Czaplicki Bad Hair Day

Czaplicki Rousseau Drawings Almost Done

Student's are completing in colored pencil BEAUTIFUL jungle scenes inspired by Rousseau.

They are completing two versions....a black and white version, and a colored pencil version.

Very soon we will cutting our pictures up and WEAVING them together. It will create a beautiful pattern. :)

Czaplicki Exploratory Rousseau Drawing

Working with color pencils we created jungle scenes from our imaginations!

Czaplicki A2 Sketchbook

Every class starts with a sketchbook entry. Today we were learning how to break complex pictures into simple shapes. We drew an elephant!

I love watching them take the basic shapes and turn them into a detailed animal!

If your student still has not brought all their supplies in- make sure they have ASAP.

Exploratory Art Screen Printing and Weaving

As the end of the semester approaches, we have student's finishing many different projects. Some are finishing their silk screen stencil. Cutting it out with x-acto blades.

Some are silk screening with their stencils.

Some are finishing up their circle weavings.

But for sure- we are VERY BUSY!

Czaplicki A2 B4 The kiln is Fixed! Our animals are glazed!

Here are some examples of the FINISHED whistles. 

They have all been fired twice. Once to bisque fire- or turn the clay into hardended clay.

Czaplicki Exploratory A2 Materials Explorations

Students are experimenting with materials to create a non representational design. They were inspired by the art work of Andy Goldsworthy.

Czaplicki A2 Clay Whistles

A prarie dog whistle!

And a sea turtle whistle!

We have our first few whistles today. Soon they will be fired in what is called a "bisque firing." This will heat them to tempertures close to 1800 degree! It will cure them and make sure that all the water is removed. It will make them very hard and durable. Then we will glaze them. They will be fired one more time and then our beautiful musical instruments will be ready to play.

Czaplicki B3 Self Portrait in Pencil

While we are completing our large paintings- we are also working on drawing self-portraits. We are drawing from life. This involves a lot of concentration. First they must get the proportions of their face correct. Then they must draw their features to look like theirs. Then they are adding layers upon layer of value. Shading their face will make it looks 3D and realistic. We will have both the portraits completed next week. It will be neat to compare and constrast the two portraists.

Czaplicki A2 Clay Whistle

Our crafts explortatory class is using clay to sculpt a whistle. Right now we've built the base shape and are adding on details. Duck Dynasty seems to have influenced our choice in animals. Two duck sculptures in one class!

Below you can see a bear start to take shape!

There is a hard jump in the mind to go from 2D to 3D. We have to start thinking about working all the way around the piece. The students problem solve how to make their whistle shape turn into an actual animal!

Czaplicki 6th Grade Exploratory Paper Weavings

 Here are lovely examples of the Exploratory project. Student's worked very hard on two different weavings. The first one they drew a picture and then wove it into a weaving. The 2nd weaving- they created their own pattern- and then wove from their own pattern plan. The results speak for themselves.

This project stretched our problem solving skills. It also worked on our perseverance and creativity. Weaving isn't always easy- but it is rewarding! Please ask your Crafts artist about their project.