Sixth graders started the year off learning about the art of Keith Haring. Keith Haring invented a whole vocabulary of graphic signs which he used in his artwork. His artwork includes simple shapes with black outlines and bright colors but it deals with universal themes like love, war, birth and death. The students design three figures and drew them on a piece of paper. They transfer the drawing onto heavy duty aluminum foil and made multiple lines around the figure. The students then used multi colored sharpies to color the figures. The lines around the figures were made into a pattern of solid and patterned colors. The students had use contrast in their design so they really had to think about how the colors would look and which ones would give the artwork contrast.
The students then moved onto the artist M.C. Escher. They watched a DVD on how to make different kinds of tessellations. We then viewed some of the artwork of Escher who created a lot of different kinds of tessellations. The students then created their own tessellation out of an index card. We used the translation method. The student had to trace the tessellation onto a grid using a 9x12 piece of paper. Once the tessellation was traced on the grid the students traced the lines in sharpie and erased the pencil lines. The students then had to figure out what to make their tessellation into. Once they decided they added details with sharpie and colored it using marker or colored pencil in a checkerboard pattern.
The next project the Sixth Grade students do is on Aboriginal Art. We view a Slide Share on Aboriginal Art and learn about the Aborigines, Dreamtime, and the art of the Aborigines. In Aboriginal culture everyone is an artist because everyone participates in activities such as dancing, singing, body decoration, sand drawing and weaving baskets. Art is a way for the Aborigines to stay in touch with their ancestry. The students learn about dot painting which is a kind of art made of small dots of paint which was originally done in the sand. A dot painting uses symbol to represent natural objects. The students choose an animal and draw it on a large piece of paper as well as dividing the background into four sections. They then paint the animal and sections with tempera paint. They use a q-tip dipped in paint to add dots to their painting. The dots are used to add details to the animals as well as symbols to tell the story of their animal.
The students then moved onto the artist M.C. Escher. They watched a DVD on how to make different kinds of tessellations. We then viewed some of the artwork of Escher who created a lot of different kinds of tessellations. The students then created their own tessellation out of an index card. We used the translation method. The student had to trace the tessellation onto a grid using a 9x12 piece of paper. Once the tessellation was traced on the grid the students traced the lines in sharpie and erased the pencil lines. The students then had to figure out what to make their tessellation into. Once they decided they added details with sharpie and colored it using marker or colored pencil in a checkerboard pattern.
The next project the Sixth Grade students do is on Aboriginal Art. We view a Slide Share on Aboriginal Art and learn about the Aborigines, Dreamtime, and the art of the Aborigines. In Aboriginal culture everyone is an artist because everyone participates in activities such as dancing, singing, body decoration, sand drawing and weaving baskets. Art is a way for the Aborigines to stay in touch with their ancestry. The students learn about dot painting which is a kind of art made of small dots of paint which was originally done in the sand. A dot painting uses symbol to represent natural objects. The students choose an animal and draw it on a large piece of paper as well as dividing the background into four sections. They then paint the animal and sections with tempera paint. They use a q-tip dipped in paint to add dots to their painting. The dots are used to add details to the animals as well as symbols to tell the story of their animal.