cityscapes

In y6 this week we completed our reflected cityscape collages. The children suggested we could try and make them 3D and add shipping! So we did. Arranged in a line, panoramically, they are going to look very effective.

City blocks

Our james Rizzi inspired, slab-clay built containers are finished. The children added details, using sharpies, around the windows, eyes etc. Now deciding whether to seal with a coat of neat PVA or not. They are going to be used as pencil pots and such like so won't need to be waterproof or anything.

leaves & city blocks

In y1 we wove, using paper strips, some 'Autumn' leaves.

Today the y6's made slab container city blocks (after James Rizzi). We'll bisque fire them and then carefully (!) paint using acrylics.

bears & cityscapes 2

The y1's have been reading 'Peace at Last' by Jill Murphy. So we decided to have a go at drawing bears - they did a 'before' picture and then with some simple guidance as to shapes they created some much more recognisable images.

They then used clay to sculpt some semi-relief bears, using similar shapes.

The y6's have followed up their James Rizzi inspired sketches with 3d card models. We've decided the next step is to create them in clay! we might even go so far as to create slab containers and paint them in a 'James Rizzi' style!!

cityscapes

Today the y6's followed up their work on perspective/cityscapes by looking at the work of James Rizzi. They then started to try and draw a cityscape in a similar style.  

And here's to hoping that tomorrow's game is a classic (and that England win!).

cityscapes & footy

The y6's followed up their linear perspective work from last week by drawing 3d cityscapes using squared dotty paper!

And I managed to find some time to daub a few more footy paintings. Still not done anything about trying to sell them though!

perspective

The y6's have been drawing cityscapes. Previously (last year!) they looked at both tonal and linear perspective and so today they moved on to draw buildings from opposite viewpoints - looking up and looking down.

Dresden

Back to work for the last stint! Over half term my wife and I visited Dresden. Those who know their history will understand the significance of this German city. Considering the damage that was inflicted in February 1945 the altstadt (old town) has been amazingly restored. We were even more taken aback when we discovered that most of the rebuild has only taken place over the last 15 years or so! Up until the 'wall' came down this church was still a pile of rubble. 

Fortunately, a lot of the treasures in the museums had been removed during the war and have since been returned. A beautiful, friendly city and very easy to get around - recommended!

cityscapes

Today, the y2's drew cityscapes. First off they had a go at drawing a city themselves - pic 1. We then, step by step, took them through a simple method of representing buildings that might feature in a city - pics 2, 3 before ending up with a 3d scene (pic 4).

I reckon there is some progression between pics 1 and 4.

pop-ups

Y2's today completed their pop-up representations of our local town. They've drawn, coloured and stuck different aspects onto each face. We even put a stained glass window 'inside' the church!

dinosaurs

 Y2 painted their dinosaurs today. They had free choice of colour scheme as obviously no one knows what colours they actually were.

 

 

We also painted the inside of the mouths prior to adding the pneumatic mechanisms (syringes and plastic tubing!) that will open and close them.

 



And finally, a commission, well more of a request, for a painting of a local town. The reference can be seen on the left - a greatly enlarged and pixelated image, as the original was taken on a phone and had to be printed out. On the right is my stylised version of the scene - hoping to catch a flavour and sense of the original. Collage and acrylics on a canvas board, 18 x 24cm.

cityscapes

Excited - because the 'rice bowls' are currently being bisque fired in batches. I'll underglaze them all in white before the children add the blue patterning in their next lesson.

Meanwhile, y6 have continued with their rivers/perspective theme and have created some collaged cityscapes.

 

no sale

No takers on ebay for my painting (sad face). Some page views but no bids. Was the starting price too high (£4.99 with free worldwide p&p)? Or was the painting simply not up to scratch? I would have thought a Man Utd picture would at least attract some interest although they did lose the local derby in the middle of the listing period!
Back to the drawingboard/easel to try again.

STOP PRESS

Have just listed 'Manchester Derby' on ebay (see previous blog entry). Please feel free to check it out.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190906051650

Today in the parallel class we sketched elephants. I first got them to draw their version of a pachyderm in the top left -hand corner. I then showed them several different ways to depict an elephant - using a letter 'e', beginning with a circle and adding a letter 'g' and finally, starting from a square, then adding a 'g'. Hopefully from the pic below you can make out the different methods and see that they were certainly able to draw more recognisable images than at the start.

We then went on to using a 4x4 grid to create a very simple 'elephant' pattern that we are going to use to create embroidered, applique pieces.

almost back to work

Nearly back in the fray, Easter hols almost over. A staff day in school today - managed to plan the next terms work and put a couple of displays up. These are collage pieces, individually created by y6 for their river topic but displayed as 'panorama's'. We'd been looking at tonal perspective & reflections.

'Cityscape'

'Riverscape'

cityscapes

Today the y2 children (6/7 yr olds) printed cityscapes using craft sticks. They were able to create convincing skylines and showed a fair degree of control over their mark making. Not sure whether to leave them b/w or add colour. First instinct is to leave them well alone. The aim is to display them side by side as a panorama on one of our long walls.

 

 

aarrrgh more 'bots

'Nother sketchbook page.

even more sketches

Another sketch - Girlz About Town.

Listed in my etsy shop as part of a sketchbook page.