Self Portraits

Here are some symbolic self portraits that my level one students did in coloured pencil crayons.

Artist Pages - Grade 9

From time to time I have students research an artist prior to beginning a project and record their understanding of that artist and their work by making an Artist Page.  They are encouraged to arrange all the relevant information in a manner that represents or connects back to the artist.  This gives me the opportunity to see if they are ready to begin the project.  This was their very first one on Rene Magritte/Surrealism before they did a surreal collage using Magrittes artistic devices - transformation, scale, levitation, juxtapostion, transparency and dislocation.

Pastel Landscapes

A quick little drawing that I had students do.  Working from other artists' paintings they had to imitate the painted brush strokes and colour palette using either chalk or oil pastels.  They could alter the colour palette entirely but most just made some adjustments as they were limited by the colour selection of pastels.  They also had the option to just copy a section of painting.  While this may not be the most creative approach to landscape drawing/painting I do find it helpful for students to spend that much time paying very close attention at someone else's work.  All of these students have a career in forgery!

Masks

I do this project every year my my grade 9's and each time the results are different.  Some years I have a theme in mind and other years, like this year, it's anything goes!  I have the students start with a plaster casting of their face - that experience alone is very entertaining to watch and I have to admit I rather enjoy the peace and quiet when half the students are sleeping while their plaster masks are drying.