This week’s artwork comes from many pupils, over five classes worth in fact. My S1 (OLSP) classes having been working very hard to create a short shadow puppet animation for their Burns’ Supper tomorrow. The film itself took around three weeks to make, along with a few lunch times (thanks to all the pupils who came along and helped out when it was needed). I really don’t want to say too much about it, just watch it and listen to the wonderful narration by my colleague, Miss Clarkin… Great stuff.

This work from home isn’t from one of my pupils, but I saw it and thought it was so good that I had to feature it. The portrait, by Holly McP (S5), appears to be a quick sketch of a young woman or girl, though upon closer inspection you can see how thoughtful Holly has been in selecting where she was going to place each of her lines and how her tonal scribbles would add form to the subject’s body and hair. The secret to Holly’s drawing is that it looks as if she has created it very quickly, it also looks as if every carefree line that she has placed is in a nearly perfect position. I’m sure this is not the case, I believe that Holly had spent a good length of time on this image and that it was very carefully considered, but if she did just sketch it out in a few minutes she’s an utter genius. If she didn’t, she’s still an utter genius for making us think that she did…

Sorry I haven’t been posting, but what better way to make an apology than to make up for it with a fantastic chalk and charcoal drawing from Mia B (S3 – OLSP). Mia and her class had been complaining that skulls were not that ‘Christmassy’, but viewers of this blog will now know that this is about as ‘Christmassy’ as I get. Mia has captured so many great qualities from the black and white image that she was using as a resource. It’s not a perfect copy of the resource, but I actually think it’s a better representation of mortality and death. Mia’s focus on the jaw and teeth makes us imagine that the skull’s jaw is under tremendous tension and stress, it’s as if the skull is grinding its teeth.

Emma D (S3, OLSP) has been working hard to finish off her CD Booklet Design that she has created along with the rest of her classmates.

Each pupil had to draw, colour, scribble and paint four separate studies, as well as create two separate transparent prints and write a set of lyrics for a song.

The studies, based on the conflict between nature and machines focused on plants, cogs, circuitry and animal patterns.

Emma’s patterns are extremely neat and vivid, her pen work is interesting and dramatic and along with her fun and dynamic robot painting, she has created a wonderful CD booklet.

The process wasn’t just visual images, Emma and her class were asked to produce or customise a song/lyrics to feature in the booklet. Emma’s lyrics below are based around a song by Adele, though read as if they should be in a Radiohead album.

A beautiful booklet and a great object to keep and look back on in years to come, great work Emma.

Abby McG (S4) from the West of Scotland receives her Ed Sheeran Portrait Competition prize along with her framed artwork. She is absolutely over the moon and can’t believe that her work was chosen from over a hundred entries by Ed himself. Congratulations Abby.

Class S1CF5 have put this amazing trolley together in a single period as a collaboration between Art & Design and English. Working with Miss Clarkin, they are looking at ‘Spit Nolan’ by Bill Naughton and are attempting to create a modern day version of the cart in the tale. The trolley has been created by cutting cardboard, rolling paper and covering the whole lot with glue stick and tin foil.

It feels like it’s Munch month… Jodie & Jean (S2, OLSP) have been using Munch’s ‘Scream’, along with an image of Machu Picchu to create an animation for their Disaster and Emergency project. They have created a stylised painting with moving lava and ash cloud to film a stop animation for the challenge.

Megan M (S1, OLSP) took part in a Halloween Activity to draw what Munch’s Scream Boy was screaming at, in his style. She drew a big hairy spider… I’d scream too if I saw that coming towards me, on a pier.

So, I started the Ed Sheeran Portrait Competition in the hope that I would receive one or two entries to show off to followers of The Art Classroom. I didn’t expect the amount of entries that were actually sent. It was a tough choice to shortlist them down to ten so that Ed could then finally pick the winner, though it had to be done. It was amazing seeing the variations of style and ideas in the entries and the only way I can possibly reward all those that entered is to say ‘thank you very much’. Your efforts did not go unnoticed.

After I’d chosen and published the shortlisted ten, I then tried to get in contact with Ed to pick a winner, though as you might be aware; Ed is a very busy boy. I tried reaching him through Facebook, Twitter, email and even through texting friends of friends and had given up hope of him judging the competition. Though I shouldn’t have been so skeptical, any of you who follow Ed will know that he is an extremely nice chap and would always try his best to help. I had heard in late October that Ed would look through the entries and judge the competition even though it was supposed to be his one night off at home. I was extremely grateful. I’m sure you can imagine that someone with his status now probably receives about one hundred requests a day like this asking for a little piece of his time. Though he took that time and looked closely at the ten shortlisted entries. I received an email from Ed at 11.55am on October 29th stating his winning choice. This is what the email stated:

“Number 7 rED should win x“

Number 7: ‘rED’ belongs to Abby McG from the West of Scotland, congratulations to her. The cds and the signed business card will be finding their way to you. Abby’s winning entry is displayed below. A truly worthy winner.

Comparing Ed’s choice with the open vote, it seems that the readers of The Art Classroom have similar tastes to Ed. They chose No.7 – rED too, giving it over 25% of the votes. Well Done Abby!