Welcome to Mimi Johnson's Web Page.

I have been an employee of the Londonderry School district since 1987 and once again this year I have been given classes full of great children. I look forward to opening them up to the visual world around them and inspire them to express themselves through a variety of Artistic mediums.  I teach a discipline based Art Education program which not only includes the production of art but also studies in Creativity and the creative process (A intregal part of the creation of our nation), Aesthetics and Art Appreciation.

My school phone number: 603-432-6941 X-2746

My School E-Mail is mjohnson@londonderry.org

I also can be seen on YouTube under "ARTFUL SHOES" critiquing a public art sculpture I was involved with last year in Haverhill, MA. my hometown

The requirments for my Art Class are listed below:

 

 

1. Class Projects (30% of ¼ grade)

            1. Original and Thoughtful work at all times

            2. Completion of class projects by assigned deadline.

            3. Appropriate participation in class discussions

            4. Use of appropriate vocabulary

            5. Filling out grading slips completely and thoughtfully.

2. Sketchbook/Homework assignments (15%)

HOMEWORK IS ALWAYS DUE THE LAST DAY OF THE WEEK

1. All homework will be original drawings, (No copying unless specifically stated)

            2. No credit will be given for homework of poor quality

            3. Homework will be worth 5 points each. ½ credit if it is not in

class on time

3. Test Quizzes and Worksheets (15% of your grade)

4. Studio Procedure (40% of you ¼ grade)

    Daily 5 point system used. Any violation of these rules will result in a loss of points.

1. Be cooperative, show respect for your teacher, fellow students and the artwork being created.

2. Proper use and care of materials and equipment

3. Make effective (art related) use of class time.

4. Be responsible for proper clean up of individual and communal areas.

5. Use proper language

6. All students must remain in the classroom before the bell rings, (No congregating by the door.)

7. No Food, Drinks or Music allowed in studio.

5. Tardiness and Absences

1. All tardies result in a loss of three points a day. (If you are not in the room the moment the bell rings you are tardy.

2. Studio time for all absences must be made up.

6. Final exam is worth 1/5 of your final grade

7. MAKE UP POLICY:  If a student is absent from school the day an assignment is due, you are expected to turn it in the day you return. If the student is out for an extended period of time (2+ days) a due date will be determined by the Teacher and Student upon the students return.

 

 

 

 

 

Basic Design Syllabus

Art – Human expression intended to communicate ideas, feelings, and experiences.

Design – The organizational, plan, or composition of a work of art. An effective design is one in which the elements and principles are combined to achieve an overall sense of unity.

Basic Design is a class that is organized to help student understand, create, read and critique the visual language.

Subjects that will be discussed are as follows:

1^st ½ of Semester           

Art Appreciation 

 Two approaches.

Art History – Gaining information about a work of art. Art historians determine who did the work, when it was done, where it was done, what style of art it represents, what artists or works of art it influenced the artist in question and what impact the artist or work had upon artists and works that followed.  This approach concentrates the viewer’s attention upon external cues, or facts about the work of art.

Art Critique (COMPETENCY) – To gain information from a work of art: concerned with internal cues. There are four operations used: Description, Analysis, Interpretation and Judgment.

Elements and Principles of Design

The elements and principles of design form the foundation of the Visual Arts. These components and organizational concepts used in creating a work of art in which both conceptual and aesthetic issues are combined.

Elements : Line, Shape, Form, Value, Color, Texture, Space

Principles : Harmony, Balance, Emphasis, Contrast, Pattern, Movement, Rhythm

Creativity and the creative process

Creativity – The ability to make something new

Creative Process – The mental activity: The actual; method used to develop something new

The four steps to the creative process are: Preparation, Incubation, Insight and verification

Abstraction-(COMPETENCY)  - Art that stress the importance of the elements and principles of design instead of the subject matter.

The three forms of abstraction we will be creating from a realistic picture are:

Simplify Distort and fragment

2^nd ½ of semester

Drawing –  to produce a likeness of by making a line on a surface.

