The Final Project

Check out the great Stop Motion Animations created by the students of the Academy of Excellence Artspace Class.. complete with musical accompaniment and sound effects!

Week 14-Class 25

This week we worked on the final touches of our stop-motion films: sound effects and music. Half the class recorded sound effects with Mr. Ben, while the other half worked on final edits with Mr. Adam. Everyone is very excited about everything coming together!

Week 13- Class 24

We're nearing the end of our stop motion films! We had lots of fun editing the film and recording our own sound effects. Next week we'll be adding the finishing touch: music! The final products will be posted soon!

Week 12 - Class 22

The Stop Motion fun continues…

Week 12 - Class 21

The stop motion fun continues…

Sample Movie 1:

Week 11 - Class 20

Some of the groups started to shoot their stop-motion videos today… Check out just one sample image from each group to get an idea…

Week 11 - Class 19

Students have begun to storyboard out their stop motion videos and today brainstormed about characters, setting, and music. The groups were given a prompt to help them to develop their stories. The prompt for the class is : What happens when school is out?

Flipbook Compilation Video

Done! It took me a while to figure out the software, but here it is, the complete compilation of the flipbooks we did a few weeks ago, complete with custom music made by the students!

Week 9- Class 17

This week we took the first steps in what will become our big final project with the students: a short stop-animation film, complete with custom sound effects and music.

Tuesday we divided the class into 4 different groups or "production companies," and had the students assign themselves roles for each group, each with it's own set of responsibilities: Producer, Editor, Sound/Music, and Cameraman.

After that, the Productions companies designed their own logos. They look so good, I can't wait to see the finished product!

Week 8 - Class 15 & 16

Students began experimenting with stop motion this week, using small mannequin figures to play. Check out some of their test videos

Week 7 - Class 14

In this class students had to create their own music lines and perform the piece using the supplied instruments. Enjoy!

Week 7 - Class 13

Taking a day to learn and study native music from India and their techniques.

Flipbooks finished

Here's a video of two of the finished flipbooks. And that great music in the background? Composed and performed by the students themselves!

Week 6 Classes 11 and 12

The flipbook-making continued this week, and I love the variety of ideas students have had! Basketball, demolition & construction, Olympic events, a sunrise, gardening, etc. I can't wait to see the finished products!

Week 5 Class 10 - Flip Books

Today the students at AOE began creating a Flip Book composition. We looked at examples and brainstormed themes and ideas. Eventually the students began to storyboard their ideas. Students will begin their flipbooks starting next week.

Check out an example flip book that inspired the students:

Week 5 Class 9 - Fundreds

Today the students at Academy of Excellence made their contribution to the FUNDRED project. The Fundred project is and innitiative to:

"Help make safe the lead-contaminated soil in U.S. cities that puts thousands of children at risk for severe learning disabilities and behavioral problems. New Orleans is one of the most lead-contaminated cities in the U.S.–this is where the solution starts."

Check out the Fundred Website and create your own Fundred!

http://www.fundred.org/

http://asuartmuseum.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/fundreds-closing-event/

Week 4 Class 8- Gamelan

Today we learned about one of Ethnomusicologists' favorite kinds of music: Gamelan from the island of Java in Indonesia. This music is created mostly from a variety of metal percussion instruments. After learning a little about the structure of the music, we composed our own complete gamelan piece and performed it with Mr. Ben playing the Indonesian Kendung drum.



After this we had an open jam session. It wasn't authentic Indonesian music, but it was fun nonetheless!

Week 4 Class 7- Architecture Parlantes, Part 2

Today we finished up our Architecture Parlantes, adding color and short descriptions of the location and purpose of the buildings. In the end we had a great variety of buildings, including a Phoenix Baseball Museum (complete with bating cages!), a music-themed hotel in Paris, a couple recording studios, and a mixed-use flowershop/observation deck (if you're willing to climb up the spiral staircase!), among others. Students had great ideas on how to make even the most commonplace buildings, such as banks and factories, creative and exciting.

Week 3 Class 6 - Architecture Parlante

Architecture Parlante or speaking architecture was the focus of today's class. Since the students had a chance to learn about ethnomusicology, Mr. Ben's area of focus in school on Tuesday, we took today to learn about Mr. Adam's area of study, architecture. After a brief presentation introducing the students to different types of architecture, the students worked on creating their own architecture parlantes, which are buildings that resemble what they are used for. Some examples include:

Check back next week for the student's Architecture Parlantes.

Week 3 Class 5 - Ethnomusicology

The focus of this week is to learn a little more about the instructors for Academy of Excellence. In today's class Mr. Ben spoke about Ethnomusicology, the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts. Students listened to music native of South America. They were then given instruments and learned various rhythms. We then practiced and performed various rhythms.

Week 2 Class 4 - Self Expression

On Thursday we had students express themselves on a small canvas overlaid by a transparent portrait. The final results were fantastic, and will be displayed at the "Formed of Matters" exhibition that will be held at the Step Gallery at ASU in February.

Week 2 Class 3- Making a Creative Atmosphere

What a busy week!

On Tuesday, we decided to decorate our class with some "buzzwords" that would inspire creativity throughout the semester. With big sheets of butcher paper, each student wrote and decorated words and phrases they associated with art and creativity. This was the first time Adam and I got to see the artistic skill of the students, and we are quite impressed!

On Thursday we had students express themselves on a small canvas overlaid by a transparent portrait. The final results were fantastic, and will be displayed at the "Formed of Matters" exhibition that will be held at the Step Gallery at ASU in February.

Week 1 Class 1/2 - Academy of Excellence Artspace

The next chapter in Artspace at Academy of Excellence is underway! Adam Davie and Ben Dumbauld are the newest instructors for the program with the theme for this year being TIME. There are some excellent projects on the horizon and we look forward to a great half of the year.

WEEK 1

After meeting the instructors and getting to know each other, the students took time to make their Artspace Name Tags...

The Next Chapter of Artspace at Academy of Excellence

Academy of Excellence will be beginning its third session of Artspace this spring. New instructors, new themes, new activities, and new experiences. Please keep up to date with all of the Artspace events at Academy of Excellence by checking this blog regularly.