Big Art Book: A One Semester Curriculum For Grades 6,7,8 and 9

Big Art Book
A one semester curriculum for grades 6,7,8 and 9
Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle

feelings.
Agnes Martin
20th century American artist
Table of Contents
Sixth Grade Art Eighth Grade Art:
Syllabus Syllabus
Paleolithic Cave Art Three Color Design Squares
Edible Color Wheel Cut Paper Figures
Egyptian Tomb Painting Self Portrait
Greek Architecture Picture Frame Still Life Value Drawing
Roman Mosaic One Point Perspective Hallway Drawing
Medieval Bestiary Tessellation Ceramic Figure
Van Gogh Self Portrait Research Project on a Women Artist
Picasso Collage Animal Relief Print
West African Textile Paper Weaving Trompe L’oeil
Japanese Collage and Plant Drawing
Mexican Amate Painting
Northwest Coast Indian Totem Mask
Art Style Report
Seventh Grade Art Art I:
Syllabus Syllabus
Backpack Drawing using Line Drawing Assessment: Drawing a Chair
Black and White Composition Squares Blind Contour/Contour Hand
Positive and Negative Space Project Negative Space Drawing
Apple Painting Profile Portrait
Still Life Value Drawing Back view- portrait of head of hair
Self portrait Self Portrait
Clay Bowl Positive/Negative Letter
Research Project on a Women Artist Bilaterally Symmetrical Collage
Animal Mask Asymmetrical Collage
Original Logo and Graphic Design Monochromatic Painting
Paper Insect Sculpture Creative Color Wheel
Relief Print Greeting Card Complementary Color Painting
Art Career Presentation Season Painting
Poem Painting Research Project on a Contemporary Artist
6th Grade Art Syllabus
The goal of this course is to:

 Introduce students to artists of the past and present
 Teach students to draw more realistically, and to plan for good design
 Help students to discover careers that use art
 To help students learn to “read” and understand pictures
 Introduce students to many kinds of art materials
Class Rules:
 Treat yourself and others with respect

 Be in class on time and prepared
 Participate in all class activities
 Respect school property and others' belongings
 No food, drink or gum
Grade Weights
40% Class Participation

40% Major Tests and Projects
20% Daily Grades (homework, journals, quizzes)
Participation Grade Rubric:
A- Student participates actively in class all of the time, and follows all directions
B- Student participates actively in class when called on, and follows directions most
of the time
C- Student participates in class occasionally, and follows some directions.
D- Student does not participate in class and often does not follow directions
F- Student does not participate, or follow instructions, and is often disruptive.

Cave Art
Vocabulary:
Lascaux Cave- cave in France
where many cave paintings have
been found
Altamira Cave- cave in northern
Spain where many cave paintings
have been found
Paleolithic Period- the time in
early human history when
humans lived in groups, hunting
Example from St. John’s Lower School- Houston TX for food using stone tools
Why are we doing this?

We will learn about the earliest known artists, and how and why they made their artwork.
We will explore what it feels like to draw an animal from memory. We will use color
and texture to create an artwork that looks like it is made in a cave.
How do I know if I have done a good job?

Your animal will fill the space. You will use dark and light colors on your animal to
create contrast. You will fill your background with texture to create depth. Your animal
will have a feeling of movement.
Grading:
A- Your project is clean and neat, your animal is detailed and has a feeling of
movement, you have good highlights and shadows on the animals. Your
background is full of texture.
B- Your project is clean and neat, your animal is detailed, you have some highlights
and shadows on the animals. Your background uses some texture.
C- Your project is not very neat. Your animal is simple and flat looking, your
background uses little or no texture
D- Project is incomplete or does not follow directions.
Instructions:
Day 1
 After you have been given some background information on cave paintings, I will
hand out some plastic animals.
 You will closely observe your animal, and try to remember as much detail about
your animal as you can.
 You will be given a large piece of paper, which you will first crumple to create
texture, then smooth out.
 I will hand out cups of black paint, and some brushes to paint with.
 Paint your animal so that it nearly fills the page. When you finish the main
animal, you may add smaller animals in the background.
Day 2
 You will choose a couple of crayons in colors that will help create a rock-like
surface.
 You will use the texture of the walls, and the other texture objects provided for
you to add texture to your background
 After you have finished the background you will use the pastel chalks to add
highlights to your animal
Going Further:
The caves in Europe are not the only places in the world where prehistoric art has been
found. Use Nettrekker to look online for prehistoric art from Africa, Asia, the Middle
East, and the Americas.
Edible Color Wheel
Vocabulary:
Primary Color- red, yellow, blue
cannot be made by mixing
Secondary Color- green, orange,
and violet, mixes of the primary
colors
Tertiary Color- yellow-green,
blue-green, blue-violet, red-violet,
red-orange, yellow-orange; mixes
of a primary and secondary color
Neutral Grey- the mix of all three
primary colors
Tint- a color mixed with white
Shade- a color mixed with black

We are making a color wheel so you can practice mixing colors, and to help you
understand how the colors are related to each other. We are working in groups to become
better at solving problems in a team

Your color wheel will have all of the colors in the proper order. They will be mixed well
and not streaky. You will have a set of four tints of one color, with even steps between.
Your group will work well together without assistance from the teacher. You will not eat
your color wheel before it has been graded. You will clean your area completely.
Grading:
This project is a daily grade, you will receive full credit as a group for completing
it correctly, a 75 if you do not follow all instructions, and a 0 if you are disruptive or do
not complete the project
Instructions:
1. Each group will receive 16 cookies, 13 for their color wheel and three for a range
of tints.
2. You will also receive some white icing.
3. Divide your icing into four piles, three the same size and one slightly smaller
4. I will come around and put red, yellow and blue food coloring on your three icing
piles
5. Mix the color into the icing until it is smooth, with no streaks
6. Plan carefully, first, you will need to ice one cookie with each primary color
7. Second, mix some of the red and some of the yellow together, and ice your
orange cookie, leaving enough orange icing left over to mix the yellow and
orange for yellow-orange, and the red and orange for red-orange.
8. Follow the same procedure to mix the other colors
9. Hopefully you still have some icing left over to mix a neutral grey
10. Choose a color that you have left over, and mix it with different amounts of white
to make your three tinted cookies. They should look like this:
Clean up all of the icing and trash at your table. Then call me over
to grade your project.
You may eat your cookies after your project is graded and
everything is cleaned up.
Do not make yourself sick by eating too many cookies!

Egyptian Drawing
Vocabulary:
Hieroglyphic- Egyptian symbol writing,
where each picture represents a syllable

We are making a drawing in the style of the ancient Egyptian tomb paintings to represent
the things that are important in our daily lives. We are practicing drawing someone in
profile, and using color.

Your people will show the correct proportions. It will fill the page. It will have a
background that is interesting as well as hieroglyphics along the top and bottom.
Grading:
A- People are correctly proportioned and follow the rules for Egyptian painting.
Choice of scene is interesting and creative. Your background is interesting and
adds to the overall composition
B- People are correctly proportioned and follow the rules for Egyptian painting.
Your background adds to the overall composition
C- People are incorrectly proportioned or don’t always follow the rules for Egyptian
painting. . Your background seems incomplete
D- Project is incomplete
Instructions:
Begin by making sketches of several different ideas. Your subject should be a scene
from everyday life that is important to you. It must contain at least two people.
Once the teacher has approved your sketch, begin drawing it on the papyrus in pencil.
You will then go over your outlines in Sharpie marker.
When you are finished with the marker, you will add color with tempera paint. Use
bright colors, white for clothing, brown, black, for hair and skin, and blue, green and red.
Guidelines for Egyptian Figures:
The Egyptians believed the pictures painted in their tombs would help them have
everything they needed to be happy in the afterlife. It was important that they show all
the parts of the body, so that nothing would be missing in the afterlife.
Head- in profile
Eyes- front view
Feet- side view
Torso- Front view
Legs- side view
Make sure to show both arms and both legs
Tomb of Sennedjem, Thebes, ca 1200 BC. This painting shows people plowing a field,
and date palm trees, which would be an important food
Going Further:
Write a short story about someone 1000 years in the future finding the city of Dallas.
What would they think about our world? What might they not understand? What might
still be the same?
Greek Architecture
Picture Frame
Vocabulary:
Ceramic- any object made out of fired

clay
Slab- a flat piece of clay with even thickness
Drape Mold- a bowl, or other shape that clay is laid into to create its shape
Greenware- clay objects that have not been fired
Leather Hard- clay too dry to be worked
Bone Dry- clay dry enough to be fired
Underglaze- color that is put on the clay before it is fired
Kiln- the large electric oven that is used for firing clay
Bisque- clay that has been fired, but not glazed
Glaze- the shiny final coat that is applied to bisque then fired to a glass-like
finish

We are making a picture frame that represents the parts of traditional Greek architecture.
By learning about the Greek style, we can see how it has influenced many buildings
around us

The edges and surface of your frame will be smooth and free from cracks. Your frame
will be an even thickness, without thin edges. Your frame will have a design that is
interesting, with good detail. It will show all of the parts of a column, pediment,
entablature and frieze.
Grading:
A- Frame has no cracks, has even thickness, attractive design that is original and
creative with good detail, all of the parts are in place, work area was cleaned well
and student used all materials properly
B- Frame is almost as above, with minor flaws, design is strong, but not original,
work area was cleaned only after reminders
C- Frame has cracks or thin edges, or is overly thick and heavy. Design is minimal,
work area was left messy
D- Frame is incomplete
When you get your clay, use a rolling pin to flatten it. Roll in
both directions, and don’t let the rolling pin run off the edge, so
that the edges do not become too thin.
Your clay should be smooth with an even thickness.
Cut a “house” shape out of the clay, do not make the roof too
steep, it should be wider than it is tall.
Cut a rectangle out of the center of the house shape, leaving

enough frame around the sides to add detail
Add strips of clay to the bottom edge to make steps. Be sure to

score and slip all of your pieces
Add more strips of clay to make columns, including a base,

pediment and capital on each column.
Add clay to create the pediment, entablature and cornice.
Use a carving tool to add any small details
Make sure you clean up your area, and cover your work well with a damp towel so that it
does not dry too much overnight.
Going Further:
Look around the city for examples of buildings that use Greek architecture. Two types of
buildings that often have a Greek style are government buildings, and university
buildings. What do you know about the Greeks that might help explain why architects
have chosen a Greek style for these types of buildings?
Roman Mosaic
Vocabulary:
Mosaic- a picture created by using small

pieces of tile or stone to create an image
Roman Empire: At its height, the Roman

Empire stretched across North Africa, the
Middle East and most of Europe

We are making a mosaic representing a sport or a game to practice planning out and
creating a design and to practice using a variety of color. We will be able to better
understand the life and culture in ancient Rome, and some of the important parts of their
culture.

