RYAN, MICHAEL

7th Grade Art

In 7th Grade Art we... cover a variety of materials, mediums and artists to expand artistic exploration. 7th grade art acts as a gateway to the three art classes one student could take in 8th Grade. Each project is in service of bolstering artistic skills while also helping to expose students to mediums they may encounter in 8th grade.

• Students work to better understand color theory and how to apply it through the use of colored pencils and paint.
• Students work to understand techniques to help them to draw from observation, utilizing skills learned in 6th grade and augmenting these skills. 
• Students work to investigate mixed mediums within works of art.
• Students work to investigate craft arts and how to manipulate artworks crafted with fibers.
• Students work to investigate transferring information from 2D to 3D and learn sculptural techniques. 

Course Units

• Unit 1: Exploring and Applying Media
• Unit 2: Building Skill and Mixing Mediums
• Unit 3: Craft and Craftsmanship
• Unit 4: Exploring Dimension

 

3D Art

In 3D Art we... explore three-dimensional art creation in clay and other sculptural mediums. Students will learn how to craft objects that are both in relief and in the round. Utilizing a variety of materials, but primarily focusing on clay, students will have the opportunity to sculpt and craft objects that help them to better understand working in three dimensions. 

• Students work to apply the knowledge of color theory that they have learned in the last three years into a variety of sculptures.
• Students learn how to model objects in clay through a variety of techniques (slab, coil, pinch pot, and carving). 
• Students learn how to craft objects through process-based decision-making. 
• Students investigate other sculptural materials, including recycled materials. 

Course Units

• Unit 1: Basic Building Blocks
• Unit 2: Craftsmanship and Technique: Building Skill
• Unit 3: Dimensional Exploration
• Unit 4: Form, Function, and Synthesized Creation

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Unit 1: Intro to 3D (Basic Building Blocks)

In this unit, students will be learning the basics of working dimensionally through working in low relief, better understanding the elements and principles of art and how they relate to form based artwork, and developing craftsmanship in dimension.

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Visual Art Practices: 

Developing a respect for tools and materials:

In developing an understanding for the classroom environment and rules and through better understanding technique and process, students learn to better respect and care for the tools and materials allowing them to better work collaboratively, take risks, and assess their process of working.

Developing Craftsmanship:

In developing an understanding for material and working over time, students will be able to better develop craftsmanship in their work and working habits. Through working to critique their work, the work of others, and that of master artists, students will better understand what well crafted objects look like. Through working with materials over time students will develop a better sense of that craft. 

Understanding and interpreting artists work:

Using art history as an inroad into lessons, students will work to better understand and interpret the work of other artists which will act not only as a way to give inspiration and help students to better understand the projects at hand but also to develop craftsmanship and work to critique. 

Critique methodologies:

Students will utilize critique in the work of master artists which will help them to critique their own work and the work of their peers. Through self reflection exercises, students will better hone their own self reflection strategies.

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Unit 2: Craftsmanship and Technique (Building Skill)

In this unit, students will work to further development and hone their craftsmanship while working three dimensionally and creating objects that are both aesthetically designed and functional.

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Visual Art Practices: 

Exploration of Technique

In working further within the medium of clay, students will be exposed to different techniques and building methods that will reference earlier techniques and expand upon them. Students will have the opportunity to use what they have learned and go further with it.

Honing Craftsmanship:

Students will continue to work to develop their craftsmanship as they continue to work in the medium of clay. Through experiments, small practice projects and larger clay projects, students will gain an appreciation of working with clay and a better understanding of how to clean, refine, and make objects look more polished. This advancement of craftsmanship is commonplace in all art mediums.

Combining Methods of Working:

In developing skill, technique, and craft, students will also better understand how techniques can be combined to create a desired result that may not be available with one technique alone. This will further not only their visual vocabulary but their creative thinking.

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Unit 3: Dimensional Exploration

This unit will push students to synthesize their knowledge of working in three dimensions to create artworks that are inspired by observation and are based in and draw inspiration from life. 

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Visual Art Practices: 

Develop Observational Skills

In this unit, students will better develop their observational skills as they work from reference to craft their projects. References may include photographs or real life objects which they will use as inspiration and a driving force in the creation of work in this unit.

Transferring Information from two- to three-dimensions:

Students will synthesize the skills that they have learned while learning to work with sculptural materials in their initial projects and work to craft more dimensional creations based off of reference and taken from life. Students will work to transfer information from two- to three- dimensions, crafting artwork that will require an attention to detail and an experimentation to mimic and portray dimension accurately. 

Justify Artistic Choices:

While students have worked to craft objects and justify choices prior to this unit, here, students will need to not only justify but also defend the choices they have made as they work to craft their artworks and in their artist statements, reflections, and critiques. 

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Unit 4: Form, Function, and Synthesis

In this culminating unit of the course, students will utilize the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout the course to craft a final project that involves a multitude if not all of the technical building techniques they have learned. This unit will utilize the term form and function as a jumping off point for students, either creating something functional with decorative form or utilizing previous functional items to create something with interesting form.

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Visual Art Practices: 

Self Directed Inquiry and Exploration

Student inquiry and exploration on this project will be without as much aid of the initial units guiding hand from the teacher. While the teacher will always be there to help and to mentor during the process, with the parameters and expectations set, the teacher will work to conference more and lead less as students leave the creative nest so to speak.

Investigating Form and Function 

As craftspeople, artists often must marry form and function together to ensure that something is both usable and aesthetically pleasing. Students will investigate this marriage through the duration of the unit as they examine examples and the work of other artists and as they work to create and craft themselves.

