Year 8 Art

During Term 1, a selection of Year 8 Art classes participated in a drawing and painting task that was inspired by the season of Autumn. Implementing their knowledge and understanding of the Elements and Principles of Art and Design, specifically line, shape, colour, and pattern, students developed an artwork that focused on analysing Australian flora. Through the specific mediums of watercolour paints and markers students were required to explore either a warm or cool colour palette when developing their organic backdrop, before illustrating a variety of patterned leaves using strong graphic lines. Thus, developing highly individual and visually appealing works of art.

Helen John
Teacher of Art and Design

The Year 8 Art students are also learning about Melbourne artist Howard Arkley 1951 – 1999, depicting his transformed vision of suburbia with his large airbrush paintings of Melbourne houses in everyday suburbia.

He said “Ordinary houses are full of pattern. You go into a house, there’s no art … but it’s filled with a kind of second degree imagery – the patterning around the fireplace, on the curtains, in the carpet; and the different bricks on the different houses, and the pattern between the gutter, the nature-strip, the footpath, then you have the fence, then you have the lawn, the house, the tiles, then you have the beautiful sky… and I missed the bushes in between…it’s rich.” Howard Arkley Ref 11 – page 9, Carnival in Suburbia, The Art of Howard Arkley, John Gregory, 2006

Using Pop Art aesthetics and decorative displays of pattern and textured materials, they have translated their own interpretations of ‘Suburban Collages’ using Posca paint pens, cut patterned papers and fabrics into unique and colourful collages. A very successful and enjoyable outcome was achieved by all.

Maria Minucci
Faculty Leader of Art, Design, Drama and Music
Teacher of Art and Design