Your mosaic will be detailed and be interesting to look at. The tiles will be neatly cut
and have a rich variety of color. Your cutting and gluing will be neat.
Grading:
A- Your mosaic is interesting and creative, it has a good balance of subject and
background, the squares are neatly cut and glued
B- Your mosaic is interesting, it has an acceptable balance of subject and
background, the squares are neatly cut and glued
C- Your mosaic is simple or the picture is unclear, it has a poor balance of subject
and background, the squares are not neatly cut and glued
D- Mosaic is incomplete, or does not follow directions
Instructions:
Your black paper has been cut for you. You are working on a fairly small piece of paper,
because it will take time to glue down all of your tiles. You will make a sketch of your
design, and then color it with little blocks of color before you begin.
Once your design has been approved by me, you will choose old magazines and cut solid
blocks of color for your tiles.
You may NOT use any tile that has a visible picture on it (like an eye) only blocks of
color and texture.
Start gluing as you go, otherwise, you will be likely to lose your pieces
Going Further:
There is a section of a stone mosaic at the Dallas Museum of Art, be sure to look
for it, the next time you are there. There is also a contemporary mosaic outside the
museum. See if you can spot it. Where else have you seen a mosaic?
Medieval Beastiery Tesselation

Vocabulary:
Medieval Period- the time period in
Western Europe after the fall of the
Roman Empire
Bestiary- A book filled with animals
and monsters
Tessellation-A pattern of repeating
shapes that fit together

We are doing this to learn about the middle ages, or medieval period. We are using
repeated shapes to practice creating a pattern, we will also learn about the artist M.C.
Escher.

Your tessellation will line up correctly. Your design will be detailed, but easy to see,
with good contrast. Your faces will each be different. Your color scheme will create an
overall pattern.
Grading:
A- Tessellation with lots of detail in the lines and the colors, shapes are interesting,
all of the pieces line up together and work is very neat
B- Tessellation with some detail in the lines and the colors, shapes are simple, all of
the pieces line up together and work is neat
C- Tessellation with very little detail in the lines and the colors, shapes are too
simple, all of the pieces do not line up together and work is messy
D- Drawing is incomplete
Tessellation
Day 1-
You will be given a rhombus, or two triangles together. On each side of one of the
triangles, you will draw half of a face
Once you have your three half-faces drawn, you will carefully fold over your triangle,
and rub on the back to transfer the pencil to the other side
When you can see your pencil lines well enough, you will trace over them.
DAY 2-
You will trace over your rhombus three times on the hexagon that is provided for you.
Draw very carefully, so that your design will look exactly right when it is finished
Day 3-
You will cut out your hexagons and arrange them so that they all fit together (Look at the
example on the board if you are unsure. One of your copies will need to be cut apart to
go around the edges.
Once all of your pieces are glued together, you may begin coloring.
Day 4-
Continue coloring
Going Further:
Look for other examples of M.C. Escher’s tessellations, and try your own design based
on another of his artworks.
An example of the same kind of tessellation by M.C. Escher

Van Gogh Self Portrait
Vocabulary:
Warm Colors- red, orange and yellow, and the
colors in between them on the color wheel, and the
tints and shades of those colors
Cool Colors- green, blue and violet and the colors
in between them on the color wheel, and the tints
and shades of those colors

We are making a self portrait to learn the proportions of the
face, to work on drawing from life, and to learn about the style of Vincent Van Gogh, and
create a portrait using lots of color

Your portrait will show the correct proportions. It will look like you. It will use strokes
of many different colors which will blend together from a distance, to look natural. It will
fill the page. It will have a background that is interesting but does not distract from your
face. It will follow the color scheme that Van Gogh used, a face with highlights in
orange, yellow and green coming out of a dark blue background.
Grading:
A- Portrait looks a lot like you, people recognize it from the picture, your color
scheme is correct, your portrait fills the space, your background is interesting and
B- Portrait shows correct proportions, even if it doesn’t look quite like you, color
scheme is correct, has a background, but portrait may be a little small
C- Proportions are incorrect, background is carelessly done, color scheme is not
correct, portrait does not fill the page
D- Portrait is incomplete
Instructions:
You will start by making a sketch of yourself in the mirror.
Once you have a good pencil sketch, you will add strokes of color using crayon.
Remember we should see your crayon strokes; you will use colors next to each other to
show highlights and shadows on the face.
Step back from your drawing now and then to see what you need to add.
Head is an oval or egg shape
Hair ½ way between eyes and top of head
Eyes ½ way down the head!
Nose ½ way between eyes and chin
Mouth 1/3 to ½ between nose and

chin, corner of mouth even with
pupils
Neck comes
down from
ears
Self Portrait Vincent Van Gogh

Picasso Portrait
Vocabulary:
Warm Colors- red, orange and yellow, and the colors
in between them on the color wheel, and the tints and
shades of those colors
Cool Colors- green, blue and violet and the colors in
between them on the color wheel, and the tints and
shades of those colors

We are making a portrait to learn the proportions of the face, to work on drawing from a
photo, and to learn about the style of Pablo Picasso, and create a collage using collage

Your portrait will show the correct proportions. It will look like the person. It will use
warm colors in the face, and cool colors in the background. It will fill the page. It will
have a background that is interesting but does not distract from your face. It will use
collaged paper to add interest and texture
Grading:
A- Portrait looks a lot like you, people recognize it from the picture, your color
scheme is correct, your portrait fills the space, your background is interesting and
B- Portrait shows correct proportions, even if it doesn’t look quite like your subject,
color scheme is correct, has a background, but portrait may be a little small
Instructions:
You will start by bringing in a photo of a family member or friend.
Once you have a good pencil sketch, you will go over your sketch and divide it into
pieces, then cut apart your sketch to use the pieces as patterns to cut your construction
paper pieces.
All of your construction paper pieces will go on a black background. Leave a little space
between the pieces so that the black shows through.
You may use newspaper or wrappers for some of your collage pieces to add more texture
Pablo Picasso (Spain 1881-1973 Girl before a Mirror

Going Further:
A lot of people ask “why did Picasso paint like that?” Do you think Picasso knew how to
paint in a traditional style or not? Look for more of his work using Nettrekker and find
out the answer.


Neck comes chin, corner of mouth even with
down from pupils
ears
Painting by Chuck Close

West African Weaving
Vocabulary:
Textile- fabric
Weaving- a process for making cloth where threads are stung
on a loom, and yarn is worked through them in a pattern,
running over one thread and under the next
Kente Cloth- cloth made by weaving long strips of fabric
and sewing them together, made by the Ashanti people of
Ghana

We are making a paper weaving representing an African Animal to practice planning out
and creating a design and to practice using a variety of color. We will be able to better
understand the life and culture in a West African tribe, and some of the important parts of
their culture.

Your weaving will be detailed and be interesting to look at. The paper strips will be
neatly cut and have a rich variety of color and texture. Your design will be interesting to
look at.
Grading:
A- Your weaving is interesting and creative, it has a good balance of subject and
background, the strips are neatly cut and woven
B- Your weaving is interesting, it has an acceptable balance of subject and
background, the strips are neatly cut and woven
C- Your weaving is simple or the picture is unclear, it has a poor balance of subject
and background, the strips are not neatly cut and woven
D- Weaving is incomplete, or does not follow directions
Instructions:
Make a sketch of your design. Include an African animal and patterns in the background.
Have your design approved, and then trace your design on another piece of paper
You will color both of your designs, so that the picture is the same in both, but uses
different colors and patterns
Make sure that the colors are similar on the two drawings, but not the same.
Cut both designs into strips as is shown below, then weave the two drawings together
Kente Cloth Symbols:
Chameleon- patience and trickery butterfly- hard work Parrot- healing
sieve music instrument pineapple comb
Map
Kente cloth is only worn during

important ceremonies or festivals.
Kente cloth is not for ordinary
clothing. It tells stories and represents
the history, ideas and religious beliefs
of the Ghanaian people, and shows
what they see as beautiful. Kente
cloth is hand-woven on a loom. Large
pieces of cloth are made by sewing
together four inch strips of woven
material.
http://www.virtualexplorers.org/ghana/kente.htm
Going Further:
Weaving is found in many cultures. Go to the website for the Cloisters, which is
a part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and look at the Unicorn
Tapestries. These are another example of weaving. How are they similar to the African
weaving? How are they different?
Japanese Style Plant
Drawing and Collage
Vocabulary:
Contour Drawing- an outline drawing
Unity- a feeling that everything fits together
visually
Variety-Combining different objects together to
add interest
Kimono- A traditional Japanese robe with several
layers
Obi- the piece of cloth that fastens the kimono
around the waist

We are making a drawing of a plant to practice contour drawing from real objects; we are
collageing the plant with a scene of a traditional Japanese woman to practice combining
patterns to create unity and variety.

Your plant will have natural looking shapes and contours. It will be colored brightly
enough to stand out. Your Japanese figure will look traditional. Your figure will be
dressed in a number of different patterns that fit together well, but add interest
Grading:
A- Plant drawing is technically strong, figure is well drawn, collage elements are
very neat, background adds to the composition
B- Plant drawing is fairly well drawn, figure is mostly in proportion, collage
elements are neat, background is plain
C- Plant drawing is weak or careless, figure is out of proportion, collage elements are
not neat, no background
D- Project is incomplete
Instructions:
 You will start by drawing the plants in the still life at the front of the room.
Concentrate on just getting a good contour drawing. Color in your shapes with
colored pencil, then carefully cut out your plant.
 Using the provided images as a guide draw a traditional Japanese woman, and a
table with a vase that will fit your plants. Also draw a border around the edge of
your paper
 Use magazines to find textures and patterns that can be cut out to use for the
patterns on the kimono of your figure.
 Cut and glue the patterns to create the kimono
 Draw a simple background, and paint it with watercolor
 Add patterns to your border with fine point markers
 Glue the flowers onto your picture so they are sitting in the vase
Parts of a Kimono:
Mexican Amate Painting
Vocabulary:
Amate- a type of paper made from tree bark fibers in many parts of
Mexico
Paper pulp- fibers mixed with water that are pressed into paper

We are making our own paper to learn about traditional methods of papermaking, and to
learn a way of recycling paper. We are creating a painting of a family gathering to
practice painting an image from our imagination or memory.

