2013 Cinemagraphs!

Cinemagraphs are still photographs in which a minor and repeated movement occurs. Our Computer Art class created these cinemagraphs in PhotoShop to give the illusion that the viewer is watching a video.

Multi Color Prints

Art One just finished a unit on printmaking. We tried our hand at multi-colored prints. You know, print a few using one color then go back and cut out some more of the linocut block and then print another color right on top of the first. These first few you see are the first round using just one color...

You need to print out a bunch first, cause some don't come out as good as others and second cause it give you more color choices to mess with.

Even though this turtle is pretty multicolored, it's still only one cut. Looks cool though.

The thing is, the ink comes right off the table if you use a scraper. However, if you try to clean it up with spray stuff and paper towels  it makes a huge mess. Don't do that. Just wait till it dries and scrape it off. Trust me on this one.

Still only one color but didn't he do a great job with the texture? I think so.

OK, now we are talking multi colors. in fact, the one on the right uses three different cuts and three different colored inks.

The Barbie Project Magazine

To learn about using type, we created a magazine cover for our Barbie Project mashups. We worked with different font types and styles as well as install custom fonts. Plus we had fun matching up the magazine articles with the Barbie mashup. Take a look -->

Art History Kite Day 2013

A Short video all about Learning to Fly.. Kites.

There are very few projects that I continue to do year after year. The Art History Kite however has become a tradition! This year's theme was Northern Renaissance.

While I was away at NAEA13 in Texas, the Art History students were busy designing their Northern Renaissance kites. We had everything from the four eared lamb of the Ghent Altarpiece  to the  mirror from the Arnolfini Portrait...

To this take on Durer's Four Horseman of the Apocalypse ...

As well as Durer's rhino 

and Durer's hare.

What we didn't have was much wind.

Which made some people have frowny faces.

And they gave me looks of disappointment. 

And then they took a nap.



Yes! Another successful Apex HS Art History Kite Day!!!!


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The Barbie Project

Jason Segel as Alvin

The Barbie Project: Barbie's actual dimensions: 5’9” tall,39” bust,18” waist, 33” hips and a size 3 shoe. Barbie likes her weight at 110 lbs. At 5’9”, weighing 110 lbs, Barbie would have a BMI of 16.24 and fit the weight criteria for anorexia. 

For a doll, Barbie gets a bad rap. You can find plenty of pins on pinterest where people are complaining about Barbie's proportions but nobody complains about Raggedy Anne! 

What If people had the dimensions of other dolls or cartoon characters? Raggedy Andy, Andy from Toy Story, Sponge Bob or Marge Simpson?

Neil Patrick Harris as Prince Gumball

Patrick Einstein

Taylor Swift as Mickey

Kim Kardash as a Bratz doll

Taylor Swift Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls

George Bush and Butthead from the MTV cartoon

Carrie Underwood and Tinkerbell

Ben Stiller into Waldo

How Was the NAEA13 Convention in Texas?

I'm back from my trip to the National Art Educator Association's 2013 Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Look, they hung up "Art Matters" banners all around town because they knew we were coming. Mayor Betsy Price even gave a formal proclamation.

Anyhow, since so many people have asked me, "How was Texas?" I thought I should write a short post highlighting just a few of the events.

The photo above is from one of the general sessions. Most everyone attends these sessions that are held in the ballroom. Not sure if you can count them all but there are probably some 4,000 art teacher present. So I guess there were a lot of subs back home. I was sitting on the floor when I took this photo cause there weren't any seats left.

Besides the general sessions that everyone attends, there are break out sessions going on all day long. I attended many of these sessions. The photo above is of Olivia Gude who is one of my art teacher heros. Doesn't it look like she is pointing at me? I think she was pointing at me :)

This is a session with Jessica Balsley. If you don't recognize the name you might recognize the blog. She is the founder of the Art of Education blog. it's the one we received our blog award from. She even mentioned our blog during her presentation.

So this is where it gets kind of corny. I am friends with a lot of art teachers on Twitter. Some, like  Jessica Balsley, I had not even met in person till this week. Still, we help each other out, share lesson ideas and information online all the time. We call it our PLN (personal learning network). 

Just for fun, we all decided to buy super hero shirts to wear from Ink Pixi to the conference. One of the teachers, Stacy Lord, made the image of us as lego people. On Saturday morning we all met in person for coffee. It was a chance for a first time photo opp. I'm the 3rd lego from the right.

Part of the convention includes a huge room full of venders who sell art supplies and the like. One of those venders is Davis Publications. Not only does Davis publish a lot of art ed text books, they also publish the art ed magazine, SchoolArts.

Davis is so nice that they gave away this month's issue of SchoolArts. In this month's issue of SchoolArts is an article about a project we did right here at Apex High School. Hannah (seen above) was nice enough to let me take a photo of her holding up the magazine turned to the article.

Not only did I attend the conference but I was a presenter. Seen above, I'm presenting about one fo the Computer Art projects titled the Barbie Project. To the left of the photo is my con-presenter Robb Sandagata.

Craig Roland and I (who I claim responsible for really helping start our PLN) looking super!


There was way more.. too much to post. I will tell you that I got a lot of great ideas!! For example, after compiling all the information, I have a new approach to teaching that will really empower the student to make choices with his or her art. I plan to roll out in Art Two next year.

Stay tuned!!

Ian Sands