Synthesizing process start to finish

As a culminating unit, students will work to synthesize and actualize their project on multiple fronts. From initial sketches and questions, to building, to check in mid-process, to artist statements and final reflections, students will utilize their robust experience to both cerebrally and creatively express themselves.

 

Studio Art

In Studio Art we... explore a broad overview and application of two-dimensional mediums, utilizing artist and art history as inspiration and inroads into study. Students will learn the skills and techniques of various mediums as well as the foundations of the art making process, from the elements and principles to color theory, these tenants will carry them through the course. Through a curriculum that progresses with each of the newly learned skills, students will take foundational artistic experiences and transition them to final works of art. 

• Students work to apply the knowledge of color theory that they have learned in the last three years into a variety of projects.
• Students investigate the relationship between value and color, and how each of these along with the other elements of art can build form. 
• Students learn how to craft objects through process-based decision-making. 
• Students investigate a variety of two-dimensional mediums. 

Course Units

• Unit 1: Introduction and Interplay: Elements, Principles, and Materials
• Unit 2: Surface Application and Mixed Media
• Unit 3: Portraiture and Drawing from Life
• Unit 4: Layering and Building Form

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Unit 1: Intro and Interplay: Elements, Principles, and Materials

In this unit, students will explore the elements and principles of art and design and utilize a variety of materials in the creation of projects which will act as basic building blocks while giving room for experimentation.

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Visual Art Practices: 

Developing a respect for tools and materials:

In developing an understanding for the classroom environment and rules and through better understanding technique and process, students learn to better respect and care for the tools and materials allowing them to better work collaboratively, take risks, and assess their process of working.

Developing craftsmanship:

In developing an understanding for material and tools and working over time, students will be able to better develop craftsmanship in their work and working habits. Through working to critique their work, the work of others, and that of master artists, students will better understand what well crafted objects look like. 

Taking risks

Part of the artistic process involves a healthy amount of risk taking. In initial class experiments in this unit and beyond, students will have the opportunity to practice and explore so that the risks they take can be informed and feel well grounded. 

Understanding and interpreting artists work:

Using art history as an inroad into lessons, students will work to better understand and interpret the work of other artists which will act not only as a way to give inspiration and help students to better understand the projects at hand but also to develop craftsmanship and work to critique. 

Developing critique methodologies:

Students will begin to utilize critique methodologies for the work of master artists which will help them to better understand critique as it relates to their work and the work of their peers.  Self reflection exercises, teacher conference check ins, and peer to peer and class discussion will develop this skill.

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Unit 2: Surface Application and Mixed Media

In this unit, students will work to explore the use of mixed media on a surface and how to craft artworks utilizing compositional elements while exploring found subject matter.

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Visual Art Practices: 

Experimenting with materials:

Experimenting with materials and tools is an important step in the process of making art. Through working and practicing with media, more skill can be built and therefore more confidence when it comes to working with materials, some new and some tried and true.

Mixing media to create artwork:

The creation of mixed media or multimedia artworks allows for a greater range of expression and visual complexity. A mixed media artwork will allow students to incorporate texture and balance into their work and give them an opportunity to more succinctly plan and justify their motives. 

Utilizing visual resources and artistic license:

Utilizing reference and visual resources is a part of being an artist, however not directly copying from imagery that isn’t yours or “free use” is problematic. Finding reference is important as an artist but working to change or alter it in a way that is yours, utilizing your artistic license, is an important ethical skill to develop.

Evaluate, challenge and justify work:

In progressing with the coursework, students will need to be able to evaluate their work, challenge where it is at or the direction it is going in, and justify those choices. These steps may be done mentally, orally, or in a written format allowing for a better sense of the progression of the work.

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Unit 3: Portraiture and Drawing from Life

In this unit, students will work to explore making their work more dimensional through a variety of methods and exploratory exercises.

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Visual Art Practices: 

Creating Dimension with Value:

The ability to create dimension by utilizing value is an important step in learning to craft more realistic artworks. Along with working with highlights and shadows, effectively creating dimension with value means working to blend effectively.  

Develop and Plan:

Working to plan an idea, whether it is straight-forward or theme based, allows students to be able to chart the course in their creative process. While planning has been a part of past units, in this unit, students will be stepping into their own more and taking given information and utilizing it to move forward in a meaningful way.

Utilize Choice/self direct:

Whether it is the choice of subject matter, theme of the project, or medium to use, student choice and self direction is an important part of students' development into confident artists. Students will be presented with a broad array of choices in this unit and their will be more opportunity for choice than there previously has been.

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Unit 4: Layering and Building Form

In this unit, students will work to explore portraiture and drawing from life while exploring different ways to build value and form through mark making.

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Visual Art Practices: 

Drawing from Life:

Drawing from life, or photographs from life is an important part of artistic development. Rather than drawing what is thought to be there, artists must work to examine and have a visual dialog with the object they are drawing as they draw it. This is an invaluable skill to have. 

Building form and value:

Building value in an image is typically done through a smooth continuous shading. This also helps to establish form and give dimension in a work of art. Building form can be achieved in manners other than a smooth continuous tone, but one thing that will remain constant to establish form is the accurate distribution of value. 

Create studies/ croques/ small sketches:

Small studies and sketches are an important part of developing ideas and compositions for larger images. Small sketches allow artists to work out logistical elements of a piece prior to spending too much time within the piece itself. This is an invaluable practice to take part in. 

Evaluate and alter course while working:

The ability to critically reflect on work as it is being produced and work to alter the course is an important step for all artists. Stepping back, seeking feedback, and examining the work at many critical junctures can assist in charting a successful course throughout the project.