Your paper will be made well and will not have holes. Your painting will be bright and
interesting with lots of detail.
Grading:
A- Your painting is interesting and creative, your paper is smooth and well made.
B- Your painting is interesting and neat, your paper is well made, with no holes.
C- Your painting is interesting, your paper is somewhat rough or has a small hole.
D- Painting is incomplete, or does not follow directions
Instructions:
Day 1:
You will work on your sketches at your table, while one table at a time comes up to the
counter to make their paper.
You will fill the blender about half full of water, then add torn pieces of recycled paper
towel.
Make sure the lid is on before starting the blender.
You will put the papermaking screen flat on the surface of the water in the pan, then
carefully pour the paper pulp into the screen.
Swirl it around a little, so that it evenly coats the bottom of your screen.
Lift the screen straight up out of the water so the paper does not shift.
Carefully undo the screen from the frame. Put the cloth over your paper, and carefully
peel the screen away, so your paper stays stuck to the cloth.
Day 2:
Now that your paper is dry you will draw your picture on your paper. When you have
your drawing completed you may begin to paint.
Day 3:
Outline all of your painted shapes with black marker to help them stand out better.
History:
Amate bark painting is a tradition in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Children have
learned it from their parents over the generations. Many of the painters are part of the
Nahua community, which is an indigenous community in Mexico. The paper is made by
hand from the bark of the Jonote tree. Paintings are of village scenes, including festivals
as well as every day life.
Painting by Carlos Maximo

Northwest Coast Indian Mask
Vocabulary:
Potlach- A celebration in the native American cultures of the Pacific
Northwest, where gifts are exchanged and feasts and rituals are celebrated

To practice planning an making a three dimensional object, and to use critical thinking
skills to plan out how to join three dimensional shapes together to make an original mask

Your mask will be shaped so that it could fit on your face. It will be three dimensional.
It will be well constructed and clean.
Grading:
A- Your project is clean and neat, your shapes are three dimensional. The mask is
sized and shaped to fit your face.
B- Your project is clean and neat, most of your shapes are three dimensional. Your
mask is sized and shaped to fit your face.
C- Your project shows some sloppiness in cutting and gluing. You have very little
that is three dimensional
Instructions:
You will make several sketches of your mask, showing a front and a side view. Once
your sketch has been approved you may cut out the two sides of your mask as it shows in
the diagram on the board. Draw the shapes and patterns on your mask first, then cut
construction paper shapes to match and glue them in place.
History:
Northwest Coast Indians used masks in a ceremony called the Potlatch. The ceremony
involves choreographed dances which take lots of skill and practice. These dances tell
many of the traditional stories of the tribes and help to carry on traditions.
The Northwest Coast Indians traditionally have decorated many of their everyday objects
and tools. Because of the cold climate, the people had time during the winter to spend
indoors and work on masks, baskets, totem poles and other artworks.
Important Animals:
The Raven is a trickster. He has magical powers and can often

create things just by imagining them. The Raven is also considered
to be a hero, for it was supposedly the Raven who discovered the
first human beings hiding inside a clamshell!
The Killer Whale is considered the best hunter of the sea, for it
hunts in packs. It is said that when fishermen injures a killer whale,
the canoe will capsize and the fisherman will sink down the
Village of the Whales where they will be transformed into whales
themselves.
Bears are considered to be uniquely human in nature. Bear masks

are usually smiling and bear images are used on gifts to signify
friendship.
The thunderbird and eagle are the most powerful of creatures.

The only thunderbird or eagle clans are those of high nobles
or chiefs. The thunderbird is said to flash lightning bolts out
of his eyes and cause thunder when he flaps his wings.
From Margaret Cumming’s essay “Northwest Coast Indian Masks”

Report on an Art Style

All semester we are studying art from different time periods and different parts of the
world. This report will give you a chance to learn more about the art from one particular
time and place.
We are also writing this report to learn good research skills, to learn how to organize our
thoughts on paper, and how to cite, or give credit to the sources we used to do our
research.

Your paper will be clear, and well organized. It will have an introductory
paragraph, the body of the paper will be arranged in paragraphs by topic, and it will have
a concluding paragraph. You will correctly cite your sources using the MLA format.
You will have at least two sources. Your paper will contain interesting and factual
information about your art style.
Grading:
A- Your paper is well written, clear and factual, it follows all of the guidelines for the
assignment and gives details about the art style. Your bibliography is correctly
formatted and you have more than two sources
B- Your paper is clear and factual, it follows all of the guidelines for the assignment.
Your bibliography is correctly formatted and you have at least two sources.
C- Your paper is factual. It follows most of the guidelines for the assignment. Your
bibliography contains all of the information though it may be incorrectly
formatted. You have two sources.
D- Your paper is incomplete, lacks a bibliography or contains information that is not
accurate. You have only one source.
No Credit- Any part of your paper has been plagiarized or deliberately falsified.
Assignment Guidelines:
Imagine you work at an art museum. The museum wants to put up new signs in each of
its galleries. Each gallery contains a different style of art, from a different time and
place. Your job is to make sure all of the information that a museum visitor would need
to know to understand the art in the room is on your sign.
You will be given an art style, along with a group of artworks that are in your gallery.
You will need to use the library and internet to find out about your artworks and the style
that they represent.
Your paper must be typed in Microsoft Word, using the default settings for font, size,
margins, etc.
Your paper will be between one and two pages, double spaced
You will have a bibliography in MLA format, using at least two sources, one of which
must be a print source. You will have an introduction and a concluding paragraph.
What is a bibliography?
A bibliography is a list of all the sources you used to write your paper, in
alphabetical order, with all the information someone else would need to find the same
source. The format we use is called MLA which stands for Modern Language
Association. You can use a website called citationmachine.net
Example of a bibliography entry:
Smith, Jane. Great Artists of the 20th Century. New York: Parker Press, 2002.
Assignment Timeline:
Day 1: Overview of research methods and MLA style in library
Day 2: Begin finding sources in library
Day 3 and 4: Note taking from sources
Day 5: Write thesis statement and outline paragraphs
Day 6 and 7: Writing rough draft of paper
Day 8: Revise paper
Day 9: Polish final draft
Day 10: Finish bibliography
7th Grade Art Syllabus
Ms. Tharp

 Introduce students to the history of art
 Improve students abilities in drawing and design
 Help students to develop awareness of career opportunities in the arts
 Increase visual literacy
 Allow students to experience a variety of art media
1st 6 Weeks:
Line and contour drawing
Composition and visual balance
Positive and Negative Space
Watercolor
Art Criticism
Value and shading
Charcoal drawing
The Elements of Art
2nd 6 Weeks:
Self Portraits
Architecture
Clay relief tiles
Masks
Artist Research project
Logos and Graphic Design
3rd 6 Weeks:
Poetry and Painting
Tempera painting
Printmaking
Careers in Art
Class Rules:


Grade Weights

of the time

Line
Vocabulary:
Contour Line- an outline
Blind Contour- a drawing made where

you do not look at your paper, only the
object you are drawing

Line is the most basic part of art, and a good place to begin. The blind contour drawing
will provide practice with hand eye coordination in your drawing. The finished piece
asks you to use critical thinking to choose line designs that will control the values on your
backpack.

Your backpack will fill the page. It will be detailed. The lines will show the natural
contours of the bag and not be too straight. Your bag will not sit on the bottom edge of
the paper. Your line designs will be neat and creative. You will use lines that are close
together for dark areas of the bag, and lines that are farther apart for dark areas.
Grading:
A- Good composition with lots of detail in the lines and the designs, carefully chosen
colors and designs in the background. Pencil lines are erased and work is very
neat
B- Good composition and detail but a more limited range of value. Good color and
design in the background, work is almost completely neat.
C- Composition is weak and backpack looks “stiff”, work is not neat, designs are
limited, background designs are not well thought out
TIPS:
• A contour line drawing is an outline drawing.
• It does not contain any shading
• A blind contour drawing is done by only looking at the object you are drawing,
and never at your paper.
• It is important not to pick up your pencil off the paper.
• This helps you practice making your pencil follow what your eyes see.
• It is ok if your drawing looks funny.
Backpack Drawing
Day 1
• 1- Do a blind contour drawing of your backpack on newsprint. Label it and turn it in.
• 2- On the good white paper, do a regular contour drawing of your backpack. Include as much
detail as you can, but do not shade anything in.
DAY 2-3
• Get out your drawing from yesterday and trace over all your lines with a fine point Sharpie
marker.
• On practice paper, draw all the different kinds of line designs you can think of. Then decide
which ones will be best for filling in areas you want to be darker, and which ones are best for
filling in areas you want to be lighter.
• Start filling in the different areas of your backpack with designs. Use one of the thin black
pens.
• When you have finished filling your backpack with designs, divide your background into
several different sections.
Day 4
• Choose 2 or 3 colors for your background.
• Fill each section with line designs in the colors you have chosen.
• Turn in your project, make sure your name and class period is on the back.
Going Further:
Do contour line drawings of other objects, like tools or kitchen utensils, plants, a ring of
keys, shoes, etc. Start each drawing by warming up with a blind contour sketch.
Composition Squares
Vocabulary:
Vertical- up and down

Horizontal- side to side
Diagonal- at an angle
Composition- the way objects are arranged on the page

We are making a series of compositions using shapes and only black and white so you
can practice making interesting compositions without trying to make a picture of
anything.

Your squares will follow all of the rules, and be interesting to look at. Each one will look
different, and you will have a good balance of black space and white space. Your cutting
and gluing will be neat.
Grading:
A- Your finished squares follow all the directions, they are interesting and creative,
they have a good balance of black space and white space, they are neatly cut and
glued
B- Your finished squares follow all the directions, they have good balance, but might
not be very creative, they are neatly cut and glued
C- Your finished squares are not very neatly done, they may not follow all the
directions, they do not all show good balance
D- Squares are incomplete, or do not follow directions
Instructions:
Your black paper has been cut for you. Please leave all large scraps of white paper for
someone else to reuse.
You will make two of each type of square. You must make them in the order listed
below, and check with me before continuing or gluing your shapes to your square. You
are expected to do two squares per day.
Going Further:
If you have a digital camera, look for patterns around you that remind you of one
of the assignments. It might be a flight of stairs, or a group of birds flying, or a row of
windows on a house, or nearly anything. Use a photo editing or paint program to edit
them.
Vertical and Horizontal Square:

You may only use vertical and horizontal rectangles.
Diagonal Square:
In addition to vertical and horizontal rectangles, you may use
rectangles diagonally
Rectangles and curves Square:

You may cut a curved arc out of a rectangle and use both pieces
Pebbles in a Stream:
Use round shapes and wavy lines
Original Shape:
Create an irregular polygon with at least 5 sides, and repeat it in
different sizes at least 5 times. You may add other shapes as well
Untitled (Web 1), 2001 Ivy in Flower, 1953

Vija Celmins, American, b. 1938 in Latvia Henri Matisse, French, 1869-
Mezzotint printed on Hahnemuehle Copperplate paper 1954
18 x 23 inches Collage, 112 x 112 inches
Barbara Krakow Gallery Dallas Museum of Art
Positive and
Negative Space
Vocabulary:
Positive Space- the space where the object is on your paper
Negative Space- the space around and between objects on your paper
Complementary Colors- colors that are opposite each other on the color
wheel, such as blue and orange

We are making a composition using positive and negative space to practice critical
thinking skills in arranging the two halves in a mirror image, and to practice creating an
interesting composition, and to gain an understanding of how negative space can make a
composition more interesting.

