Daily Sketchbook 9/19

Step One: Get out your watercolor supplies
Step Two: Mix up 2-3 interesting colors that are LIGHT IN VALUE
Step Three: Create one of the following two options on the next blank page in your sketchbook

• a large wet on wet plus salt wash  that transitions between colors
• a regular series of small "hatch" marks which create a line across the page, and end up making a series of lines of "hatch" marks down the page

We will be adding to this page at some point in the future so please do not work on top of this until then.

I'm Selling Stuff on Sunday

Many of you know that I did open studios last May, and while it was a lot of work, it was also really fun. That prompted me to get some t-shirts made over the summer, which you may have seen on instagram. By the way...those t-shirts are super super soft!
I'm selling them with some other folks as part of the SJ Made contingent for Viva Calle SJ this Sunday from 10-3 at Arena Green Park.

There will be food trucks and locally made wares and yoga and picknicking and a generally good time (I would assume). If you want to come say hi, I would love to see you. You can link a flyer for the even above and HERE.

Have a good one!

Here is an example of the shirts for sale. I will also have some prints from my sloth paintings and ink drawings available. Let me know if you have any questions.

Daily Sketchbook 9/15

So here is your challenge. Actually you have two options.

Option 1: Draw some sort of fabulous font using a curse word (or other funny phrase);

Option 2: Draw some sort of animal or person that includes a speech bubble of some sort.

Have fun. Make yourself smile. Make it rad.

The Most Fantastic Ted Talk

I wanna know what you think of this. I have recommended her book to the parents after having read it last year myself, and now I see this pop up on the twitter.
If you actually give yourself the time to watch this I would love to know your thoughts.
Cheers!

Daily Sketchbook 9/13

On your tree page from last week...
take a pencil and spend a timed five minutes writing down as many things that you are grateful for as possible.
Please get silent and set your own timer (on the ipad), and don't rely on your neighbor to share a timer, and don't stop until time is up.
It doesn't matter how large or small the individual items are, but be intentional and sincere. Quantity, in this case, without too much thought, is great.

The goal is not to have all of the text legible, but rather to have the thoughts and ideas on the page and not just in your own head.

Some Parent Information

A big thank you to all that came out last night for back to school night, and a happy Friday to everyone!
If you missed last night, some of the particulars from the evening will be added below.
We are well into the year and I'm getting more grades in as of this afternoon. As I said, I am a big Canvas believer/user, so if you ever have questions about anything, that is the place to check.

I mentioned a couple of fabulous books, so here they are again,
How To Raise An Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims
Why Do They Act That Way by David Walsh
and
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be by Frank Bruni

If you want to rewatch the film clip I was in - or see the entire thing, you can find that HERE.
Again, yesterday was the first time I saw it, so I'm still digesting how it got edited. If you have any thoughts I would love to hear them.

If you are interested in seeing/revisiting the 11 Commandments, those are HERE.

From my perspective it has been a really wonderful beginning to the year. Your kids are working hard and I am enjoying more time with my advanced students while equally enjoying the work and personalities of my hard working Art 1 folks.

Don't forget to follow along online with @misterthad if you want here and there glimpses of the classroom (I posted a bit from some Art 4 students on my instagram story this morning, for example).

Let's have a great year...all signs point towards a stellar one, so I'm pretty excited!

Daily Sketchbook 9/9

Get excited. It's your first Artist of the Month for the year.
Today we will celebrate Cindy Sherman!

I will be expecting that you cut down your handout to the provided rectangle, use scotch tape to put it in the next blank page of your sketchbook, and photograph the ENTIRE worksheet with an ipad when we are finished.

If you are absent and reading this, you can find all of the information you need in the Artist of the Month module in Canvas.

There is also a bonus video embeded in the module, so even if you are present, it may be interesting to watch that video on your own time.

Most Amazing Video

Kids are amazing and less than amazing all at the same time. This is the story of the former. She is a student of mine and her experiences are, well...I'll let you decide for yourself.

I'd love to know what you think in the comments. I find this quite terrible and wonderful at the same time, and find myself fortunate to work with Chloe on the daily.

Daily Sketchbook 9/7

With a pencil, go outside and draw a tree as accurately as possible.
Please walk quickly and time yourself for 11 minutes with your ipad.
Please don't go far so that you can maximize your class time.
Have fun.
Smile.

Daily Sketchbook 9/2

This is our first Mindful Moment of the year.
I will lead you in this.

Please sit facing me and pushed away from your desk (if applicable).
Sit straight up in your chair and with your feet on the ground (when possible).

I will start you when you are all ready.
Please get your peers ready to go so that I don't have to hold you after class for taking too long.

Cheers.