Were Picasso and Rembrandt Friends?

When studying art, students often think that all art exists in a bubble. Picasso and Rembrandt are both very famous artists, they must've known each other, right? Within my lessons, I always try to make my students stop and consider WHEN a piece of art was made. Rembrandt died over 200 years before Picasso was born (to the shock of my students!). A helpful tool to give your students some context on the Timeline of Art History is Dipity.com. It is full of interactive timelines for any and every subject- from the life of Steve Jobs, to a timeline of the events of World War II.

I often show my students this one: Smarthistory -- An Art History Timeline. You can zoom in for a smaller intervals or zoom out for an overall snapshot, click on various works of art for more information, and see a visual progression of art throughout the ages. Click on over and check it out!

Street Art

Innocent, unsuspecting people walk through town each day... and then one day- BAM! Their eyes are attacked by art! Jumping into their daily lives... forcing them to stop and think about something or just appreciate the beauty around them.

I love street art.... so naturally when I stumbled upon Street Art Utopia I fell in love all over again. Take a minute to check it out and don't be surprised if you start looking at the world a little differently, seeing the possibilities for your own street art :)

Recycled Book Art

Issac Salazar- Book of Art

There are an array of artists creating interesting and beautiful artwork from recycled books. One of my absolute favorites, Brian Dettmer, uses surgical tools to carve into books, sculpting them into the most fabulous creations.

Su Blackwell creates intricate scenes from books, reminiscent of a pop-up book, the stories from the book emerge and come to life!

They are often displayed in a shadowbox format, with strategic lighting to enhance the mood.

The details are amazing!

Check out these artist's websites, or Google some of the following artists to be inspired even further!

Thomas Allen, Cara Barer, Ellen Bell, Doug Beube, Su Blackwell, Tracey Bush, Nicci Cobb, Casey Curran, Nicola Dale, Sheila Daniels, Brian Dettmer, Pam Garrison, Cuby Gerard, Mollie C. Greene, Nocholas Jones, Jennifer Khosbin, Lisa Kokin, Karin Langeveld, Guy Laramee, Jacqueline Rush Lee, Lana Manis, Kelly Murray, Betty Pepper, Susan Porteous, Alex Queral, Jim Rosenau, Georgia Russell, Deborah Schitmans, Kristin Sollenberger, Ilira Steinman, Mike Stilkey, Jill Sylvia, Veronika Anita Teuber, Robert The and Jason Thompson.

images above from the artists' websites

Abstract Art

The Portfolio Prep class is beginning a unit in Abstract Art. We began with a one-day exercise inspired by Franz Kline. We studied some Abstract Artists and looked at examples then worked through another exercise before beginning a more in-depth project.

Click here to review the presentation on Franz Kline and Abstract Art.

Abstract Art Presentation & Examples

AP Critique

My AP students are beginning their 6th project in their concentration and they are really starting to take shape. I have put together an online gallery that we will be using for a peer critique of the first 5 pieces (Example of one portfolio above). Take a moment to check out their hard work!

AP Online Gallery

Color Schemes

If you are looking for color inspiration check out Kuler from Adobe. It is a web-hosted application for generating color themes. You can focus on a particular color range and as you change other colors, Kuler adjusts to make sure all of your colors are working together. This would be a great way to experiment when you feel like your project needs a pop of color, or when you need to introduce something new into your composition. You can make a free account and save the color schemes you have created or explore color schemes that other users have created.

Self-Portrait Inspiration

(this is not the best example... but my niece is pretty adorable, right?)

This site, dripbook, markets itself as "Today's Hottest Portfolios from Leading Creative Professionals". Take a look around for and let it spark some creativity.

One particular photographer, Robin Cerutti, has an array of portraits with beautiful examples of expression, lighting, point of view, setting, and more ways to bring personality and identity to the subject. Check it out for some inspiration on your next self-portrait.