Artists Solve Problems: Part 2

Our new unit is Artists Solve Problems. We will look at problems artists face due to circumstances that out of their control. Like Phil Hansen and the TED Talk, Embrace the Shake.

We will also look at limitations artists place on themselves in order to create art. Sometimes those limitations can be material in nature. Speaking of nature, that's exactly what we did for this sketchbook project.

Our artists had one class in which to go outside, find and object, return to the art room and incorporate the object into a sketch. Here's what they came up with...

Student Spotlight - Sarah B - Artists Steal

Before I started the artists steal project, my answer to this question would be that stealing is copying someone else's ideas and claiming them as your own. Now that I've done this project, I realize how wrong I was. Although copying and stealing can seem very similar, they are very different. Copying is taking a piece of someone's artwork directly to put into yours, like tracing an outline, and turning it into something creative and unique while still resembling the original piece. Stealing refers to when you take a person's artwork and claim it  and that person's ideas as your own.

For my character remix project, I combined Timmy Turner from the Fairly Odd Parents with Blossom from the Power puff Girls. I copied the main parts of Blossom's outline by tracing, like body and eyes. I also traced Timmy's mouth on the new face and attempted to make his clothes look good on the new body shape so that it would still look like him. Overall I like how it turned out and it's funny to see different cartoons I watched as a kid come together as one character.

For my final project, I made a lion out of food wrappers. Since the project was artists steal, i traced the outline of Simba from the Lion King as the base for my artwork. Then i collected a LOT of wrappers that were orange, red, and black to use on his body. I painted on his eyes, nose, and mouth to  make him look more like the real thing. The idea behind this artwork was a pun or play on words. He was a lion made out of food, so he was a food lion. ha. Like the store. I really enjoyed making this project and it turned out just how I wanted it to.

View more of Sarah's Art on her Blog!

Student Spotlight: Sarah D - Artists Steal

"Is copying okay?"

"If you copy methods or basic concepts than it's okay. Copying exactly what someone else did is not," was my previous answer to this question. My new opinion builds off this idea. I now feel that copying is okay depending on the extent of said copying. To me there's a huge difference between taking a piece, copying it, and adding one or more elements that are different verses copying something exactly how the original creator made it. The slightest difference can change the mood or message of a piece and therefore making it a completely different idea. 

My character remix was based on Alice from "Alice in Wonderland". I decided to make her as an asylum patient because lets be real, if some girl was to tell people about her experience of falling down a rabbit hole, stalking a talking rabbit, and meeting a queen who has card soldiers, her mental stability would be questioned. I also decided to add the Cheshire cat's face in the background because I wanted it to look like the memory of her experience forever haunted her slowly driving her more insane. 

For my final project, I decided to make the Abbey Road album but with actual beetles as The Beatles because  a) i love The Beatles and b) puns are great. The value I think my piece beings is a fresh take on an iconic image. It's the literal version of the cover. If someone, who didn't know much about The Beatles, was asked to imagine The Beatles crossing abbey road they would mostly likely imagine something like what I created. My piece is a different perspective of "The Beatles crossing Abbey Road".

View more of Sarah's art on her Blog!

Artists Solve Problems: Part 1

Our new unit is Artists Solve Problems. We will look at problems artists face due to circumstances that out of their control. Like Phil Hansen and the TED Talk, Embrace the Shake.

We will also look at limitations artists place on themselves in order to create art. We will also, also look at how artists look for new and innovative solutions to design problems, like the Fun Theory.

While we are considering all this, we will face a few problems along the way. Today's challenge, create the tallest free standing tower using only newspaper and tape! You have 40 minutes. On your mark... Get set..Go!

Artists Steal: Part Three

Unit Two, Artisst Steal, is complete. This unit's theme was inspired by the concept that few ideas are truly original. Instead, they are re-purposed and re-imagined. 

Here are a few more completed project. Many of the art pieces in this group deal with parody and humor. See if you "get" them!

International Bring a Scone to Art Class Day: 2014!

The 2014 International Bring a Scone to Art Class Day is under way! Look at the expressions on these student's faces as the open the first box of scones! 

As you know, the second Friday in October is International Bring a Scone to Art Class Day. This years Scone Day has been Sconealishus! 

They got scones!

He has a beautiful scone!

She has scones to share!

That scone looks sweet!

She likes scones!

They like scones.. and Bojangles!

He made pizza scones!

She is a bit confused....

Artist Steal: Part 2

We are wrapping up Unit Two, Artist Steal. This unit's theme was inspired by the concept that few ideas are truly original. Instead, they are re-purposed and re-imagined.

Above: Strawberry Fields. Image of John Lennon painted using only strawberries.

Pots and Pandas

If the characters from the Hundred Acre Wood were real.

Stealing Indenty

Remix of electric light bulbs.

Earbuds

Remix of the Lion King made from candy wrapper.

Friday: International Bring a Scone to Art Class

Friday is International Bring a Scone to Art Class Day!!

What's That?
This is an international holiday where students all around the world bring a scone to art class.

What's A Scone?
See, this is why International Bring a Scone to Art Class Day is sooo important! It raises scone awareness.

When Is It?
Scone Day always falls on the second Friday in October. This year Scone Day falls on October 10, 2014.

How Do I Participate?
On Friday, you simply bring a scone to your art class. You can bring more than one.

Does It Matter What Flavor The Scone Is?
No, don't be silly. Any scone will do.

Where Do I Get A Scone?
There's Scones R Us, that's on 3rd. There's Sweet Low Sweet Scone, that's on 3rd. There's Sconearomma, that's on 3rd. In fact, they're all on 3rd. It's the Scone District.

Is This The First Ever Scone Day?
Certainly not! Scone Day has a long history.. view images from Scone Day 2013, or Scone Day 2012, Scone Day 2011...

Artists Steal

by Melissa Purtee

Unit 2 is off to a great start. The theme for this one is "Artists Steal", inspired by the concept that few ideas are truly original. Instead, they are re-purposed and re-imagined.


We started with some color theory because it's good to know that stuff. It was quick - I did a mini-lesson overview then commenced the Palette Matching Challenge. This involved giving table groups primary colors of tempera paint and a lovely selection of paint samples with the goal of creating matching colors.

The group aspect of the challenge resulted in lots of color theory conversation, which made the experience full of valuable learning even though it was short.

Next we worked on re-design in our Character Remix project. Students had to pick a character and change something fundamental about them.

Ariel + Vogue

Maleficent + Aurora 

Hipster princesses

Then  we worked on our Two in One project where students had to combine two different elements in one image. Next students will work on the unit's final project where they'll identify themes in a subject they choose and use those ideas as the basis for artwork. 

Chip bag + hot air balloon

Steam-punk light