Welcome to the online art studio, aka the wired atelier*!

This blog is designed for students and families in Allison Fuller-Mulloy's SMHS Art Classes. It is a site for posting our daily work and homework (IWs) each week, ideas and images to explore further, reminders and due dates. I hope this blog will help students by reinforcing the week's major ideas and activities, giving make-up work for absentees, and providing families a look into the atelier every day!

Please visit the links on the right side for more information, downloads and images.

Monday, November 29, 2010

POP! Extra Credit #2

POP! Extra credit #2*

You will change your lowest DAILY grade to a 100 if you do all of the following by Sunday 12/5, 11:59pm:

Post a link to my Website: mrsmulloy.blogspot.com to your Facebook wall with a positive comment, then tag me, print it, or text me a picture to show me you did it! I must have your documentation by the cut-off time above!
Don't have Facebook? Propose another idea to Mrs. Mulloy by Friday (12/3)!


*As mentioned in class, POP extra credit is only available by checking this website regularly. POP extra credit is not announced in class and is an incentive to use this site to reinforce and enhance my curriculum.

Week 17... Semester Exam Projects


1st and 2nd periods Ceramics classes worked diligently to construct and finish a "Choice Teapot" this week for their Semester exam project. Using the knowledge and skills acquired this semester, students must design and create an interesting teapot, employing the construction methods of their choice. There are 4 requirements for this project; the piece must: hold liquid and have a handle, spout, and lid. Other than that, students should create the most interesting piece they can to demonstrate their learning this semester. Problem-solving, attention to detail, and connecting knowledge and skills are integral in making a good teapot and exam grade! A 3-4 page IW on the project is due, along with the finished artwork, any extra credit and all previous assignments, on Friday, December 10th by 2:00pmNO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED, MISSING WORK WILL RECEIVE A ZERO.

3rd period Art 3/4/AP students worked on The Sketchbook Project this week. The website for the project is http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject . Each student is creating a 4 page spread in the sketchbook based on their interpretation of the theme: "If you lived here..." Choice of materials, approach, and techniques are the choices of each student artist; the choices should reflect the knowledge and skills gained up to now in Art 3/4/AP. The 4 page spread in the sketchbook is due, along with the finished artwork, any extra credit and all previous assignments, on Monday, December 13th by 2:00pmNO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED, MISSING WORK WILL RECEIVE A ZERO.

4th period Photography students continued their work investigating photographers of their choice. As instructed in Week 15, students are to complete a "meaty" 4 page investigation about the photographer and his or her photographs, to count as an exam grade. the complete requirements and details are listed in the previous blog posts! Students will have had over 2 weeks to complete this 4 page exam investigation, and should be demonstrating their investigation skills in addition to becoming experts on their photographers. The 30 day project also begin this week on December 1st. Students should take a picture every day for 30 days and complete an investigation on the project. 30 day shoots and IWs are due the first week we return in to school in January! The 4 page Exam IW is due, along with all previous assignments and any extra credit, on Friday, December 10th by 2:00pmNO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED, MISSING WORK WILL RECEIVE A ZERO.

6th period Art 2 students worked hard this week creating their Choice projects for Semester Exams. Students were asked to create their own project idea, investigate it fully, and complete the project using the techniques and materials of their choice. Students were asked to create a project that would showcase the knowledge and skills they learned in this course and were advised to choose something that will appropriately and adequately demonstrate exam-worthy learning. A 3-4 page IW on the project is due, along with the finished artwork, any extra credit and all previous assignments, on Friday, December 10th by 2:00pm. NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED, MISSING WORK WILL RECEIVE A ZERO.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Week 16... Thankful for Art and Short weeks!

Since we observe the Thanksgiving holiday Wed through Fri this week, we only have one or two class meetings this week.

Ceramics is lucky to have 2 class days to plan their teapots and prepare clay before beginning the real work next week (drying time and short periods prohibit starting too much!). They should have a great idea of what they want to make, research about pieces using similar ideas, colors, textures, to forms, and how to get it made. I'm Thankful for great pottery students!

