Electronic Portfolio for Renfroe Middle School compiled by: Jacinta Williams, Sheila Russ, Janet Foster

Vincent van Gogh

Jacinta Williams set up a van Gogh display and introduced the students to his work

Procedures First: The child chose a paintings from the resource books. Second: The student used materials set out to produce their own paintings. Third: The student painted using materials. Evaluation Amanda was observed using the materials and mixing various colors of paint to get the light and dark versions of the paint she needed to capture Van Gogh’s painting of sunflowers. She used various techniques to capture Van Goghs style of painting. I observed her using dabbing, short and long brush strokes. Learning Experience The students will create their own representations of van Gogh’s paintings. Objective The child created artworks to depict a mood,emphasize the effects of light as reflected off surfaces and within the atmosphere, or demonstrated proportion. Materials Paint, paintbrushes, paper, resource books, paint tray, bowl of water, and paper towel.

Amanda 2/14/2005 At the art table featuring Vincent van Gogh’s artwork, Amanda chose the still life Sunflowers to paint. “I’m gonna do sunflowers," she commented. She used the side of the circle sponge to start the outline of the vase and bottom portion of the picture with yellow paint.

Amanda turned the circular sponge on its edge to add the color close to the line and then filled it in with dabs using the flat side of the sponge. She dabbed smaller circles above the vase then using the flat side of the brush she filled the sunflower's center. Amanda chose a smaller brush and fill in a smaller black circle in the center of the sunflower. Then she removed excess paint from the brush by making circles on the paint trays' empty section. page 2

page 3 Amanda mixed the remanding black with yellow to create a darker yellow. She made curved lines around the circle to form the other portion of the sunflower. “Have you taken art class before?” I asked. "Yes, a little last year," she replied. “I can see by some of the techniques you are using.” “You are really doing a great job capturing Van Gogh's painting.” "Thank you," replied Amanda. She then outlined the vase with black paint using the tip of the small brush. "Wow, Amanda that really looks good!" said Élan "Thank you; I like yours, too," Amanda responded. "Ooops, I messed up," said Amanda as she noticed a small black line near the top of the vase. I said it was okay. “You can cover it up or make it work for your painting.” “You know that's how most artist’s paintings are made.” "You want me to help you?" asked Élan? "No, I'll finish it," Amanda replied. She made a darker yellow and attempted to cover up the line.

The Van Gogh Experience I asked, “What do you think about your work?” Amanda looked at the sunflower painting and then at the wheat field with crows. “I like this one,” she said pointing to the Wheat Field With Crows. “I think it is better,” she added. “Well I think you did a great job!” “I observed you when you were painting.” “I saw you use many art techniques and mix the paint to get the darker or the lighter colors you needed for painting.” “You have a gift and a talent that’s natural; you could be an artist if you wanted.” “Thanks,” said Amanda, as she smiled.

I set up the art area to encourage painting. On the table, I placed small postcard sized paper and a small painting of van Gogh’s Wheat Field with Crows, paintbrushes, a paint tray, paint, and a bowl of water. Amanda observed the painting in the book. She then began to mix various colors of paint together to get the lighter and darker shades of colors she wanted to use for her painting. She painted a field with the mixture of yellow and brown paint using long stokes with the brush. She gazed back and forth at the picture to ensure she had captured Van Gogh’s style. She used the edge of the brush to fill in long dabbing line effects. Then, she used a dab of green paint and mixed yellow and brown paint together. Observer: Jacinta Williams Child: Amanda Age: 11 (6 th grade) Time:4:00 Date:2/21/05 Setting: Renfro

She added a little water together to make the paint thinner. She mixed white paint with a small amount of yellow paint to create a lighter yellow and used it to fill in white spaces in the field. She changed to a flat thin brush and mixed some black paint with blue paint to paint the sky. She mixed white and a small amount of blue paint in the center of the paint tray making circular motions. She used a dabbing technique to paint the sky and twisted the brush to create the brush stokes she desired. She made two lines coming toward each other and left space so that they did not touch (Almost making a wide ‘v’). She filled the center in with tiny circular motions to form the birds. page 2

Amanda created artwork to depict a mood emphasizing the effects of light reflected within the atmosphere. She used art materials and techniques to create her representation of Van Gogh’s Wheat field with Crows.

Reflections by Amanda and her Mother Mrs. McKinney said, “I think she did a great job.” “She’s a little hard on herself.” “I like this one better and I did some other work over here to Mom," added Amanda. They walked over to table on Matisse.

Élan “I’m gonna do the picture with the bird," says Élan. She began making the leaves and grass with a small brush completing the lower section of her painting. Then she filled in the background with the sponge brush. “I’m gonna make a sky behind mine," said Élan. She made the outline of the bird with a thin paintbrush and filled it in with long strokes.

Elan

Élan

Marcus Was Inspired by the Starry Night

Some Students Worked on Landscapes Shamia Lu-Lu

Amber Nicole

Reflections by Élan And Her Mother “I think that the bird wanted to be alone; and it was probably late in the day," said Élan. Élan's mother’s commented, “She did a good job painting the picture.” “That’s why she’s been asking for a bird.”

Shamia and Élan The students played a memory game. When a student matched a pair of cards featuring famous paintings, the student described the colors in the picture. Then they discussed how light was reflected in the painting.