In Art, the 7th graders have been learning about the French Impressionists and how they changed the Art world. They challenged the established French Academy, which determined what was to be considered "Real Art" and what was not worthy of that distinction. The Impressionists wanted to represent things that they were familiar with: every day events and objects. They wanted to capture the fleeting moment of looking at something. They did this with quick brushstrokes and bright colors that roughly depicting their subject. This style was outrageous at the time, but became more acceptable as people enjoyed the energy, brightness, and familiarity of what they saw.
The 7th grade is trying capture the style of the Impressionists with oil pastels and mimic their subject matter. These photographs show the 7th grade working with oil pastels, using techniques like Scumbling, Crosshatching, Sgraffito, and Stippling; techniques that the French Impressionists used in some of their work. Oil pastels are not easy to use, but there is an aspect of fun to it as the colors are intense and you can apply them with a lot of energy...