6th Grade- Henna Hand Zentangles

Our first project will take us halfway around the world to an ancient tradition practiced for over 5000 years. You will create a henna design on a hand using the zentangle method and then color your design using crayons or colored pencils. Zentangles and henna designs will create awesome patterns and textures in your artwork.

Check out this link about henna --> http://www.art-is-fun.com/henna-hand-designs
Here are two links on zentangles --> https://www.zentangle.com/   http://tanglepatterns.com/

Origin of Henna

The art of henna (called mehndi in Hindi & Urdu) has been practiced for over  5000 years in Pakistan, India, Africa and the Middle East. There is some documentation that it is over 9000 years old.  Because henna has natural cooling properties, people of the desert, for centuries, have been using henna to cool down their bodies.  They make a paste of henna and soak their palms and soles of the feet in it to get an air conditioning affect.  They feel its cooling sensation throughout the body for as long as the henna stain remains on their skin.  Initially, as the stain faded away, it left patterns on the skin surface which led to ideas to make designs for decorative purposes.  In the ancient Egyptian times mummies wore henna designs and it is documented that Cleopatra herself used henna for decorative purposes.

Henna was not only a popular adornment for the rich but the poor, who could not afford jewelry, used it to decorate their bodies as well.

Henna in the West

Today people all over the world have adopted the ancient traditions of adorning their bodies with the beautiful natural artwork created from the henna plant.  It became a very popular form of temporary body decoration  in the 90's in the US and has become a growing trend ever since.  Celebrities like Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Yasmine Bleeth, Liv Tyler, Xena, and many others proudly adorn their bodies with henna and show them off in public, movies, videos, etc. People throughout the west have adopted the eastern tradition in their lives by having their hands and feet painted for weddings, bellies painted while in pregnancy, heads adorned with henna while going through chemotherapy, scars camouflaged to make them unnoticeable, etc.

DIRECTIONS:

STEP 1: TRACE YOUR HAND, PUT YOUR HAND TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE PAGE SO YOU CAN HAVE SOME OF YOUR WRIST TO DRAW ON.

STEP 2: CHOOSE A TRADITIONAL OR ZENTANGLE STYLE HENNA HAND DESIGN.

STEP 3: CREATE YOUR DESIGN IN YOUR HAND. USE THE WEBSITES PROVIDED ABOVE TO HELP WITH YOUR DESIGNS.

ZENTANGLE HAND

TRADITIONAL HAND

AR Standards: CR2.6.1 R8.6.1 R9.6.1 CN10.6.1 

6th-Zombie Hands

 Our next project is a project for Halloween! Trace your hand and turn it into a zombie hand!

Take a look at the directions and examples below. 

There are also a couple links to click on for some inspiration. 

Zombie Hands

Hand Skeletal Structure

8th- Blood and Bones

Students will look at reproductions of anatomical illustrations to inspire these gruesome masterpieces. Careful observation are encouraged in order to retain realistic accuracy of the structure of the bones and organs. We will employ a variety of techniques to create a vintage “antique” feel to our drawings, including painting a sepia toned background and using chalk pastels for hints of muted color. Final touches include creating a wire frame around our drawings, and adding optional “blood” splatters. 

This project is from Mrs. Amsler's ArtRoom

https://amslerartroom.wordpress.com/student-work/blood-and-bones/

"Memento Mori"

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/m/memento-mori

“Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning ‘remember you must die’. A basic memento mori painting would be a portrait with a skull but other symbols commonly found are hour glasses or clocks, extinguished or guttering candles, fruit, and flowers.

Closely related to the Memento Mori picture is the Vanitas still life. In addition to the symbols of mortality these may include other symbols such as musical instruments, wine, and books to remind us explicitly of the vanity of worldly pleasures and goods.

The Vanitas and Memento Mori picture became popular in the seventeenth century, in a religious age when almost everyone believed that life on earth was merely a preparation for an afterlife.”

