Digital Media: The basics of animation

In Digital Media class we are learning the basics of animation and focusing on Frank & Ollie's Twelve Basic Principles of Animation.  We will watch how of the the rules of animation apply and what happens when you don't follow the rules.  We will then incorporate the learning into our collaborative film and our animation challenges.

The March extra credit assignment is to create a post-it note animation like the example below that uses the post-its rather than drawing on them.

NAEA Outstanding Teaching Award

I was thrilled to learn this month that I will be awarded the National Art Education Association's AET Outstanding Teaching Award.  It was an honor to be nominated by Rebecca Mir of the Guggenheim Museum and it was great being featured in Newsday's WINNERS column this week.  I'm especially grateful that such esteemed colleges and former students had a hand in the nomination process.  I'm looking forward to traveling to Chicago next month for the NAEA National Conference to receive the award and share some of the great art we do here at Smithtown East as I present a hands-on session on how we incorporate Digital Drawing and Creative Coding in classes.

Digital Media: Animation Challenges

In Digital Media Class we will be working on weekly 6 second Animation Challenges using Vine.  For 4 weeks there will be a new challenge to animate each week that students should complete by weeks end.  Each challenge has a theme and some specifics to include and they can all be shared on social media using the hashtag #needlesclass.

We will be learning the basics of how to animate and study Disney's Twelve Basic Principles of Animation while we are in class as well as collaborating on a larger animation project together.

Week 1: The Loop: Create a looping animation that includes sound and has a basic story arch

Week 2: Post-its: Create an animation on post-it notes and film it somewhere untraditional

Week 3: Squash & Stretch: Use the laws of physics to make an animation that compresses then extends while moving

Week 4: Interactive: Create an animation that interacts with something in real life

Studio Art: Masking Monoprints

After creating our first monoprints in Studio Art class we will take monoprinting to the next level by adding drawing and layer masks like the example above from AP Art and below from last years SCALA art show.  Each student should create a portrait of a person, animal, or thing on printmaking paper in pencil or ink, cut a stencil mask and print over it creating a mixed media piece.  These prints will be due next Friday March 4.

Today I'm @babylonarts for the #SCALA #student #art show representing 2 of my terrific #SmithtownEast #APart students pic.twitter.com/rSxqoowIpy

— Tim Needles (@timneedles) February 7, 2015

Digital Media: Collaborative Animation

In Digital Media class we are going to work together in groups of 2-3 to create a collaborative animation to teach younger students about the basics of digital citizenship.  Each group will create a short animated 6-12 second segment describing and illustrating one of the 9 P's of media literacy shown above.  We'll combine all the segments and add voice overs to create the finished film.  We will then share the film with students in the elementary and middle schools.

In order to teach the information to younger students we will really need to understand it well so we will learn about it in class today and research later in the week to find examples to illustrate each of the segments.

Example: In learning copyright we learned about the creative commons licence as opposed to the traditional copyright and free use along with how it works for groups like Hit Record

The final animation is due from each group by next Friday, March 4.

Studio Art: Gelli Printing

In Studio Art we are beginning our printmaking unit with Gelli mono-printing.  We'll begin by creating interesting stencils to use- they can be random organic or geometric shapes or more specific imagery.



We will then create a series of 2 mono-prints that relate to each other, in the art world this is called a diptych.

Digital Media: Animation Challenge

In Digital Media class we will introduce animation with a shot 6 second challenge to create a hand drawn, looping animation using Vine. We will learn the basics in class and the animation will be due on Friday. We will share the animations by using #needlesclass to hand in the work digitally. Try to be creative and come up with a unique and fun short animated film.

Art Honor Society: Inspiring Mural Created by HSE Artists

Here's an article about our recent work with the Wyland Foundation Water For Life mural project that I wanted to share before our winter vacation- enjoy the break!

Smithtown High School East art students in Tim Needles’ drawing class collaborated with the science department and the National Art Honor Society to create a mural to enter into the annual Wyland Foundation’s National “Water is Life” Mural and Art Challenge. Their “Protecting Our Oceans” creation featured dolphins, marine animals, wildlife and a boat over an illuminated sky. 

This year’s contest was themed “Our Coasts and Climate,” and the foundation and its partners provided 100 schools with educational materials and 50-square-foot canvas murals to look at the economic, cultural and aesthetic value of the world's ocean resources. The contest encouraged students to work together while studying climate issues. 

