Project Blogs

Introduction You have probably seen Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting The Starry Night , but did you know he was also highly skilled at drawing with pen and ink? Van Gogh created many ink drawings based on his paintings and often sent them to his brother, Theo. These expressive drawings will inspire us as we learn fun and useful ink drawing techniques. Essential Question How can artists use pen, ink, and watercolor techniques to create texture, value, and expressive landscap

Merge of Pop Art & Street Art Introduction: Keith Haring Keith Allen Haring was an American artist whose work grew out of the New York City graffiti scene of the 1980s. His bold, energetic figures and symbols became a universal visual language that communicated messages about love, unity, activism, and social awareness. Haring began by drawing in subway stations and later brought his work to galleries, murals, and public spaces. His art is known for: Bold black lines Brig

Introduction In this project, you will learn about contemporary quilt artist Bisa Butler and her vibrant portrait quilts. Butler uses colorful fabrics to celebrate people and culture. You will create a portrait of someone you admire  using fabric, paper, or a combination of both . Instead of drawing with pencils or paint, you will build your portrait using color, pattern, and shape . You will also explore how colors and patterns can carry meaning  and help tell a story about

“Creative art is for all time and is therefore independent of time.” — Alma Thomas , 1970 Introduction: Alma Thomas In this lesson, we will learn about the life and artwork of Alma Woodsey Thomas , an African-American artist and teacher who lived and worked in Washington, D.C. She is now recognized as one of the most important American painters of the 20th century. Alma Thomas is best known for her vibrant use of color , pattern , and rhythm , creating abstract works that fee

The following works are some of Holmes's favorites of the 2026 Panorama Invitational, which will be featured in the Jones Gallery at Bakersfield College through March.

Theme: Spring Awakening Spring is a time of growth, renewal, rebirth, and becoming . For this project, you will create an original artwork that responds to the theme Spring Awakening  in a way that feels meaningful to you. This is a choice project , meaning you choose your medium and subject , but your work must show planning, intention, and connection to the theme . 🎨 Project Overview You will: Choose a medium you want to work in Research an artist who works in that same m

Introduction to Form This week we will be learning about Form , which is one of the 7 Elements of Art . We can think about form as a three-dimensional shape . Form is defined as having height, width, and depth . In sculpture , forms take up space and are truly three-dimensional. In drawing and painting , forms are created using light and shadow  to create the illusion  of depth. Just like shapes, forms can be geometric  or organic . Learning Goals During this unit, students w

Introduction This week, we will learn about the Element of Art: Texture .Texture refers to the surface quality  of an artwork and can be: Actual Texture  – texture you can physically feel Implied (Simulated) Texture  – texture that looks real but is drawn or painted on a flat surface Learning Goals During this lesson, students will: Learn about the Element of Texture Understand the difference between actual  and implied  texture Identify and discuss texture in works of art Ap

Master Monday Instructions: Read the short article and  underline any unfamiliar words . Then answer the questions in  complete sentences . BYOB:  Retrato de la Artista Primavera 2020 , 2020 Fridman Gallery Lucia Hierro,  Sufrir o Sofreír , 2019 Courtesy of the artist Lives and works in New York City The title of Lucia Hierro’s series of digitally printed still lifes  “Bodegón”  (2015–present) refers to both the Spanish term for “still life” and the small New York corner shop

Introduction In this unit, you will develop your colored pencil skills  by working on black paper . This process is different from drawing on white paper because you begin with the darkest value  and slowly build light, color, and detail  on top. This project focuses on creating strong contrast and emphasis  while exploring how artists choose specific materials to communicate ideas and emotion. Learning Goals During this unit, students will: Develop skill and control using co

(Approx. 2–3 Weeks) Introduction Animals have been an important subject in art throughout history. Artists have created paintings of animals to show emotion, personality, symbolism, and connection . There is even a specific genre called equine painting , which focuses on portraits of horses. In this project, you will create a close-up animal portrait  using monochromatic watercolor techniques , inspired by contemporary animal portrait artists. Learning Goals During this lesso

