an effort to focus and persevere at art tasks.

6- Reflect - Artists learn to think and talk to others about their work. They learn to judge their own work and process in relation to the art realm.

7- Stretch and Explore - Artists learn to play, experiment, and embrace the opportunity to learn from mistakes.

8- Observe - Artists view more closely and carefully, with attention to visual context. They see things that others may miss.

(Hetland et al., "Studio Thinking 2: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education, Second Edition", 2013, Teachers College Press, New York, NY, pg. 6)


This process of TAB involves opening centers in which students are allowed to explore mediums and materials, based on their interests. We begin the school year with building blocks in the form of basic skills such as observational drawing, learning about the Elements of Design, and basic composition.

Students draw basic forms from observation. They learn how to create the illusion of 3D forms on 2D drawings by adding value and cast shadows.

8th Grade cadets Graham, Lorenzo, Ye, and Racine tackle a still life in pencil.

Once students have had practice exercising the basics, they are given to opportunity to explore new mediums in each center, guided by an overarching theme. Our artists are responsible for researching two artists that inspire them, three thumbnail sketches in their sketchbooks, class critiques, readying artwork for display, and filling out a self-assessment. Throughout the course of the year, our students are demonstrating all eight Studio Habits of Mind. Through this process, we promote independence, innovation, self-regulation, and an appreciation of the arts.

For more information, check out Teaching for Artistic Behavior

Welcome!

Welcome to our page! Here, you will find photos of the classroom, student work, and information about our projects. 

Cadet Ye works on a grid drawing of a musician