Fire Truck Paintings at Bomberos

Thank you to all the families that came to Bomberos to support the Simis art program. It was a great opportunity to show our student's artwork and connect with the community. Special thanks to Bomberos for allowing us this opportunity, and to Julie Peterson and Holly Keeble for helping to organize this event.

"Opposite Views" 4th Grade

The 4th graders are creating pieces of art that appear as opposites from different vantage points. They each create two painting of things that are opposite (hot and cold, big and small, etc.) and find a creative way to illustrate them. They use complementary colors (opposites on the color wheel) for the main color in each of their paintings. They create an accordion fold by folding every inch to create 12 one inch spaces. They cut each painting into 6 one inch strips and alternate them on the folds. The result is a piece they changes dramatically depending on where your viewpoint is.

"Alphabet Posters" Kindergarten

The Kindergarten classes are creating Alphabet posters. Each student is assigned one letter of the alphabet to illustrate. They practice writing the letter, making it into a bubble letter, and they turn it into a character by giving it arms, legs, and a face. Then they have to draw one word for their letter (like an apple for A). When they are ready, they make their letters for the class poster on construction paper cards. They draw, outline, and neatly color their letter using a pencil, marker, and construction paper crayons. We combine all the student's letters to create a poster that has the entire illustrated alphabet. The finished posters will be hung up in the Kindergarten hallway as they are completed.

"Bus Contest" 3rd Grade

The third grade bus contest submissions are in the mail, and the only thing left to do is wait for the results. We had quite a few entries this year, and the quality of the work was very impressive. Thanks to all who took time to create a piece.

"Leaf Prints" 1st Grade

The first graders have been learning about leaves, and how to draw them. They made sketches of four different leaf shapes, and picked their favorite type. They used this drawing to create a stamp that they could use for printmaking. They pressed the lines of their leaf onto a styrofoam panel, transferring the drawing to the stamp. They used brayers to roll printing ink onto their stamp, and then used the stamp three times on a piece of paper. When they finished, they had three colorful leaf prints.

"Gesture Figures" 2nd Grade

The second graders have been hard at work creating a painting of 3 human figures. The students used wire to create the shape of a body, and bent the wire into different positions called gestures. They chose 3 different positions and drew them using a contour line (one continuous line that creates a shape). Their 3 figures appeared to be dancing and the movement created rhythm in their painting. They added colored lines around the figures to highlight the rhythm and gestures.

"Bus Contest" 3rd Grade

Third grade Simis students have the opportunity to participate in the Valley Metro "2010 Cool Bus Stuff Contest." I will be giving out entry forms and drawing paper this week in class to students who request them. The link below explains the contest and gives rules and instructions.

Contest Information

Last year the Simis 3rd graders had a lot of success in this contest. We had 3 of the 12 winners, with close to 800 entries from different schools. Their illustrations were featured in a calendar that was distributed throughout the valley.

Last Year's Winners

You can return your entry form and finished illustrations to the art room and I will mail them. Thanks to all who participate!

Welcome Back!

We are starting another school year at Simis Elementary and in the art room. This year we will continue to build upon the lessons and concepts of the previous two years, and welcome many new students and families to our program. In the first few weeks you can expect your child to review the classroom expectations and the importance of sketchbooks. We will also talk about concepts, creativity, and craftsmanship. Teaching the students how to use the elements and principles of art (concepts), seek unique design solutions (creativity), and take their time and use care in creating their project (craftsmanship) will be my priority. If you would like to see the kind of work we do in art class, you can scroll down and check out some of the projects we worked on last year. Over the course of the year, I will be updating this site so you can see what we are currently working on. If you have a google, yahoo, or AIM account you can sign up to receive an email whenever there is a post and make comments on them.

Thanks,
Mr. Bilger

"Bookmans Display" 3rd Grade

Thanks to all the students and families that joined us at Bookman's on March 11. The store has posted pictures and an article about the event on their website. Check them out.

Bookman's Youth Art Night

Pictures

"Creature Creations" 3rd Grade

Third grade students have been working on a big project in Art class. They are creating sculptures of new species that combine the qualities of two animals. They create an illustration of their animal, build it, and write an article about it in their classroom.

They start by sketching and planning their animal. They have to take the shapes of their animals body and figure out how they could make them using twisted, crumpled or folded newspaper. For example, folded newspaper works great for flat shapes like fins, wings and feet. When they have a plan for their sculpture, they answer 5 questions about their animal. They use this information for the article they will write. Finally, they create a color illustration of their new species.

They construct their sculpture by creating the shapes of the body by twisting, folding and crumpling newspapers. They use masking tape to hold the forms together and attach them. This creates an "armature" of their animal.

The students cover their armature with two layer of newspaper strips dipped in papier mache. This toughens and solidifies the surface of the sculpture. A third layer of colored paper strips dipped in papier mache is added to give the piece a solid color and extra toughness.

The students add color and detail to their sculptures using acrylic and tempera paints. When the paint dries, they outline their designs using sharpies.

"Bookmans Creature Creations Display" 3rd Grade

In March, Bookmans will be displaying sculptures and stories created by Simis third graders to celebrate art appreciation month. The project is a collaboration between the classroom teachers and the art room. The students combine two animals into one and create a papier mache sculpture in art class. In their home room, they write an article about their species.

Some of the pieces will be selected for a display in Bookmans. The store will have a special opening night for the display on Thursday, March 11^th complete with refreshments, a scavenger hunt and more. Keep your eyes out for flyers and check the Simis art website towards the end of the month for more details.

"Tie-dye T-shirt Designs" 4th Grade

Fourth grade students created characters and placed them onto drawn T-shirts. The designs feature an "anthropomorphic" character that they imagined. Anthropomorphic means that they have given a human personality or characteristics to an object or an animal. They drew a t-shirt shape complete with detailed stitching, and sketched their character onto it using a pencil. When the character was placed, they used a sharpie to outline.

The students added color by laying strips of colored tissue paper onto their drawings. They picked a solid color to fill the background, covering the entire space. They dipped a brush into water, and brushed over the tissue paper. The pigment in the tissue spreads into paper and creates vibrant color.

After they cover the whole background, they begin adding a tie-dye pattern to the inside of the shirt. The students repeat a color combination so that each paper strip is touching different colors. When the different color strips are wet, the pigments blend and mix creating a tie-die effect.

"P.A.T.S. Fundraiser"

Students are creating cards for a fundraiser in the Art Room. Within the next week, the students will be bringing home envelopes with their completed artwork and order forms. Students have the opportunity to purchase greeting cards, stickers, and notepads featuring their artwork. The money will go to the P.A.T.S. organization, which helps raise funds for field trips, special areas, and many other worthy causes at Simis.