The two sides of your project will be a perfect mirror image, you will have as much
positive space as negative space, your shapes will be interesting to look at.
Grading:
A- Your project is clean and neat, your mirror image is perfect, your shapes are
interesting and creative, and fit together to make a balanced composition. Each
side of your image has an equal amount of both colors, so that neither appears to
be a “background” color.
B- Your project is clean and neat, your mirror image is nearly perfect, your shapes
are good, but maybe not very original, each side of your image has nearly equal
colors, but one may stand out more than the other.
C- Your project shows some sloppiness in cutting or gluing, your mirror image has
mistakes in it. One of your colors is clearly a “background” with a few shapes cut
out of it.
D- Project is incomplete or does not follow directions
Positive Space: Negative Space:

The photo of the chair shows The area shaded in black shows the negative space
the positive space. around the chair.
Positive or Negative?
This classic illusion illustrates positive and negative
space. What do you see if the black area is the positive
space?
What do you see if the white area is the positive space?
Instructions:
1. You have two pieces of paper. Your large paper is your background. You will
cut your design out of the smaller piece.
2. On the smaller piece of paper, use your pencil to draw about five shapes that take
up half of the room on the paper. Make sure your shapes are interesting, and also
that the negative space around them is an interesting shape as well.
3. Cut out your shapes carefully and set them aside.
4. Place your background, or negative space on one half of your large paper, but do
not glue it down yet.
5. Arrange your positive shapes on the other side of your paper, using the negative
space as a guide. You should have a mirror image, but with the colors reversed
6. Once you are sure everything is placed correctly, you may glue.
Going Further:
Have you seen a kaleidoscope? Did you know that it uses mirrors to create the image
inside?
If you like to make things, perhaps a parent or older sibling would help you make your
own kaleidoscope. You can get instructions at this website:
http://www.kaleidoscopesusa.com/makeAscope.htm
Apple
Painting
Vocabulary:
Horizon Line- divides the ground from the sky
Focal Point- the object that catches your eye first
Rule of Thirds- helps you find the best place for the focal point
Overlapping- making one object appear closer by placing it in front of
another object.
Tint- a color mixed with white
Shade-a color mixed with black

We are making a composition using five sketches we made of apples to practice
arranging objects on a page so some of them seem closer and some seem farther away,
we are also practicing using watercolor and tempera paints.

Your painting will be neatly done. It will have an interesting arrangement of apples that
fills the page from side to side. The apples will be large enough to create interesting
shapes in the negative space, and extend up into the background. Your colors will look
good together, and help draw attention to the apple you chose to be your focal point.
Grading:
A- Your project is clean and neat, your apples are well drawn and detailed. There is
a clear focal point and your apples fill the page well.
B- Your project is clean and neat, your apples are well drawn. Your apples fill the
page.
C- Your project shows some sloppiness in painting, your apples have very little
detail, or they do not fill the space.
Day 1: You will make at least five drawings of the apple. Start by
drawing the whole apple, then take a couple of bites. Your last
drawing should be of the apple core.
Day 2: Draw a horizon line about two thirds of the way up your
page. Then, very lightly, draw five circles on your page so that all
sit at least partially below the horizon line, some overlap, and they
fill the space from side to side. Then draw your apples inside each
circle you have made as a guide. Include all of the detail that was
in your original sketch.
The best place for your focal point is

where two of the lines in the diagram
on the left intersect. Place an apple of
a different color at one of these places
Day 3: You will choose a color for your background and paint it with watercolor. First,
you will use a clean wet brush to wet the paper in the background. Do not paint over the
apples, put the water only where you want the paint to go, the water will help it to spread.
Next mix a puddle of water with a little color in the top of your watercolor tray. Paint the
color quickly over the background. Wait for the background to dry, then do the same
thing with the apples. For apples that will be red, paint them red. For apples that will be
yellow or green, paint them yellow. Do not use the green paint, your apples will not look
right. Because the water in watercolor acts as the white, you will have a background that
is a tint of your color.
Day 4: Use colored pencils to add depth, detail and richness to your apples, take a close
look at the example on the board. The trick is to use many layers applied lightly, rather
than coloring harder. If you color harder you will make dark indented lines that you will
not be able to get rid of.
Day 5: You will choose one color of tempera paint plus black to create a shade of a color
for your table. Paint carefully, and make sure you mix enough color to do the whole
table. It will be hard to match if you run out.
Paul Cezanne (French)
Still Life with Apples
c. 1890 Oil on canvas 13 3/4 x 18 1/8 in
The Hermitage St. Petersburg, Russia
Value
Vocabulary:
Value- the amount of light or
shadow on an object
Cast Shadow-the shadow of an
object on the ground or another
object
Highlight- the brightest value on
a surface, where the light is
shining most directly

We are making a value scale to practice drawing variations of grey, so our drawings will
be more interesting. We are drawing a still life in charcoal to practice looking for value,
and to experience a new media.

The object in your drawing will be recognizable. It will be clear which direction the light
is coming from. You will show good contrast between light and dark. You will use a full
range of value. Your composition will fill the page. Objects will be in correct proportion
to each other.
Grading:
A- Full range of values placed correctly in a strong composition witch fills the page
making an interesting use of space.
B- Somewhat limited range of values, placed correctly in an acceptable compostition
which fills the page
C- Incorrect use of value, with limited or no range, poor composition, objects not in
proportion, page is not filled.
Going Further:
Look up the word sfumato. What does it mean? Who are some artists who have used the
technique? What kind of feeling does it create in their paintings? Find the book Still
Lifes on the book shelf, and find one you particularly like. Do as sketch of it.
Value Scale
Complete a value scale using your drawing pencil.
Charcoal Drawing
Handle the charcoal carefully, it is fragile.
Do not let it drop on the floor, if it gets stepped on the dust gets on everything.
 Find a seat where you can see the whole still life clearly.
 Start with a light sketch of the outline of each object. Do this so lightly you
almost can’t see it, so that it is easy to erase if you make a mistake.
 Make sure you include the surface of the table
 Make sure you show where the base of each object sits on the picture plane, do
not line up the objects on the bottom of the page.
 Shade and blend the charcoal with your fingers or a bit of tissue.
 At the very end, go in with an eraser, and bring out the brightest white areas by
removing any smudges.
Chalk Drawing
 Start the same way you did before, but make extra sure to draw lightly. You
do not what a bright white outline around your objects.
 Look for your brightest highlights and begin putting them in with the white
chalk.
 All of your objects will have chalk on all but the darkest areas of shadow.
Self Portrait
Vocabulary:
colors in between them on the color wheel, and the
tints and shades of those colors
Cool Colors- green, blue and violet and the colors
in between them on the color wheel, and the tints
and shades of those colors.
Value- the lightness or darkness of a color

We are making a self portrait to learn the proportions of the face, to work on drawing
from observation, and to learn to mix oil pastel colors to create value and color.

Your portrait will show the correct proportions. It will look like you. It will use either a
warm or a cool color scheme correctly. It will fill the page. It will have a background
design that is interesting but does not distract from your face.
Grading:
A- Self portrait looks a lot like you, people recognize you from the picture, your
color scheme is correct, your portrait fills the space, your background is
interesting and adds to the overall composition
B- Self portrait shows correct proportions, even if it doesn’t look quite like you,
color scheme is correct, background is fully colored, but portrait may be a little
small
Describing:
Write a paragraph describing your self portrait. How do the colors and the background
help create a mood or a feeling in your portrait?
Going Further:
Use NetTrekker to look up self portraits. How have artists chosen to portray themselves?
Look for self portraits by American artist Chuck Close, and Mexican artist Frieda Kahlo.
What techniques did they use? What other elements did they include? What might these
portraits tell you about the people who made them?
This drawing by Leonardo DaVinci shows the

proportions of the face. Notice that the eyes are
halfway down the head.
Below are the correct proportions for the average face

Eyes ½ way down the head !

down from pupils
ears
Ceramic Bowl
Vocabulary:
Ceramic- any object made out of fired clay

Drape Mold- a bowl, or other shape that clay is laid into to create its shape
Underglaze- color that is put on the clay before it is fired
Glaze- the shiny final coat that is applied to bisque then fired to a glass-like
finish

We are making a bowl to donate to a fundraiser for the North Texas Food Bank, which
provides assistance for many families in need throughout North Texas.

The edges and surface of your bowl will be smooth and free from cracks. Your bowl will
be an even thickness, without thin edges. Your bowl will have a design that is
interesting, with good contrast. It will be glazed neatly.
Grading:
A- Bowl has no cracks, has even thickness, attractive design that is original and
creative with good contrast, work area was cleaned well and student used all
materials properly
B- Bowl is almost as above, with minor flaws, design is strong, but not original,
C- Bowl has cracks or thin edges, or is overly thick and heavy. Design is minimal,
work area was left messy
D- Bowl is incomplete
Going Further:
Check out the ceramic books at the back of the room, look for other techniques for
making bowls, Visit the Dallas Museum of art and look for bowls made by Native
Americans, Asians and Europeans. Try to figure out what techniques were used to make
each bowl.
When you get your clay, use a rolling pin to flatten it. Roll in
both directions, and don’t let the rolling pin run off the edge, so
that the edges do not become too thin.
Use your bowl to cut a circle out of your clay. Cut about an inch
and a half out from the edge of the bowl, so that it will be large
enough.
Your clay should be smooth with an even thickness.

