3rd grade - Color Theory, part 1

We have begun our review of Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary colors. Check out the 2nd grade postings on color for a complete review of last year's information.

This year we are learning about TINT and SHADE as part of our color theory.

TINT is created when white is mixed into a pure hue (color). The more white, the lighter the tint.

SHADE is created when black is mixed into a pure hue (color). The more black, the darker the shade.

TINTS and SHADES are represented on the color wheel. A tint and shade wheel looks like this.

Some people put tints on the inside of the wheel and shades on the outside, like this wheel. Other people put the shades to the middle. That is how we are doing it in class. There is no right way.

For a complete overview of all the color theory we will cover this year, visit http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

This Thursday and Friday evening will be parent/teacher conferences!  Parents of students currently in art are welcome to come into the art room, meet Mrs. Watson and Ms. Rowland, and learn about some of the art projects that are coming up this term.

In order to encourage parents to visit the art room, we are holding a prize raffle!  Just stop by to say hello, and enter your son's/daughter's name in the drawing for a chance to win one of the fabulous prizes pictured below!

We sure hope to see lots of you!

Our Kandinsky Style Musical Art

Third and Fourth grade students joined our student teacher, Ms. Rowland, in creating music inspired artworks in the style of Kandinsky.  Using oil pastels, the students placed color, lines, and shapes on their papers as they listened to many different types of music.  Here are some photos of art in action!

Kandinsky: Inspired by Music

Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian born artist who lived from 1866 to 1944.  He was an abstract painter.  That means that he wasn't worried about making things look real to life in his paintings.  At one point in his artistic career, he decided to paint 10 "compositions", or music set to paint.  As he listened to the music, it inspired the lines, shapes, and colors he chose in each piece.  The following is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Writing that "music is the ultimate teacher," Kandinsky embarked upon the first seven of his ten Compositions. The first three survive only in black-and-white photographs taken by fellow artist and friend, Gabriele Münter. While studies, sketches, and improvisations exist (particularly of Composition II), a Nazi raid on the Bauhaus in the 1930s resulted in the confiscation of Kandinsky's first three Compositions. They were displayed in the State-sponsored exhibit "Degenerate Art" then destroyed along with works by Paul Klee, Franz Marc and other modern artists.

While some of his artwork did not survive the Nazis, he did!

Here are some of the "Compositions" that did survive.

Composition #4

Composition #5

Composition #6

Composition #7

 

 Composition # 8

 

 Composition #9

 

Composition #10

Welcome Ms. Rowland!

We would like to offer a great big Harvest welcome to Ms. Kellie Rowland, an Art Education student teacher from BYU!  She comes from Southern California and is in her final year of university studies.  She will be working and teaching with Mrs. Watson in the Art Room for the month of January and most of the month of February.  If you see her in the halls, give her a big smile and a 'Hello'!

1st grade Mondrian style Paintings

The first grade classes learned about the famous painter, Piet Mondrian, and his particular style of painting.  Mondrian painted simple lines and shapes.  The shapes were almost always painted in primary colors.  He was searching for simple, harmonious balance in each of his paintings.

The first graders all agreed that it looked like they should be able to make their own Mondrian style paintings.  First, students placed lines on their paper.  Some of the lines went all the way across the paper.  Other lines only went part of the way.  All of the lines should have been straight.  Next, students painted only selected shapes in primary red, yellow, and blue.  Many shapes were left white.  The goal was to choose good shapes to paint, so the colors were spread out over the painting and not all bunched up together!  Here are some student examples...

Teacher made bowls

This year, I offered the teachers of Harvest Elementary the opportunity to build a clay bowl and learn about how to use the school kiln.  About 18 teachers and the principal, Mr. Bowman, came and we had a party!