Paper Mache Sculpture Continued ....

Our session this week was a flurry of activity as the Art Tracks after school group continued working on their paper mache creations.   With sculptures at various stages of completion, some people spent their time sanding, refining and adding details to their work;  others  the painting began the painting process.   The room was a storm of glue and paper, clay and paint, but as the pictures below show,  some very promising sculptures are taking shape!

Step 6 - Niah applying an undercoat to her elephant

Step 6 - Painting & Glazing - Chloe's container for Hallowe'en candies!

Step 6 - At Last! Beginning to paint!

Caroline's little creature taking shape!

Just blow-drying my frog!

  

Step 5 - Adding details

Evane uses a small amount of clay to make eyelids and lips for her fish.  She then covers the clay with glue and tissue paper.

Madeline adding glue and tissue paper to her bird

Paper Mache, Mid-Point! Tessa (instructing), Niah (on elephant) Evane (beside Niah)

At this point, we're about half way through our project.  In the sessions to come, Tess and I will show techniques for further refining sculptural surfaces.  After that, students will paint them and decorate with various materials.   Stay tuned for coming developments!

Paper Mache Sculpture

Art Tracks after school artists have certainly been busy in recent weeks!    Tessa and I were happy to welcome both returnees and new faces this year; we have an enthusiastic, creative group here, and they've wasted no time getting down to work!

Last year, our focus was drawing and painting, and this year, we'll continue to draw and paint in a  variety of media, including graphite, pastels, ink and watercolours.   However, I also wondered if students might be interested in trying some sculpture as well, and when  I asked if they'd like to try a paper mache project this year, and the response was a resounding "yes"!   So that is how we've started, and the pictures below (partially) document the process!

Oh! It's a ....

No it ISN'T a vase!

What's this?

Make sure there's lots of glue on the paper!

Step 4 - Cover with glue and tissue paper

Taking shape...

More newsprint, more glue --- What will it be?

Taping and papering

Step 3 - Covering with more newsprint and glue

Covering foil shapes with masking tape

Step 2: Making shapes out of aluminium foil and attaching them to the balloon

Step 1 - Covering the Balloon

Art Classes Resume!

Well, we're back!  Hope everyone had a wonderful summer!

As of Tuesday, September 13th, I'll be resuming afterschool classes at Runnymede Public School, with sessions running weekly throughout the school year.  At some point, if participants are interested, I think we should do some paper mache and clay sculpture.   Of course, we'll also continue drawing and painting, employing a variety of materials and techniques --- no end to what can be done in that department! 

I'll also be back at Swansea Town Hall as of Monday, Oct. 3rd, holding classes weekly from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  All ages and levels are welcome to join ---  Hope to see you there!

It's Summer!

Well, summer is here!  A huge thank you to all our participants for helping to make Art Tracks a success!  Many of you have already dispersed to various summer destinations:   We said good-bye to Tessa a month ago when she packed her bags and left for Shadow Lake,  a Community Living camp for people with special needs.  She's working there as the camp nutritionist for the second year in a row.   As for the rest of our family, we'll be heading north; I intend to spend the next few weeks outdoors as much as possible, armed with brushes and paint!   Have a wonderful summer everyone --- draw, paint, read, play an instrument, swim or do whatever it is you love to do!  We'll meet again in September!

Beautiful Cow! Irene's first drawing on the last day!

For the past year, Julia has been badgering her mom, Irene to take an art lesson with her.   With some trepidation, Irene finally consented to give it a try.   The lovely cow you see here is her very first drawing, produced on our last day!   Great work, Irene!  Have a wonderful summer!

Landscape in watercolour by Emily (grade 9) work in progress

Julia's sister, Emily, also joined us on the last day.  After sketching a landscape based on a calendar photo, she began blocking in her big shapes with watercolours.  There was not sufficient time for her to finish, but even at this stage, there's a wonderful sweeping feel to her water, and a general unity to the whole picture.   Lovely work Emily!

Loon - work in progress by Julia

Julia's drawing and painting skills have really developed over the past year.  Using a reference photo, she was able to complete her sketch of the loon in a single session.  Her pencil lines are clear and confident, and her proportions accurate.  The next steps involved applying washes of blue and green to her background, thereby throwing her subject into relief.   Although she didn't have time to finish, I think you'll agree she's made a wonderful start.   Have a great summer Julia --- we'll continue in the fall! 

End of the year cake painting

With summer almost here, some of our after school participants decided they wanted to paint a cake on their last day.   Armed with  icing, food colouring and sprinkles, look below to see what can happen when the cake becomes the canvas!

Guin's horse cake!

Niah's blue elephant cake!

Teddy bear cake! (Tess)

Funny Face Cake! (by Chloe)

Horse by Leah (grade 5)

Great horse, Leah!  Nice use of washes on the dark surface of the horse!

Julia painting a landscape at sunset.

June is such a busy month!   So little time to wrap everything up before the summer break!  No matter, Julia begins two new projects, a landscape and another bird study!  If she finishes before the break, that's great; if she doesn't, well, that's O.K. too!  Here she is working on a landscape, having declared she needs to branch out and try something she hasn't done before.  Bravo Julia!

Tessa - co-instructor at Art Tracks

My daughter, Tessa Hallman-Chong, co-teaches with me at Art Tracks  when her schedule permits.  An accomplished artist in her own right, Tessa also coordinates programs for people with special needs as well as attending Ryerson University's School of Social Work.  Because of her busy schedule, she is presently able to join us only occasionally.  However, on those occasions when is is able to do so, students are invariably delighted by her knowledge and enthusiasm.  

Tessa conferring with Taylore and Leah

Wild Flowers by Tess (grade 4)

As we progressed into the wonderful sultry month of June, my "after school artists" frequently arrived hot, flushed, thirsty and "dying" for something cold!  Fortunately for them, dismissal from school during the warm weather just happens to coincide with the arrival of an ice cream truck parked handily just beside the school's hillside garden.   On one such day, we decided to begin our session with a visit to the ice cream man, and on our way back Tess plucked a few tendrils of  a the tiny wild flowers sprouting up along the path.  Upon arriving back in the art room, she arranged them in a small jar and produced this little painting.

Driftwood and lemon by Taylore (grade 5)

There's a nice movement to this whimsical little arrangement of driftwood and lemon.  The somewhat abstract form of the driftwood leads the eye across the page, with the lemon pulling our view down, around and up again. 

Portrait of Van Gogh by Niah (grade 6)

I think Mr. Van Gogh would approve of this piece, rendered in a style much like his own!  Very nicely done, especially considering this was Niah's very first portrait!

Niah (grade 6) working out measurements of a head

Many people are a little intimidated by the idea of doing a portrait.  To overcome those fears, we focus more on the general proportions of the head --- the correct placement of eyes, nose, mouth and ears, rather than worrying too much about drawing an exact replica of the subject.   Sometimes we practise self portraits using mirrors, or sometimes we draw each other.  Here, Niah has decided to use a picture reference to create a portrait of Van Gogh. 

Stones and Shells - still life by Maddie

Maddie has a distinct style --- strong, purposeful lines and bold colour.  Presented with some gravel and sea shells, she immediately created a still life arrangement and got down to painting, never stopping until she was finished.   Notice how she portrays gravel --- tiny spots of colour densely clustered in the center around the shells, becoming gradually larger and farther apart toward the edges of her paper.

Mini Daffodils -still life by Niah (grade 6)

Niah has remarkable "colour sense"!  Look at the way she places her bright yellow blooms against a vivid blue background, drawing immediate attention to her focal point.  She doesn't stop there either --- note the wrapping on the flower pot --- First she applies bright red to the top of the  wrapping, then she repeats the same colour on the table below, pulling the viewer's eye down and around her painting.   I also really like the shadow above and below the ribbon.   Nice work!

Sea Shells and Water - Still life - Mixed media - by Taylor (grade 6)

Taylor arranged this little scene of sand, gravel and sea shells on her drawing board, and then, viewing it through a picture frame, began to draw.  Done in pastel and watercolour, I particularly like the way she  conveys a sense of water shifting over and and around the shells, as though the viewer is right there with toes in the sand, looking down.  Holiday anyone?