Introduction: Mandalas A mandala  is a spiritual and ritual symbol used in Hinduism and Buddhism  to represent the universe. Mandalas are typically constructed using circular and geometric shapes  and are designed with radial balance , meaning the design repeats evenly from a central point. In many spiritual traditions, mandalas are used to: Focus attention Establish sacred space Support meditation and reflection Teach spiritual concepts In this project, we will explore manda

Introduction “Zoomed-in” or close-up still lifes are a theme many artists explore as part of their creative process. Instead of drawing the entire arrangement, artists crop, zoom, and focus on details, allowing ordinary objects to take on new meaning — and sometimes even become abstract. By changing the viewpoint, artists can emphasize shape, color, texture, and movement in unexpected ways. Essential Question Can a zoomed-in viewpoint of a still life take on new meaning or be

Each day, you will have 30 minutes to complete a sketchbook activity from the following list. You get to choose which activity you want to work on. The prompts are organized by category; you are responsible for labeling each activity with the corresponding category and prompt number. You are accountable for finishing your sketchbook activities if you are absent or do not finish them in class.  Quick Drawing Prompts A grouping of seashells A single flower with all its leaves,

Materials Vine charcoal, compressed charcoal (if available), charcoal pencil, blending tools, kneaded eraser, and paper towel. Stage 1 — Practice (Skills Lab) A. 1-minute gestures (10 mins) 10 gesture drawings of faces or figures (loose, fast) B. Value scale (10 mins) 7-step scale using charcoal (practice pushing DARK) C. Subtractive drawing (20 mins) Tone the page with charcoal. Lift lights with a kneaded eraser. Add darks back in with compressed charcoal. D. Portrait featur

Big Idea Graphite is about control, value range, and realism . Your goal is to make your drawing look 3D  and intentional. Materials Graphite pencils (2H–6B if available), blending stump/tissue, kneaded eraser, regular eraser, ruler (optional), drawing paper. Stage 1 — Practice Assignment (Skills Lab) ✅ REQUIRED Title:  Graphite Control + Value Bootcamp Due:  Before thumbnails Step-by-step A. Value Scale (10–15 min) Draw a rectangle divided into 7–9 boxes . Box 1 = pure white

📘 Introduction to Shape As defined in Discovering Drawing  (3rd edition) by Sallye Mahan-Cox , a shape  is a two-dimensional area created when a line meets itself or another line. There are two main categories of shape: Geometric Shapes Circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, and other regular forms Precise and structured Often described as man-made  or mathematical Can suggest order, stability, control, or structure Organic Shapes Free-flowing, irregular shapes found in na

Find 1 artist in your new-to-you medium (or closest hybrid). Choose 1 specific artwork and bring 1 clear image + simple caption: Artist, Title, Year, Medium, Dimensions, Source link (museum/official site preferred). Write 5 quick notes: 3 visual features (layering, texture, color, scale, repetition), Meaning/context (whose past? what story?) Echo of the past (how time is made visible) Technique to adapt (name the process) Where it goes in your piece (which layer/area) Holmes

Use the following to research Artists to inspire your quarterly projects: National Gallery of Art (USA) — A vast online collection; over 60,000 works are freely downloadable under open‑access terms. National Gallery of Art+1 The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) — Provides nearly 500,000 public‑domain images from their collection, free for use. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Art Institute of Chicago — Over 50,000 images available under Creative Commons CC0 (public domain).

Find one artist working in your chosen medium (or the closest related). Include in your paper: Artist’s name, short bio (4–5 sentences) 1–2 images of their work Caption: Artist, Title, Year, Medium, Dimensions, Source link 5 written notes: Visual features (color, form, rhythm, scale, texture) How the work expresses reflection, rest, or renewal What techniques could you adapt or reinterpret Why their approach resonates with your theme Where or how you’ll show their influence i