Wow!! For the past 6 weeks, all students at Heathrow have been studying self portraits, and they are a beautiful, expressive bunch!

Students in 3rd through 5th grade studied proper facial proportions for their facial features to look realistic; they are now moving on to studying the element of art Value to create tints and shades of their own skin tone to paint their self portraits!

Kindergarten through 2nd grade students practiced "zooming in" and drawing big (a difficult task for tiny hands!) to create big faces. Their study of skin tone creation in watercolor paints also allowed them to learn about our Ballerina Brushes and how to treat them kindly as they dance across the page! 

From classic drawing study of facial features, proportion, and perspective, to color theory and value study, this unit has been extensive and so exciting as children yelp in awe of the color they mixed, and practice growth mindset in their growth of drawing skills. Their hands might not draw as they would like to completely yet, but we know that drawing is a skill just like reading, math, soccer, dancing, and more--practice makes progress!

Here is a sneak peek of "selfies" in process!

A quick project after a long 3 sessions of self portrait creation! We read and discussed the emotions presented in the book "It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse!." Students chose an emotion to express through their pumpkin drawing in oil pastel. Many students chose goofy, silly, or happy pumpkins, but there were some "spooky" and sad pumpkins out there. Students were encouraged to practice craftsmanship by filling in all white areas. Happy autumn!

The Florida Citrus Parade offers a drawing contest each year for students to complete an artwork of the parade, marching bands, college football themed floats, and citrus. Information and drawing sheets are available in the art room, but are also located below for printing at home!

​Every year, we have several students achieve Top 25 status, and we can't wait to see if we have a winner this year! :-) Good luck!

Another school year is here and Heathrow students are working together collaboratively and cooperatively in the art room to show their learning and make big ideas happen!

Students from 2nd through 5th grade worked to create a "quilt" composed of circles and quarters of a circle. Students studied how to divide circles with protractors to make halves and quarters, and designed symmetrical designs on their pieces before arranging them again within a square.

Don't you love the diamond-shaped negative spaces that ties this collaborative piece together? Our students are sparkling already!