Wednesday Works (Thursday Edition) - Notan Paper Cuttings

no·tan

noun \ˈnōˈtän\

:  the combination of lights and darks especially as used in Japanese art 

I introduce this paper cutting lesson at the beginning of each quarter to get a feel for the ability level of the students since they last saw me at the elementary building.   It is a simple to do yet complicated looking lesson to use for a variety of different ability levels.   Students can work with compound cuts and smaller detail sections to bump up the challenge level.  I have also given them a two color square challenge for fast finishers. 

This is the section of 8th grade projects this quarter.    Very nice works here!  I cannot wait to see what else this group comes up with.  

Monday Motivation - Matisse and his cut-outs

Wednesday Works - A "complete the photos" project.

Wow, this one seemed to be a big hit.   I don't know if it was said sarcastically or not (can't always tell with 8th graders) but I heard one say it was the best project so far.   At least by looking at them, it looks like they enjoyed it.

My example..

and the class...

Monday Motivations - watercolors

The beauty of a simple watercolor painting cannot be matched.

Monday Motivation (Tuesday edition) - Jeff Uitto

Driftwood sculptures by Jeff Uitto

Friday Photos

Wednesday Works - Ceramic Animal Mash-ups (in progress...) - 8th grade

Back about eleventy billion years ago I did my student teaching at Indiana Junior High School in Indiana County.   They were fortunate enough and big enough to be able to have three art teachers who, in turn split up the curriculum and each taught different processes and techniques. 

One of the lessons I taught was this ceramic mash-up where each student drew two slips of paper from bowls, one with an animal and one with an object on it. For example, the student could pick an alligator and a stapler.  The final sculpture project needed to include elements of both the animal and the object so the viewer could look at it and say "Oh, that's an (animal)"   or "Oh, I see it's an (object)"   

These are the works in progress so far....