PS/IS 686 | Brooklyn, NY

Art Room Update Week of 4/1/19

Kindergarteners have been perfecting their oil pastel and watercolor resist alphabet posters.
First graders continued to work on their paper maché ice cream cones, and have been learning all about tints, by mixing increasing amounts of white paint into a primary or secondary color.
Second graders looked at Brooklyn Bridge paintings done by various artists, including Georgia O’Keeffe and Frank Stella. They perused photos of the bridge, chose one to use as reference, and proceeded to draw the bridge, understanding that parts of the bridge closer to you are much larger than the far side of the bridge which appears to be smaller.
Third grade have been weaving their story weavings in yarn after having created a color index, with a color assigned to each part of their tale. Aside from the tabby weave (over/under/over/under), they also learned how to create a fringe, or Rya knot.
Fourth grade are close to finishing coiling baskets in one of 2 different ways.
Half of Fifth grade have begun weaving-in-the-round, while the other half have begun quilted circle designs which will culminate in a class poster.
Sixth graders have been working collaboratively by table to explore 2 architects each (1 female, 1 male) in order to present their findings in a PowerPoint or slide show to the class. This exploration is in preparation for the cross-curriculum Tiny Houses unit.
Seventh graders learned about Talavera tile designs, which were introduced to Mexico by the Spanish in the colonial period. Known as “Majolica” in Spain, Mexican Talavera takes it’s name from the 16th century Spanish pottery center, Talavera de la Reina. Each student has created a square design in linoleum, which when rotated and printed 4 times, creates a new design.
Eighth graders are working on creating Dream Catchers. In Native American culture (particularly the Ojibwa and Lakota tribes), a Dream Catcher filters a person’s dreams, keeping bad ones out, and allowing good ones in through the central hole in the spider web like design.

Seventh grade Fine Arts Elective students are studying the human skull, and drawing it from plastic models. Did you know that the human skull contains 22 bones? 8 cranial bones and 14 facial  skeletal bones.
Fifth grade Elective students are working on monster/animal pillows, having learned how to sew the running stitch, back stitch, and blanket stitch.