Eighth Grade
The eighth grade will enhance their drawing skills by working with both charcoal and pastel. Students will create studies of the human figure and face, exploring line and value with emphasis on creating the illusion of space. We will further student’s knowledge of form through the development of a ceramic figurative sculpture including an armature. The study of print media will continue as they learn drypoint and monoprint processes. Students will work on building multiple layers of paint in acrylic and watercolor. They will be asked to use the elements and principles of art and design when talking about and analyzing artwork. They will make connections between the work they are making, and what it communicates about their environment, their personal history, other subject areas, and themselves.
Our Curriculum is Inspired by...
Art from Around the World
Wayne Thiebaud Food Pinatas
After looking at many examples of piñatas from
Artists and Art History, Past and Present
Jawelensky Inspired Self-Portrait
Eighth graders began by completing contour line drawings of their classmates and then themselves to free their hand-eye movement. They looked at the colorful portraits of Alexi von Jawlenski, discussed fauvism, painting and mixing tempera paint to capture expression through color. Techniques stressed were tints and shades of a color, facial proportion, mixing paint vs. from the tube, contrasting color, and warm and cool colors.
Integrating with Classroom Curriculum
Keith Haring Inspired Screen Printing
During the winter, just after 8th graders completed their week of service learning, they were asked to think further about the major issues facing their generation. After learning about pop artist Keith Haring, students made pop art sketches to illustrate some of these major issues. Students learned how to separate out their drawings to create three screens with the thermograph machine for the different colors. The final step was completing the print in a process similar to silkscreening.