Art I Dream Room Project

The following gallery showcases the final drawing projects created by Art I students using two-point perspective. Two-point perspective is a drawing technique that allows artists to create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface.

Students were challenged to design and illustrate their own "dream room," filling the space with as many imaginative details as possible. Beginning with a basic room template, students personalized their designs by adding furniture, decorations, hobbies, interests, and unique architectural features. Many students went beyond the project requirements by creating additional rooms, staircases, lofts, second floors, basements, and other creative extensions. These optional additions demonstrate each student's creativity for developing the best possible design. The drawings were evaluated on perspective accuracy, attention to detail, craftsmanship, and originality. Great work, Art I!


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An Introduction to the Art of Perspective Drawing

During the spring semester, Art I students were introduced to two point perspective drawing as a way to create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface. Students applied mathematical concepts such as vanishing points, horizon lines, and guidelines lines to accurately construct space, proportions, and depth within their compositions. These skills connect directly to geometry and spatial reasoning, helping students understand how objects change in size and position as they recede into space.

Building on earlier shading techniques, students combined value, contrast, and form to strengthen the illusion of realism in their work. The selection of drawings shown below highlight strong attention to detail, and thoughtful use of perspective. Way to go, artists!


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Collaborative Relief Tile Mural

Ceramics Class – Spring 2025
Students in Art I used slab construction—flat pieces of clay—to create individual tiles based on a section of a larger image. Each student translated their assigned portion into a sculptural relief by carving away the background, a process often described as “drawing in clay.” These individual tiles were then assembled to reconstruct the full iguana image as a unified mural.

Relief sculpture is designed to be viewed from the front and exists in two primary forms: low relief (bas-relief), where forms project slightly from the surface, and high relief, where more than half of the form extends outward.

This project emphasizes 21st-century skills, including collaboration, visual communication, problem-solving, and attention to detail. Students worked both independently and collectively, ensuring their individual tiles aligned in scale, composition, and craftsmanship to contribute to a cohesive final piece.


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Art I Clay Food Sculpture

The following clay sculptures were created by first-year Art students, showcasing both creativity and technical skill. Throughout this unit, students explored how artists like Claes Oldenburg and Peter Anton have transformed everyday food into compelling works of art, examining the role of scale, texture, and visual impact in their pieces.

Inspired by these artists, Art I students designed and built their own food “sculptures” using clay. Students were assessed on their ability to use texture, demonstrate neatness while using proper handbuilding techniques. Art I students were also assessed on accuracy of color, use of color value to accent textures, color intensity to control brightness, originality, and overall presentation. Students created fantastic work, as you can see below!


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Art I Final Graphite Drawings

The following pencil drawings are the end result of a unit by first-year art students. Many of these students explored shading for the first time, and with dedication and practice, they produced impressive work!

The class brought in their own photographic resources to work from, and utilizing the techniques they learned throughout the semester, they were able to contour draw and reproduce the highlights and shadows in their images. The end product is a collection of realistic drawings that showcase the progress and development of the students' new-found talent!


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Art I Dream Room Project

The following gallery showcases the final drawing projects of Art I students, who designed their dream room using two-point perspective. Two-point perspective is a technique that allows artists to depict three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface, incorporating mathematical concepts like lines, planes, angles, and similarity. This method helps artists understand visual space and connect mathematics with visual art. The drawings were evaluated on perspective accuracy, detail, neatness, and originality.
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Art I Portrait Gallery

In Art I, students took on the challenge of painting self-portraits using a six-step color value scale, exploring the lightness and darkness of a single color. Working exclusively with primary colors, black, and white tempera paint, they carefully mixed their own value steps to create depth and contrast. The final portraits resulted in stunning, dynamic likenesses that demonstrate students' mastery of value, contrast, and precision. This project not only strengthened their painting skills but also encouraged a deeper understanding of color relationships. Well done to all our talented artists!

