Sarah Sumsion Edel 4540 Sec 2 Reflection #3

Today we learned the principles of art: proportion, balance, rhythm, variety, emphasis, and unity. We also shared our illustrator study and participated in activities relating to different illustrator's styles.

I found this very enjoyable. I learn more and more about art and almost wish we didn't have to move on to drama yet- although that has always been a favorite of mine. I have felt so uneducated when it comes to art, so this class has really opened my eyes and mind to what art is all about. I feel a little stupid asking, "Do artists know all this when they paint?"  But it was one of those dumb questions perhaps others were thinking too. I really liked finding the curriculum connections for our group because it made me see a bigger picture than just "coloring" for art.

Having this class makes me want to have better art "decorations" around the room than the typical, cartoon-like cut outs you buy at teacher supply stores. Think of the art we could post around a room to better label classroom centers or important rules. I hope to integrate more art not only into my classroom but with my own children at home. In fact, 2 of my boys were bickering over something today so I brought one into my room and showed him my creative arts journal and he was really curious. He guessed what my texture segments were (chicken skin, starry night, patterned clothing). He saw one "shape" element I had made (a snowflake) and decided he wanted to make snowflakes. The fighting stopped, he was being creative and his hands and mind were being put to good use. I also challenged him to make a picture using only a piece of paper and a hole punch. We then looked through the hole punch picture and saw pieces of a bigger picture (parts of the room). I showed him how it was sort of like my text art boxes I had made in Word then filled with a painting. The glorious thing for me - 30 minutes of no fighting!