The mural depicts the full eastern coast of the United States with local marine life and landmarks such as Stony Brook University’s R/V Seawolf research vessel in Port Jefferson. Winners will be announced in late January.

Media Art: Character Development

In Media Art class we are currently developing characters that we will be working with in animation.  we begin by sketching out ideas then create a character sheet like the one above of Kent Brockman from The Simpsons.  Next we will create a short pencil test animation of our character moving, below are a few examples of pencil test animations from The Simpsons and independent animator Bill Plympton's.

Digital Media: Digital Drawing Quotes

In Digital Media class we are finishing up our first digital drawing project which is due today.  The example by Lucas above shows what the finished product should look like.  As we finish up the   Digital Drawing Quote designs make sure you have the following:

• Landscape dimensions about 10"x6", 300 res
• Portrait has filled in pupils & runs off the page
• Portrait is facing their quote
• Quotes before and after statement
• Colored background
• Black or White .5" border
• Impact typeface (28pt)
• #needlesclass in bottom left (20pt)

We will finish up these designs today and prepare them to be shared on social media and in school in March as part of YAM Youth Arts Month.

AP Art: Scholastic Design Contest

Today we will be working on a new design contest for scholastic awards students for Neiman Marcus. Students who submitted in the fashion and jewelry categories of the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are invited to submit 2D designs of holiday ornaments. Students will have the chance to have their design transformed into a small, 3D ornament and distributed to Neiman Marcus stores across the country at the end of 2016. The student who submits the winning design will also:

• Work with a professional sculptor to translate the 2D design into a 3D design.
• Be featured in Neiman Marcus’s national publication, the book, which reaches more than 250,000 of its customers.
• Have their signature on the back of the ornament, along with the Neiman Marcus logo.
• Receive a $1,000 scholarship!

Digital Media: Drawing With Robots

This week in Digital Media each class will construct a robot that will be designed to draw.  Doodle bots (or drawing robots) are great, collaborative STEAM projects that can incorporate art and technology along with some creativity and ingenuity.  I'll help each class gather supplies but students will work together to create the class robot and to design a way for it to draw or paint.

After the class collaborates on creating a robot together we will form smaller groups and students will be given a selection of little bits and some everyday objects from around the school and work together to create their own drawing robots.  We'll hold a creative forum with each of the groups presenting their drawing robots and see which designs are most successful and why.

Art Honor Society: The Smithtown East Burgerman Mural

I'm thrilled to announce that today we I was awarded the Smithtown Children's Foundation Teachers Grant which will complete our funding for the National Art Honor Society's Smithtown East Mural with artist Jon Burgerman.  I'm so excited that we will be working together on this great project this spring!  Today we will work on planning some of the details and get up to date on the proposals.

Yesterday I presented the mural project with the School Improvement Team to the principal who approved it and was excited to hear about the work we've been doing and the future mural.  We also presented some of the design work we have been doing in class to revitalize the courtyard and make it a more accessible place for students and the school at large.

Tonight I'll be attending the Eighth Annual Kisses for Kaylee & Friends Dinner Dance at The Watermill Inn to accept the grant!

Extra Credit: 28 to Make

The Creative Live website is hosting a free month long creative challenge course in February.  Each week will count as an extra credit assignment if complete all 7 days of work and share it with their #28daystomake hashtag with #needlesclass.  It's a great opportunity to learn from some creative professionals and share your work in the community.  You do need to sign up but the project is free this month.

Week 1

Celebrating everyday objects through drawing with Kate Bingaman-Burt

Week 2

Exploring line, form, and texture with Ryan Putnam

Week 3

Hacking visual language and creative thinking with Lara McCormick

Week 4

Connecting to your context through observation and lettering with Erik Marinovich

Weekends

You'll get the same 2 videos every weekend, when you'll be encouraged to take in the sights and relax with Brooks Chambers

You can sing up here and you'll be able to see the inspiration video each day that will give you the creative prompt.  I'll be doing the assignment as well so I hope to see you join us!

Film and Media: Welcome

Today is the first day of our new Film and Media class so welcome!  We'll review the work we'll be doing this year in class and talk about the 8 films that were recently nominated for Best Picture Oscars to begin.  We'll also learn the basics of stop motion animation and film editing which we'll be using for the rest of the year!