Art 3/4/AP students must finish their Kara Walker inspired silhouette images and corresponding IWs. It will be a push, but they can do it! Lunch, study halls, and after school options are always available with planning if more studio time is needed. I'm Thankful for risk-taking advanced students!

30 day Clouds
Art 2 Photo students must use their time wisely to get research done for their Research project and 30 day IWs while making plans for their 30 day photo shoot to begin!  I'm Thankful for outstanding photographers!

Art 2 students also have a lot of planning and investigating in their IWs to do before beginning their MIDTERM choice projects this week. I'm Thankful for students pulling it all together!




Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Week 15... Student Teacher doing great!

Our student teacher still has the reigns this week with several great lessons! Her knowledge and excitement are a great addition to the art room, and with two teachers we've gotten so much cleaned and organized in the art room!

Ceramics students presented their cultural projects that were due this week. Most students did well, and we all learned a lot about 6 different cultures and their history and traditions of ceramics! The IW, Project, and Presentation were all test grades, so students were reminded to take it seriously and o well on this almost 3 week project!! Students also created a ceramic logo "stamp" to mark their pottery with. It's like a permanent personal trademark on the pottery! Students were also told about their final project: a teapot. Their instructions were to create a teapot with a spout, lid, handle, and vessel for liquid. Beyond those requirements, students can use the skills and creative abilities we've fostered this semester to create anything they want! Students must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the skills, terminology, and process learned thus far.


Art 3/4/AP students excitedly began the Kara Walker project planned by Ms. Loudermilk. After studying her work , students ware creating amazing large-scale black silhouette shapes depicting stereotypes they want to confront. These are going to be powerful works of art! The IW and project are due Tues, 11/23.


Art 2 Photography students worked on printing their best of the best projects again this week, in addition to begin prompted with the next 2 assignments, 2nd being their midterm exam project. #1 due 1/4/11, Students will investigate 365 Projects for the inspiration for their next photo shoot: a 30 Day Project. Students will take a photo every day from Dec 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. They may choose to do self portraits, the same shot every day, a certain item or themed items, etc. They should investigate information, how-to's, interesting techniques, and nice examples for their IW's. Students will post them to the wiki and be ready to discuss and present them to the class when we return from Winter Break! #2 due FRIDAY 12/10, Students will research  a photographer of their choice (who has made an obvious impact on photography) thoroughly in their IW's. MIDTERM GRADE!! They will investigate the important and relevant biographical and artistic information more fully understand the work of the artist such as:
  • Birth, Nationality, family background?
  • Time period, relevant events in history?
  • Education, Art training?
  • What age pursued art?
  • Influenced by which artists?
  • Influenced by which issues/events?
  • Medium/a?
  • Style?
  • Subject Matter?
  • Famous Works?
  • Career in art successful during life?
  • Influence to later artists?
  • Influence to later society?
  • Influence to your society?





Art 2 students spent later in the week taking a break from all the nail carving and paper cutting projects as soon as they finished and used mostly our brains, ears, and mouths. After a great socratic seminar on an article we annotated in class which assessed the importance of Art Education, students wrote a reflection in their IW's. We also used our class time this week to look through our IW's and write a list of things we learned form each page in our IW's. As students should have completed over 30 pages from several different assignments this semester, they had at least 30 topics or items to make a list from of that they had learned in those assignments. We then made a large poster with each student writing 5 things they had learned in the course this far. From "Don't procrastinate," to "I am better at art than I thought I was," to "The printmaking process takes patience," students enjoyed seeing all they learned spilled out there on the poster before them! Students were also told about their MIDTERM project, and to be ready to begin planning in the IW for their chosen project on Monday. 

Week 14... Cultural Awareness

Ceramics students spent the week studying various cultures from around the world and their traditions of pottery. Each student worked as part of a group to research a specific culture, then each student created a piece or two in the style of that culture, The group then created a presentation to showcase their investigations of their cultures and the pieces they made to represent their cultures.

Art 3/4/AP student finished their 12 layer canvases and corresponding IWs. They are quite stunning works of art demonstrating quite a bit of creative thinking and manipulation of artistic media. The students also learned a lot about themselves and the creative process through this lesson!

