Who is your alter ego? Ellen Gallagher, Polaroid and Photo Manipulation

We opened up class by playing charades. We also watched a video about contemporary artist Ellen Gallagher. Gallagher uses a hybrid of printmaking, drawing, collage, and painting when collaging vintage magazines such as Ebony and Our World to transform the faces of the people in the advertisements appear like aliens or super-heroes.

don't "SHAKE IT LIKE A POLAROID PICTURE"

Polaroid Manipulations

Black History Month Assembly:

Parkway's Black History Month was on Wednesday: 

Click the links below to watch videos from the assembly, including Student Success Block's Michelle Hunt!

SUPERHEROES

 

On Tuesday, there was a "project runway"-style challenge: 2 teams, lots of recycled junk, 30 minutes, and one challenge: to model the ultimate superhero! Both teams came up with really inspired designs:

Team 2 getting "Hypnotica" (Denise) ready

Team 1 getting "Egyptian Coutura" (Michelle) ready

Then there was the runway show...

There was a sweet judges section (Heidi Klum-style):

And in the end, both teams had a super performance! 

Silkscreening with Newsprint

On Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th we learned how to Silkscreen. We designed custom monogram stencils out of newsprint. We thought about the color wheel when picking colors for our designs.

Silk screening is involves “pushing ink” through a screen over a stencil.We are used a low-cost, eco-friendly silkscreen method today called the “Newsprint Stencil Method.” We made stencils out of newspaper by cutting our shapes and letters and sticking them on the Silkscreen. In the future, we will print our designs on pillowcases, cd covers and poster paper.

PHOTOS OF OUR PRINTS, COMING SOON!!!!!

Until then, here is some vocabulary:

A stencil is used to block out areas where ink is not wanted. Stencils can be as simple as a piece of paper or as intricate as this:http://www.prescriptionart.com/images/uploads/fairey/peace-woman-screen-print-fnl.jpg.

Squeegees are used to spread ink evenly across the back of the silkscreen, making a clean image on the printed surface. Screen-printing squeegees usually have much thicker and less flexible blades than the window cleaning variety.

An artist’s proof is pulled early in the printmaking process so the artist can check the quality of the print. The artist makes a series of prints in the edition.

Flooding the screen is when you hold the screen up, pull the squeegee across the screen and fill the stencil with the ink. Next you then lay the screen down and complete your print. The purpose of flooding the screen is to give you an even ink deposit on your print.

 

Parkway students meet Harlem Children Zone's Geoffrey Canada at Haverford

Aaron, Myiesha, and Dominique with Geoffrey Canada after his talk.

 
Before going to Haverford to hear Geoffrey Canada we went to the Harcum bookstore for Myiesha to pick out some HC gear before enrolling in the fall to study Early Childhood Eduation. Dominique came along and helped out with modeling some of the options.

pizza!

After picking up Aaron at the R100 train we met Sarah and Jomaira for dinner at Haffner dining hall at Bryn Mawr.

Then we were off to Haverford College to hear educational reformer and activist, Geoffrey Canada, speak to a full house about the importance of ensuring all students receive a comprehensive and remarkable education. Talk to Dominique, Aaron, Myiesha, or Ms. Carter or any of the college students at the talk to get their reactions to Mr. Canada's talk!

Jomaira and Sarah getting books signed.

MAKE YOUR OWN ALBUM COVER!

Today in class we mostly worked on our album covers. Adrienne's lesson the previous day, which included information on the history of album covers, was fresh on our minds as we decorated the record covers. We were encouraged to plan first, to sketch and brainstorm, before decorating. Adrienne was helping everyone with everything from using glue properly, to complimentary colors. In addition to working on our albums, some people were discussing colleges and looking for schools with specific programs, such as ROTC. We will continue to work on the album covers next week and on Tuesday we hope to have our CD launch party!