Wednesday 12:30-3:30, Friday 12:30-3:30
This week the students continued to work on their 31 nights, portfolio website, and concentration pieces in the AP/IB class, and the students in the Beginning Painting class finished up their color paintings and their section on color in general.
I got to talk one-on-one with many students, connecting with more about their interests and art. One student was very passionate about character design, and their sketches were filled with drawings of characters from an intricate world they have created, even making a language and cipher for the world. A few students excitedly revealed their fanart for various video games and anime. Showing investment in their interests can make a student become so animated. Before I showed that I took their interests, specifically anime, seriously, a number of students were very shy and reluctant to open up. The AP/IB class especially is so individualized that it's crucial to engage with the students' mindset and interests as an artist more quickly than a class where only technique is taught. Many of the pieces were personal not through interest but through experiences - some students made pieces to process grief or their memories.
The students in the Beginning Painting class were experimenting with acrylic as they painted. A number of students were frustrated by the medium and needed encouragement, but some students were very excited at the opportunity to express themselves creatively. Along with the paintings the students did to portray an emotion while showing they understand palette vocabulary, the students wrote a reflection about their feelings on the piece as well as the process.