High School Art 1 - Illustrated Dictionary Pages

High School Art 1 students recently completed a mixed media project using a couple of old dictionaries. They each looked for 3 words and, when they found them in the dictionary, they got to rip out the pages and create an illustration for the words on their corresponding page. Have fun checking them out! (Click on each photo to see more closely.)

Middle School Art - Pastel Pandas

After practicing some basic oil pastel techniques, Middle School Art Students got to try their pastel skills with their panda drawing project from our "visit" to China. I love how creative they got with their pandas! Some students also created a raised outline and added texture using glue. Enjoy having a look at these wonderful pastel pandas! 

(Click on each photo to see more closely.)

High School Art II & III - Illustration Project

During the month of March and beginning of April, the advanced high school art students learned about the classroom Artist of the Month, Norman Rockwell, one of America's most beloved illustrators. In addition, they also learned about different ways illustration is used: book illustration, medical illustration, advertising posters and logos, package design, animation and video game design... Then they each got to choose what medium and form of illustration they wanted to do for their project. Enjoy checking out their finished designs! (Click on each photo to see more closely.)

Concert Poster by Emily P.

NASA Illustration by Hayden T.

Video Game Cover By Faith P.

Medical Illustration by Olivia W.

Album Cover by Moriah Y.

Logo Design by Grace L.

Song Lyric Illustration by Anna N.

Soda Advertising Poster by Caleb C.

High School Art 1 - Clay Creations

By Brandon L.

The students in Art I recently completed a basic study on clay. We learned about methods of creating with clay and some basic clay vocabulary. Because we don't have a kiln at the school right now, we just created our own hand-built creations with air-dry clay. After the clay creations had dried, students painted them with acrylic paint and then we finished with a couple of coats of clear acrylic spray glaze. I was so impressed with their masterpieces! (Click on each photo to see more closely.)

By Joel S.

By Kaylee K.

By John H.

By Noelle F.

By Maggie L.

By John M.

By Emily C.

By Hope T.

By Joseph B.

By Nathan H.

By Jacob H.

By Elias A.

By Connor T.

Inspirational Art Moment - Good Craftsmanship

Many years ago my brother-in-law had a new house built. After living in it for a while he and his wife began to have problem after problem with the plumbing system. Finally, after getting no help from the builder, my brother-in-law rented a backhoe and dug up his front yard. He later joked that he wondered why he had the greenest yard on the block. Well it turned out that the builder had never connected the plumbing of their house to the city's sewage system and all of their waste water was, in reality, fertilizing the front yard.

Good craftsmanship - that which is well-done, crafted with care, and presented with pride. In a world where value is frequently placed more on the cheap, easy, and fast option, finding good craftsmanship seems oftentimes to be a rarity. Yet, we still know quality when we see and experience it. It stands out. It makes us take pause and notice. We know who we can expect good craftsmanship from because for them it's a way of doing life.

I would like to take a moment to encourage my students, and anyone, to be people of good craftsmanship, not just with art but in everything. If we are made in the image of God, and if He is the masterful Creator, then it makes sense for us to do things well too. In Colossians 3:23-24, Paul admonishes us to "do [our] work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord [we] will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom [we] serve." I also love what Jordan Raynor says in his book, Called to Create, "The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes..."

Just something to think about.

Middle School - Japanese Fans

One of the most enjoyable and curious forms of art is the Japanese fan. 

Middle School Art students got to learn some history behind the development of the folding fan. Did you know that the fan symbolizes life to the Japanese with the sticks radiating out from the rivet like the sun's rays? Enjoy perusing our own recently created gallery of fan art. I'm a "big fan" of these, aren't you? :-D

(Click on each to see more closely)