Creativity Workshop

So, let's do this. "Trust that still, small voice that says, 'This might work and I'll try it." (Diane Mariechild)

Can you be consciously creative every day of your life? Use the following prompts for inspiration only.

• December 22: Design a school uniform. Use actual fabric in your design.
• December 23: What are you grateful for? Name it and draw it.
• 24: Go find a bird. Draw it. Invent some dialog for the bird. What is it saying to you?
• 25: Use wrapping paper to make Thank You notes.
• 26: Draw the best mustache. Or photograph. Or collage. Or use your dog's hair clippings (please don't hurt the dog!).
• 27: Robots are taking over the world. Discuss.
• 28: Create a mask design that matches your favorite outfit. Now try to make it 3D (empty cereal boxes work great!)
• 29: Take yourself out on a date. Spend no more than $5. Doodle on a napkin while you're out.
• 30: List 20 things you like to do. Illustrate one.
• 31: List 5 things you're not allowed to do. Paint one, write it, draw it, act it out, collage ...
• January 1: List 10 tiny changes you'd like to make. Draw, sing, dance one.
• January 2: Andy Warhol talked about everyone being famous for 15 minutes. For what will you be famous?

Value Self Portrait Critique

On the back of your portrait, please use pencil to complete the following questions (you can tape a piece of paper on the back, if you'd prefer):

• How did Chuck Close's work impact your piece?
• How has your perception of scale and proportion changed?
• How did you use value and contrast in your work?
• How original and daring is your work?
• Is your work well-crafted? Why or why not?
  

End-of-Term-To-Do List

M.C. Escher Circle Limit III 1959 click on image for more information

I have sent an email to you. If you have not received this email, please let me know (or email me) by Tuesday. In this email you will find:

1. The final reflection. Please, please, please follow the instructions. I will need this reflection before we conference on Thursday, December 9.

2. A review for the final.

All students must be 100% organized and ready to conference before class starts on Thursday.

Artwork of the Week--Page 31

• 271 never-before-seen Picasso artworks appear--What does #272 look like?
• A Day in Another City -- Enter your doodle in this competition!
• Fantasy
  

Artwork of the Week--Break Edition--Page 30

• Inside Out
• BRRRAAAAIIIIINNNNSSSSS (*correction :)
• Illustrate a Song

Artwork of the Week--Page 29

• Design a television for the year 2050.
• Draw what you see when you close your eyes.
• Do a page of studies of different facial features (eyes, noses, mouths, ears, etc.)
  

SAR #7, Period 8 ONLY

Participation
✔+, ✔, ✔- (Please, add an assessment mark)

How has your attitude helped (or harmed) the classroom environment?
In what ways have you participated?
What is working? What isn't?

Progress
✔+, ✔, ✔- (Please, add an assessment mark)
What have you learned?
What have you gotten better at?

Why do you think it was important to learn about social protest artwork? What did you gain? What did you gain from learning about linoleum block printing?

Performance
✔+, ✔, ✔- (Please, add an assessment mark)
What evidence do you have for your creative growth?
Is your sketchbook complete? How is your sketchbook enhancing your learning?

Is your linoleum block showing evidence of:

• High contrast (even division between black/white/texture--negative/postive space)
• Texture
• Strong craftsmanship
  
• An editorial stance

SAR #7, Periods 3,4,6,7

Participation
✔+, ✔, ✔- (Please, add an assessment mark)

How has your attitude helped (or harmed) the classroom environment?
In what ways have you participated?
What is working? What isn't?

Progress
✔+, ✔, ✔- (Please, add an assessment mark)
What have you learned?
What have you gotten better at?

Why do you think it was important to learn about Michelangelo and Chuck Close? What did you gain? How do you think about creativity differently?

Performance
✔+, ✔, ✔- (Please, add an assessment mark)
What evidence do you have for your creative growth?
Is your sketchbook complete? How is your sketchbook enhancing your learning?

Are the following artworks completed? How do you feel about each activity?

