Welcome -

This blog is here for Cornerstone Christian Academy art students to use as a tutorial and troubleshooting site for the completion of their various yearly projects. Use this blog to find periodic updates and tips. Please leave comments: ask questions, comment on your progress, or leave helpful tips for your fellow classmates to read regarding a particular class project. Good Luck!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

An Amazing New Form of Art!

I read about these artists in the latest edition of Art News. It's just crazy what they are doing with art and technology! Tell me what you think. - Mr. Kelley

Colored Pencil Portraits Using the GRID

Birth of Venus by Botticelli (detail)
As you all know already, we have been working on the colored pencil portraits. This is the next level of our GRID studies. The grid will enable anyone to draw a highly accurate representation of anything they desire. Some of you have realized how difficult is can be to create a portrait without the aid of a grid. It pays to spend the extra time necessary to layout a grid! This should be light handed so that it doesn't show up after you're finished coloring.

Use colors expressively! If you want to throw in a little bit of a crazy color - GO FOR IT! I will never penalize you for experimenting, even if you realize that it was not successful. So don't worry about a bad result; just be ready to explain WHY you chose to do what you did when we have our critique.

REMEMBER: THESE ARE DUE ON DEC. 11 UNLESS I SEE REMARKABLE EFFORT IN WHICH CASE I WILL EXTEND THE DUE DATE UNTIL AFTER THE CHRISTMAS BREAK.


Monday, November 10, 2008

New Grading Policy

Don't forget the new grading policy: Every day late on an assignment will be a 10pt. deduction. You can turn in a late assignment to Mrs. Titus in the office. She will write the date on the back of the project for me to pick up on Thursdays. Use your time wisely; I will always give you plenty of time to finish each project. Good Luck. - Mr. Kelley

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Class Grid Project #1



Well here it is. The class made a great effort at copying Michelangelo's God even though most of the class couldn't tell what they were looking at on their grid pieces. I think we all agree that once the pieces are together it is easier to tell what changes can be made to improve each section. For example, as we discussed in the critique, the pieces that catch our attention first are those that have great contrast; dark shadows and bright highlights. Some of you who volunteered to complete two separate grid pieces and still needed to spend a little more time working on them but everyone who turned in a piece has the option of reworking them for a better grade, if you choose. Since this will be proudly on display in the hallway for all to see, I would hope that each and everyone of you make your best effort at making your piece perfect. This is a terrific class project and I hope it will serve you well on our next project. See you all in class Thursday! - Mr. Kelley

Friday, October 24, 2008

Extra Credit Opportunities

As I mentioned in class Thursday, I will be extending extra credit opportunities to each student who is desirous. There have been a few modifications to the 3 options that I presented in class.

You can only choose ONE of the options listed below for a maximum addition of 10 points added to your year end average.

Extra Credit Option #1: Sketchbook extra credit. You can earn 1/2 point for every page that you fill with sketches (a page has a front AND a back) . To get the maximum 10 points for this option you'll have to fill 20 full pages. Because this is extra credit I will decide whether the sketch is acceptable for the extra credit. You can sketch anything you want; landscapes, people, pets, objects, ideas, personal creations, etc. Tip: Use your sketchbook to draw out your ideas for future class projects. These can count toward your extra credit if they are high quality. Also, come to me with your sketches throughout the year and I will tell you whether it is good enough for the extra credit or not. This way you won't have to wonder whether you'll get the max. 10 points or not.

Extra Credit Option #2: Visit the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art and write a 2 page report on any current exhibition. (For exhibition dates and details click here. ) Double space, 12pt font, name and date in top corner, and creative title must be included. Give your opinion of the exhibit that you chose. It can be a positive or negative opinion, but you must explain why you formed that opinion. Use art terms that we have gone over this year to describe the exhibit. Pick a piece of art in the exhibit that you felt was the most successful and give a detailed visual description, including the artist's name, background, title of the piece of art, the dates it was created and what you think the purpose/significance of that piece is. Include your feelings as much as possible; how did the exhibit affect you? what did it make you feel/think about? were you inspired? was there a particular emotion that you experienced such as sadness or peace?
A well written and thorough paper will earn you 10pts to your final class average.

Extra Credit Option #3: Write a 3 page paper (double-spaced, 12pt font) on an artist of your choice. The artist that you'd like to write about MUST BE APPROVED before you start so bring me your ideas and I will help you out on some source material. In this paper you should give a brief, 1-2 paragraph background on the artist - when&where s/he was born, influences on his/her art, awards, historical significance, educational degrees, etc. Then compare and contrast 2 artworks by the artist. Give detailed visual descriptions of the 2 artworks, similarities, differences, and in what ways they are successful or unsuccessful. Include your likes, dislikes and opinions - even if they are strong. You must include at least 3 sources listed on a "works cited" page attached to the back of your paper. Include printouts of the 2 artworks that you chose to discuss and attach them to the back of the paper as well.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Samples of Hand sketches







