Student Work

I commenced my school placement at St. Dominic's College, Cabra at the beginning on November. It has been a very busy six weeks with lots of highs and lows! The major high this semester was teaching, I love being in the classroom, its a wonderful opportunity to witness students creativity and young minds at work! Some schemes have elements to be completed but I am so pleased with the students work so far! The most enjoyable scheme has to be my second year's Female Role Model Artist Book project. They learned a number of new skills including embroidery, layout, hand lettering and explored new materials such as thread and ink.

First year students created beautiful etchings based on still life and location drawings under the theme of HABITAT. Students visited Tolka Valley Park at the beginning of the project and made drawings and rubbings of textures on location. They also completed a TEXTURE TREASURE HUNT, collecting natural materials for further study in the classroom. Students had some insightful responses to the environmental issues and topics surrounding the site and local habitats.

Role Model Portraits. Students had previously completed a continuous line drawing of their chosen female role model using a secondary source image. Unfortunately Michelle Obama was unavailable to come to St.Dominic's to provide herself as a primary source. Students liked the informal approach to portraiture using continuous line. As students had already completed a portrait scheme I felt it would be of interest to show students other ways to draw portraits. They really enjoyed this element of the bookcraft project.

Embroidery HERITAGE themed stitched crests with first year pupils. Some fantastic examples of work. Students learned the running, back , whipped running and satin stitch. They used imagery drawn from life and some imaginative composition elements. Students conducted research on their cultural heritage with family members and made a group mind map of drawings and symbols that represented their heritage. They then made attempts to link symbols and drawings with line and string, discovering connections and similarities between their own cultural heritage and their peers.