Scientific Drawings

Thinking about a new career? Georgetown third grade artists learned all about becoming a scientific illustrator. They discovered that a scientific drawing is a detailed, accurate drawing that can be used to illustrate a textbook or to help study a plant or animal. They enjoyed studying leaves, feathers, pinecones, and other objects from nature as they created these beautiful and accurate drawings.

For a final fun step, third graders painted and printed leaves for a pop of color. We have some future scientific illustrators who will be looking for a job soon!

I Can Goals:

* I can make observations and detailed drawings of natural objects

* I can create an eye path and movement with thoughtful placement of drawings on my paper

December 2, 2013 by josettebrouwer

Second Grade Matisse Windows

Second grade artists have been exploring the collage art of Henri Matisse. They learned that in 1949, Matisse began one of the greatest projects of his life…a chapel for the Dominican sisters in the town of Vence, France. He designed every part of the Chapelle du Rosaire, including the beautiful stained glass windows. Our Matisse window collages are inspired by his “Christmas Eve” piece, and the second graders worked hard to create an eye path, using color and shape, that leads the eye around the collage.

Matisse Window “Christmas Eve”

As our assessment for this project, second graders did a “Gallery Walk” around the room, admiring each other’s work. They wrote comments about the pieces they were viewing, and there were great conversations about eye path, shape, and color!

June 3, 2012 by josettebrouwer

Matisse and The Eye Path

Second grade artists have been learning about Henri Matisse and his beautiful cut paper collages. They created their own cut paper collage in the style of his “Beasts of the Sea” piece. They quickly became experts at cutting spirals and finding the beauty in their positive and negative cut shapes.

Matisse – Beasts of the Sea

Here are two of our collages.

I love to introduce my second graders to the concept of an “eye path” with this lesson. We talk about ways an artist can make the viewer’s eye move around the artwork – by using color and shape that is carefully placed in the picture. Then I challenge them to create an eye path of their own as they create their compositions.

This year we spent some time looking at our finished pieces and finding each others’ eye paths. The conversations at each table were absolutely fabulous – my kiddos were so excited to talk about their work to each other! We practiced first about the polite way to talk about each others work, and how we might add “constructive criticism” such as “what if you put another shape here” and “my eye wanders off the picture here, could you add another spiral to bring the eye path around the corner”…..and they did it!

January 18, 2012 by josettebrouwer

Kandinsky Project

Georgetown fourth grade artists are finishing up a big Kandinsky project this week. The project is stunning, and we can’t wait to hang these in the hallway!

After looking at Kandinsky’s Several Circles No. 323 and discussing abstract art, we got started.

Several Circles No. 323

We began by thinking about texture and color as we created our background.

texture background

Next came tempera paint in rainbow order, with a little white thrown in for playing with tints.

painting – rainbow order

We traced circles and painted over our marker lines with black tempera paint.

tracing circles and painting with tempera

Then – more color, this time thinking about warm and cool colors as we painted the circles.

One more look at Kandinsky’s circle painting and a big discussion about eye path and leading the viewer through the artwork by using shape and color….and finally, cutting our circles, carefully placing them on the background, and gluing the circles down. The results….stunning.

Assembling Kandinsky project

Finished pieces!

This project was inspired by “Brooke’s Quilt #3” …. check it out, it is lovely!

February 4, 2010 by josettebrouwer

Matisse and the Eye Path

Third grade artists have been learning about Henri Matisse this week. They discovered that Matisse “drew with his scissors” as he made his cut paper collages. They were intrigued to learn about the way Matisse created an eye-path for the viewer to follow in his “Beasts of the Sea” collage – and now we are looking for an artist eye-path in every work of art that we see!

Today 3rd grade began “drawing with scissors” to create their own cut-paper collages – a Matisse inspired figure with a border filled with organic shapes – and of course, an eye path!