Place your clay inside your bowl, fold it gently in half in order to
place it in the bottom of the bowl more easily.
Trim off any excess clay around the edges of the bowl.
Smooth the bowl on the inside. Do not let the edges become too
thin. Do not press the edges too tightly to the bowl, or it may
crack as it dries and shrinks.
Choose one color of underglaze to paint your design inside your

bowl. Sketch your design fist to make sure it is simple,
interesting and has strong contrast and radial symmetry. You
will apply three coats of underglaze, allowing it to dry between
coats.
You will place the bowl in the cabinet, where it will dry. Once it
has dried and been fired in the kiln, you will glaze your bowl
with a clear glaze, using three coats on the inside and two on the
outside, allowing the glaze to dry between each coat. DO NOT
allow any glaze to get on the bottom of the bowl
Report on a Woman Artist

Historically, the achievements of women artists have been overshadowed by male
artists. Think of as many famous artists as you can, right now. Maybe you came up with
names like Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Leonardo Da Vinci, or Michelangelo. Did
you come up with the names of any women? Probably not; however there have been
many important women artists, both in history, and today. In past centuries many women
were able to become artists because they had a father, brother, or husband who was an
artist. Many of these women worked along side the men, even helped them with their
work, but were not recognized for their work. Sometimes people even mistook the
women’s paintings for work by the men in their families.
As girls, it is important to recognize the accomplishments of the women who came before
us, and also to appreciate the opportunities that we have today, which many women in the
past were denied.
research.

Your paper will be clear, concise and well organized. It will have an introductory
paragraph, the body of the paper will be arranged in paragraphs by topic, chronologically,
it will have a concluding paragraph. You will correctly cite your sources using the MLA
format. You will have at least two sources, one of which must be a print source. Your
paper will contain interesting and factual information about your artist. You will have a
cover page.
Grading:
assignment, and shows insight into the artists life. Your bibliography is correctly
B- Your paper is clear and factual, it follows all of the guidelines for the assignment,
and gives details about the artists life. Your bibliography is correctly formatted
and you have at least two sources.
You are a museum curator. Your museum wants to works by more women artists. You
are to write a persuasive paper to convince the members of the board to purchase an
artwork by the artist you have been assigned. You will provide background information
on your artist and a convincing argument for the importance of the work of your artist.
You may choose to focus on a specific artwork you feel your museum should acquire.
margins, etc. Your paper will be between two and five pages, double spaced
must be a print source. (You may use parenthetical citation, but it is not required)
You will have an introduction, with a thesis statement, and a concluding paragraph.
What is a Thesis Statement?
Your thesis statement tells us what your paper is about. It should be one sentence long,
and it is usually the last sentence of your introductory paragraph.
Example of an introductory paragraph, with the thesis statement in bold
If you walk into any gift shop, you will probably run into Claude Monet.
Although he has been dead for nearly a century, his work is still everywhere. You
can buy calendars, books, tee shirts and mugs with his peaceful scenes of water
lilies in soft blues and greens. Many people love the paintings of his gardens
because of their beautiful colors and dreamy quality. For this reason he has
become one of the most famous and popular artists in the world. Claude Monet
was an influential member of the Impressionist Movement in 19th century
France whose work was inspired by nature and his attempts to capture the
fleeting effects of light.

Day 8: Revise paper
Day 9/10: Polish final draft, make coversheet and finish bibliography
Animal Mask
Vocabulary:
Texture: the way a surface feels to the touch, or

appears to feel
skills to plan out how to join three dimensional shapes together to make an animal

Your mask will look like your animal. It will be shaped so that it could fit on your face.
It will be three dimensional, with no part of it left flat. It will have texture. It will be
well constructed and clean.
Grading:
A- Your project is clean and neat, your shapes are three dimensional, and appropriate
to your animal. You use texture to represent fur, feathers, scales, wrinkles or
whiskers. The mask is sized and shaped to fit your face.
B- Your project is clean and neat, most of your shapes are three dimensional. You
have some texture, your mask is sized and shaped to fit your face.
C- Your project shows some sloppiness in cutting and gluing. You have very little
that is three dimensional, you have very little texture
Instructions:
The most important part of this project is learning how to make your flat paper into
something three dimensional. You can fold it, cut it, fringe it, wrinkle it or curl it.
One of the easiest ways to start is by making a short, wide cone for the base of your
mask.
Start with a circle, then cut a line to the center.

Then overlap the two sides of your circle until your
cone is as tall as you want it to be.
This will leave a point in the center of your mask, if you don’t
Want that, try making your cut not go all the way to the center,
or making several that go around the edges of your circle.
You can do the same thing with a shape that is not a circle as well.
Your mask does not have to have eye holes, but it can, if you want.
All of the pieces of your mask must be glued together. Do not use tape or staples, it looks
messy.
Going Further:
What are masks used for in this country? How are they used
in other countries? How are these uses the same and different?
How does what a mask will be used for help determine what it
will look like and what it is made from?
Where do you think this mask is from? What might it be used
for?
This mask is located at the Dallas Museum of Art, you can
visit them, or go to their website to find out.
Logo Project
Vocabulary:
Logo- the way a company writes its
name or the symbol it uses to represent
itself
Graphic Designer- The person who

designs all of the visual materials for a
company
Graphic design is one of the many careers available in art. Designing logos is just one
aspect of graphic design. A logo is a challenge because it must be simple but also
attention grabbing.
Your logo will be clear, simple and attention grabbing. It will clearly represent the
company, and be appropriate to the market your business is targeting.
Grading:
A- Good design with clear lines and a strong color scheme, work is very neat, logo is
attention grabbing
B- Good design, work is almost completely neat.
C- Design is not very strong, work is not neat
D- Design is incomplete
Instructions:
Day 1:
What kind of business do you want to have? You will write a paragraph describing your
business. Who will it be for? What will it do? Where will it be located? Describe it in
as much detail as possible, and give it a name.
Day 2:
You will need at least 5 different sketches of your logo. You will need to check with the
teacher before you begin your final logo
Day 3:
Create your final logo, in color
Paper
Insect Sculpture
Vocabulary:
Maquette: a small model of a sculpture,

made to plan out the final piece
skills to plan out how to join two dimensional shapes together to make an three
dimensional insect.

Your insect will be neatly done. It will stay together without the use of tape, glue or
staples. It will have a minimum of six pieces. It will look interesting from all sides. It
will use color to add interest and detail.
Grading:
A- Your project is clean and neat, your insect is well constructed and detailed. It has
many pieces which join together to create a completely three dimensional form
which is recognizable from all sides.
B- Your project is clean and neat, your insect is well constructed. It has at least six
pieces which join together to create a three dimensional form.
C- Your project is mostly clean but may be poorly constructed. It has very little
detail. It is three dimensional, but only looks “right” from one side.
Instructions:
Your insect may be real or imaginary, but must have all the parts that an insect has: six
legs, a head, abdomen and thorax. It may also have antennas, wings, stingers, mandibles,
and so on. You must make your insect out of at least six paper shapes. All of your pieces
must be joined without adhesives. The easiest way to do this is by joining pieces with
two slots, as shown below. However you may explore and create other types of joint.
Vocabulary:
Printing Plate- the surface that holds the
image
Printing Press- applies pressure to the
printing plate to transfer ink to paper
Relief Print- a type of printing where ink is
applied to the raised surface of the printing
plate, and the areas to be left white are carved
away
Ink- thicker and stickier than paint
Brayer- the roller used to transfer ink to the
printing plate
Edition- all of the copies of the same print,
printed the same way
Edition Number- the fraction that identifies
Printmaking the number of prints in the edition, and the
number of a particular print e.g. 3/5

We are making a print, as a way of creating a number of images that are all alike.
Printmaking is important to the history of art, because it has been used for graphic design
and also for fine art. The process has many steps and helps you learn to plan carefully

Your prints will be neatly done. It will have an interesting arrangement of positive and
negative space. All of your prints will be alike, and all will be properly labeled
Grading:
A- Your project is clean and neat, your image is well drawn and detailed. All of the
prints in your edition are the same, and they are correctly labeled
B- Your project is clean and neat, your image is drawn reasonably well, all of the
prints in your edition are labeled correctly, and almost identical
C- Your project shows some sloppiness in printing, your image has very little detail,
your prints are not all the same.
Day 1: You will make at least three sketches with ideas for your print. Remember when
you print, you will not be able to make black lines, only white shapes and black shapes,
keep your image somewhat simple, but interesting
Day 2: Once you have an approved image, you will get your printing plate and draw your
image on it. Do this very lightly, with a marker, so that you do not accidentally dent your
plate. When your drawing is on the plate, you may start pressing down the areas of the
print that you want to remain white. It is best to do this with a very dull pencil
Day 3: You are now ready to print. You must print with a partner, so that one person can
handle the ink, and the other person can handle the paper, and operate the press. This
will keep your paper from getting smudged.
1- Squeeze out some ink on the white board, make a line of ink about as long as
a finger.
2- Use the brayer to roll the ink until it is completely even, in a rectangle a little
larger than your plate.
3- Put your plate in a clean spot on the white board, and use the brayer to roll ink
over the whole thing as evenly as possible
4- Have your partner lift up the press blankets. Sit your plate on the press bed
(the wooden part) with the ink side UP
5- Have your partner lay a piece of paper on top of your plate, and then put down
the press blankets
6- Roll your plate through the press ONCE. Carefully lift the press blankets and
peel your print away from your plate.
Reminder: Keep the inking area clean by frequently wiping up the extra ink, if ink
gets on the back of your plate, it will get on the press, and then it will get on the next
persons paper!
Day 4- Once you have three good prints which all look the same you are finished
printing. Label your prints as shown below.
Title 1/3 Your

Name
Presentation on an Art Career

You may already be thinking about what you want to do after college. Perhaps you
already know, or maybe you aren’t sure. Either way, it is important to learn about as
many career options as possible
We are also writing this presentation to learn good research skills, to learn how to
organize our thoughts in a presentation, and how to cite, or give credit to the sources we
used to do our research.
You will also use this project to practice working as a group.

Your presentation will be clear, concise and well organized. Your information
will be simple, factual, easy to read, and contain good visuals. You will correctly cite
your sources using the MLA format. You will have at least two sources. Your
presentation will contain interesting and factual information about your career.
Grading:
A- Your presentation is well written, clear and factual, it follows all of the guidelines
for the assignment, and shows insight into the career. Your bibliography is
correctly formatted and you have more than two sources
B- Your presentation is clear and factual, it follows all of the guidelines for the
assignment, and gives details about the career. Your bibliography is correctly
formatted and you have at least two sources.
C- Your presentation is factual. It follows most of the guidelines for the assignment.
Your bibliography contains all of the information though it may be incorrectly
D- Your presentation is incomplete, lacks a bibliography or contains information that
is not accurate. You have only one source.
No Credit- Any part of your presentation has been plagiarized or deliberately
falsified.
Your presentation must be on poster board. Remember, this is an art class, and how it
looks is important.
You will have a bibliography in MLA format, using at least two sources, glued to the
back of the poster. You will describe the education, salary range, additional training, job
description and any unique facts about your career, you will also include a one or two
paragraph biography of someone well known in that career.
A bibliography is a list of all the sources you used to write your presentation, in
Watercolor Poem
VOCABULARY:
Wash- is a large area of pale color, made by wetting
the paper first, then applying the paint mixed with
lots of water
Drybrush- used to add texture at the very end, you
use just a little color on a brush that you have
squeezed all the water out with a paper towel

This project gives you a chance to choose a favorite poem or find a new one that you
love. It helps you to think critically about the meaning and images in a poem and create a
picture that will complement them

to each other.
Grading:
B- Somewhat limited range of values, placed correctly in an acceptable composition
Watercolor Facts:
 There is no white watercolor, you must leave the white of the paper
 Watercolor is transparent, which means your pencil lines will show through, and
you can’t cover one color with another
 Watercolor is made from pigment, gum Arabic and water, cheap watercolors also
contain clay, but this makes the color look muddy.
 Watercolor can stain clothes
Mixing Colors:
 To make a color lighter, add more water
 To make a color darker, add black, or its
complement.
 Grey = black + water
 Pink = red + water
8th Grade Art

Class Rules:

This course is the second middle school art class, and builds on the skills learned in Art 7.
First 6 weeks:
Three Color Design Squares
Design Painting
One Point Perspective
Two Point Perspective
Still Life Drawing
Drawing the Figure
Second 6 weeks:
Self Portraits
Clay Figures
Linoleum Print
Story Quilts
Third 6 weeks:
Artist Research Paper
Trompe L’oeil
Digital Photography
Grade Weights

of the time

Design Squares
Vocabulary:
Vertical- up and down

Horizontal- side to side
Diagonal- at an angle
Composition- the way objects are arranged on the page

We are making a series of compositions using shapes and only black and white so you
can practice making interesting compositions without trying to make a picture of
anything.

Your squares will follow all of the rules, and be interesting to look at. Each one will look
different, and you will have a good balance of positive and negative space. Your cutting
Grading:
A- Your finished squares follow all the directions, they are interesting and creative,
they have a good balance of positive space and negative space, they are neatly cut
and glued
B- Your finished squares follow all the directions, they have good balance, but might
not be very creative, they are neatly cut and glued
C- Your finished squares are not very neatly done, they may not follow all the
directions, they do not all show good balance
Instructions:
Your background paper has been cut for you. Please leave all large scraps of colored
paper for someone else to reuse.
You will make two of each type of square. You must make them in the order listed
below, and check with me before continuing or gluing your shapes to your square. You
are expected to do two squares per day.
Going Further:
If you have a digital camera, look for patterns around you that remind you of one
of the assignments. It might be a flight of stairs, or a group of birds flying, or a row of
windows on a house, or nearly anything. Use a photo editing or paint program to edit
them.
Implied Line
Arrange shapes to create the feeling of a line
moving though the composition
Positive and Negative Space

The shapes in your background should be as
interesting as the shapes in your foreground
Overlapping
Shapes that overlap so they appear to be
going back into space
Scale Change
Similar shapes getting larger or smaller, so
they appear to be receding into space
Pierced Planes
Shapes appear to be piercing through other
shapes
Untitled (Web 1), 2001 Ivy in Flower, 1953
Vija Celmins, American, b. 1938 in Henri Matisse, French, 1869-1954
Latvia Collage, 112 x 112 inches
Mezzotint printed on Hahnemuehle Dallas Museum of Art
Copperplate paper 18 x 23 inches
Barbara Krakow Gallery
Cut Paper Figure

Vocabulary:
Composition- the way
objects are arranged on the
page
Gesture Drawing- a loose
sketch that just shows the
basic shapes and values with
little detail
Local Color- the basic
overall color of an object,
without taking into account
the effects of light (i.e. a leaf
is green)
Value- the effect of light or
shadow on an object

We are making a series of sketches of people so you can practice the correct proportions
of the figure, then using three colors of paper in different values to create a composition
with three figures.

Your figures are in proportion, and are interesting to look at. Each one will look
different, and you will have a good balance of positive and negative space. Your cutting
Grading:
A- Your finished figures follow all the directions, they are interesting and creative,
they have a good balance of the three colors and of positive and negative space,
they are neatly cut and glued
B- Your finished figures follow all the directions, they have a good balance of color
and space, but might not be very creative, they are neatly cut and glued
C- Your finished figures are not very neatly done, they may not be in proportion,
they do not all show good balance of color or space.
Instructions:
We will spend at least three days sketching, starting with short poses and gesture
drawings, and moving to longer poses. You will draw with a crayon (this forces you to
keep moving and not obsess over mistakes, since you can’t erase them anyway.) You
will chose your three best drawings and cut them apart to use as pattern pieces for the
finished cut paper assignment.
Some good drawings:

Notice that none of them are very detailed, but all have at least some shading. As you
draw, include value, so that you will be able to use your three colors to show shadows as
well as local color.
Self Portrait
Vocabulary:
colors in between them on the color wheel, and
the tints and shades of those colors
Cool Colors- green, blue and violet and the
colors in between them on the color wheel, and
the tints and shades of those colors.
Value- the lightness or darkness of a color

We are making a self portrait to learn the proportions of the face, to work on drawing
from observation, and to learn to mix oil pastel colors to create value and color.

Your portrait will show the correct proportions. It will look like you. It will have a color
scheme which fits with the drawing. It will fill the page. It will have a background that is
interesting but does not distract from your face. You will include your hand in the
picture.
Grading:
A- Self portrait looks a lot like you, people recognize you from the picture, your
color scheme is strong, your portrait fills the space, your background is interesting
and adds to the overall composition
B- Self portrait shows correct proportions, even if it doesn’t look quite like you,
color scheme is good, background is fully colored, but portrait may be a little
small
C- Proportions are incorrect, background is carelessly done, color scheme is poor,
portrait does not fill the page
Describing:
Write a paragraph describing your self portrait. How do the colors and the background
help create a mood or a feeling in your portrait?
Going Further:
Use Nettrekker to look up self portraits. How have artists chosen to portray themselves?
Look for self portraits by American artist Chuck Close, and Mexican artist Frieda Kahlo.
What techniques did they use? What other elements did they include? What might these
portraits tell you about the people who made them?
This drawing by Leonardo Da Vinci shows the

proportions of the face. Notice that the eyes are
halfway down the head.
Below are the correct proportions for the average face


down from pupils
ears

Value
Vocabulary:
Value- the lightness or
darkness of a color or object
Value Scale-a chart showing
evenly spaced values from
light to dark
Charcoal- a drawing tool
made from charred wood,
usually willow
Highlight- an area of light
value where more light shines
on an object
Shadow- an area that is darker
because the light is being
blocked

We are making a value scale to practice drawing variations of grey, so our drawings will
be more interesting. We are drawing a still life in charcoal to practice looking for value,
and to experience a new media.

to each other.
Grading:
Going Further:
Look up the word sfumato. What does it mean? Who are some artists who have used the
technique? What kind of feeling does it create in their paintings? Find the book Still
Lifes on the book shelf, and find one you particularly like. Do as sketch of it.
Value Scale
Chalk and Charcoal on Colored Paper:
Handle the charcoal carefully, it is fragile.

Do not let it drop on the floor, if it gets stepped on the dust gets on everything.
 Find a seat where you can see the whole still life clearly.
 Start with a light sketch of the outline of each object. Do this so lightly you
almost can’t see it, so that it is easy to erase if you make a mistake.
 Make sure you include the surface of the table
 Make sure you show where the bases of each object sits on the picture plane, do
not line up the objects on the bottom of the page.
 Shade and blend the charcoal with your fingers or a bit of tissue.
 Use your chalk to bring in the brightest highlights and the lightest greys, leaving
the value of the paper for the middle grey
 At the very end, go in with an eraser, and clean up any smudges. The chalk is
erasable too.
 Make sure you avoid outlines in either black or white, each object should have a
smooth surface with continuous values
charcoal drawing Katie Tharp

Perspective Drawing
Vocabulary:
Horizon Line- the line where
the ground meets the sky
Vanishing Point- the point on
the horizon line where all lines
converge into a single point
One Point Perspective-
Perspective using one vanishing
point

We are learning the rules of one point perspective so that we can apply them in our
drawing, we are also making use of value to complete the drawing.

Your perspective lines will all go to your vanishing point. Your hallway will appear in
correct proportion and it will appear that you are standing on the ground, rather that
looking down on the hallway from above. Your drawing will have a full range of value.
Grading:
A- Full range of values placed correctly in a strong composition with correct
perspective
with perspective that is correct, but appears that you are looking down on the
scene
C- Incorrect use of value, with limited or no range, poor composition, perspective
lines incorrect
Instructions:
You will need to sit in the same spot each day, so that your view of the hallway does not
change. You will need a ruler, a pencil, an eraser and a drawing board. Do not add any
shading until you are sure your perspective lines are correct.
One Point Perspective:
Ceramic Figure
Vocabulary:
Ceramic- any object made out of fired clay

Score- to scratch the clay where it will be joined to another piece
Slip- clay mixed with water that acts like glue

We are making a cartoon figure to donate to practice joining clay and to learn about
exaggeration and proportion in cartoon figures

Your figure will stand on its own. It will not have any sharp edges or pieces that break
off. Your character will be original and creative. Your work will be neat.
Grading:
A- Figure has no cracks, character design is original and creative with good contrast,
work area was cleaned well and student used all materials properly
B- Figure is almost as above, with minor flaws, design is strong, but not as original,
C- Figure has cracks or thin edges, or is overly thick and heavy. Creativity is
minimal, work area was left messy
D- Bowl is incomplete
Instructions:
Your table will be given a large piece of clay, which you will roll out into a circle. You
will cut the circle into four pieces. Each piece will be used to make a cone that will serve
as a base for your figure, with big feet and a small head. You will use additional clay to
add details of clothing and features. Don’t forget to score and slip all of your pieces so
they will not fall off when they are fired.
We will paint the figures with acrylic paint when they have been fired.
Going Further:
Check out the ceramic books at the back of the room, look for other techniques for
ceramic work, Visit the Dallas Museum of art and look for clay figures made by Native
Americans, Asians and Europeans. Try to figure out what techniques were used.
Report on a Woman Artist

Historically, the achievements of women artists have been overshadowed by male
artists. Think of as many famous artists as you can, right now. Maybe you came up with
names like Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Leonardo Da Vinci, or Michelangelo. Did
you come up with the names of any women? Probably not; however there have been
many important women artists, both in history, and today. In past centuries many women
were able to become artists because they had a father, brother, or husband who was an
artist. Many of these women worked along side the men, even helped them with their
work, but were not recognized for their work. Sometimes people even mistook the
women’s paintings for work by the men in their families.
As girls, it is important to recognize the accomplishments of the women who came before
us, and also to appreciate the opportunities that we have today, which many women in the
past were denied.
research.

cover page.
Grading:
You are a museum curator. Your museum wants to works by more women artists. You
are to write a persuasive paper to convince the members of the board to purchase an
artwork by the artist you have been assigned. You will provide background information
on your artist and a convincing argument for the importance of the work of your artist.
You may choose to focus on a specific artwork you feel your museum should acquire.
margins, etc.
Your paper will be between two and five pages, double spaced

Although he has been dead for nearly a century, his work is still everywhere. You can
buy calendars, books, tee shirts and mugs with his peaceful scenes of water lilies in soft
blues and greens. Many people love the paintings of his gardens because of their
beautiful colors and dreamy quality. For this reason he has become one of the most
famous and popular artists in the world. Claude Monet was an influential member of
the Impressionist Movement in 19th century France whose work was inspired by
nature and his attempts to capture the fleeting effects of light.
Day 8: Revise paper
Day 10: Make coversheet and finish bibliography
Relief Print
Vocabulary:
Printing Plate- the
surface that holds the
image
Printing Press- applies
pressure to the printing
plate to transfer ink to
paper
Relief Print- a type of
printing where ink is
applied to the raised
surface of the printing
plate, and the areas to be
left white are carved
away
Why are we doing this? Ink- thicker and stickier
We are making a print, as a way of creating a number of
images that are all alike. Printmaking is important to the than paint
history of art, because it has been used for graphic design and Brayer- the roller used to
also for fine art. The process has many steps and helps you transfer ink to the
learn to plan carefully printing plate
Edition- all of the copies
How do I know if I have done a good job? of the same print, printed
Your prints will be neatly done. It will have an interesting the same way
arrangement of positive and negative space. All of your
Edition Number- the
prints will be alike, and all will be properly labeled
fraction that identifies the
number of prints in the
edition, and the number
of a particular print e.g.
3/5
Grading:
A- Your project is clean and neat, your image is well drawn and detailed. All of the
prints in your edition are the same, and they are correctly labeled
B- Your project is clean and neat, your image is drawn reasonably well, all of the
prints in your edition are labeled correctly, and almost identical
C- Your project shows some sloppiness in printing, your image has very little detail,
your prints are not all the same.
Day 1: You will make a good sketch of an animal in its environment. Remember when
you print, you will not be able to make black lines, only white shapes and black shapes,
keep your image somewhat simple, but interesting
Day 2: Once you have an approved image, you will get your printing plate and draw your
image on it. When your drawing is on the plate, you may begin carving the areas of the
print that you want to remain white. (Only after teacher demonstration)
Day 3: You are now ready to print. You must print with a partner, so that one person can
handle the ink, and the other person can handle the paper, and operate the press. This
will keep your paper from getting smudged.
1- Squeeze out some ink on the white board, make a line of ink about as long
as a finger.
2- Use the brayer to roll the ink until it is completely even, in a rectangle a
little larger than your plate.
3- Put your plate in a clean spot on the white board, and use the brayer to roll
ink over the whole thing as evenly as possible
4- Have your partner lift up the press blankets. Sit your plate on the press
bed (the wooden part) with the ink side UP
5- Have your partner lay a piece of paper on top of your plate, and then put
down the press blankets
6- Roll your plate through the press ONCE. Carefully lift the press blankets
and peel your print away from your plate.
Reminder: Keep the inking area clean by frequently wiping up the extra ink, if ink
gets on the back of your plate, it will get on the press, and then it will get on the next
persons paper!
Day 4- Once you have three good prints which all look the same you are finished
printing. Label your prints as shown below.
Title 1/3 Your

Name
Trompe l’oeil
Vocabulary:
Trompe l’oeil- literally “fool the eye”
a painting made to trick the viewer into
thinking the objects are real

We are making a drawing of small
objects using colored pencil to improve
our skills in drawing, shading, and
matching colors. We are creating a
collage of small objects that tell
something about our lives.

The objects in your drawing will be recognizable and realistic. It will be clear which
direction the light is coming from. You will show good contrast between light and dark.
You will use a full range of value as well as color. Your composition will fill the page.
Objects will be in correct proportion to each other.
Grading:
A- Full range of value and color placed correctly in a strong composition which fills
the page making an interesting use of space. Objects appear detailed and real
B- Somewhat limited range of values and colors, placed correctly in an acceptable
composition which fills the page. Objects are detailed.
C- Incorrect use of value and color, with limited or no range, poor composition,
objects not in proportion, page is not filled. Objects are carelessly drawn with
little detail
Stosskopf
Art I Syllabus

Class Rules:

This course is a one year high school Fine Arts credit, and builds on the skills learned in
middle school art.
Grade Weights

of the time

Drawing Assesment-
Drawing a Chair
Key Concept:
This is a one day drawing assignment to
asses your current drawing ability

This project is like a pretest to assess your current drawing ability

Your chair will be detailed, shaded, and drawn in perspective
Grading:
You will receive a daily grade for this assignment. You will not be graded on the
drawing, you will receive full credit for your best effort
Instructions:
You will sit in a circle with your drawing boards, drawing the chair in front of you.
Please do not include a background with your chair. If you finish early, start on a second
drawing and then turn in the best of the two.
Blind Contour & Contour Drawing
Hands

We are reviewing the use of blind contour. We are making this drawing to learn more
about arranging positive and negative space, to work on drawing from observation, and to
learn to improve our pencil shading techniques.

Your portrait will show the hands in detail, while preserving some white space within the
hand. Hands will look natural, and not awkward. It will have a consistent technique. The
negative space will be interestingly shaped, and well shaded.
Instructions:
A blind contour drawing is always good practice and a good way to warm up for a
drawing.
Tape your paper to the table so that you won’t have to hold onto it, and hold your hand
out in front of you like this:
Choose a point to place your pencil on your paper. Then, without looking at your paper,
looking only at your hand, draw your hand using one continuous line. Include all of the
folds, wrinkles, fingernails, etc, but do not shade, do not pick up your pencil, use one
continuous line.
Your drawing may look funny. That is ok. This is only an exercise.
Project:
You will make between 5 and 7 drawings of your hand in different positions. You will
arrange them on the page so that your negative space shapes are as interesting as your
positive shapes. Hands should be fully detailed and shaded. The background should be
shaded as dark and smooth as possible using an ebony pencil. Your last step should be to
use an eraser to clean up any smudges left from shading the background.
Grading:
A- Hands drawn in detail, preserving some white space. Has strong, consistent
technique. Very strong use of positive and negative space.
B- Hands drawn in some detail. Has consistent technique. Good use of positive and
negative space.
C- Hands drawn with little detail, has inconsistent technique. Very little use of
positive and negative space.
Negative Space Drawing Key Concept:
Working with shapes in negative
space to make more accurate
drawings.

We are making this drawing to
focus on seeing shapes in negative
space and using them to check
relationships between objects and
to work on drawing from
observation.
How do I know if I have

done a good job?
Once you have drawn your shapes
in the negative space, the white
space should stand out clearly as
being recognizable objects. All of
your shapes will be clean, with the
positive space left white and the
negative space colored with
markers.
Grading:
A- Objects in the white space are immediately visible and look correct in every
detail. Negative space shapes are clear, and a strong color scheme ties them all
together.
B- Objects in the white space are immediately visible, though with possible slight
distortions. Negative space shapes are clear with a color scheme that ties them
together
C- Objects in the white space are visibly distorted. Negative space shapes are messy
and the color scheme adds to a disjointed look
D- Project is incomplete or shows visible signs of cheating (objects drawn and erased
in the white space.
Instructions:
You will include a minimum of two thirds of the still life in your picture, making sure
some objects stretch all the way to the edge of the paper. You will carefully look for and
draw the negative space shapes, checking occasionally that they look correct in relation to
the positive space. You will then leave the positive space white and color each section of
your negative space a single solid color. Choose a color scheme, preferably of adjacent
colors to unify the drawing.
Profile Portrait
Key Concept:
Using correct
proportion

We are making this portrait to work on drawing from observation, and to learn to
accurately judge proportion

Your portrait will show the features, hair and collar in detail. It will look like the person.
It will have a consistent technique. It will fill the page. It will have a background that is
interesting but does not distract from the detail of the drawing.
Grading:
A- Portrait drawn in detail. Looks like the person. Has strong, consistent technique.
It fills the page. Background is interesting but does not distract from the detail of
the hair.
B- Portrait drawn in some detail. Has somewhat consistent technique. It fills the
page. Background is interesting but does might distract from the detail of the
hair.
C- Portrait drawn in inadequate detail, no white space.. Has inconsistent technique.
It does not fill the page. Background distracts from the detail.
Instructions:
You will choose a partner and take turns drawing a full profile portrait. You will be
completing the drawing with a full range of value in charcoal.
Hair Portrait
Key Concept:
Working with line to vary the weight and
quality of line
Creating a feeling of weight and
movement using line

We are making this unusual portrait to learn the importance of variety in line quality and
weight. To work on drawing from observation, and to learn to mix ink and watercolor
techniques

Your portrait will show the hair in detail, while not drawing every single strand, but
preserving some white space within the hair. It will look like the person. It will have a
consistent technique. It will fill the page. It will have a background that is interesting but
does not distract from the detail of the hair.
Grading:
A- Hair drawn in detail, preserving some white space. Looks like the person. Has
strong, consistent technique. It fills the page. Background is interesting but does
not distract from the detail of the hair.
B- Hair drawn in some detail, white space is minimal. Has somewhat consistent
technique. It fills the page. Background is interesting but does might distract
from the detail of the hair.
C- Hair drawn in inadequate detail, no white space.. Has inconsistent technique. It
does not fill the page. Background distracts from the detail of the hair.
Instructions:
You will sit in a circle with your drawing boards, drawing the head in front of you. If
you have very long, straight hair, please pull it up in some way.
Andrew Wyeth Farm Road, tempera on masonite, 1979
Self Portrait
Key Concept:
Using correct
proportion

We are making this self portrait to work on drawing from observation, and to learn to
accurately judge proportion

Your self portrait will show your full body in correct proportion. It will look like you. It
will have a consistent technique. It will fill the page. It will have a background that is
interesting but does not distract from the detail of the drawing.
Grading:
A- Portrait drawn in detail. Looks like the person. Has strong, consistent technique.
It fills the page. Background is interesting but does not distract from the detail of
the drawing.
B- Portrait drawn in some detail. Has somewhat consistent technique. It fills the
page. Background is interesting but does might distract from the detail of the
drawing.
C- Portrait drawn in inadequate detail, no white space.. Has inconsistent technique.
It does not fill the page. Background distracts from the drawing.
Instructions:
You will do your initial drawing at home in front of a full length mirror. You will then
use charcoal to do a drawing with a full range of value on large paper which you have
first prepared with a background wash. You will use white acrylic paint over and with
the charcoal to create a painted surface which still has your value structure. You will
then add color with water soluble oil pastel.
Initial
Project
Key Concept:
This assignment
focuses on making
bold graphic
compositions in
two colors

