Back Shading

I am trying to get my students to understand what back shading is (well, at least that's what I call it. Is there another official word for it?)

So while this is not EXACTLY what they were to do for their assignment, it's close. 

This a drawing of flowers in pencil with red ball point pen back shading.

Their project was to draw flowers shaded (and back shaded) on a painted watercolor surface. It was my first attempt at this assignment, but I'd say it was successful!

Black & White Design

School is officially in full swing now. 

Our first project deals with composition and design. We talk about the rule of thirds, focal point, overlapping, value, contrast, repetition, etc. 

They were given a worksheet with three items (mostly two shapes and a line) and had to use only those three things to come up with their composition.

They got to use ebony pencils too. Fancy for Art I, huh?!

This is one of the quick examples I made for the students to show them what I expected.

Lesson Turned Into Art

I was working on a stamping demo with my students the other day and showed them how to use a stamp to create repeated patterns and radial designs. 

In the picture below, the purple radial design in the middle was my stamp example and 

I also showed them water-soluble crayons they could use (it created all the color in the background).

One of the girls pointed out that it looked like tie-dye. 

I didn't even notice till she pointed it out, but I agree!

I used a piece of paper from a book that was laying on the floor in my classroom. 

It had some random paint splotches on it, but I think it adds character.  Then after I stamped and colored it, I added the words in sharpie. It was a quick little piece that took about 15 minutes.

5x7" Mixed Media