Week 3 Sculpture

FINISHING DAS NAME PLATES
Painting Sculptures from Week 2
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Class Objective:
This week in sculpture class students worked on finishing the air-dried nameplates they sculpted in week 2. Choosing paint colors, they painted and completed the project to take home.
♥ We discussed colors and which ones looked better beside others.
♥ Students chose colors of paint including metallics.
♥ They learned that when the paint dries you can paint over your mistakes to cover them.
♥ Students chose chord color to use for hanging them since they were two hole projects.
♥ Everyone did a great job!

Homework:
Bring a small bottle of Elmer's glue to next week's class

Looking Forward To Week 4:
Week 4 we'll be actually making real Bread Dough in the class and sculpting a secret gift with it. The recipe for making this Bread Dough at home will be posted here so parents and students can make projects together at home.

Weekly Notes To Parents:
This week was fun for the kids. They got to see their dried name plates and were all fascinated at how the slimey clay from Week 2 dried smooth and hard. Then they had a good time painting them with their color choices and combinations. We discussed how certain paint colors compliment each other. They all loved the metallic paint shades and did excellent work in their painting. We had a great time.

Week 3 Calligraphy

CLASSIC CALLIGRAPHY STYLE
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Class Objective:
We spent this week in calligraphy class discussing and working on a single classic calligraphy lettering style.

Project Application:
Students worked on writing (tracing) their style template by paying close attention to pen angle in order to make our lettering exactly like the template. The class once again concentrated on how to correctly hold the pen which gives the beautiful thick and thin lines of classic calligraphy styles.

♥ We discussed paying close attention to how their lettering looked when removed from the template style.
♥ Students traced the style once with a critique pointing out correctly done letters.
♥ Students traced the style a second time noticing that once they were warmed up their lettering looked much better.
♥ The class discussed personal handwriting styles and how once the classic style is learned they can later add their own style into it.
♥ We discussed our first "real" calligraphy piece deciding the subject.

Homework:
Students will decide on what they want to write for their first calligraphy piece. They will bring it with them to the next class.

Looking Forward To Week 4:
After deciding and bringing what they will write for their first "real" piece, students will learn how to begin a piece. We will setup and get ready for the first piece. Students must bring ...
♥ A "Shaeffer" one pen, three nib size, multi color ink set available at Michael's.

Weekly Notes To Parents:
We had another great time talking about handwriting and practicing. This coming week we will begin a "real" calligraphy project. Please make sure student brings the Shaeffer Pen Set.

Week 2 Calligraphy

HOLD IT AGAIN!
It's All About The Angle
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Class Objective:
We spent this week in calligraphy class working and practicing the angle of the writing pen again. Professional Martha Stewart writing markers were distributed to each student.

Project Application:
Students worked on writing (tracing) their calligraphied names after a week's practice. They all did much better and I became more familiar with each one's writing style. The class once again concentrated on how to correctly hold the pen which gives the beautiful thick and thin lines of classic calligraphy styles.
♥ We discussed ink fading and how to avoid it.
♥ Students learned the importance of using acid free inks that are colorfast, if they want a piece to last and become an heirloom, artistic piece.
♥ We reviewed some completed decorative calligraphy pieces.
♥ The class discussed some important handwriting issues.
♥ They practiced their names.
♥ We discussed future projects that would be done during the course of the class.

Homework:
Students were instructed to continue practicing proper pen angle at home.

Looking Forward To Week 3:
After practicing for the week, students will begin writing without having an already done piece to trace from. We will discuss preparing for their first project, while continuing to practice their pen angle and delivery.

Weekly Notes To Parents:
We had another great time talking about their handwriting. Please encourage them to practice. Being able to hold and use the pen correctly is the number one first challenge. Much practice is needed before we will be able to begin any creative projects.

Week 2 Sculpture

DAS CLAY
Embellished Name Plates
DAS Air Hardening Modeling Clay Compound
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Homework 9/29 Reports:
Students discussed sculptures they had seen during the week. We also discussed their amazement at how plain, everyday Playdough could produce such a solid, decorative piece of sculpture. Several of the younger students left their pieces in the class which I brought home and completed by turning daily for them. They took their completed pieces home with them this week.

Class Objective:
This class introduced the students to an altogether different clay than last week. DAS Modeling Compound was used. This clay air dries quickly and cracks easily. It must be worked much faster than the Playdough of last week's class. However, they learned that this kind of clay could be softened with a little water and cracks could be repaired and made smoother by applying water to its surface. It was certainly much messier, (which most of them liked) so, the students got a good feel of a different clay texture. There was class discussion on it's different properties while they worked. They also learned that in the future, DAS clay could be thinned with water to make it much more pliable and could also be thinned enough to pour into a mold, although setting time until it could be removed from the mold to produce a final sculpture would take longer.