Here are several examples of what I hope you'll do for your hand sketches. The first few at the top are perfect for this assignment and the last couple are examples of M. C. Escher's work. You'll have an automatic A for the year if you can create something as detailed and well rendered as Escher's examples. The best way to start your hand sketches is to do a very light outline. This outline should only be basic geometric shapes - don't worry about outlining wrinkles and fingernails because those details should be worked on lastly. Once you outline the general shape of your hand you can begin to fill in shadows and midtones. Save the smallest details for last. TIP: you can erase graphite in your sketch to create highlights. Try it - Mr. Kelley

Friday, October 10, 2008

POP QUIZ #2 - Oct. 16, 2008

Here are the words for the pop quiz and the alternate definitions. Good Luck - Jared

implied line - lines that dim, fade, stop or dissappear. The missing portions are visually completed by the viewer.

curvilinear - the use of curved lines. (fingerprints are a great example)

perspective - creating the illusion of a 3-D image on a 2-D surface.

achromatic value - relating to differences of light and dark, disregarding color.

cast shadow - the dark area that occurs on a surface as a result of something being placed between that surface and a light source.

chiaroscuro - 1) distribution of light and dark. 2) an art technique that blends light and shade gradually to create a 3-D illusion.

highlight - the portion of an object that appears to receive the greatest amount of direct light.

shadow, shade, or shading - the darker values on the surface of an object that appear to receive the least amount of direct light.

tenebrism - a painting technique that exaggerates or emphasizes the effects of chiaroscuro.

representational art - type of art that uses the art elements to create an image that looks like an actual object.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

X-Acto Knives Update!!!!

Hey class - I have purchased enough x-acto #1 knives for the entire class so if you don't want to purchase one of your own you can opt to use those that I have in class next Thursday. However, you will have to be able to finish your project in class. This means that you need a concrete design which will allow you to hit the ground running when we meet for class.

If you still would like to purchase your own x-acto blade, A C Moore has the cheapest - $3.51 - located in the wood carving department in the back corner.


Send me any questions you have regarding your assignment and I can help you. I don't want to turn Mr. Newton's small violin solo into a quartet of foolish fiddlers, so get in the habit of regularly checking this blog. It's even easier if you subscribe to it using your email account! Good luck - Mr. Jared

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

New Project - Sept. 18

Hey class - I am placing a link for examples of our new project starting this Thursday, Sept 18. We will be taking one sheet of paper and creating a piece of art with it. The paper size is your choice. The only requirement is that it be a white sheet of paper. You will be using X-acto knives so I will have them in class for your use by next Thursday, Sept 25. In the meantime, I would like everyone to bring their sketchbooks to class and be ready to brainstorm for ideas. I'll expect to see the ideas that you come up with and can guide you as to which ideas are more successful than others. So, for your convenience check out this link : One Sheet of Paper

Good Luck - Mr. Kelley

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Great Examples of Shading Techniques

Hey class - Here are a few links to see great examples of shading techniques.


Child Born by AscenderRising - Stippling/ pointillism


Hendrick Goltzius' The Massacre of the Innocent - cross-hatching
Claude Mellan's portrait of Michel de Marolles - hatching

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Value Excercise - Due Sep.18, 2008


Value Exercise using 1. Hatching 2. Cross Hatching 3. Stippling/Pointillism 4. Using One of your Initials 5. Smudging/Blending

OK -this is your latest homework assignment. If your not using this blog and checking it regularly then it's gonna be tough to do well in this class and let's be honest - you DON'T want to be the student who failed art! It's a given "A" if you just attempt to do your best.

This example is one that I put together on the same sheet of paper that all of you were handed in class. It took me less than one hour to complete. TIP: Be careful when pulling your tape off the paper; if you pressed the tape on firmly it might peel the paper off with it in the end so pull the tape slowly and carefully. Also if you want to protect your graphite from smearing, after you finish everything, use hairspray (outdoors, not indoors!) and lightly spray the surface of your paper. If you have any questions, email me at tigerpride@live.com or leave your question in a comment box here on this blog. Remember to subscribe to this blog by entering your email address in the designated box at the top of the blog.

Lastly - all of you who quietly smuggled our rulers out of the classroom, please return them next week. It's my second week teaching you all and I'll be darned if I'm gonna be accused of taken office supplies! Thanks and good luck. - Mr. Kelley

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Sale on Sketchbooks!

Hey class: Michael's Arts and Crafts Store has all sketchbooks for 30% off. This is probably the best deal in town right now. See you in class on Thursday. Bring your new sketchbooks and some pens or pencils. Remember to send me your suggestions for music that you'd like to hear during classes. - Mr. Kelley

Monday, August 25, 2008

Art Elements and Principles of Organization

The 5 Elements of Art

1. Line
2.Shape
3. Value
4. Texture
5. Color

The 7 Principles of Organization

1. Harmony
2. Variety
3. Balance
4. Proportion
5. Dominance
6. Movement
7. Economy