Drawing is a complex activity; it requires imagination, creativity, and technical uses of different pencils to give the affects envisioned by the artisit. Today we worked with pencils that gave different effects on the page; I worked with 2B, 6B, and 2H pencils and they all had different degrees of colour and width of line. In our first activity we were asked to copy a pencil drawing of a tree with the use of these pencils. To create shadowing and dimension I used the 6B pencil because it produces think dark lines; I used the 2B pencil to create details on the tree as well as adding shadows; I used the 2H pencil for fine details on the branches. I used cross-hatching and smudging to create shadows and definition on my tree.
characteristics of three drawing pencils
characteristic markings of three pencils
contour drawing of a tree
Various artists who draw sketches in pencil are experienced in the techniques, such as shading, cross-hatching, and the use of light and dark pencils, used to create dimension in their artwork.
Our next activity focused on the nature of art expression; according to the IRP, art is about responding, perceiving, creating, and communication. Our class brought in personal cultural objects and were asked to explain the origin and significance of the object with the classmates at our table. We then displayed them for the rest of the class and did a gallery walk to look at the other tables’ artifacts.
I think that asking students to bring a special object to class to share with the class is important for teachers to implement in their classrooms because it allows the teacher to get to know the students and the students to get to know each other. This sharing experience can be done in activities such as show-and-tell and group or individual presentations. These effective activities because communicating information develops student’s oral skills and confidence level.
Today we also experimented with colour. We worked with primary colours, which are red, yellow, and blue, and secondary colours, which are purple, green, and orange; these are the colours that are created by mixing primary colours.
We experimented with tinting and shading; tinting is where you add white to create lighter shades of one colour, and shading is where you add black to create darker shades of one colour. Tinting and shading techniques are useful when painting depth and in giving images excitment and dimension.
Use of oil pastels, various texture modes (using sponge, scratching, wiping)
We then experimented with our own primary and secondary colours to create images in nature.
Illusion of distance
warm colours: red, yellow, orange
cool colours: blue, green, purple
Lesson plans for primary grades:
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ArtScienceColor-EggCartonPaintPalettesIdeaK2.htm
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ArtLABeginSchoolFavoriteThingsSelfPortrait312.htm
Getting to know Artists who work with colour
Georgia O’Keefe is an artist who is known for her beautiful oil paintings of flowers and her ability to capture realism in her work. She is also known for her landscape creations and her skull collection.
A taste of O’Keefe’s work…..
Visit this website to learn about Georgia O’Keefe, her life, and her works of art:
