Art One: The beginner students are starting with the first of The Nine subject-based themes, the Object. Through this theme, the art student will explore how artists use observation as a source for creating a work of art. ​

Art Two: Our intermediate students are kicking off the year with the Artistic Behavior Unit, Artists Observe. We'll be taking a look at artists and artworks that explore this foundational concept. ​

Observational sketch of a Christmas light

 Most teachers can appreciate having their students document the design phase. We already know the "what". Sure, we're going to present new artists, skill and techniques to our students. It also wouldn't hurt if they found a way to visually plan their ideas before they start development. ​

Since we are running a TAB program, we believe the student is the artists and the art room is their studio. However, this doesn't mean the student is alone in their artistic journey. We are here to present the student a full range of choice while presenting artists, ideas and concepts the student may have never heard of. ​

For the Beginner, it's the Nine. These are subject based themes to get the wheels turning. The intermediate students will explore Artistic Behavior Units. These units cover the way artists think and work. For our Advanced students, we'll layout a framework to guide them successfully through the Breadth and Concentration sections of the AP Portfolio. As teachers, we present the information. At that point, its up to the student to decide what they're going to do with it. We're here to help facilitate their vision.

This year at the Art of South B we are offering a brand new art class... Computer Art & Animation. We'll be taking a look at Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, as well the Adobe tools Animate programs. We'll try our hands at digital painting on hte iPad and may even do a little 3D printing. 

So far, we are only three days in but the class is already killing it. The following is a combination of a few tutorials along with individual projects. Check it out!

The year has ended. The seniors have graduated, the halls are clear and the art room is packed up. There was some great art created this year, like the piece above. These guys were really starting to get the hang of multi level stencils.

​Most of the art is taken home by the students. The art cubbies are clear and ready for new art to fill the shelves next year. Still, there is always some art that is left behind. Here is a look at some of the things found round the room and on Seesaw that may or may not be art... :)

Art of the Fry. 

A Walk to Remember

She stayed after on the last day to finish it!

Eye of Fish Pebbles

And Ever

Here's Looking At You, Kid

We are winding down the year but our artists are still knocking out artwork after artwork. Lainey created the above piece digitally on her tablet. Tablets make clean up easier but they are harder to hang in the display case.

Jo Jo completed another stencil of a fellow classmate. this work is actually three layers of stencils, overlapping. 

This is an app that generates the image based on student input. it's create pretty neat looking works of art.

3D printed turtle, painted in acrylic.

Stippling takes a while. lots of dots. Lots of dots. Lots.. dots.

This is a remake of a piece this student previously completed. She wanted to redo it to see how much she had improved her skill set.

Hunter decided to create a pixel art image. We didn't have any post it notes so he had to hand paint and cut his own squares, 2" x 2".

From up close it doesn't look like much.

as you back up its starts to resemble a face.

From down the hall it looks like Kevin Hart.

This year was a 'big first' here at the Art of South B... in fact, it was a big first for SBHS, Brunswick County and for me, your humble art teacher. For the first time ever, in all three circumstances, we offered AP Studio Art.

So what's AP Studio Art you ask? Well, let me explain. AP Studio Art is an advanced placement course offered by the College Board. Students enrolled in the course must produce 24 works of art to create three sections of a portfolio.

The first portfolio section is called Breadth. Students submit 12 original works of art that show a wide variety of skills and techniques. The second section is their Concentration. These 12 works must demonstrate a common theme. These are the works we'll focus on for this post. The third section is Quality. Students submit 5 works of art that demonstrate quality.

In all, we had 14 students enroll this first year of which 13 students submitted portfolios. In total, over 300 works of art were created! Below is a look at some of the Concentration works completed this year. Words in quotes were written by the student.

"​My concentration is a series of portraits depicting the wives of Henry VIII at the beginning and end of the marriage. In these portraits, I will exaggerate certain emotions in the facial expressions and ideas behind the image in the background."

"​The Central idea of my concentration is depicting trash in coastal areas by creating collages with the actual garbage left in these areas. I went out and took all of these photographs to make the collages. The coastal area is heavily affected by litter because of the geographic location. All of the bottles and various plastics end up on the shores and in the waterways. I want to show how litter affects the natural environment by making artwork using litter found in these coastal areas. "

Kamryn began her concentration with an interested in photo-manipulation. She soon branched out and began creating original abstract digital works. These designs later lead to her incorporating imagery with a focus on various principles of design such as repetition, perspective, and movement

"​The central idea of my concentration is based on a series of questions that a person would be asked. The artwork depicts the responses to the questions metaphorically through portraiture. The audience engages the questions through the title, views the portrait, and makes a connection between the two."

Originally, Grayson planned to morph his own original paintings with photos of classmates. As he worked through the process, he realized he was less interested in the painting process and more interested in morphing animals and humans. 

Vienna created a portfolio of acrylic landscape paintings. All of her paintings were created using he own original photography. She was particularly interested in capturing strong moods through the use of lighting.

There's a new teacher here at the Art of South B. Stacey Belter (above, right) started teaching at South B at the beginning of this semester and already has her classes up and running. Belter opened the semester by introducing several of the Nine, including architecture, the portrait and landscape. Since then she has introduced several choice-based concepts to work towards a studio model. 