• Mixed Media Skeleton
• Profiles: Front-facing and side view
  
• Value Scales and Spheres
  
• Shadow Shape Activity
• Photoshop posterized portrait
  

Artwork of the Week--Page 27

• Spend an hour drawing a forward-facing and side profile of someone willing to sit still

Tutorial

• Homage to Michelangelo's drawings
• Volcano
  

Artwork of the Week--Page 24

• Road Trip
• Awkward
• Skeletal studies
  

SAR #6, Period 8 ONLY

Participation
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)

How has your attitude helped (or harmed) the classroom environment?
In what ways have you participated?
How have in-class activities enhanced your learning?

Progress
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)
How do your artworks compare to the artworks you created at the beginning of the year?
What have you learned?
What have you gotten better at?
What elements and principles of art have played a major role in your artworks?

Performance
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)
What evidence do you have for your creative growth?
Is your sketchbook complete? How is your sketchbook enhancing your learning?

For Art 1 and 3 Students, did you complete the critiques on your ceramic unit?
Did you post to the blog regarding the social protest artworks? What did you learn?

For Independent Study students, have you been engaged in critiquing? What projects are you currently working on and how are they progressing? What artists/art movements are guiding your process?

SAR #6, Periods 3,4,6,7

Participation
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)

How has your attitude helped (or harmed) the classroom environment?
In what ways have you participated?
How have in-class activities enhanced your learning?

Progress
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)
How do your Right-Mode drawings compare to the artworks you created at the beginning of the year?
What have you learned?
What have you gotten better at?

How did learning about pure/blind and modified contour, in addition to Right/Left Mode Drawing change the way you create?

Performance
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)
What evidence do you have for your creative growth?
Is your sketchbook complete? How is your sketchbook enhancing your learning?

Are the following artworks completed? How do you feel about each activity?

• Pre-Instruction Drawings of shoes, skull, and self
• Vases and Monster Faces
• Two Upside-Down Drawings
• Pure and Modified Skeleton
• Mixed-Media Skeleton Drawings
  

October Sketchbook Highlights

MONDAY

Art 1: Periods 3, 4, 6, 7
Drawing upside down is another way to experience the shift from left-mode to right-mode.
Go to activity on Upside-Down Drawing by clicking here.
Get two sheets of 9" x 12" paper.

Follow the directions for each drawing. Each drawing should take at least 20 minutes. Everything is right there for you to draw. Don't make it complicated, but do focus, please.

"I have supposed a Human Being to be capable of various physical states, and varying degrees of consciousness, as follows:
(a) the ordinary states, with no consciousness of the presence of Fairies; (b) the 'eerie' state, in which, while conscious of actual surroundings, he is also conscious of the presence of Fairies; (c) a form of trance, in which, while unconscious of actual surroundings, and apparently asleep, he (i.e., his immaterial essence) migrates to other scenes, in the actual world, or in Fairyland, and is conscious of the presence of Fairies/" --Lewis Carroll

How does Carroll's quote connect to our Right-Mode workshop?

Art 1,3: Period 8
Did you check out some information on linoleum block printing?

If so, please check out the following artworks (demonstrating protest), and answer these discussion questions in the comments section of this blog post.


1. Picasso's Guernica

• What elements of this artwork might lead you to interpret it as a work against war? What stands out that makes this about war?
• This painting is black and white, 17' x 27'. How do these physical qualities affect the interpretation of Guernica?

2. Richard Serra's Abu Ghraib

• What is the artist trying to communicate to the viewer?
  
• What kind of statement is the artist trying to make?
  
• How does the artist's style affect our interpretation?

3. Fernando Botero's Abu Ghraib

• How would your interpretation differ if this artwork had a different title?
• What kind of statement is being made?
• How is this image similar/different to the ones by Serra and Picasso? Is one more successful as a protest piece? How?
  