Basic Drawing Skills, Perspective, and Composition

Still life drawing -  (COMPETENCY)

The drawing skills necessary to complete a well thought out piece of art are:

Sketching Method, Value in Shading, Line Quality, Perspective and Composition

Color Theory

Color Theory Painting  - (COMPETENCY)- Color Theory will be applied to a watercolor painting which will incorporate an understanding of how to combine the elements and Principles of design, in addition to gaining a working knowledge of color theory

Aesthetics – A branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of the beautiful and with judgments concerning beauty. It is no longer solely concerned with determining what is beautiful in art, but attempts to discover the origin of sensitivity to art forms and the relationship art has to other aspects of our culture.

All projects/competencies may be moved from 1^st to 2^nd half of semester depending on schedule.

 

Drawing Syllabus

Art – Human expression intended to communicate ideas, feelings and experiences

Drawing – To produce a likeness of by making a line on a surface

While you are in drawing class you will develop your drawing skills and strengthen you observational skills. Using good compositional skills and studied techniques, you will produce portfolio quality work which reflects your life experience.

1^st ½ of Semester

Art Appreciation

Two approaches

Art History – Gaining information about a work of art. Art historians determine who did the work, when it was done, where it was done, what style of art it represents, what artists or works of art influenced the artist in question and what impact the artist or work of art had upon artists and works that followed. This approach concentrates the viewer’s attention upon external cues, or facts about the work of art.

Art Critique – To gain information from a work of art; concerned with internal cues. There are four operations used; Description, Analysis, Interpretation and Judgment.

 

Basic Concepts of Drawing

The following areas will be explored:

 Sketching method, Contour Line, Blind Contour, Line quality, Shading with value, Compositional skills and Negative space.

Within each skill the Elements and Principles of design will be discussed and applied.

Negative Space – The area that surrounds the object

Negative Space Still Life – (COMPETENCY) – Students will successfully complete a Negative Space drawing of a still life. Pattern the background and color with harmonizing colors.

Pen and ink – Using India ink and quill pens students will learn the five styles of shading with pen and ink which include, Pointillism, Hatching, Cross Hatching, Straight Hatching and Scribbling.

Pen and Ink still Life – (COMPETENCY)- Using the basic concepts of drawing, pen and ink shading techniques and good pictorial composition, students will create a well thought out drawing of a displayed still life. Considerations will be given for technical skills, perspective, as well as drawing and compositional accuracy

2^nd ½ of Semester

Creativity and the Creative Process

Creativity – The ability to make something new

Creative Process – The mental activity; The actual method used to develop something new.

Lesson in abstraction will be applied.

Self Portrait – (COMPETENCY) Students will successfully render a pencil self portrait following the guidelines of proportion and basic drawing skills

The Sighting Method

Corner of the room (Interior) (COMPETENCY) – Using the sighting method students will successfully drawing the corner of the including all details. The corner should include part of the floor and ceiling and be drawn in pencil first, then traced in black fine line marker.

Aesthetics – A branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of the beautiful and with judgments concerning  beauty, It is no longer solely concerned with determining what is beautiful in art, but attempts to discover the origin of sensitivity to art forms and the relationship art has to other aspects of our culture.

 

All projects/competencies may be moved from 1^st to 2^nd half of semester depending on schedule.

 

Advanced Drawing Competencies

Ms. N. Johnson

 

Competency One – (Pencil Drapery) 

Student will be able to use their knowledge of drawing skills with pencil to complete a drawing of drapery incorporating textural qualities.

Assessment – A drawing of drapery incorporating textural qualities. Composition is an important part of this still life and some background must be present.  Students are to use a variety of pencils ranging from 2H-6B successfully emphasizing textures and folds of each object. The entire still life is to be drawn.

Competency Two – (Colored Ink Still Life)

 

Students will be able to accurately draw a still life using good compositional skills, along with their knowledge of pen and ink techniques and color theory to represent the still life in a realistic way.

 

Assessment – Students will be graded on their well defined drawing using a minimum of three good compositional skills with attention to using color to create depth and details. Pen and ink techniques should be an important part of the shading process.

 

Competency Three – (Self Portrait in Pastel)

 

Students will be able to draw their portrait with the accurate proportions, then using Pastel and their knowledge of color theory they will be able to model their face to look realistic and three dimensional.

 

Assessment – Students will be graded on their knowledge of Pastels, color theory and the accuracy of their own personal facial proportions.

Competency Four – (Skeleton)

 

Students will be able to proportionately draw the skeleton, following an 8 heads high model, Outline the individual bones with black marker and correctly label all the proportions.

 

Assessment – The Skeleton will be proportionately done, correctly labeled and outlined.

