Year End Virtual Art Gallery

I hope you've enjoyed some art projects we've been doing during Quarantine!  I finished up the last several weeks of school preparing to launch the Virtual Art Gallery.  You can see it here.  Enjoy and have a wonderful summer!

Drawing: HANDS!

We are going to be drawing HANDS this week.  Have you been washing them more than ever, lately?  Aren’t we so thankful that the Lord is in control of even the germs on our hands? What peace we have in Christ to cast all our cares on Him (1 Pet 5:7).  Hands are difficult to draw, yet fun to master!

Let’s Go!

Project Overview: You will study the anatomy of hands from the attached video, create practice thumbnail sketches as you study them, and then create a final drawing in the pose of your choice.

This week:  Watch this video tutorial. This is from a computer graphics designer, but so many of his principles can be applied to 2-D drawing as well.  Draw along in small sketches in your sketchbook page. Create some thumbnails of different poses and select your choice by circling and then send me the photo for the approval.

Day 1:  Follow along and practice drawing while watching the video Anatomy Quick Tips Hands video link.  Draw thumbnail sketch sizes so you can follow along more quickly.

Day 2:  Looking at your thumbnail sketches from Day 1. Choose which pose you want to do.  Looking at your own hand as reference, draw a thumbnail sketch of that pose.

Next week:  Drawing from your approved hand thumbnail sketch, make a larger final version this week.

Day 1:  Looking carefully at your own hand, draw the contours carefully and lightly.

Day 2:  Add some shading to your hand and erase all construction lines

Bethany, Grade 7

Andrew, Grade 9

Remarkable 2020: My Room (A Perspective Drawing)

Let’s work on our perspective drawing skills for this next project. This project is titled Remarkable Spring of 2020: My Room.

Project Overview: You are going to create a one-point perspective drawing of your room. Your drawing can be your bedroom or any other room from your home. You can choose the medium for this project.

This week:  Watch the video tutorials here for one-point perspective, and here for two-point perspective and follow along. Decide what room from your home you are going to draw, and which point perspective you will use. Create  thumbnail sketches of your plan.

Day 1:  Follow along and practice drawing while watching the videos.  Decide which room from your house you will be drawing. Which part of the room will you be drawing? Jot down your ideas and sketches in a thumbnail drawing.

Day 2:  Looking at your room choice from Day 1. Choose a part of your selected room that has good composition elements (e.g. the organization of line, shape, space, balance and emphasis).  Perhaps take a picture of it and see in the viewfinder how that looks. Draw some thumbnail sketches and circle your favorite one. 

Next Week: Create the Final this week.  Be sure to use a straight edge for those structural lines!  If you do not have access to your sketchbook, a regular 8 ½ x 11 computer paper works fine.

Day 1:  Draw your contours lightly! Next, erase the structural lines

Day 2:  Start shading. Remember to have at least 3 shades.  Make sure your darks are dark enough!

 Room, by Andrew S.

Remarkable Spring of 2020 Still Life Project

We’re going to have fun with a new Art Series titled The Remarkable Spring of 2020!

Overview: Project 6 is a Still Life.  Using the elements of Drawing (I will remind you of these elements to jog your memory), you will create a still life of entitled; March 2020: Happenings from my Quarantined Home. Make it interesting (remember composition and Rule of Thirds), and make it fun!  After all, we are more than conquerors in Christ. Romans 8:35-37 This is an adventure! Make it beautiful!!! 

This week: Brainstorm subject matters.  Draw several thumbnail sketches.  

Day 1: Brainstorm ideas and jot them down. To help you get started you can ask yourself:  What objects around your house represent this unusual extended amount of time at home? Or, what are a few of your favorite things from home you want to remember about this time? You can draw a single image, a few items or a collage of items that represent this time in history.

Day 2: Draw the ideas in a small, thumbnail sketches. Which one do you like best? Start to build your final on a bigger sheet such as 8 1/2 x 11. 

Next week: Work on your Final Drawing.  

Day 1: Start drawing the contours (outlines) of your final drawing. Remember the Rule of Thirds (your main focus of interest should not be in the bulls-eye center of your page). 

Day 2: Start shading.  Remember to include at least 3 different shades and make sure that your darks are dark enough!

Want to practice your techniques? Follow along this tutorial and this one! 

Remarkable Spring, by Rigel Grade 9

Remarkable Still Life, by Andrew Grade 9

Remarkable Still Life, by Me

Art Lesson: Viking Ships

Some Art Lessons to keep you busy during the Quarantine!

Viking Ship

This week: Let’s learn about Viking Ships and brainstorm in order to prepare to draw our own.

Day 1: Read some highlights about Viking Ships from the attached file. Watch the 5 min Viking Video.  Take notes and sketch along. Notice important parts of the Viking Longship: Dragon design of bow and stern, shields, sail, oars. 

Day 2: Let’s do some Thumbnail sketches (small, practice sketches) to prepare for our Longship Drawing Project. Look at the Longship Photo for reference and do thumbnails of the bow (dragon ‘front’ of the boat) and stern (dragon tail ‘back’ of the boat).  Practice a shield or two. 

Next week: Draw a thumbnail sketch of your own Viking Ship to plan. Choose your medium (pencils, colored pencils, markers, etc.). Then start your final drawing!

Beautiful job, Ethan, with your finished project!

