Studio Art
6th Grade, Ms. McGraw
(click on each image below to view more images)
 

Charcoal Tree Project
6th graders studied how a tree grows and its texture. They also observed light source and practiced how to create value in charcoal. They started their composition by creating a medium ground, then adding darker value, while showing highlights through using an eraser. Working back and forth with charcoal values, they created wonderful trees with 3-D form.

“Radial Bug Design”
Understanding radial balance in design was studied by students while exploring how to make bugs. 6th graders were to create three different sizes/types of bugs and place them on a radial grid. There had to be a definite light source. Modeling and creating value and cast shadows with the colored pencils added to the realism.

3-D Letters
6th graders studied how to draw contour lines and recreate value with pencil. They looked at artist Ed Rusche who is known for drawing words. They created their own 3-D letters from 2" paper strips and carefully drew what they saw. They replicated the value and added a background color in watercolor.

Georgia O'Keeffe, Scale and Seeing Color
6th graders brought in silk flowers and studied the large scale paintings of O'Keefe. Using oil pastel, they were asked to really really see the colors in their flowers and how with careful examination, there are lots of colors. They were encouraged to experiment in mixing colors in order to get highlights and various shadows. The background color was the compliment (opposite) color on the color wheel in order to make their subject 'pop.'