Clay - a favourite medium in the Art Room!

Term 3 has seen all grades experience the techniques and procedures of modelling with clay.

The Terracotta Warriors currently on display at the NGV Exhibition were a big inspiration for all students. We learned all about the Terracotta Army from China and experimented modelling techniques using both plasticine, terracotta clay and air dry clay.

Students are now familiar with the following terms when working with clay - slab, pinch pot, sphere, coil, slip and score, smooth, stick, kiln, fire, air dry, as well as a variety of tools to use while modelling with clay - skewers, toothpicks, wire, toothbrushes, textured materials and surfaces, stamps, sculpting instruments etc,

P/1 students created textured bird wall hangings, embellishing them with beads and feathers.

Grade 2/3 students started their models with a pinch pot and then let their creativity shine - turning their pots on the side or upside down to create all sorts of weird and wonderful aliens/monsters and mythical creatures!

The students in Grades 4/5 also started their models beginning with a pinch pot. They then turned these into 'Crazy Birds' and once painted and dried, embellished them with beads, chenille sticks and feathers.

Grade 6 students drew inspiration from pop artist Wayne Thiebaud and created these yummy cupcakes, also beginning their models with a pinch pot, then adding a coil as a lid.

Busy artists

We have been busy little artists in the Art Room - painting, sewing, modelling, drawing and constructing.

Last term. the Grade 4/5s used fabric paints to design their own bag, drawing inspiration from the painted fabrics of Mirka Mora. They also used fabric scraps to model a bowl.

Grade 6s also drew inspiration from Mirka Mora's painted dolls, as well as Laura Blythman and Pete Cromer's modern fabrics, to design, paint, assemble and stitch their own softies.

Grade 2/3 students explored the Colour Wheel and how to mix Primary Colours to create Secondary Colours. Their giraffes below were all painted with only the three primary colours on their palettes - red, yellow and blue. We also finished off our Koinobori (Japanese fish kites).

F/1 students spent time learning about the Primary Colours and how to mix them to make Secondary Colours. We have spent many lessons experimenting with different mediums and techniques.

At the moment, we are busy working with clay - modelling, sculpting, painting, glossing and decorating. A favourite lesson was modelling Terracotta Warriors out of plasticine. Students also enjoyed experimenting with terracotta clay and practising making slabs, coils and pinch pots.

Stay tuned for photos of our painted and decorated clay creations.....