Artwork of the Week--Page 23

• Love Letter
• Favorite Food
• One-hour Contour Drawing
  

Right Brain Workshop

Day One:

• Pre-Instruction Drawings (two shoes, a skull, and a self portrait)--Page 22

Day Two:

• Defining contour lines; Vases and Monster faces (portfolio piece)

Day Three:

• Blind/pure contour skulls and hands

Days Four and Five:

• Contour skeletons and cross contour skeletons

Find a brain hemisphere quiz online and discuss your results in the comments section!

Artwork of the Week--Page 21

• Neanderthal
  
• Nightmare
  
• Weird Vending Machine
  
• 

SAR 5

Remember that your reflection is your voice in the assessment process, and therefore your (timely) response is critical.

Find our continuing email conversation in Gmail and reply, adding your response as an attachment.

Participation
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)
How has your attitude helped (or harmed) the classroom environment?
In what ways have you participated?
Describe your work habits.

Progress
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)
How do your flip book and sketchbook compare to the artworks you created at the beginning of the year?
What have you learned?
What have you gotten better at?

How did learning about line, movement, shape, and pattern change your perspective?

Performance
✔+, ✔, ✔- (In addition to answering the questions, add an assessment mark)
What evidence do you have for your creative growth?
Is your sketchbook complete? How is your sketchbook enhancing your learning?
Is your flip book complete and recorded?
How is your Op Art project coming along?

It's All An Illusion

Bridget Riley, Movement in Squares 1961

As you look at Riley's artwork above, what do you first notice? How does she use shape and repetition? Is this artwork an effective optical illusion? Why or why not?

Shape Activity, Page 20
Divide your page into 4 squares.

• In the first square, create a design with organic shapes.
• In the second square, create a design with geometric shapes.
• In the third and fourth square, draw the same image, but fill in the first box by shading the positive space and fill in the third by shading in the negative space.

Op Artwork (part of the one-a-week series)

• 9" x 12" paper
• Pencil in lines lightly with horizontal lines, vertical lines, and/or concentric circles.
• Focus on Repetition, Pattern, Contrast, and Geometric Shape.
• Ink in with marker. Continue to use ruler, compass, and protractors.

Artwork will:

• Use geometric shape, pattern/repetition, and contrast.
• Create an optical illusion implying movement and contrast.
• Use high-level craftsmanship.
• Be original and complex.
  

Artwork of the Week--Page 19

• Trapped! (I was thinking of the now-free Chilean miners)
• Invented Postage Stamp
• Haboob

Remember: Artworks should reflect at least an hour's worth of creating--Take risks and experiment with media!

Flip Book Critique

So, hopefully everyone is feeling good about our excursion into LINE and MOVEMENT. Time to assess!

On page 18 of your sketchbook:

STEP ONE: Self Assessment

• How would you assess your flip book as a performance piece (✔+, ✔, ✔-)? Why?

• Did you start with a line and end with a line?

• Are your 20+ pages well-crafted?

• Did you record a digital copy of your flip book?
  

• How did you incorporate movement in your piece?

• How has your understanding of line changed?

STEP TWO: Artist Interview (Trade flip books with another student)

• Describe: What is the theme or story behind the artist's flip book?
• Analyze: How did the artist use line and movement?
• Interpret: What kind of meaning can you pull from the artist's flip book?
• Judge: Is the flip book successful? Why or why not? How could the piece be improved?

PLEASE KEEP YOUR FLIP BOOK IN YOUR SKETCHBOOK! WE WILL BE CREATING A PAPER PORTFOLIO TOMORROW FOR YOUR 2D WORK.

Flip Book Digital Options

Pivot Freeware

Benettonplay!

Fall Break Artwork of the Week--page 17

• Suspicious Activity
• Personal Universe
• Aurora Borealis

First Friday is October 1st. Document your experience; email your photos and stories and I'll post some on the blog!

Need a map?

Alrighty, It's Friday!

All students should have received an email from me with the 9-weeks SAR attached. Please follow the instructions carefully and email me.