My semester 1 schedule is as follows:

A Period - 7:20-8:05 - Duty

B Period -8:10-8:55 -Basic Design

C Period - 9:00-9:48 - Drawing 

D Period - 9:53-10:38 -  Drawing

E Period - 10:43-11:28 - Lunch

F Period - 11:33-12:18 - Basic Design

G Period - 12:23-1:08 - Basic Design

H Period - Prep

I am always available before school from 6:15-7:00 for extra help. I rarely stay after.

The following is a list of Homework assignments for Ms. Johnson’s Basic Design Class.

These assignments cover the entire semester and are due the last day of every week.

Work is graded on a 5 point scale with 5 being the highest number of points you’re able to earn.

Draw only on the fronts of the pages and fill the pages completely.

The +1 at the end of the assignment means you owe one extra drawing of your choice.

1. Make a design using just lines.   +1
2. Draw three overlapping writing utensils   +1
3. Draw a 1” border around a page and fill it completely with shapes.  +1
4. Draw a cartoon character in color +1
5. Draw your name in block/bubble letters and fill each letter in with a different pattern.  +1
6. Design a unique pair of sunglasses  +1
7. CREATIVE PROCESS: (Preparation, Incubation, Insight and Verification)

• Cut a picture out of a magazine of an object.
• Glue the picture anywhere on your sketchbook page
• Draw an environment in color where you might find this object

1. Draw a musical instrument.  +1
2. Copy a design pattern found in your house.  +1
3. Draw your hand in a difficult position, without tracing and add lots of detail.  +1
4. Draw your favorite soda bottle or can.  +1
5. Design a stamp in color promoting something or someone.  Use a ruler for straight edges.
6. Draw something you use everyday.  +1
7. Copy the cover of one of your textbooks.  +1
8. Create a collage by cutting several pictures from a magazine and glue them to a page in your sketchbook. Collage should have a theme.
9. Draw an animal.  +1
10. Draw money that adds up to $1.57. Make sure to include all of the detail, and depth.
11. CREATIVE PROCESS (Preparation, Incubation, Insight and Verification)
12. Create a Meal.  +1
13. Draw a caricature of a person you know.  +1

 

The following is a list of Homework assignments for Ms. Johnson’s Drawing Class.

 All assignments are due the last day of the week.

 Homework is graded on a 5 point system with 5 being the highest.

Only draw on the front of the pages and fill the entire page.

 

1. Draw a corner of your bedroom, including 3 planes (2 walls and a ceiling)
2. Draw four different doors found in your home, (oven door,  garage door etc.) on one sheet of paper. Be creative .  +1
3. Draw a tree found on your property that you live on.  +2
4. Draw your kitchen table and what is on it.  +1
5. Draw an actual living plant from life.  +2
6. CREATIVE PROCESS (Preparation, Incubation, Insight and Verification)

• Do research and rip three different flowers out of a magazine.
• Come up with a unique way to arrange these flowers so they make an interesting composition.
• Glue the flowers down, and on a separate sheet of paper draw the flowers that you glued down paying special attention to Value and the Texture of the edges.

1. Draw three overlapping shoes found in your home.  +2
2. Fill a page in your sketchbook with a drawing in color of pattern found in your home.
3. Draw a view out one of the windows of your home.  Include the frame of the window, as well as what is actually outside.
4. Draw a picture of the front of the place that you live. Then draw it again but abstract it (Simplify, Distort Fragment, Animate, Melt etc.)
5. Draw your bathroom toilet.  Emphasize value.
6. CREATIVE PROCESS (Preparation, Incubation, Insight and Verification)

• Look through a magazine and find five eyes. Cut them out in Geometric shapes.
• Find a way to arrange them so they all interlock.
• Place the eyes in your sketchbook and glue them down. On another page, Draw what

you have cut out, emphasizing value.

1. Draw a coat hanging on a door.  +1
2. Draw three stacked boxes of food. Add all the lettering and pictures.  +1
3. Draw a refrigerator, and anything that is on it. Shade with Value.  +1
4. Draw three different types of hats that can be found in your house. +2
5. Draw a meal and a table setting.  +2
6. Draw your hand holding three different objects.
7. Draw the family chair or your favorite chair. +2
8. Draw 3 objects that come out of your kitchen utensil drawer. Draw these objects in an interesting way.