Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #1

That Moment They Realize The Outlet Has Become A Grill

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo



Back in 2009 I started giving my students post it notes and setting them free to create art throughout the school. It wasn't long till one of the students figured out how to create a portrait. They used another student as a model and create the portrait you see above.

In 2010, two groups of students decided to create post it note mural. Everyone brought in a pack and the set off to complete this one of Jack Sparrow.

The following semester, 2011, a ten more groups joined the adventure. One group create this portrait of Leo Dicaprio. It made the cover of SchoolArts magazine.

Back in the day, we used Photoshop to create the map used as a guide to make the murals. Here is a link to a post  title Post It Notes Explained. Today, I'm sure there are plenty of apps that can do the magic for you.

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #2

That Moment They Realize You Brought Real Fish for Gyotaku 

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo


Everyone hated this project! But some of the students trooper-ed through. See more here!

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #3

That Moment You Realize That Shirt Ain't Gonna Bleach No Matter How Much You Pour In The Bucket!

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo

Sometimes it works...

Textile designs by reverse dyeing the fabric using bleach

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #4

That Moment You Realize Blowing Up 2000 Balloons Will Take More Than One Class.

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo

Click here for the making of Monalloon!

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #5

That Moment You Realize The Wind Ain't Gonna Blow.

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo

Should You Decide to Do This, There is a Plan

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #6

That Moment You Realize They Don't Know What Cassettes Are.

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo

Cassette Art isn't for Everyone See Samples, click here

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #7

That Moment You Realize Your Skittle Portrait Looks Nothing Like You.

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo

Expressive Skittle Portraits: Free Lesson Plan Download


I would never do this project again. However, if you are crazy enough to try it, here are a few helpful hints.

1. Gluing down the Skittles is a time consuming process. This project took way longer than I thought it would. However, we made rather large portraits. If I were to do this over again, I would certainly reduce the amount of squares when applying the mosaic filter. Maybe keep it down to 40 x 46.

2. Skittles are not cheap. I Spent over $100 buying Skittles and I bought them in bulk bags at Target, and once Target sold out, at Walmart. The students also brought in bags. However, if I were to do this project again, limiting the amount of squares when applying the mosaic filter would also reduce the amount of Skittles required.

3. Skittles attract unwanted visitors. It was amazing how many students from other classes stopped by just to see how things were going during this project. They didn’t show that type of curiosity when we were working on value scales. We also had ants. If you leave one Skittle on the floor, an ant will find it. That ant will then call all his ant friends because ants apparently like to share.

That Can't Be Right

How to Make Sure Your Art 1 Class Hates You

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #8

That Moment You Realize The Project Might Be illegal. 

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo

Hitchhikers: A 3D Project That Could Get Your Students Arrested

5 (Almost Legal) Street Art Projects!

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do: #9

That Moment You Realize Light Painting Works In Reverse.

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo

Top Ten Projects You Should Never Do.. #10

The Moment You Realize That Plaster Hand Project Has Gone Terribly Wrong!

Project Flop: Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher

#TenProjectsYouShouldNeverDo

The Open Art Room!

After two years of writing, editing and editing... The Open Art Room is ready for pre-orders! Based on years of experience, both successes failures, working with the students at Apex, The Open Art Room provides a student-centered approach to art instruction at the secondary level.

The Open Art Room By Melissa Purtee and Ian Sands 

Taking inspiration from a variety of contemporary approaches, this book presents a framework for Choice-Based instruction for Secondary Level (grades 6–12) Art Education. 

The Open Art Room provides a student-centered approach to art instruction that is inspirational, practical, and classroom-tested. 

Highlights include: 

• Flexible instructional frameworks with options for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of Choice 

• Assessment for Choice-Based art teachers 

• Unit plans, bootcamps, mini-lessons, and classroom examples

• Clear connections to the National Core Art Standards 

• Engaging stories of student struggles and successes

Put The Open Art Room on your summer reading list! Click here!

Art of Apex: Ten Years

The banner above was the first Art of Apex blog banner.

One door closes another door opens...

10 Years Art of Apex from Apex HS Art on Vimeo.


Ten years ago, I returned to teaching, accepting a position at Apex High
School. The first year here, I only taught Art One and Art History. Later, we expanded the program to include Computer Art, and since then I have also taught Art Two and Art Three.

However, it doesn't matter which classes I taught. That's because, as the old saying goes, I don't teach art, I teach students. It's the students at Apex that made my position so easy to do and so enjoyable to have. They are the best!

Now, after ten years, I find myself starting a new adventure. However, I will always remember the students I was lucky enough to work with at Apex... so willing to try new things, so ready to dive in, sometimes about to drive me crazy, but always keeping it "real"!

So here is a quick look at the last ten years of the Art of Apex!

Thanks!

The Blind Portrait Project...

How do you draw a portrait when you have no idea who you are drawing or what they look like? Well, that was the assignment given to these art students as a way to get to know each other as the new semester kicked into gear.

First, I had everyone fill out an anonymous questionnaire. The questions asked about the student's strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes but it there was nothing on it about physical description.   Next, i distributed the questionnaires around the room. Nobody knew which student they had.

Their assignment: create a portrait based only on the information that you learn from reading the questionnaire. Media and everything else was up to the artist.

Today, each student presented to the class, describing what they created and why they created it. Then, I revealed which student they had created a portrait of.

The images show the person holding up the portrait that was created based on their personality questionnaire. Interestingly enough, the artists really nailed it!

Art History Game Day!

With the beat of Will Smith in the air and the taste of gummy bears, the Art History class spent the day playing games. Playing games? Seriously?! First you let the students write the quiz questions and now you're playing games. Don't you ever learn anything in that class? Well, yes, we do. we just have an interesting way of doing it.

OK, so what is game day? Well, groups of students spent the week developing a playable game. The games had to be informative, original, well crafted and fun! It's hard to get all four so most games lean heavy in one direction or another. But all were fun to play. We even invited a few other classes to stop by. Everyone had fun and learned a little something too!