The Drawing of the Week prompts are:

• Rivalry
• Patterned Fabric Study
• Reflective Surfaces
  

Flipping out

"A line is a dot going for a walk." --Paul Klee

We are going to use this quote as inspiration for creating a flip book.

Magically, incessantly, universally, humans create art, and we have started to speak the language of art--that is, we are starting to use the elements and principles.

Your flip book will:

• start with a line and end with a line (our first art element).
• incorporate movement (a principle of art).
  
• have at least 20 well-crafted pages.
• have a draft (to be explained/sketched on PAGE 15 of your sketchbook, along with the notes taken from looking at the links on this posting)
  
• be recorded using your laptop and placed in a digital portfolio

Grow Box Critique--Page 14

The four steps of art criticism are Describe, Analyze, Interpret and Judge. For your critique of the grow box, I would like for you to answer the following questions in your sketchbook (We will be doing a classroom critique, too):

1. Describe: What is the title of your grow box, and who were your group members? Describe the elements (like the lines, colors, shapes on your box). Describe the tools used to create your painting. What is your side of the box about?

2. Analyze: How does the box compare to your sketch? How was the rule of thirds used (or not used) in your composition? Do you have a focal point(s) in your painting? What are the relationships between the different parts of your painting?

3. Interpretation: What expressive language would you use to describe your side of the box (hopeful, tragic, funny, etc.)? Does the work remind you of anything you've experienced? What does your side of the box mean?

4. Judge: What qualities of the box make it a success or disaster? How original is your side of the box? Are there any cliches evident? How did your team work together? Was the work balanced between members?

Artwork of the Week--Page 13

• Still Life
• Peaceful Landscape
• Cartoon Anatomy (idea inspired by Jason Freeny)
  

September Sketches

In looking at sketches posted on the blog, when you "like" a sketch, why do you like it? Be specific in your reflection.

Font Boxes

Font boxes are on display in the library. Go check them out! What do you think makes a work worthy of display? Why do artworks get placed in galleries? What is the point of publicly displaying artwork?

Artwork of the Week--Page 12

• Mirror, mirror, on the wall . . .
• What chess piece are you?
• If you were a fly on the wall . . .
  

SAR Questions

There are only three more weeks in the term!

1. What were your goals these last two weeks? Did you meet them? How? Please be specific and provide evidence.
   
2. What are your upcoming goals? How would you assess your progress?
3. In what ways are you participating in art class? Here are some of the ways you are expected to participate:
   

• Sketching grow box imagery
  
• Primer painting the grow box
• Painting the grow box
• Classroom clean-up
• Blog postings
• Sketchbook (performance)
  

List each one and tell me whether you are meeting, exceeding, or not meeting
expectations, along with a description.

4. Provide an overall assessment of your participation thus far: Exceeding, meeting, or not
meeting expectations.

• 8th period Art: Answer the same questions, however your expected participation elements include: Sketchbook, human-animal hybrid, wheel project, japanese lantern, face jug sketch, blog posting, and clean-up.
  

First Friday

First Friday in Phoenix is exciting. It's one of the biggest monthly art festivals anywhere. Thousands gather to celebrate and check out some cool art, music, and performers. Did you go to this month's First Friday? What were your thoughts? Did you take any cool photos (please send!)?

Artwork of the Week--Page 11

• Liberty
• A Never-Before-Seen Music Box
• Alien Baby
  

Composition and Rule of Thirds

Discussion:
1. In art, how do subject and composition differ?
2. How can the rule of thirds help artists organize their compositions?

August Sketchbook Highlights

Artwork of the Week--Page 9

This week's cool choices come courtesy of Master BioSci Artist Torrie:

• The Germ (the kind that makes you homesick or gives you heartache or the one that spawned annoying little sisters)
• A tree house
• Self portrait as a doll. Voodoo? Porcelain? Hay?
  
  

SAR Questions

1. Continue on your original document with a new header and date (The text will just continue on top of your old document).
2. Email it to stephanie.r.grijalva, as an attachment, and as a reply to our old conversation.