This project is like a way to help you find creative solutions to a design problem

Both of you images will be equally interesting to look at
Grading:
A- Both images are strong, bold and interesting, with excellent use of space
B- Both images are interesting, but not as strong as they could be.
C- One or both images show a weak use of space.
D- Project is incomplete or does not follow directions
Instructions:
You will choose a letter (it does not have to be your initial. Working on sketch paper you
will find an interesting way of drawing the letter on a 9x12 sheet of paper which will
result in a minimum of five separate shapes in the negative space.
You will then choose two colors of paper. Cut your letter carefully out of one color,
saving all of the leftover pieces. Glue the letter to the other color.
Then get another piece of your background color. Take the pieces you have left from
your letter and rearrange them to create an interesting composition that does not look like
your letter.
Bilaterally Symmetrical Collage
Make a symmetrically balanced collage using only circles, triangles and/or rectangles.
The shapes can overlap or be trimmed to make new shapes. Use four colors. The
composition must have biaxial symmetry. Make the project 9x9 inches. Start with
thumbnail sketches. Plan on designing the major shapes and experiment with the details
once the collage is under way. Make some of the shapes quite large to increase variety.
Try to make all of the colors equally visible, but vary the amount of each to get more
variety. Try to make all of the colors operate as figure in the design. Also try to make all
the colors act as ground so that there is not one background.
Robert Demuth The Great Figure

Among the rain
I saw the Figure Five in Gold and lights
I saw the figure 5
in gold
on a red
fire truck
moving
tense
unheeded
to gong clangs
siren howls
and wheels rumbling
through the dark city
William Carlos Williams

(1883-1963)
Asymmetrical Collage
Make a asymmetrically balanced collage using only circles, triangles and/or rectangles,
using the same general colors and shapes as your symmetrically balanced collage. The
shapes can overlap or be trimmed to make new shapes. Use four colors. Make the project
9x9 inches. Start with thumbnail sketches. Try to make all of the colors equally visible,
but vary the amount of each to get more variety. Try to make all of the colors operate as
figure in the design. Also try to make all the colors act as ground so that there is not one
background.
Symmetrical Collage Asymmetrical Collage
Symmetrical Collage Asymmetrical Collage
It is clear how these two pairs relate to each other, not just in their colors but in their
shapes and the arrangement of color and shape as well.
When you put your two collages side by side, they should seem to relate clearly to each
other.
Grading:
A- The pair of collages relate to each other in color shape and placement. Both are
strong and visually exciting and follow the rules for each type of balance. They
seem to belong together with each strengthening the other.
B- The pair of collages relate to each other in color and shape, but not as much in
placement. Both are strong and follow the rules for each type of balance.
C- The collages do not really relate except by using the same colors. Both follow the
rules for each type of balance.
D- Project is incomplete or does not follow the rules.
Monochromatic
Painting
Vocabulary:
Monochromatic-using only one
color

This project will help you to see the range of value in an object

Your object will be detailed, shaded, and painted neatly using five values of one color
Grading:
A- The steps between your values are equal, with good contrast between the darkest
and lightest. Your painting is interesting, well composed and shows a creative
view of your object. Your painting is neat.
B- The steps between you values are nearly equal, with good contrast between the
darkest and lightest. Your painting is interesting, with acceptable composition.
Your painting is neat.
C- The steps between your values are not equal or there is not good contrast between
the darkest and lightest. Your painting has weak and unoriginal composition.
Your painting is somewhat sloppy.
D- Your painting is incomplete or does not follow directions
Instructions:
Bring a reasonably small object from home and choose an interesting section of it to draw
close up. The object should fill at least three quarters of the space in the image. You will
work on 9x12 paper, centering a 9x9 square at the top, and five one inch squares below.
You will choose one color of paint and then create five values of that color using two
tints, two shades, and the pure color. In the five boxes, create a value scale of your colors,
then use the five colors to fill in the shapes in your painting. Do not mix the colors
together, use each one separately. It is wise to label your painting in advance to make
best use of all five values.
Color Wheel
Key Concept:
Understanding the color wheel
and accurately mixing colors.

This project will help you to better understand relationships between colors in the color
wheel and improve your skill in mixing colors

Your shapes will appear to be transparent, with the colors blending where the shapes
overlap. The shapes you choose are interesting and your painting is done neatly.
Grading:
A- All colors are accurate, shapes are creative and interesting, painting is neat
B- All colors are accurate, painting is neat
C- One or two colors are a little off, painting is not as neat as it could be
D- Several colors are incorrect or the project is incomplete
Instructions:
You will make several sketches to come up with a design where two types of shapes
overlap each other. One set of shapes will be for your primary colors, one for your
secondary colors. Where the shapes overlap will be your tertiary colors. Draw your
design carefully, then cut your shapes apart so they are easier to paint. Label them first
so that your pieces will fit back together correctly. You will paint your shapes with
tempera paint, then glue them onto a clean sheet of paper.
Complementary Color Still Life

This is a watercolor assignment meant to help you really look for light, shadow and form
and not rely on line.
How do I know if I’ve done a good job?

Your still life will be accurately drawn. Your use of color will add a sense of depth and
life to the painting. Your colors will be mixed well to create neutrals in places, without
all of your colors looking muddy.
Grading:
A- Well rendered still life which fills the page with a strong composition. Strong use
of color to create depth, colors mixed well.
B- Acceptably rendered still life which fills the page. Some use of color to create
depth, colors are mixed well but don’t “pop”
C- Weakly rendered still life with an unbalanced composition. Color does not create
a sense of depth or is muddy.
D- Assignment is incomplete or does not follow directions
Instructions:
YOU MAY NOT USE A PENCIL AT ANY TIME!
Tape your paper to a drawing board and find a seat around the still life. You must stay in
this seat the whole time you are working, you may not move to a table, you must stay in
front of the still life.
You will need water, a large watercolor brush, and a pair of complementary colors of
watercolor, either green/red, blue/orange or yellow/violet. These colors will mix to make
a neutral.
Start painting directly from the still life. Don’t worry about local color, just focus on
value and form. Remember that warm colors seem to come toward you and cool colors
seem to be farther away.
Day 1: Get everything in the still life down in watercolor, using larger looser shapes
Day 2: Add some detail in watercolor, get more specific but not fussy
Day 3: Add line in ink (still no pencil, work directly in ink)
Day 4: Finish any ink work, but don’t overwork the drawing
Season Painting
Key Concept:
Control with the mixing of colors

This project will help you to have more control with mixing colors

Your painting will be interesting to look at and have a range of colors that reflect the
seasonal subject matter of your image
Grading:
A- Good contrast between the darkest and lightest colors, with a clear relationship
between the colors. Your painting is interesting, well composed and shows a
creative view of your objects. Your painting is neat.
B- Contrast between the darkest and lightest colors, with a relationship between the
colors. Your painting is well composed. Your painting is mostly neat.
C- Little contrast between the darkest and lightest colors, with a weak relationship
between the colors. Your painting is not well composed or is messy
D- Your painting is incomplete or does not follow directions
Instructions:
You will create a simple image that relates to one of the four seasons. Your image must
have more than 25 separate shapes (but 100 or less). You will use EXACTLY 25 colors
in your painting, which all relate to the season chosen. You may repeat colors up to 4
times.
Report on a Contemporary Artist

Think of as many famous artists as you can, right now. Maybe you came up with names
like Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Leonardo Da Vinci, or Michelangelo. Did you
come up with the names of any artists who are alive today? Probably not; however it is
important to know about what is going on in the art world today, just as it is important to
know what has happened in the past.
research.

cover page.
Grading:
Imagine you own a small art gallery. You will be assigned an artist, which your gallery
represents. Your gallery is planning to expand, and would like to add one other artist
whose work will fit in well with the work already represented by your gallery. You will
need to find a contemporary artist whose work you feel is related to the artist you have
been assigned, and write a proposal that would be sent to the artist whose work you hope
to represent. You will need to provide him or her with information on the artist whose
work you currently represent, and use what you have learned about their work to show
why he/she would be a good fit for your gallery.
margins, etc.
Your paper will be between two and five pages, double spaced

Although he has been dead for nearly a century, his work is still everywhere. You can
buy calendars, books, tee shirts and mugs with his peaceful scenes of water lilies in soft
blues and greens. Many people love the paintings of his gardens because of their
beautiful colors and dreamy quality. For this reason he has become one of the most
famous and popular artists in the world. Claude Monet was an influential member of
the Impressionist Movement in 19th century France whose work was inspired by
nature and his attempts to capture the fleeting effects of light.
Day 8: Revise paper
Day 10: Make coversheet and finish bibliography

Big Art Book: A One Semester Curriculum For Grades 6,7,8 and 9

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Big Art Book: A One Semester Curriculum For Grades 6,7,8 and 9

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Big Art Book

A one semester curriculum for grades 6,7,8 and 9

Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle

Sixth Grade Art Eighth Grade Art:

Seventh Grade Art Art I:

The goal of this course is to:

 Treat yourself and others with respect

 Participate in all class activities

 Respect school property and others' belongings

 No food, drink or gum

40% Class Participation

Participation Grade Rubric:

C- Student participates in class occasionally, and follows some directions.

F- Student does not participate, or follow instructions, and is often disruptive.

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Do not make yourself sick by eating too many cookies!

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Ceramic- any object made out of fired

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Your clay should be smooth with an even thickness.

Cut a rectangle out of the center of the house shape, leaving

Add strips of clay to the bottom edge to make steps. Be sure to

Add more strips of clay to make columns, including a base,

Add clay to create the pediment, entablature and cornice.

Use a carving tool to add any small details

Mosaic- a picture created by using small

Roman Empire: At its height, the Roman

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Medieval Beastiery Tesselation

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

An example of the same kind of tessellation by M.C. Escher

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Eyes ½ way down the head!

Nose ½ way between eyes and chin

Mouth 1/3 to ½ between nose and

Self Portrait Vincent Van Gogh

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Pablo Picasso (Spain 1881-1973 Girl before a Mirror

Head is an oval or egg shape

Eyes ½ way down the head!

Nose ½ way between eyes and chin

Mouth 1/3 to ½ between nose and

Painting by Chuck Close

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Chameleon- patience and trickery butterfly- hard work Parrot- healing

sieve music instrument pineapple comb

Kente cloth is only worn during

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Why are we doing this?

How do I know if I have done a good job?

Painting by Carlos Maximo

Why are we doing this?