SKATE IT! OR HANG IT?

South Kamloops Secondary Art 9 & 10 students are thrilled to share our finished skate decks!  Students worked hard to complete personalized images which reflect a diverse range of technique and concepts.  All involved enjoyed working local Kamloops artist Vaughn Warren, who guided the project from beginning through to completion instructing students with specific airbrushing techniques.  Reflecting on our completed project, we would like to recognize and thank many individuals and groups for supporting our unique adventure of inviting a working artists into the SKSS Art Department.

Firstly, we would like to thank Ms. Caroline Hilland, Vice Principal at SKSS.  Ms. Hilland, in collaboration with Vaughn Warren, developed a specific grant proposal to funding the skate deck project through ArtStarts.  By connecting artists to work in classrooms, ArtStarts supports the development of enriching learning opportunities in visual arts by supporting artists in school programs.  Thank you to ArtStarts for funding artist Vaughn Warren.  Also, a huge Thank You! to OLIVE Skateboarding for their continued support of student artists in Canadian schools.

Most importantly, we would like to thank Vaughn Warren for his artistic expertise, energy, and enthusiasm engaging student learning.  In addition to airbrushing techniques and individual idea development with over 55 SKSS art students, Vaughn shared aspects of his portfolio through a collection of past and present proposals and finished artworks.  In sharing his current work, Vaughn introduced students to an active process of a working artist.  The students were surprised and excited to recognize local artwork created by Vaughn.  In fact, one student realized her family had purchased one of Vaughn’s paintings!  It is a wonderful connection for students to identify artwork in our local Kamloops community.  Throughout the project, students embraced Vaughn’s friendly personality and approachable teaching style – enthusiastic to have his advice and opinions on their working designs.  We are grateful to Vaughn, as an exemplary artist-in-residence, who engaged SKSS students through an opportunity to develop new skills, connect to the local artistic community, and create meaningful artwork.

Lisa Yamaoka & SKSS Art 9-10 students

Making Progress: Skate It or Hang it? Continues in the Art Room

South Kam art students are beginning to see their artwork and designs develop into individual images on skate decks in our Skate it, Or Hang it? project.  Alma Shankar and Noah Fischer share a few words about their personal experience working with airbrushing:

Creating a personal skate deck design has been such an interesting experience. Specifically, we are learning to airbrush (a brand new medium to all students) with professional artist Vaughn Warren in our classroom studio.  While exploring this new experience we have learned so many new things, both in considering design and specific techniques.

To start, we have learned how to control the airbrush and move it along the skate deck to create different effects on our artwork. We have also explored how to layer colors and blend them together to alter the design we created before beginning. Along with this we have learned the difficulty of cleaning the brushes, and the effort it requires to maintain the airbrushes.  From the time we began by transferring our design, it was an eye opener to see how much control and effort it requires to airbrush properly and safely. With this in mind, Vaughn has been so helpful with everything, as well as very patient when helping people that are a little bit uneasy - he has helped make this an amazing opportunity!  Overall throughout this whole process we are enjoying every step, and triumph we’ve had! 

As an art educator I have witnessed our students truly embrace the process of learning a new technique as we continue with the final details and finishing touches on all the skate decks at SKSS.   Perhaps most importantly, it is such a pleasure to witness the collaborative and supportive learning environment our students have created through the guidance and teaching of artist Vaughn Warren!  Each day student artists are working together and sharing as they take risks within their artwork, solving problems, and celebration of individual successes.
Again, we would like to thank both ArtStarts for providing grants to promote artists working in classrooms and OLIVE Skateboarding for supporting visual arts programs in Canadian schools.  

SKATE IT OR HANG IT?

Deck Designs!

Students at South Kamloops Secondary have a unique opportunity this semester to work with an artist in residence: VAUGHN WARREN.  We are thrilled to have Vaughn, from Kamloops BC, work with grade 9 and 10 art students, guiding us through the process of airbrushing artwork on skate decks.  This project has been made possible through ArtStarts in Schools, by providing grant opportunities that promote a connection with youth to professional arts experiences in the classroom.  In addition, we are thankful to OLIVE Skateboards for their support of visual art programs in Canadian schools.

As we begin our journey in creating upwards of 50 painted skate deck designs, I have asked grade 10 student Bailey S. to share our process to date:

Over the past few weeks, we have been working on designing a finished copy for our skate decks, starting with a small wire frame of a skateboard, subsequent colour models, leading to a full sized blown-up skate deck copy. Vaughn Warren, a local artist who is working with our class, is sharing his expertise teaching aspects of design and airbrush mediums. 

Airbrushing seems like a difficult technique to work with.  Unlike sketching it is harder to erase and especially when you learn a new art style, the first time you actually create a piece isn’t always the best.  Some of the kids in my class were apprehensive to the idea, not knowing if it was something they would be good at or enjoy. Others, including myself, were super excited. I quote one of my friends in the class who was weary at first, “... suddenly it hits you. This is actually happening; you can make your own skate deck, and you can keep it!”

Creating a successful skate deck will take time, direction, and artistic considerations.  After we finished a contour drawing of the final design, we moved on to creating colour models colouring many photocopies of the original design.  Finally, we blew up the image in hopes of soon transferring the design onto the skate deck.  This process requires students to think ahead, plan, and consider more ways to look at one project idea.