News from the Art Classroom

In the art room here at the ISVI, we stress that the reasons people with visual impairment make artwork are the same as those without visual impairment. 1). We make art for others to see 2). We make art to express our feelings and ideas 3). We make art for the enjoyment while we’re making it, and 4). We make art to sell—to make money.

In the Art room this year, high school General Art I students have learned the use of professional drawing pencils ranging from 8B --the soft graphite which produces darker shades to 5H, --the harder pencils which produce the lighter shades. We made one row of grid boxes and filled them each with a different shade to see and feel the differences. Then, alongside the row, we created a gradual gradation of the shades by blending between the shades. We demonstrated uses for this skill by exploring how highlights fall on objects via a light source (floor lamp with overhead lights off). These labs are easy with our small class sizes. All students get up close and personal. Therefore, they all learn the lessons well. Then students drew and shaded a box, a cylinder, a cone and a sphere exposing the high-lighted area.

We have discussed composition—creating a painting/drawing that enables your eye to ease around the picture plane swiftly in a circular fashion. The purpose of this is for your eyes to collect data very quickly in an organized fashion, sending the information to the brain. There the drawing is interpreted. Can you imagine reading an English composition with sentences all mixed in random order? Try to make sense out of that paper! It may take a little longer, and would be a little unsettling or frustrating. We want the art appreciator to enjoy the artwork (in most cases) as he/she views it.

The General Art I classes have discussed composition using symmetry and asymmetry, considering balance. We’ve discussed and are currently exploring all the art elements used in creating works of art. We are currently experiencing line and pattern using repetition, and soon we will begin working with the principles of perspective—the illusion of depth in a painting. Then we will learn of color-mixing using paints.

In General Art II, students are choosing the medium of their choice and working with that. Currently students are exploring subject matter via the internet. Some have done drawings, some have used the pottery wheel. Hopefully, we’ll get some real emphasis on the potters’ wheel among this group!

In Vocational Art Marketing, we’re discussing the text, Careers in Art, and exploring a wide range of art careers and then we’ll discuss how to go about working towards those goals.

In Elementary Art, students have spent a long time creating an old-fashioned flip calendar. They are almost done, beginning to glue the calendar pages to the back of each picture. Then they will punch holes and put the calendars together.

We’re having great fun in art and a very educational time! If you have any questions, you may e-mail me at Anna.Bergschneider@illinois.gov or call me after 3:30pm at (217) 479-4461.