By JoAnne Vogel, Middle School Arts Teacher
Beyond the Sketch is a studio arts class for seventh and eighth-grade students who want to explore advanced techniques in drawing, painting, and mixed media. This class challenges artists to refine their skills, develop their personal style, and experiment with new approaches to artmaking. Through in-depth projects, students explore perspective, composition, and expressive mark-making while incorporating elements like ink, watercolor, acrylic, and collage. Emphasis is placed on creative problem-solving, artistic risk-taking, and building a strong portfolio of work.
The Beyond the Sketch class recently finished their unit on Artist Trading Cards. The goal of the unit was for artists to discover their artistic voice. We spent several weeks working on artist trading cards. Students were given the challenge to make as many mini drawings as they wanted, in any subject they chose.
Each week we explored different kinds of paper cut to a small size (3” x 2.5”): smooth bristol, velum bristol, watercolor and pastel papers. Then we experimented with different drawing materials, beginning with pencil and working through artist pencils (6B through 6H), different kinds of drawing pens, posca markers, and watercolor.
When the cards were complete, I scanned them and printed them on cardstock. The students then worked hard to cut them all out and add their names and titles on the back. Then we were ready for the Artist Trading Card Day! On Monday, November 17, students traded cards with each other, taking home a stack of artwork made by their classmates. We are displaying the cards for all Middle School students to enjoy. To finish the unit, we toured the display with a gallery walk, and students will reflect on their artistic voice.
Viewers will see that the number of cards varies! We talked about how different artists approach their work; some are prolific, and some are super detail-oriented and make less. There is no wrong answer.
Well done, seventh- and eighth-grade artists!