I interviewed Belter about how she liked working at South B and also asked her to give some insight into her teaching methods. Belter said,"I just put it on blast, I tell them, tap those breaks, stay in your lane, cause it's too much, too much." I actually didn't understand anything she said but did request she provide a dictionary of phrases for future interviews.

Next, I asked her students what they thought about there new art teacher. One student said, "She's a fabulous dresser." Another student added that she was a, "Very fashionable." A third student mentioned something about her great hair." Fashion aside, I pressed for their thoughts of Belter as a teacher. "Umh, umh. umh.... She wears cool pants!"

Above: Providing opportunities for students to work with different materials, a center was set up so students could create ugly dolls.

allowing for student directed teaching lead to this student combining stencils and printing to create these works of art. This student later show other students how to use this technique.

Students where challenged to create a work of art with a focus on text. Lots of good stuff coming out of the art room.

Best In Show!

Can  you say Best in Show?! Congratulations to Taylor for winning Best in Show at the Southport Brunswick County Art Exhibit beating out all artists from West, north and East Brunswick high schools!

(OK. there is no East Brunswick HS but if there was...)

Second Place!

Placing second Southport Brunswick County Art Exhibit was out very own Vienna for her excellent seascape acrylic painting.

Other Happenings This Week

Katie completing another digital work

Giant Hamburger and soda add to the french fries to complete the combo meal

Pasty working in charcoal

Chloe decided to use the tie dye ink... just in a slightly less traditional manner.

Nyssa working digital, adding the scribbles was an interesting effect, especially in the eyes

Jo Jo and I talked about the concept of 1000 origami cranes. So just 999 to go

That's some nice color pencil work!

Excuse the mess, it's Friday but allow me the opportunity to introduce the Tables. Our open art room is student directed. That means, students decide which direction they want to take the art they are creating. Many students come to class with ideas and are ready to jump in. However, some students are looking for new ideas, new opportunities,  new techniques that they might not have known or thought about. That's where The Tables come in.

Each week we present a new theme with two new project ideas, one on each table. These table projects come with a quick demo as well as all the supplies needed to create a work of art. The theme and the project materials are set up for one week. The following week, there will be a new theme and two new project ideas.

Maybe the best way to explain this is to show you what happened this week. Our weekly theme was Textile. 

Table One: Ugly Dolls

On the first table we set up all the materials needed to create an ugly doll. This included different types of materials, felt, googly eyes, hot glue guns, needles and thread and scissors. We presented a short demonstration which included a few examples of ugly dolls. After that, the students had at it. 

Now not everyone made an ugly doll. The concept of the table is to provide a project idea for those who are looking for something different or are having trouble coming up with something on their own. Think of the tables as another option. Its all student directed

Sewing is not something everyone was interested in so we provided hot glue guns as a means of sealing the dolls. Still others that already new how to sew spent the time with the needle and thread. Some others, that didn't know how to sew, learned.

​Also, not everyone made an ugly doll. Some students choose to make pillows, some square, some rectangles and some shaped like hearts.

We printed out a few examples of ugly dolls to give students a starting point. Some students designed their dolls ahead of time while other students started cutting without a plan. Both produce different results but both are acceptable methods of learning.

Well, some work out better than others.....

Table Two: Tie Dye

To continue with our textile theme, on table two we introduced tie dying. The students had to bring in their own garments, t-shirts, socks as such. We provided the dye, rubber bands and demo about various techniques that produce different results. 

This is an interesting method for using a folding method. Also, the shirt was already blue. so this was a rather experimental piece. It's cool when students aren't afraid to experiment and try something where the results aren't guaranteed. In the end, it turned out really well.

Of course you can't go wrong wit the classic spiral.

Tied up and dying in process.

The final results

A bag of socks!

Next Week: Journaling and Tar Felt paper Painting
A Now that textile week is over, its time to set up for next week. Our theme will be journaling and will also include felt paper painting. See you then!

Hannah likes to draw wolves... like, a lot. She likes to draw wolves a lot! So I was like, "Why don't you draw eight wolves and then you could animated them and make it look like it was walking?" and she was like, "OK" and so she did and this is the result. I like how the ears wiggle.

The day before spring break we thought it might be fun to have a little egg decorating contest. So we brought in a bunch of eggs, yes, real eggs, and gave each student and egg to decorate. We had three categories, zentangle design, character design, art history design. We got a lot more characters and zentangles but it was all good. We got enough decorated eggs  to fill this whole case and part of another.

The other Hannah started this stippling of horses. she hasn't finished it yet. She started before break and hasn't worked on it since returning. i'll have to ask her what she did with it. Maybe she just needs reminding. Things started can become things done. 

This is a huge cup of soda that goes with the large fries and hamburger that was already completed. This piece, which so far is only the wooden frame, has been designed and created by Hunter. Now it gets passed on to the other students in the group would will decide how to finish it up. Meanwhile, hunter is starting their next group piece which will be a skateboard ramp. Get 'er done.

Drew knows how to make a stencil. 

This is another work by Morgan who is considering making these part of his AP concentration next year. The frame was created by Hunter.