Practicing the basics of art will help build a strong foundation.
Students in high school art classes are still learning the basics of art making. Exploring art making essentials such as value scales, determining shapes through light and dark colors, and creating sample textures will help students at this level of learning create successful art projects that will be building blocks for future experimentation and learning. Creating basic exercises will help to create a strong portfolio for students planning to major in visual arts in college.
Value Scale
Students create a value scale in either pencil or paint on one edge of a sheet of white paper. The scale should be measured out into 12 equal squares that are 1 inch each. A value scale begins with the first square starting as white and with the 12th square completely black. Each square becomes darker and darker as they continue down the scale, which will contain light tones, mid-tones and dark tones. The eye should move easily across the scale without major jumps from light to dark.
Once the scale is complete and dry, students can use a simple object such as an apple or a cup. Light the object with a strong light source which shows all the values in the value scale including highlights and shadows. Paint or draw the object including all the value scales on the same page. Students can also discuss composition and decide where to put the object in their picture plane or how large to create the object.
Scissor Painting
Create a complex still life in the center of the room. This means using more than two objects in one still life. Choose interesting objects with texture. Plastic flowers in a vase or several bottles in a group are good ideas. Light the objects from one side with a strong light.
Students begin with a white sheet of paper that their final art projects will be created on. They are given several sheets of colored construction paper, scissors, and glue. The objective of this exercise is to cut out shapes they see and glue them onto their paper to recreate the still life as a paper cutout.
This helps high school students learn to distinguish shapes, colors, and values created by the light source. It also helps to train the eye and develop hand-eye coordination. The final outcome of this project is colorful and has a high success rate among students. Teachers may want to share images created by the painter and paper cutout artist, Henri Matisse with their students for inspiration.
Texture Study
High school students should begin to develop and distinguish a variety of textures and implement them into their artwork. This art project can be created in pencil or paint.
Have students bring in up to six objects, each with a different texture. The objects can be brought from home or found in nature. Divide a large sheet of white paper or a white canvas into six equal squares. Have the students observe their objects. They will be using one color only for a monochromatic painting. Or, the drawing can be in grayscale if the students choose to create this work in pencil.
Students take one small section of their object and enlarge it to fit the square they are working in. Each texture gets its own square. The final result will elude to the texture that the students are recreating, though the image will appear abstract. The square should represent the texture of the object, not the object itself.
Texture is achieved through application of the art material, such as thick brush strokes, and by systems of marks, such as repetitive dots and dashes.
Tags: still life, value scale, will help, equal squares, Have students, high school