Art 2 Photography students worked on printing their final projects in addition to 2 investigations and photo shoots. #1, student investigated Light Painting. Looking for information, how-to's, interesting techniques, and nice examples for their IW's, students spent time researching and creating their own 3 light painting photos, due on the wiki. #2, students investigated a specific theme of their choice, i.e. friendship, trust, class, poverty, etc. to create a series of 5 images about. Looking for information about the theme, interesting themed photos, and nice examples of themed manipulated photos for their IW's, students spent time researching and creating their own 5 themed digital manipulation photos, due on the wiki.

Art 2 students finished their collages based on the Masterworks they brought in as part of their previously assigned investigations. After sketching the contours of the image they reproduced, they filled in areas of the image with small bits of colored paper found from magazines to create beautiful collages. The results are AMAZING work and many will be exhibited at UNUM at an exhibit in Downtown Chattanooga! Students who did not complete the Masterwork IW completed bookwork as an alternative assignment.

Monday, November 1, 2010

What's all this Wiki business?

Wondering what in the world a wiki is? Hope this short video helps!

Week 13... After the Sugar Rush

After the Sugar Rush of Halloween, students have a great week ahead working with our student teacher. Ms. Loudermilk, an Art Education student teacher from UTC, has been with us a few weeks observing and working individually with students, and will now be heading the class for a couple of weeks. Although Mrs. Mulloy will be around, Ms. Loudermilk is learning the ropes by taking over of the Art room! The students and I are excited about the fresh ideas and enthusiasm she brings to us!

1st and 2nd periods Ceramics classes begin work on their Cultural Research Projects on Monday. It is a large project that will consume a couple of weeks and count as test (pottery & presentation) and daily grades (IW & group work grade) and should be treated as such! After separating into 6 groups, each group studying a different culture (Chinese, Egyptian, Grecian, Native America, Mayan, and Japanese), students spent time in the Mac lab completing research, assigning duties and making plans for their projects. The remainder of this week and part of next will be devoted to researching the assigned culture and finding specific shapes, forms, colors, textures, and characteristics of ceramics from that culture. Once research is complete, students from each group will create ceramic pieces using the characteristics of the country they researched. After creating several pieces as a group representative of that country, students will present their work to the class. Ms. Loudermilk's PowerPoint with examples and requirements can be found here. An IW for the project is due Mon (11/15).


3rd period Art 3/4/AP class continued excitedly working on the 12 Layer Canvas project. So far, students have created new layers from the following instructions:
1. Draw a 2" grid over the entire canvas.
2. Paint in the squares.
3. Add tissue paper.
4. Add tape.
5. Add a white wash.
6. Write words.
The IW for this project should be about process, exploration, ideas for further media exploration or ideas for new projects, and a reflection on the finished piece as well.

4th period Photography students continue this week working on their wiki pages. Although I asked students to have the past assignment pages finished by Monday (11/1), only a few students had completed the work (due to a lack of work in class Thursday and no class on Friday with the half-day). Students were assigned the task this week of completing those pages of past assignments as well as the new assignment of adding critiques for 12 of their classmates. Each student must post a thoughtful critical response in the form of a comment on 2 different pages for 12 different peers. A total of 24 comments in addition to the finished pages displaying all previous Photography class assignments are due by Monday (11/1).

6th period Art 2 students are busy reproducing Masterworks in paper collages this week! After completing an investigation about a well-known work of art by a master artist, students chose one masterwork to reproduce. First students make a contour (outline) drawing of the major lines and shapes in the work, then they scour magazines for close matches to the colors within their masterwork. Depending on the effect students choose, they can cut, tear, or punch out their colored papers to act as "paint" to add the "brushstrokes" of color to fill the shapes. Students were encouraged to do a lot of accurate sketching using one of several methods (grid drawing, pencil proportions, "blind" drawing) learned previously in class to get a realistic drawing of the painting. Students were then reminded to collect a bounty of color to ensure they had all areas planned for before assembling and glueing the collage. I'm excited to see the final results! Students who previously completed this projects produced results like this!