Questions to address:

• Participation: How are you contributing to the learning environment? Have you contributed to classroom discussions? Blog postings? Clean-up? Critique?
  
• Progress: Have you met your goals? What were your goals? What are your new goals? Are you meeting expectations (√), falling short of expectations (√-), or exceeding expectations (√+)?
• Performance: (Periods 3,4,6,7) How did your Font Box turn out? Please address the three areas of assessment: craftsmanship; color schemes; and creativity. How about the brainstorm for the Grow Box? Finally, please discuss your sketchbook and what you have done well, and what could be better.

(Period 8) How is your ceramics unit progressing? How well crafted are your projects? How creative? In what ways are you excelling? What could be better? Please discuss your sketchbook and what you have done well, and what could be better?

Artworks of the Week

Page 7

• Terrible Beauty
• Anthropomorphism
• Using Fire

Why Man Creates

Why do we create? What is creativity? Please post comments.

In your small group, after coming up with some ideas for your side of the box, brainstorm the following (taken from jpb.com's creative implementation plan) :

1. Grab a sheet of 12" x 18" paper. Explain your idea.
2. What is unique about this idea?
3. How might you push the unique boundaries of this idea?
4. What stumbling blocks do you foresee occuring?
5. On the other side, sketch the idea, planning your color harmony.

A beautiful quote

Whatever the tasks, do them slowly with ease, in mindfulness. Don't do any tasks in order to get them over with. Resolve to do each job in a relaxed way, with all your attention.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

SAR

Thank you for completing and submitting your SARs this weekend!

My email address: stephanie.r.grijalva@gmail.com

Please put your period number and ART in the subject line (e.g. 6 ART).

Artwork of the Week

Art 1 Students: Please place on page 6 of your sketchbook.

• What's in the fridge?
• Oops!
• A chair as a self-portrait

Typeface

I read somewhere recently that if language makes us human, then writing makes us civilized.

What do you think?

And what does it mean when we are very passionate about the style of writing--or set of typeface--or FONTS that we choose to use?



Look at these examples of typeface.

i found it!

Our interconnectedness project is taking off! Keep your fingers crossed that we receive more contact. To check out the comments so far, visit i found your artwork!

Notebooks/Sketchbooks

Personalize your sketchbooks!!!

Your first Drawing of the Week, due Thursday, August 12:

• My summer
• Dreaming of rain
• Robots

Wow. Summer rocked!

I just know that this upcoming school year will rock, too.

Welcome, and Welcome Back!

• Orphan Art! Several pieces of artwork are in the classroom. All pieces (2D and 3D) need to be picked up by Friday, August 6. If artworks are not picked up, they will go up for adoption.
• Plan for Success! Visit my webpage to read. Please return your acknowledgment cards ASAP.

Hurray for Summer!

Well, I had a very unexpected opportunity to travel to Australia this summer with students--and so, of course, I've been in Australia!

However, I haven't forgotten about you. I tried, actually, posting some ideas for sketching while I was in Sydney, but (alas), ran out of time on my internet cafe card.

I did a lot of sketching while I was abroad, and I hope you've been sketching, too! Here are some ideas to jump-start the ol' brain:

• Dream Travel Destination
• Let a family member pick your subject matter
• Go to a thrift store/antique store/yard sale and get a couple of old photos. Paste into sketchbook and create a drawing narrative around those images.
• Junk food with wrapper (when finished eating said junk food, glue the wrapper in your book!)
• Zoom in on an object until it is abstracted
• Create a magazine mosaic
• Summer in the City
• Solitude
• Love
• War
• Draw to your current favorite song
• Draw on napkins at a restaurant and then glue your drawings in your book
• Go to a gallery and sit on a bench, drawing from inspiration
• Any time you see something interesting in magazines, tear it out and glue it in!
• Doodle! Doodle! Doodle!

If you have been sketching, send me a photograph and I'll post it on the blog!

Enjoy yourselves.

