Scientific Sketches November 27, 2012

3rd-5th graders have been creating scientific sketches in Drawing Lab.  In the scientific sketches, students had to draw an object larger than life size, write notes, and draw a magnified section.  Available objects were crystals, shells, gourds, pinecones, rocks, and cacti.  The students learned 4 pen and ink techniques to add value to their drawing: hatching, cross hatching, stippling, and scribbling.  They had to include all 4 techniques in their drawing, as well as 3 values.  Here are some finished scientific sketches:

 

 

Leaf Choice Drawings November 14, 2012

In Drawing Lab, the 3rd-5th graders were given a choice of how they’d like to draw leaves.  Choice #1: Write a description of the leaf and create a large, detailed drawing of it.  Choice #2: Draw 6 small sketches with sharpie…no erasing.  Choice #3: Draw 3 blind contour images of the leaf.

The students loved the freedom of having a choice of method, and as a result, the pride in their work was quite obvious.

Here are a couple drawings from a 5th grade class (sorry, I didn’t get any photos of #3):

 

 

Detective Work September 19, 2012

In Drawing Lab this week, students were given the task of drawing living things based solely on written descriptions.  We started the lesson with this description: “This animal has 4 legs, stripes, and does not eat meat/other animals.”  This was a poor example of a description because zebras, chipmunks, and skunks all fit the requirements.  Knowing how important details are, the students set to work.  Each student had to draw one imaginary thing and one real thing (which they may or may not have been able to guess at).  They were great detectives!

 

 

Drawing Lab September 9, 2012

In addition to the change in grades at the Morse School, comes another big change in the Art Studio.  3rd-5th graders are getting Art twice a week this year!!  Yes, twice!  One class will still be “Art”, but the second class is “Drawing Lab”.  In Drawing Lab, students will learn different techniques and methods related to observational drawing.  On day 1 this week, they all drew a still life…with no hints or help from me.  On the last day of class in June, they’ll draw the same still life again…hopefully with big improvements!  In between, they’ll learn about skills such as: drawing from memory, negative space, pen & ink, shadows and shading, etc.  We’ll do a couple focus projects on artists who draw, as well as some academic choice days.  There will be journal entries for every class, to document the students’ growth over the year.

Here are some of the Day 1 drawings: