Organic Vessels

Year 10 students created these abstract vessels by learning about slab constructions. Students first drew a series of organic forms and studied each one, reflecting on how to make them a stable three-dimensional forms. Once they had finalised the shape and form of their work, students rolled out their clay evenly and cut them into corresponding shapes and joined them together to create their forms.

The vessels rely on the joins of each piece to be slipped and scored together properly so that the pieces fuse together during the firing process, becoming ceramics. The next step in bringing their design to life was designing a glaze for the surface of their work. Students drew inspiration from the artist Yayoi Kusama and studied her infinity net artworks to create repetitive patterns in bright high contrast colours.

Pop Art

The Faces and Places students in Year 10 undertook a comprehensive study of Pop Art, a seminal 20th-century art movement. Its profound significance lies in its radical shift away from classical artistic conventions, ushering in an era where art became more readily accessible to a broader middle-class audience. Pop Art's aesthetic was directly informed by the contemporary surge in popular culture, manifesting in subject matter frequently encompassing celebrities, consumer goods, and advertising imagery.

In their practical application, students each selected a celebrity and utilized a digital methodology to abstract the subject's three-dimensional qualities. This transformative process resulted in images characterized by flat, sharply defined layers of shapes. These abstracted forms were subsequently transferred onto canvas, where students employed a palette of bright and bold colours to realize vivid and impactful portraits.

Sculptures

Reduction Prints

The Reduction Lino printing technique, explored by our Year 10 students, is a meticulous process of progressively carving a single linoleum block. This method builds an image by applying successive layers of color, with each stage requiring precise removal of the lino to reveal the underlying hues.

The order of colours is crucial, moving from the background of the design to the foreground on the paper. Achieving the sharp, multi-layered effect inherent in reduction printing, demands exceptional accuracy. To ensure each layer of ink registered perfectly, students utilized a registration plate. This essential tool, a template matching the print's dimensions, guided the precise placement of the linoleum block for each subsequent printing.

Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of birds, the students have produced a collection of bright and intricately designed prints, showcasing their mastery of this challenging printmaking technique.

Still Life Drawings

Exploring the rich history of still life drawing, Year 10 Faces and Places students embarked on a journey of observational art. For centuries, artists have used this traditional artform to study and interpret their surroundings, and our students embraced this same meticulous approach.

Students dedicated weeks to refining their drawing techniques, practicing diligently with objects from real life. This foundational work culminated in students carefully curating and arranging their own still life compositions.

To bring their visions to life, students experimented with a diverse palette of mediums, from pencil, fineliner, and graphite to gouache and watercolor paints, ultimately choosing the perfect materials to create their dynamic and thoughtful artworks.

Artist Study: John Bokor

Year 10 students have made artworks that have been inspired by the works of Australian painter John Bokor. John Bokor takes iconic Australian pantry items and applies his expressive style to these nostalgic works. Students were challenged to only use broad brushes and eliminate minute details, to create their own paintings using similar subject matter to John Bokor.

Students learned about colour theory, scale and perspective to create these bright and dynamic works.