Art I Complementary Target Paintings

Complementary colors, positioned opposite each other on the color wheel, create the strongest visual contrast. To explore this effect, Art I students reimagined the classic target design, incorporating their own creative twists. Each section was carefully painted with alternating tempera hues, requiring precision, layering, and smooth application. The works showcased here represent the "Top Targets" from each class, highlighting both technical skill and artistic vision.

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Scenes from The Art Room: Fall 2024

Thanks to Bella Dierzen’s photography first semester, we have preview photos for the yearbook that highlight our students’ efforts! Below: Design classes displays their 3-D projects, Art I students complete their final drawings, and painting students work on landscapes. Thank you, Bella!


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Art I Final Drawings

The following pencil drawings are the end result of a unit by first-year art students. Many of these students explored shading for the first time, and with dedication and practice, they produced impressive work!

The class brought in their own photographic resources to work from, and utilizing the techniques they learned throughout the semester, they were able to contour draw and reproduce the highlights and shadows in their images. The end product is a collection of realistic drawings that showcase the progress and development of the students' new-found talent!


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Top Pick Art I Apples

The following graphite apple drawings showcase the top apple selections from both Art I classes. The apple drawing was the last in a series of nine shading exercises. These drawings bring together skills developed over previous exercises into one final image, preparing students for their ultimate project—a drawing based on a photograph of their choice. The works featured here were chosen for their smooth transitions between values using three shading pencils, accurate value placement guided by a light source, and clean, crisp edges with careful detail. The students did tremendous work, as you can see below!


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Art I Pencil Drawings

The following pencil drawings created by Art I students represent a series of exercises that will culminate into a final drawing project. Each drawing in the series focuses on a specific shading skill, beginning with a “step scale”, and ending with the “apple” drawing. Using the skills learned in these exercises, students then create a final drawing based on their own photograph. A significant amount of time is dedicated to these drawings, as these techniques form a foundation for the art program. The important skills here are transferable to other materials such as colored pencil and painting.


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Art I Ceramic Boxes

In Art I class, students explored three-dimensional cube forms by creating lidded ceramic boxes. Each clay slab was precisely cut and joined, ensuring proper construction. The bottoms of the lids were given flanged edges to securely fit the box. Students decorated their boxes with intricate carved textures and designs, then applied glaze to further enhance the designs. The projects were graded on neatness, creativity, and effective use of materials, fostering both artistic and technical skill development.


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Art I Graphite Drawings

These pencil drawings are the end result of a semester's worth of shading exercises by first-year art students. Many of these students had no prior experience with shading, but with dedication and practice, they were able to produce impressive work.

The students brought in their own photographic resources to work from, and utilizing the techniques they learned throughout the semester, they were able to contour draw and reproduce the highlights and shadows in their images. The end product is a collection of realistic drawings that showcase the progress and development of the students' new-found talent!


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Art I Clay Food Sculpture

The following clay sculptures were created by first year Art students. Through this unit of study, Art I students became familiar with artists who have investigated the role of food in artistic expression such as Claes Oldenburg and Peter Anton. Art I students then created food "sculptures" out of clay and were assessed on use of texture to produce value contrasts, "in-the-round" thinking, craftsmanship, and proper use of handbuilding techniques. Art I students were also assessed on accuracy of color, use of color value to accent textures, color intensity to control brightness, originality, and overall presentation.

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Art I Collaborative Clay Tile Project

Art I students worked with slabs - flat pieces of clay - to re-create M.C. Escher's famous illustration entitled Sun and Moon (1948). Using slabs, Art I students created a sculptural relief through carving away the background. Relief sculpture is defined as a "drawing in clay." A relief sculpture is meant to be viewed from the front.

M.C. Escher (1898-1972) is one of the world's most famous graphic artists. He is famous for his impossible structures and tessellations. He played with mathematics, architecture, perspective and space. In his work we recognize his keen observation of the world around us and the expressions of his own fantasies. M.C. Escher shows us that reality is wondrous, comprehensible and fascinating.

The Official M.C. Escher Website. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http: www.mcescher.com>.

Art I Still Life Paintings

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Art I Letter-Ribbon Drawings

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