All artwork on this page by Phaedra Shaltanis
Copying a work of art provides valuable practice in technique and color theory. By studying the elements of a painting, students break down the composition and rebuild it one step at a time.
Above-watercolor study of Fitz Hugh Lanes'
Lumber Schooners at Evening on Penebscot Bay
Below-watercolor sketch of Ivan Aivazovsky's The Sea
In keeping with the classical method, my art class will begin with the grammar (or rules) of drawing and painting. Quite often, children grow frustrated at their inability to produce a realistic picture, though they can clearly see the finished project in their mind. By teaching them the elements of art, I hope to give them the tools to overcome this challenge.
Students will be working with pencil and watercolor for the first 12 weeks and move on to more substantial media in the second semester. Students will also have opportunities to inspect famous works of art, learn about the artists, and emulate their styles.