Ethan, Grade 4 

Italy

A dream come true.  Italy bound.

We met some friends there. Great times ahead.

Florence. Like a dream. We arrived in the evening and were memorized by the city and it's charm.  The lighting resembled the ancient torchlight.

You can see why it took my breath away.

I learned after returning home that an old drawing professor of mine lives in one of these apartments.  How fun is that!

Gelato everyday.

During the daytime, Florence continued to take your breath away.

Duomo.

Noticing all the different colored marbles inlays.

The famous Baptistery doors, the Gates of Paradise, with Ghiberti's gold relief peeked through the construction sight.

There is Ghiberti himself.

More city scenes and beautiful churches.

Ponte Vecchio.

Accademia Gallery.  Michelangelo's David.  Wow.  I was so pleasantly surprised we could take pictures.  When my husband was last here, it was prohibited.

 

Michelangelo was amazing.  Sculpting clay, I find, is difficult enough.  Imagining carving out of marble!!!

Motel view. My sketchbook drawing.  Palettes of creams, greens and terra cotta.

How about a portrait?

Don't get caught taking this 'sculpture's' photo-  you'll have someone running after you wanting money.  He's a mime.

Here's another:

The pizza was sublime. Italy's traditional Margherita pizza- like the flag- Red (tomato), White (mozzarella) and Green (basil).

Piazzale Michelangelo.

Uffitzi Gallery.

Botticelli's Birth of Venus.

One could stare for hours just at the ceiling.

 View out the window.

Climbing the dome.  See the people up near the top?  That's where we climbed.

If I could, I would take hundreds of pictures of just the doors.  I just love them. Such personality.

My sister-in-law told me about this art store years ago. Fun to see it in person.

I hope to visit you again someday, Florence!

Venice.

I loved seeing the canals between the blocks.  They say it's a sinking city.

George Clooney had just gotten married there a few days before we were there.  I could see why they chose this place.

In the courtyard, the  pigeons were practically pets.  This lady was trying to get one to perch on her head for a picture. Brave soul...

How about some tiramisu?

Imagining what it would be like to live there.

We had to have a canolli.

The colors at the end of the day were just as dazzling.

Good night, Venice~

Ferrara. This quaint little town was our delightful authentic experience.  It had an old wall built around the city where bicyclists drove even on the top of the wall.  Our hotel provided bicycles and we took full advantage of the opportunity.

Here's the castle that's in the center of the city.  This was our view from while eating breakfast at the hotel.

The church was no less stunning in this 'smaller' city.  It is considered the 'city of the Renaissance'.  Some of the art masters came and visited this city as well.

All the restaurants we went to here, we needed translating.  There were no English menus to be found.  The servers seemed to enjoy the opportunity and even drew pictures on our place-mat trying to explain the menu items.

Ferrara, you're lovely.

Heading South again, we were able to stop in Bologna for the evening.  It is known as the gastronomic capital of the world. Knowing that, there was added pressure to find a good restaurant for that one day we were passing through.

We all agreed that the porch at our hotel in Bologna was the best breakfast view yet.

The next morning, we headed out to our last Italian destination... ROMA! We took the high speed train, the Trenitalia train.

This is one of Asher's favorite books. He's 3 and he knows all the names of the trains.  He was very excited that we got to ride on one of the high speed trains and now will say, "And Mommy and Daddy rode on that one..."

Finally arriving at Rome and weaving through the streets of Rome, looking for our hotel.  The city was a mixture of cobblestone, clay roofs (like Florence) and Marble buildings.

Our hotel.

 The breakfast room.

The crowds of people lingering near the Spanish Steps.  We walked up the steps, then followed the road that lead to the Borghese Gallery, our next destination.

Borghese Gallery.

So much to see as we walked back to the hotel.  Here is the old city wall.

Venders selling roasted chestnuts.

Geoff's hat store!

We learned to order still water, or they usually give it to you sparkling.  Also, I have to say the only Italian food I was slightly disappointed with was the bread. It seemed the way they liked to eat it tasted very dried out to me.  It didn't stop me from eating it mind you, but it wasn't what I expected.

It was a dazzling first day in Rome.

Rome Day 2

 Passing through a plaza, here's a guy who was trying to show his levitating skills.

The guy taking the picture closely would be chased down for money, most likely.

Ancient Rome and the Colosseum. We went on a Sunday and were thrilled to find out it's open for free on Sundays.  There wasn't much of a line, either and we were able to get right in without paying for a guided tour.  Good ole' Rick Steves free audio app saved the day again.  He does a wonderful job.

Julius Caesar's grave and memorial is here in the Roman Forum.

Bubble making in the Plaza Square.

Painting the bridge view.

Another mesmerizing evening in Rome.

This was the day we scored the highest amount of steps on the pedometer that was tracked on my phone:

I'd say that meant we could have guilt-free pasta that night!

Rome Day 3

Our walk towards the Vatican/ St. Peter's Cathedral.

Here it is!!

Trompe l' oeils by Raphael.  I was once again amazed that we were able to take pictures!  We weren't allowed to take them in the Sistine Chapel, though.

St. Peter's Cathedral.

Climbing the Dome.  The stairs were steep and went up on an angle.  It was a good workout for sure!

Ending the evening with our last Italian dinner together.

Italy.  An experience I'll never forget.