Peer Response, Nicole Kirkpatrick

I really liked the idea of Carolina's Project Book. This is something that I could do with middle schoolers. It's a great idea to have student's take an object or stuffed animal and create a sketchbook around the places that item goes. Carolina's ideas really came through in her project book. She made me think about different places that a specific object could be put into creatively, and then document it. Loved It!

Translation, Nicole Kirkpatrick

Thinking about which one of our projects/exercises to bring into my classroom was tough. I'm thinking that there is definitely more than one (if not all of them) that I can use in my classroom. To narrow it down though, I truly think I'd have to say it would be the Altered book. I've been wanting to do that for a very long time, but never really had anyone show me an easy way I could use it in my classroom. The steps to alter it really made it easy for me to get started. It did take me (I think) longer to get to the end on my book than others (as far as the ideas went), but with the use of all the transfers, it made it easier for me. I really think I'll be able to use the "themed" project book as well. I was thinking how wonderful it will be to see my middle schoolers working on a discarded book from our own media center, and bringing out their own ideas in it.

I know I was only to talk about one I could use, but I also liked the color book as well. What a very neat and interesting way to use colored paint swatches. I may use this as well in their sketchbooks. All that we learned is just great, and I truly can't wait to put all I've learned into my classroom this year!

Found Drawing, Nicole Kirkpatrick

I enjoyed looking and taking photos for our found drawings. My found drawings sparked an entire project book. They went along with the idea of "line" in my work in Sketchbook. I had no idea that I would have had the ideas I had that stemmed from this simple assignment.

Color Chart book, Nicole Kirkpatrick

I loved this idea and will be doing this one with my students. What a great way to get the mind working. Using colored (free) swatches from paint stores, we were to chose a certain number and looking at the name of the paint, draw the first thing that comes to our mind. It could relate to the name or it didn't have to. Loved this one!

Project Book, Nicole Kirkpatrick

This was by far the most exciting part of the week for me. My project book was all about LINES! The theme was "ALONG THE LINE"... I found that lines were a common theme throughout my work this week and I'm attracted to all kinds of lines. The ideas really took off immediately in my book. I had been researching string installations, but when I went back to get started into the book, I began to think about one photo I took of a rope. It then just transformed into this wonderful idea book all about how I could build ceramic posts (cylindrical and rectangular forms) with different string/ribbon flowing out from them. It also became a way for me to think about what could be "contained", or kept out by using these lines. I felt my hand wasn't able to keep up with my brain quick enough to record my thoughts. I'd really like to work these ideas out in sculptural form.

Research, Nicole Kirkpatrick

For my research, some of my favorite artists were Wayne Thiebaud, Henry Moore and Andy Goldsworthy. All three of these artists I can see where my work has some element from each of their work. It was exciting to actually see sketches from their personal sketch books and see how and where their ideas developed.

Flag Book, Nicole Kirkpatrick

The flag book was a fun way to look at a book/assemble a book. It unfolds in a an opposite manner, which is very interesting. The kids will love this one!

Collection, Nicole Kirkpatrick

The collection drawings were fun. We were asked to bring in a collection of something.... my collection was band aids. I almost didn't bring any, but decided last minute that I'm pretty accident-prone, and I would probably need them. It just so happened I did- the last day! haha

Transfer Samples, Nicole Kirkpatrick

This was so neat to learn. One of my favorites. Playing around with different photo copies and how we can use them in our sketch books, and altered books. The use of gesso, gel medium, packaging tape, clear contact paper and clear transparencies were all used.

Memory Drawings, Nicole Kirkpatrick

The memory drawings were one of my favorites. I loved starting out with just a square on the paper and writing or telling the story of a dress (with our eyes closed). It didn't matter whether we were writing over top of what we had already down on the paper. Once we were done describing, we erased about 50% of it. We then drew a blind contour of our dress we just described. We then played around with positive and negative, and what it might look like if those were present in our picture. The second drawing was of when my husband proposed to me. It's a picture of the ring.

Walking Studies, Nicole Kirkpatrick

We went on an adventure after eating at Burrito Brothers. We used a view finder and narrowed in on a few plants. I later went out and sketched some other plants. I really liked how the shadows were more apparent than the day we went on the walk.

1-minute studies, Nicole Kirkpatrick

For the 1-minute studies, we each were given a prop. We had to think of "pose" to put ourself into that would incorporate the prop. We each had to pose for the class for one minute as they drew. These were to be very quick sketches of poses.

Mini-Collages, Nicole Kirkpatrick

The mini-collages were my least favorite this week. We were to come up with 5 separate mini-collages and do studies of them. We could do color, black and white and any other study of that collage. Then post 5 more mini-collages without the studies. I've never really got into doing collages, but this was a good way to break into an interesting way to look at shapes and color.

Prompts, Nicole Kirkpatrick

For Prompts, we all came up with a large list of themes or ideas for project books. We were asked to come up with 5 more. I love this list! I can't wait to use these ideas in class.

Donut Drawings, Nicole Kirkpatrick

We were given a donut and were asked to sketch the donut in different ways. My donut was in one piece when I left the studio, but when I got back, it was in crumbles. My last five were mainly crumbled donut drawings.

Blindfold Drawings, Nicole Kirkpatrick

This was a fun exercise. We partnered up and took an adventure blindly outside. We were instructed to draw what was in front of us as we were blind folded. We were given instructions as where to place the drawing on our paper. These sketches are in our "Everything Sketchbook".

Altered Book, Nicole Kirkpatrick

My altered book took a completely different look than when I first started. I really didn't have any idea on how to alter a book. I truly struggled with it. I wanted the book to be about the use of pockets and how they are used to hide items. The idea that there are so many secret compartments or pockets and how one becomes quite curious as to want to know what's inside. The issue of trusting others with what one may have as secrets also plays a part in my altered book.

Paper and Tape, Nicole Kirkpatrick

For this project, we were given only two sheets of paper and one roll of tape to create a book. My book became a book about pockets. This first project flowed over into my altered book with the idea of pockets.

Nicole Kirkpatrick, Bags

We were given a brown bag with an item inside. We were not allowed to look, but could feel the object. We did a series of drawings based on what we thought the item looked like. Mine was a chisel.