Project Application:
The DAS clay was rolled out to 1/4" thickness with rolling pens and the students cut out rectangular name plaques long enough to add their names. They had a choice of either carving out their names or molding them from candy letter molds and embedding them to create reliefs. They also embellished with decorative objects pressed into molds. This gave them the opportunity of being creative in their choices. Several of the students chose to copy the more creative ones which was fine as long as they participated and completed a finished piece. Two hanging holes were added at the top of their sculptures on opposite sides. Most finished before the end of the class. I brought their items home to dry safely as this clay is very fragile until dried.

Homework:
No homework was assigned because of the holiday on Monday the 13th.

Looking Forward To Week 3:
Name plaques will be returned and the students will finish them with paint, and glaze them with gloss spray. They'll add hanging cords and take home their finished sculptures.

Notes To Parents:
Classes are moving along fine and I am enjoying them greatly. It's really lots of fun and these students are truly little whizzes; much smarter than I had anticipated. This week they completed a whole project in less than an hour. They all worked hard and finished. I'll be bringing my camera to chronicle their work so they can look back and see how far they've come during the course. I think it will be interesting not only for me but for them as well to be able to follow each class, see pictures of their work, review the types of clay we use and see all of the projects completed. Progress photos will be very inspiring.

Week 1 Calligraphy

HOLD IT!
It's All About Placing The Pen
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Class Objective:
This first calligraphy class allowed me to get to know each student and become familiar with each one's writing styles and abilities. Students were introduced to "the art of beautiful writing" by examining different small decorative calligraphy pieces as well as looking at some large professional pieces I had created. The class discussed basic terminology and some important handwriting issues before beginning.

Project Application: Hold it! Tracing a Quote
Students used calligraphy markers and tracing paper. They were instructed to trace an existing quote that was already done in a decorative style. The class mainly concentrated on how to correctly hold the pen which gives the beautiful thick and thin lines of classic calligraphy styles.
♥ They learned how to setup a makeshift lap light table workspace using a simple large frame with only glass in it and a small lamp.
♥ They learned the important fact that a person's handwriting changes every day.
♥ When working large projects one must begin a paragraph and continue all the way through to the end before stopping or it will be evident where the stops and starts are as your handwriting changes.
♥ How to use ruled lines to write a straight word beautifully, and how to use rule lines for an envelope address.
♥ They practiced their names.
♥ We discussed future projects that would be done during the course of the class.

Homework:
They were instructed to practice proper pen angle at home and look around them to see calligraphy or beautifully written/designed logos, signage and common places where it might be used.

Looking Forward To Week 2:
After practicing for the week, students will begin writing without having an already done piece to trace from, practicing their pen angle and delivery.

Weekly Notes To Parents:
I enjoyed meeting your girls and had a great time talking with them about their handwriting. They seemed eager to begin working on the ability to create beautiful written projects. Please encourage them to practice. Being able to hold and use the pen correctly is the number one first challenge. Much practice is needed before we will be able to begin any creative projects.

Week 1 Sculpture

FAMILIAR PLAYDOUGH
Impressive Hanging Ornaments
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Class Objective:
This first class allowed me to see each student's creativity, manual ability to work basic techniques such as rolling balls, snakes, embellishing, imprinting and their ability to follow simple directions using a clay medium they were most likely familiar with.

Students were introduced to different sculpture items and their techniques. Sculpted in various ways and from different materials, examples were: a large resin lawn ornament, a large metal ornamental frog, salt dough cookies, a polymer clay figurine, a floral ring keeper top set on a clay pot, earthen clay pinch pots, various pieces of jewelry, a relief design, tiny dollhouse miniatures, and a wooden carved musical frog. We will be making some of these items during this class. The class discussed sculpting, carving, and mold making which are common forms of sculpture they experience every day.

Project:
Flat,Impress,Ornamental Sculpture
We began by using a clay the students had most likely experienced before; the all familiar Playdough. However, the students discovered something new. When left to air dry, although fragile, Playdough can be used in a more permanent way. They each made a colorful and decorative hanging ornament to take home.

Project Application:
The students chose their favorite Playdough base color, and rolled a palm full out to 1/4" thick. Using raised plastic suncatchers (made for painting) students turned them upside down and imprinted their chosen design, then cut them out. They were required to share small portions of their clay color with the others, choosing different colors of Playdough to apply embellishments around the ornament's design. A final hanging hole was made. They were told how to finish their ornaments at home during the next week by turning them over daily until completely air dried and hard before hanging them.

Homework:
The class discussed sculpture around them in the everyday world. Home assignment was to look around and find different kinds of sculpture everywhere they went during the next week, and share their findings in the next class.

Looking Forward To Week 2:
Students will experience DAS Modelling Compound and will make name plates while learning how to mold embellishments and work quickly with a clay medium similar to Playdough yet fast drying.
Please check here each week for supplies and/or instructions that may be needed for the next week's class.

Weekly Notes To Parents:
We had a great time in this week's class. I enjoyed it as much as the kids did. I hope they all had a great time. Meeting, getting to know, and working with your children was a joy! I was delighted at how talented and creative most of them already were. This will mean we'll be doing some interesting things over the next 15 weeks. :o)