Figure Sculpture by Alberto Giacometti

4th graders learned about human body proportions and used wire to create a figure, then they added plaster strips to give their figure some weight. The students chose a pose for their figure and decided if they wanted to paint them realistically or not. Some even added fabric and yarn as extra details.

These photos of sculptures by the artist Giacometti show how he used the human form as inspiration for his artwork.

W.O.W. (Wonderful, Original, Works of Art)

W.O.W. projects challenge students to come up with their own ideas for their artwork. Sometimes there are guidelines, but all students are encouraged to be creative and original when planning out their W.O.W. project.

What is a W.O.W. project?

• Something you're interested in.
• Something you're proud of.
• Something you have worked on for several classes.
• Something that shows you put in time and effort.
• Something that looks complete and ready to be displayed.
• Something that makes you say "WOW!"

5th grade students are starting to plan and work on their W.O.W. projects now. They may use materials from the open areas of the room: Drawing, Painting, Collage, and Fiber.

What do W.O.W. projects look like? Click here for examples to help you get inspired!

Self Portraits

Students in all grade levels are starting to work on Self Portraits. Some will be drawings, some collages, and some paintings. Students have the opportunity to communicate what they look like in a self portrait, as well as their likes and interests. All students will include a background to their portrait that tells something about them.

Click here to see the Self Portrait Presentation shown in class.

The many self portraits by Vincent van Gogh.

Self Portrait Drawings by last year's 4th and 5th grade students:
    

Dia de Muertos in Art

Here are some pictures I took on my visit to the Museum of Mexican Art. In class, we are using them as inspiration for Day of the Dead-themed artwork.

Click here to see the presentation shown in class.

  
These skulls were each designed by a different artist from the Mexican-American community in Chicago.
   

   

This ofrenda was made by a group of students honoring their school.

Welcome Back!

A new year, a fresh start, and some changes in the studio... 

Excited for a new year of art making!

Oak Park Architecture

5th grade students have been learning about different house styles in our community. We went on an architecture tour in north Oak Park and saw lots of interesting houses. Now the students are working in groups to build their own model of a house using cardboard.

5th Grade Mural - 2015!

Idea Box Installation

Visit the Idea Box at the Main Library in Oak Park to add to this collaborative sculpture!

The district art teachers worked hard over the weekend to get it all ready and now it's your turn. There are materials to add and pieces to move and rearrange, it will be an ever changing and evolving work of art. The installation will be up for the whole month of March.

Kindergarten Construction

This week the kindergarten classes had a chance to explore building and construction using Legos and Magna-tiles.

2nd Grade-Glazing!