Just finished putting up the title header for my friend and colleague’s blog. Ms Clarkin has just set up a book club blog for her S2 pupils. There are only a few posts on it so far, though it’s worth checking out for the future, it’s going to be an interesting site. The link is below, I’ve also added it to the blog roll.
Here is the news programme that my S2 classes made for their ‘Disaster and Emergency’ unit. The project was part of an ‘Integrated Learning Challenge’ which every subject took part in. The animations were created by making moving paintings that were either stop animated or by way of puppets. I’d also like to thank Kerry and Scott that were kind enough and talented enough to present the programme.
This is my 400th post!!
Doesn’t seem a lot when you think I’ve been doing this for nearly two years.
I’ve been spending a good few of my summer days sorting this out. It looks good though. More stuff to come soon when I can catch my breath.
2CD1 (OLSP) have been working away on their designs for an Eco Building. This design will then be handed over to the Technology department to be made into a 3D model. I kept the brief for the design completely open as I wanted to receive whatever ideas pupils can come up with, the only requirement was that the building features something helpful to the environment and that it contains a hexagon bee-hive pattern somewhere in the design.
Ainsley B works on a water storage idea that collects rain water for use in her building.
Rebecca G plans out her solar panel wig-wam that feeds the energy it collects back into the dwelling.
George M considers how his water storage will help work alongside his building; already packed with eco-friendly ideas.
Mia B works on her ‘energy hub’, a separate structure that collects energy in many different ways and feeds it back into the main building.
Kyle, Nicole and Kieran (S2, OLSP, Top, Middle & Bottom Above) finish off the vines on their amazing Timorous Beasties co-ordinate pattern. They will then photograph them and make a pattern to repeat on a surface such as wallpaper, upholstery or textiles. Ryan (S2, OLSP, Below) takes time to consider what kind of vines, stems and leaves he will place around his Weevil motifs.
Some of my S2 pupils have been designing a Superhero for a competition run by the library service of West Dunbartonshire. The competition winner will win an original piece of artwork by artist Gary Erskine, as well as have their idea enlarged and framed professionally. I wish everyone who took part the best of luck. Some examples of which are below, I’ll discuss each one in detail, show you more and credit the artists later on this week.
A mixture of pupils from S1 & S2 at Renfrew High today were trying out my idea for the A4 folded books. They were discovering that you don’t need fancy equipment or rich friends to get yourself self-published. All it takes it a good idea and a little bit of hard work.
Above, Allyson W works on an auto-biographical graphic novel while across the table (below) Andrew W creates the cover for his fanzine about fast cars.
Above, Jodie S works on her helpful guide on dancing called ‘Just Dance’ while next to her, Shannon R creates a tough quiz book.
It wasn’t just S1 that was getting into the publishing business, S2 were experimenting with the idea too. Below Georgia S works on her childrens’ book titled ‘Happy Fish’, the tale of a fish who tries to cheer up a sad jellyfish, while behind her Rees M works on his scary and action packed adventure ‘Alions’ (below again).
Though the ideas and the stories do not end there. Above, Christy S works on her fabulous story of the brightest star in the sky – ‘Shiner’, while opposite her (below), Hayley B is finalising her ideas for her emotional book ‘The fat little sheep’.
Last, but not least, Ross M gives the cover of his kung fu-tastic book ‘Stick Man’ a few finishing touches (below).
Can I say a big THANK YOU to Georgia, Christy and Ross for letting me keep their books. If anyone else wants to try out the idea and show me how you got on, I’d love to see or hear about the results. A4 folded books are the new black.
I have spent a lot of my time arguing that the Art Classroom is the most important place to be, but on some occasions it helps to get out of confinement of the subject classroom and book some time in the computer suites. Technology plays such a huge role in art making now, you would have to be an idiot to ignore it. You need the internet to promote yourself, you need layout experience to organise business cards and catalogs, photo-books and promotion. Almost every image ever published has grazed its way through Photoshop, the software helps to clean up the image, to re-size, lighten or crop.
It is for this very reason that I think that all artists need some technical experience, and frankly, the more the merrier.
I had the opportunity to book some computer time for some S2 classes in Gleniffer. Below are some of the works and their links to Artpad where they were produced. Artpad allows the pupil to draw and replay images, it is a good stepping stone into basic computer drawing techniques using colour and opacity.
Click the blue links to replay each work on artpad.art.com.
Below Louise G has proven that ‘try, try again’ works. Unfortunately she had lost her classroom work and her computer had crashed several times. Louise kindly produced another image for me outside class time and I am grateful that she did. Although it’s not to her top ability, it shows promise and has been a very good experience for her to try.
Rachel W uses brush opacity to her advantage in this version of the Arc De Triomphe.
Replay Rachel W’s Arc over at artpad.
Beth W shows how a simple quick sketch can be made more interesting with a little dab of colour.
Jerome shows us how a very simple line drawing with a little touch of colour and wear can look dynamic and interesting.
Replay Jerome’s Rugby ball on artpad.
Heather provides us with this strange but detailed look at animal anatomy.
It’s been very strange that Beth W has not had an Artwork of the Week yet, she made an amazing sports collage that was exhibited in Paisley Museum, she created a great Skeleton Bride for the Day of the Dead and never seems to do any wrong, her work is flawless. It is for this reason that I have had to acknowledge Beth now, even if it is a little late.
Beth decided not to keep her artwork which has been very beneficial to the school and myself. Her sports collage and skeleton sculpture are decorating the art corridor wall, while her Jekyll and Hyde book (above) is now part of my own growing collection of strong pupil work.
So why do I like this cover so much? The pencil side is beautifully sketched, in fact it almost made Beth and I cry when we had to cut it in half for the cover. The depth of the eye along with the shadowing around the nose makes the portrait very intense. Although the drawing looks at lot older than Beth, its resemblance is accurate. The monster side is disturbingly simplistic, its stretched nose and bloodshot eye show a diseased and unhappy Hyde rather than a strong, cliched one. The type is also cleanly cut after many attempts.
I don’t understand why Beth chooses not to keep her own work, though I’m glad, for my benefit, that that is her choice.
 | David Dunlop on Artwork Invoice |
 | SANAH on Artwork Invoice |
 | search engine market… on iPhoneography |
 | colleenkr on Sily Mi |
| colleenkr on Sily Mi |
