Taking a short break from our graffiti canvasses, guest artists Legion and Chief from MMAP’s History through Hip Hop Program will be leading a two-week workshop at ISA! When our guests asked the class the simple question, “What do you do to express yourself?” we heard music, dance, singing, graffiti, basketball, soccer, writing, and more! The talent at this school is amazing.
Legion and Chief lead a middle school workshop
Middle school students show off a dance
Students are slowly building on their knowledge of basic elements of design. Last week was dedicated to PATTERN and students studied the work of M.C. Escher to learn how repetition creates interesting compositions. (Before last week, the only MC students had heard of was MC Hammer!) Students also looked at interesting patterns found in nature such as zebra stripes, leopard print, the spiral on snail shells and pine cones, and the pattern of light reflecting on water. Students then applied what they’d learned about pattern and repetition to their graffiti art.
Patterns and prismas
Looking at the work of M.C. Escher
Adding pattern to graffiti letters
Equal
At ISA, graffiti students are learning about the importance of perspective. We took the students out to the hallway and demonstrated how all of the lines on the lockers converged onto a single point at eye level, the vanishing point. Applying this to graffiti, students created a 3D effect on their letters using a vanishing point and they were able to compare this to block 3D.
Using what they’ve learned, students will be creating a graffiti canvas installation that deals with conflict resolution. Students discussed the types of conflicts they face in their school and best practices of conflict resolution. They’ve chosen words that urge for peace and respect in their school community.
As a fun warm-up activity, Julio draws Brel's portrait without looking down at his paper
Danica demonstrates a vanishing point on her lettering
Chavez and ISA HEArt of the City students are diving into the powerful art of graffiti. So far students have chosen monikers, learned basic graffiti lettering, color theory, and perspective. In the end, students will be able to produce individual graffiti canvasses that promote a positive message to their school community. Students are learning the key role that graffiti has in community beautification and health promotion. The graffiti installation will be driven by the youth’s voice! Students will decide which words they will use and the location of their installation. Below are just a few great photos of the process – follow the group as they continue on the path to becoming graffiti masters!
ISA high school and middle school students work alongside each other!
Practicing lettering styles
"PEACE" demonstrates warm vs. cool colors
The 2010-2011 school year is off to a great start at ISA! We have a group of enormously talented middle and high school students this year. In the first week, we asked our middle school students to take self-portraits that would would be posted here on the blog to introduce the class and the school to YOU! These self-portraits could be with or without the face, and the students’ favorites are below:
Hands
Shadows
ISA says, "Sup!"
All smiles
"Life" at ISA
Front of the school
HEArt of the City
Congratulations to the middle-school mural class for finishing their third mural at ISA this year! Pictured below, the mural shows the view of San Francisco as seen from the school’s location atop Potrero Hill. The cityscape is composed of puzzle pieces representing each student’s part in making their community a better place. These puzzle pieces fly from the cityscape and form the clouds above, and they also set the background for vibrant flowers representing happiness and optimism. We plan to hang the mural in the school library.
This week, ISA students began their third mural of the year. This time the students are painting on portable boards that can hang anywhere in the school. The whimsical mural depicts a puzzle of the cityscape that students see from their school at the top of Potrero Hill. Some of the puzzle pieces are missing and others fly away, transforming into painterly clouds. The puzzle pieces signify the role that each student has in shaping his or her neighborhood, and the constant rebuilding and reconfiguring that’s necessary in a healthy community. The puzzle piece cityscape is framed by bright sunflower-shaped flowers, representing growth and vital positivity.
Mural painting day 1 - Blue wash
Kingston and Celeste practice a value wash
After a relaxing spring break, the ISA students got back into the nitty-gritty of perspective drawing. Below is a beautiful exemplar of one of our 6th graders. This week will be a big one as we finish the watercolor on these drawings and begin the new mural on the playground.
Rockin the perspective
At ISA, we’ve been enjoying the warm spring weather by relaxing outdoors with watercolor. The students have been working on perspective drawings of their ideal cities and landscapes. After practicing their color mixing, they’ll begin to fill in their drawings with beautiful flowing color.
Watercolor circle
We are reviewing basic elements of design: line, shape, form, color, texture, space and value. In the coming weeks, these skills will be applied to individual canvasses that the students will design and create themselves. Tuesday we had a short, fun activity based on SHAPE and MATERIAL. We talked about the importance of natural resources in our environment, and the ways artists incorporate different types of materials in their work to create meaning. The theme was TRASH INTO TREASURE. Using materials normally considered to be trash (cans, bottles, yogurt tops, broken beads, etc), we practiced creating positive and negative space, layering shape and pattern. The students loved using the spray paint and learned ways that it can be incorporated in art forms beyond graffiti lettering. 