WOW! We Did It!

Hey, all you amazingly creative artist-folk. What did you enjoy about the class? What would you change? Please give meaningful feedback. Thank you for an awesome journey.

Keep checking the blog. I'll post more student artwork and some sketchbook prompts in the next couple of weeks.

DOTW

For the current week, there will not be a DOTW due to Evening of the Arts preparations and presentations. Of course, you're always welcome to build your sketchbook portfolio by creating more drawings!

If you want to get started on next week's Drawing of the Week (4/29-5/6), here it is:

Art 2

SB 1070

Draw a masked person that isn't a superhero

Art 4

Reinterpreting Alice in Wonderland

Draw the dishes in your drainer

Evening of the Arts

Join us Friday, April 30th, for an amazing art extravaganza! We have so much talent and hard work to celebrate. There will be food, music, dancing, and, of course, brilliant artwork!

SMOCA (Candace's photos)

Oodles of Awesome Doodles

How to Write an Artist's Statement

An artist statement is a helpful guide to your work. It is your chance to interact with the viewer.

Some questions you should answer in your statement:

1. Why did you make this project (intention)? Does your work tell a story?
2. How did you make this project (process)? Be descriptive.
3. What materials did you use in your project?
4. What elements and principles of design are present in your project (elements: line, shape/form, value, color, space, texture; principles: balance, unity, contrast, emphasis, pattern, movement/rhythm)?
5. Did you have any influences?

Two good examples:

Jamey Stillings

Kathleen Bitetti

Your Artist Statement should be formatted in the following manner:

• Center your name as the title, in bold font: Your Name Artist Statement
• Center the title of your Artwork, in bold font: Title
• Begin your artist statement, single spaced. If you have more than one paragraph, double space in between paragraphs--no longer than one page in length, please.
• Please edit and do spell check! Reading out loud is a good way to catch errors.
• Print out a copy to turn in with your project presentation.

Evening of the Arts Performers

SIGN-UP SHEET!

DOTW 4/9-15

Art 2

Popcorn

or

Fantasy Landscape

Art 4

Trade books with someone and have them finish or start your DOTW

or

Stamp a drawing using an eraser

Drawings of the Week, 4/2-4/8

Art 2

Make a drawing that is totally impossible or Dangerous flower

Art 4

Draw yourself in the style of your favorite artist or Illustrate a famous quote

District Art Show

Candace and Torrie were selected to represent the creative talent at Bioscience High School. Their artworks are on display at the Wyndham Hotel, 50 E Adams St., today through the closing ceremony on April 29th. Check it out!

Lino Prints!

DOTW, 3/26-4/1

Art 2

Healthcare Debate or Paparazzi

Art 4

Recently in the news, a study about depictions of the painting, "The Last Supper" revealed that over the centuries, artists have increased the plate and portion size.

In a "supersize" culture, how would you reinterpret the famous Van Gogh painting, "The Potato Eaters"? Draw a modern interpretation.

Doodle 4 Google

ENTRIES ARE DUE FRIDAY!!!!

Art 2 Mask Sketching

Here are some additional resources to guide you:

African Masks

Wonderful mask information

Mask Making

AND, if you need assistance with color schemes, here's a site Omar discovered.

DOTW, 3/19-3/25

Art 2

Pirates vs. Cowboys vs. Ninjas vs. Etc. or Something Broken

Art 4

Plugged in or Extreme perspective

Drawings of the Week, 3/14-3/18

Welcome back from (what I hope was) a glorious spring recess. We have a lot to look forward to this last nine weeks. For example, independent projects are being created at all levels, and our big exhibition is scheduled for the evening of April 30th! Evening of the Arts is amazing. Awesome. Inspiring. Totally rad. Brilliant. Well, you get the picture.

As for this week's drawings, it is your choice. If you need a little inspiration, why not use this photo as a starting point? What led up to Alexis holding the mop? What do you think about cleaning? About chaos? There are lots of different ways you can go with it, so be creative!