After the students in grades 3-6 at Poland Community School finished their handmade paintbrushes, they learned about Chinese Landscape Painting. Students discussed the particular qualities of Chinese ink paintings and identified their use of value, contrast, and texture. I explained how they could achieve value, contrast, and texture in their own ink paintings, and reinforced that they did not have to paint scenes that looked exactly like Chinese Landscapes, but that they could paint any kind of landscape in any way they desired. After careful collection of materials, students set to work creating some really amazing landscape paintings using paintbrushes they had constructed themselves.
It was so difficult to choose paintings to photograph because every student did an amazing job. All of the students pushed themselves beyond their comfort zone in the construction and use of their handmade paintbrush, and I am so incredibly proud of the artwork the students at Poland Community School are creating.
Hopefully many of these ink paintings will make it into the district art show!