Positive-Negative Cut Paper

Giving Exacto knives to 7th graders.... Am I crazy or what?! This project is about balance, positive/negative space and craftsmanship. Students were given the challenge of coming up with a theme around which they could design 7-10 fairly simple, symmetrical graphics. They cut half of each graphic from the side of an 8" black square and the positive shapes were flipped over the edge. See if you can figure out the theme of each one!

 

Patterned Printmaking

Like the 5th grade girls' class before them, the third quarter 5th graders created artwork inspired by their recent study of Islam in History/Geography. The boys began this project by creating a radially symmetrical design on graph paper. Instead of using clay to make tiles, they transferred their designs onto a small rubber block, carefully carved the negative space using a special tool called a gouge, and then printed them repeatedly on paper of their choosing. Almost all Islamic art is made up of complex abstract patterns that create a sense of unending repetition, and these prints surely do as well!

Door Decorating Contest

Last week's Space Week involved a door decorating contest, and my advisory did a really cute space alien theme that covered my whole classroom window. We came in 2nd place, and, not that we are sore losers, but we were totally jipped :)

Clay Banks

Here are the second quarter sixth graders' clay bank creations. Most of them created and joined together two pinch pots to create the hollow "body" of the bank, although slabs were used occasionally in the case of the Coke can, etc. I forgot to photograph them before I put them in the display case, so the photos are not the best here, but in person the pieces are whimsical and well crafted. The students had a lot of fun making them!