A record of our art classes from September
2008 until May 2009.

Self Portraits in Decoupaged Frames

In the class before this one, we decoupaged wood frames in order to nicely display our self portraits. We used vintage dictionary pages, a glossy remainder book about tiles, and nice fine art papers and rice papers.

Had a lesson in proportion and drawing what you really see, not what you think something is shaped like. We have full length mirrors propped up against the wall. These kids are amazing.

Some of the completed portraits. Wish I had more photos, they scurried off with their work so fast! Top L.- Moshe, R.- Mendel Riv., Bottom- Mendel N. Amazing likenesses!

Feb. 18- Weavings-- some finished, some not.....

Sara R. Mendel N. Moshe L. Mendel R.

Chaya Mushka R, 6th grade Mindy L.
Chaya Mushka R- absent when we started these.... Devorah Leah K.
Sholom R.

January- Weaving on a Cardboard Loom

Whoa! These students never cease to amaze me! By the end of class I called them The Bionic Weavers! They caught on right away and did not want to stop! We started out doing a few rows of paper weaving just for practice, then we went on to our cardboard looms and TOOK OFF! We learned the difference between the warp and the weft and to keep squishing down the weaving to keep it tight. These will be finished & embellished during our next class, mounted and displayed as woven pictures. At the end of February, we will be weaving small pouches!

December 31rst- Charcoal Value Scales & Rubbed Abstracts

We did lots of "firsts" during this class. Our first experience using charcoals (messy! fun! made great mustaches!), shading ("values"-- not easy to get different values of grey), and abstracts. We accomplished the abstracts by ripping or cutting pieces of poster board, placing them onto charcoal paper and rubbing the charcoal on the edges of the paper. Our fingers dragged the charcoal around. We lifted up our pieces of paper and voila'! Charcoal abstracts!
Here are just a few examples. We're still working on signing our names and just getting names on in general!
Mindy L.

Moshe L. Mushka R. Sarah R.

Chaya R.

Moishe L.

Sholom R. Sarah R. Mushin R. Devorah Leah K. Devorah Leah K. Mrs. K's demo (?- how'd this get in here?) Who's is this? -- Mendel N. is that yoooouuu?

December 24th- "Chanukah Mono-Prints"

Happy Chanukah from the art class! When Mushin heard that we were making "mono" prints she immediately knew that meant ONE print! Why a print instead of a painting? The technique produces lots of interesting lines, textures and surprises! Using the holiday as our theme, the students drew a sketch as a guide. They placed a sheet of glass over their sketches and painted the glass. A sheet of paper was carefully placed on top of the painted glass and gently rubbed on the back. Peeling off the paper from the glass- they got their Chanukah surprise! The students liked some results and not others. Learning how to "look" at a print with all of its (seeming) imperfections was a learning experience in itself! And why print on black paper? Because their artwork lights up the darkness, of course! ******* Here are just a few examples of the students' work! *******