Symmetrical Radial Design: Color Scheme Painting

 We began by folding a square piece of paper into a rectangle, then back into a smaller square, and finally into a triangle.  Then the symmetrical radial design begins with drawing four basic lines with black crayon, not too complex but not too boring either, this is one eighth of the design.

 Next we unfold the paper back to the smaller square and fold it backwards "smooshing" the crayon lines in the middle.  Then we rubbed a pencil very hard over the whole surface.  This transfers the crayon lines from the first triangle to the other.  To finish this step, we traced the faint lines with the crayon, now we have one quarter of the design completed.

 Now we repeat this process of folding over and smooshing the crayon lines again.  This time from one quarter to another quarter.  After rubbing we retraced the faint lines again, now we have one half of the design.

 As you can imagine, we repeat this process one last time transferring one half to the other half.  This completes the symmetrical radial design!

To finalize this color mixing unit, we were given the freedom to select a color scheme to paint the design.  Students learned about complementary and analogous color schemes.  Students then picked their favorite to complete the project.  The complementary color scheme uses two colors across from each other on the color wheel: red/green, yellow/violet, and blue/orange.  The analogous color scheme uses three colors in a row on the color wheel like red, red-violet, and violet.  (Above is an example of a complementary color scheme using red and green)

Featured Artists: Abstract Color Wheel Vol. 1

                                                                             Izzy H.

                                                                           Logan S.

                                                                          Kaitlyn R.

                                                                           Ryan B.

                                                                            Abby J.

                                                                         Heather B.

                                                                         Kathryn B.                   

                                                                          Ericka V.

 Katelyn K.

Lauren C.

Abstract Color Wheel

Students learned how to paint the 12 colors of the color wheel.  Primary = yellow, red, blue.  Secondary = orange, green, violet.  Tertiary = yellow-orange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet,

blue-green, yellow-green.  Students were able to creatively choose any shapes they wanted for the abstract color wheel.  Balance was an important part of our discussion.

 

 

Students then began to decorate the background by drawing shapes to fill the space.

 

 

Students then learned about the drawing techniques hatching and cross-hatching.  They started by making a light layer of hatching in each shape.  They also learned about value and how different values of light and dark can be created with these drawing techniques.

 

 

 Students then learned that creating a variety of values from light to dark can be accomplished by changing several factors of the hatching and cross-hatching.  There are three main factors that help create a variety of values: 1. spacing of the lines 2. the amount of layers of line (cross-hatching) 

3. the thickness of line.

 

 

Students then worked with balancing their values of light, medium, and dark evenly in the background.  Students also learned how this created contrast in two ways: 1. the variety of light to dark in the background 2. the difference between the intense colors of the color wheel against the neutral values of the background.

 

 



Featured Artists: One Point Perspective (Vol. 2)

 Ashley V.

 

 

 

 Alicia O.

 

 

 

 Ally O.

 

 

 

 Evan W.

 

 

 

 Elizabeth C.

 

 

 

 Emma S.

 

 

 

 Abby N.

 

 

 

 Aidan F.

 

 

 

 Keegan D.

 

 

 

 

Emilee K.

 

 

Alyssa F.

Featured Artist: One Point Perspective (Vol. 1)

Ayden C.

Isabel W.

Kyle D.

Ally C.

Alexa M.

Owen E.

Ari H.

Jess W.

Delanie R.

Arthur M.

Gabbi D.

Reygan H.



One Point Perspective

One point perspective is a great way to draw an optical illusion.  The illusion of 3D form on a flat 2D surface creates the optical illusion of space and depth. There are many steps to this project.  First students had to draw a horizon line in the middle of the page, then add a vanishing point in the center of that time.  Next, students added their shapes which takes four steps:

1. Draw the shape you want.
2. Connect open corners from the shape to the vanishing point.
3. Draw parallel lines in each side to end the shape.
4. Erase the extra guidelines between the shape and the vanishing point.

During this process we also talked about different types of balance in art.  All artwork has some kind of balance.  In this project, we wanted to create even balance.  Students were challenged to make enough shapes to fill in the letters of their name and to balance those shapes to achieve even balance.  Students also learned how to make their block or bubble letters "fit" into the shapes.

Next, we addressed the background.  We wanted a pattern in the background to visually separate the 3D shapes from the background, and to make the background interesting to look at.  Students began with some lines to break up the background into an even number of spaces, all intersecting the vanishing point.  Then students could select whichever shapes they wanted to draw to overlap the background lines.  This set up an interesting background that could be colored as a pattern.  Once this was done, students traced all these lines with sharpie.

Finally, students learned about some color theory.  Warm colors are perceived to come out towards us as viewers and cool colors are perceived to recede away from us as viewers.  Obviously, to enhance the optical illusion, students learned to use warm colors in the 3D shapes/letters and cool colors in the patterned background.  Using color in this way really helps to visually separate the 3D shapes from the background.

One Point Perspective in Progress!

We have been learning a lot in our one point perspective unit, much more than just learning how to draw shapes in 3D!  Throughout this until students also learn about balance, pattern, color theory (warm/cool colors), and the importance of craftsmanship in their art work.

Here's the order of learning in this unit:

1. One point perspective, making 3D shapes on a flat 2D surface.
2. Balance, spreading shapes around evenly on the viewing surface.
3. Pattern, developed in the background.
4. Color, warm colors vs. cool colors.
5. Craftsmanship, very important from start to finish!