Unit 1 Begins!

The scholars are now beginning to settle into the routine of being back in class. We have made portfolios to hold our work and begun learning about our first artist and artworks for the year. We'll soon start creating copies of the masterworks we've been studying using the techniques and terms the historical artists used. Below are the initial things we've been learning according to grade level, as well as resources you could use to delve further into any of these things at home for fun:

In 2nd Grade:
Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Country: Japan
Terms: Woodblock Printing, Implied Lines, Regular Lines, Texture
Masterwork: 36 Views of Mt. Fuji
Optional Home Resources: Debussy's La Mer--This music was based on Hokusai's Great Wave.

In 3rd Grade:
Country: Ireland
Time Period: Middle Ages
Terms: Illuminated Manuscript, Vellum, Pattern
Masterwork: The Book of Kells
Optional Home Resources: The Secret of Kells--This film is a fictional account of the story of Kells with an animation style based on the work.


In 4th Grade
Artist: Garth Williams
Country: Britain
Terms: Illustration, Empathy, Anthropomorphism, Texture
Optional Home Resources: The Little House series, Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, the Chester Cricket series, The Rescuers series--These books all contain Garth Williams illustrations.

In 5th Grade
Artist: Albrecht Durer
Country: Germany
Time Period: The Renaissance
Terms: Printing Press, Patron, Engraving, Texture, Gradient
Optional Home Resources: Try some etching or engraving at home! The materials can be found at most art supply stores.