Friday

How to draw a dragon

In honor of the upcoming Lunar/Chinese New Year students learned to draw a Serpent/ Dragon. Following a series of direct drawing instructions and using basic shapes they created a skeleton, complete with ribs and a backbone as well as extras like fire, horns and or whiskers. 






Dragon Dancers 

Detail of Dragon Face 






Zodiac Animals 



 

Thursday

An introduction to Perspective

Understanding perspective adds to the creative possibilities when making art. Another tool in your Artist's Bag! 







MC Escher






Saturday

How Asians Celebrate Lunar New Year Worldwide


Lunar New Year is celebrated world wide, here in CA San Francisco has one of the largest celebrations in the world! 

Wednesday

Poetry at the Presidential Inauguration

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons-plans/lesson-plan-discuss-22-year-old-amanda-gormans-inaugural-poem-the-miracle-morning/?fbclid=IwAR080U8SUjePEwTErjsn9gZDZvKeBbHnQ18BPmXD25JcKbHWo5STP32ebns 


The Hill We Climb

by Amanda Gorman, 2021 


When day comes, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?

The loss we carry. A sea we must wade.

We braved the belly of the beast.

We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace, and the norms and notions of what “just” is isn’t always justice.

And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it.

Somehow we do it.

Somehow we weathered and witnessed a nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished.

We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one.

And, yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine, but that doesn’t mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect.

We are striving to forge our union with purpose.

To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.

And so we lift our gaze, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us.

We close the divide because we know to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside.

We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another.

We seek harm to none and harmony for all.

Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true.

That even as we grieved, we grew.

That even as we hurt, we hoped.

That even as we tired, we tried.

That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious.

Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division.

Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid.

If we’re to live up to our own time, then victory won’t lie in the blade, but in all the bridges we’ve made.

That is the promise to glade, the hill we climb, if only we dare.

It’s because being American is more than a pride we inherit.

It’s the past we step into and how we repair it.

We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation, rather than share it.

Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.

And this effort very nearly succeeded.

But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.

In this truth, in this faith we trust, for while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us.

This is the era of just redemption.

We feared at its inception.

We did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour.

But within it we found the power to author a new chapter, to offer hope and laughter to ourselves.

So, while once we asked, how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe, now we assert, how could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?

We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be: a country that is bruised but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free.

We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation, become the future.

Our blunders become their burdens.

But one thing is certain.

If we merge mercy with might, and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children’s birthright.

So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left.

Every breath from my bronze-pounded chest, we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one.

We will rise from the golden hills of the West.

We will rise from the windswept Northeast where our forefathers first realized revolution.

We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states.

We will rise from the sun-baked South.

We will rebuild, reconcile, and recover.

And every known nook of our nation and every corner called our country, our people diverse and beautiful, will emerge battered and beautiful.

When day comes, we step out of the shade of flame and unafraid.

The new dawn balloons as we free it.

For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.

If only we’re brave enough to be it.

Monday

Creating a sidewalk chalk portrait

 Over the past 9 months I have been using my sidewalk, walkway area as an art surface. I have created portraits of numerous artists and art works. Here are the some of the step by step images during the creative process of making a portrait of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. 


Reference image of JMB 

Reference image of JMB 

First steps cleaning the area and sketching the face 

adding details and blending 

placing the crown 

close up 

adding words-notice the forced perspective 

finished image 


Porch Stories with Mrs. Kane and Ms. Jane, Season 2, Episode 2: Jean Mic...


Enjoy another episode of Porch Stories, today's Spotlight  Artists is Jean-Michel Basquiat.





Jean-Michel and Keith were both wonderful artists and friends!












Red Rabbit 




Thursday

Drawing a realistic human face

 Drawing a realistic human face can be a challenge for even the most accomplished artist. 

Proportions, scale and detail.

Knowing where are of the main parts need to go and how they are shaped.

Here are a few reference sheets to help you on this art adventure but remember practice practice and PRACTICE!


A basic human head shape is great place to start when drawing a face 




                                                                                                                       









draw it light until you get it right 



Beautiful faces to inspire 

3 very famous portraits 





Now have fun coloring your own Museum Masterpiece!