Take a look at the slideshow link below for the intro

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1yOV4SLX8N6rN9q45FFb4j8G4MmJ0rijc_xyrKNP46JI/edit#slide=id.p

After looking at the introduction, begin working on your preliminary drawings. You can refer to the two links below for reference images.

Skeletons

Spooky Objects

7th- Illuminated Letters

Our next project examines the art of Illuminations. 

Look at the slide show to learn about illuminated letters.

After looking at the slideshow,

 create an illuminated letter using the first letter of your last name.

Use the square piece of paper provided.

Illuminated Letters Introduction from traciecampbell

There are two different approaches to completing your illuminated letter project.

The top piece is more of a traditional approach to the illumination and the bottom piece is a more modern approach. Both pieces are inspired by items that I like and can relate to. You should do the same. 

Using the square piece of paper required, draw your letter first and then add details and embellishments to your design.

7th AR Standards: R7.7.1 R7.7.2 CN10.7.1 

5th/6th- Art Introduction/ Artimus Prime/ Google Classroom

HELLO!

Welcome to Artimus Prime! This is where you will find all of your information to make it through middle school art this year. We will make many artworks throughout the year utilizing many different art methods and techniques. I hope that you enjoy my class and the challenge that being creative brings to you. Work hard and turn in your work to Artsonia on time and we will have a GREAT year!

Today we will discuss some art rules and procedures that will need to be followed everyday in class for everyone to be successful in the art room. 

Create a Name Tag

Your first project is to create a name tag for your box. Use bubble or block letters to write your name and fill the space with color. 

AR Standards 5th: P.4.5.1 P6.5.1 R7.5.2 CN11.5.1
AR Standards 6th: P4.6.1 P6.6.1 R7.6.2 CN11.6.1

6th- Digital Notan Study

 

Notan is a Japanese term which literally means "light dark harmony". Artists use "notan studies" to explore different arrangements of light and dark elements in a painting, without having the distraction of other elements like color, texture and finer details.

Click here to read more about Notan

ART Terms for this Project:

Asymmetrical balance (or Asymmetry) means that the two halves of the work of art are different, however, try to create balance. In other words, although the sides may not be exactly the same, there will be elements that interact in a way that makes each side equally important.

Contrast is simply defined as difference. Difference between art elements like color, value, size, texture, and so on can intensify the elements used. As a result, the elements used in a work of art can become more powerful. Although contrast is closely related with variety, it is usually considered a principle of art.

Positive space refers to the subject or areas of interest in an artwork, such as a person's face or figure in a portrait, the objects in a still life painting, or the trees in a landscape painting. Negative space is the background or the area that surrounds the subject of the work

DIRECTIONS:

For this project you will be creating 2 digital notans. 

You must use shapes that you create from the scribble, polyline, or curve tool. It must be complex and contain overlapping shapes. 

Take a look at the link below to check out a Google slideshow with info and video tutorials to get you started. 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Q69dWyfCVWNL5HebvdDX6SWYBt1Y36xUmmNorGEGWSM/edit?usp=sharing

7th- Mixed Media Bones/ Positive and Negative Space

 

Our next project is inspired by Halloween and our art room guest, Napoleon Bonaparte.

You will be using oil pastel to recreate a portion of a skeleton. You will use the oil pastel to create value and depth for your bones. After you finish your drawing, you will paint the piece with watercolor. 

Positive and Negative Space

INSTRUCTIONS

DAY 1

Practice drawing positive and negative spaces by using the grid method on the provided worksheet. This is a simplified version of a skeleton. Today you are focused on getting the correct shapes. Check out the rubric for guidance on how to get full credit. 

DAY 2-5

You will choose what drawing you would like to complete for your final and begin work on that today, and continue throughout the next few days.

1. Enlarge your drawing onto the 9x9 paper using the grid method.

2. Use your oils pastels to create shading and depth. 

3. Paint with watercolor.

All of these steps can be found in the video below.