Student Art Showcase

It’s all about art! Read on to find out what the Infant, Junior, and Senior School have been up to in the second half of the school year.

INFANT A GOLDEN TOUCH

By Libby Henderson, Head of Infant Art

We have been very excited to be able to start Year 2 Unit again in the Infant School each Friday, albeit in a slightly different way due to the restrictions that are in place. As Head of Infant Art, and a Year 1 class teacher, I love the opportunity to work with a smaller group of Year 2 children each week. We began the session by discussing what a role model was and who their role model may be. Children listed friends, family members, different professions and even some famous celebrities. Their challenge was to make a representation of their role model using a cardboard tile and some plasticine. They thought about facial expressions and what the person may be wearing. Gold paint was the finishing touch and I think you’ll agree they look rather impressive!

JUNIOR INSPIRATIONAL WORK

By Peter Hinckley, Head of Junior Art & Design

Inspiration is a catalyst for creativity. We can be inspired to create our own artwork from listening to a piece of music, a song or poem, a memory or event, or be motivated to create and develop our own ideas from the visual ideas of other artists. This term, Year 5 and 6 were inspired by the work of two very different artists and styles of painting. As part of Year 6’s focus on World War 2, we examined the atmospheric paintings of artist and designer Wilfred Stanley Haines, famous for his vivid paintings of the blitz of London (his paintings can be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London).

Using their prior experience and knowledge in using watercolour paints, the Year 6 students were asked to create their own blitz paintings based on Wilfred Stanley Haines’ work. The students created fiery backgrounds using the ‘wet on wet’ technique. Careful use of scissors was required for the next stage in creating a silhouette of the London skyline. To add to the composition, the use of masking techniques was employed to create searchlights penetrating the fiery sky. The final addition of silhouetted drawings of aircraft was added to complete the atmospheric blitz composition.

Year 5 headed to infinity and beyond in their mixed media compositions. Working from an analysis of Chesley Bonestell’s stunning science fiction artwork, the Year 5 students created their own imaginary planet landscapes. This was an ideal opportunity to fully immerse in exploring mixed media; the compositions included oil and chalk pastel work, flick painting, torn and crumpled paper collage with pastels and watercolour painting. Keeping within a futuristic theme, the children’s pictures were exhibited in a digital walk-through virtual gallery. »

SENIOR

UNDER THE SURFACE

By Anthony Mcnair, Visual Arts Specialist

In early February, the senior art department was delighted to once again welcome artist Ian Murphy to Tanglin, to share with our Year 10 and 12 students his individual approach to artmaking. Murphy is renowned for the subtle textural surfaces that he creates as a base before layering in meticulously detailed and atmospheric tonal drawings and paintings.

He develops his artworks from initial observational studies that he recorded in his sketchbooks during his cultural adventures throughout Asia and Europe. Larger scale works are later developed back in his studio space. This was a hands-on opportunity for students to observe the content of his stunning sketchbooks and to inspect original spectacular artworks up close, before undertaking a series of creative workshop challenges based on his technique and distinct style.

Students prepared surfaces by gluing torn and crumpled paper on a cartridge paper base before smoothing out the surface with sandpaper once it dried. This was followed by a gentle working of graphite power into the base, causing the textural surface to appear like magic. Under Murphy’s guidance, drawings were then layered upon this in ink and graphite as he shared by example how to create exciting work with basic shapes and plenty of technique, within short timescales.

Coloured inks and bleach were dripped down wet vertical surfaces, allowing gravity to do its job to psychedelic effect. The work was messy but the smiles from everyone communicated clearly that they had relished the experience. His visit was incredibly well received by students who were able to generate experimental artwork while pushing confidence with an array of new techniques.

Murphy’s style has already embedded itself into the art department from previous visits and we feel incredibly grateful that after a gap of two years of restrictions, we were once again able to enrich our curriculum by having such inspiring artists visit our school. We would like to thank the TTS Foundation for supporting us in providing our students with this unique and unforgettable creative experience. ■