Visual arts students build on skills
Print
Email
Save
Share
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Students in the Ascension Parish talented visual arts program learned how to draw buildings thanks to a grant supported by a local couple.
Art teacher Dana Mosby said money from an Ascension Fund Grant funded by Chester Diez Jr. and Penny Diez was used to purchase triangles, T-squares, drawing board, paper, watercolor pens, photo paper and computer cartridges for a lesson in perspective drawing.
The Diez grant is given each year in memory of Chester Diez Jr.’s parents, Chester Sr. and Mildred Diez.
“Many young artists have trouble drawing buildings that look three-dimensional and realistic,” Mosby said. “By teaching perspective drawing concepts and having the students apply them when drawing local architecture, they are improving their drawing ability as well as learning about the rich architectural history in our parish.”
MacKenzie Nickens, a fifth-grader at Galvez Middle School, chose to draw the Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church in Donaldsonville.
“I learned perspective on my own, but all I could draw was boxes,” Nickens said. “Now I can draw buildings.”
Several students chose to draw large structures such as Houmas House, Belle Helene, and the Lehman Building in Donaldsonville. Others chose smaller Victorian-style homes for their project. Justin Miller, a fifth-grader at G.W. Carver, said it was fun to learn to use basic drafting equipment.
After the students learned to draw in perspective, they chose the medium in which to render the final. Several students chose pen and ink or graphite but watercolor with ink was the most popular choice, Mosby said.
Mosby said the students also learned about historic buildings in the parish.
Elizabeth Prejean, a seventh-grader attending Dutchtown Middle School, said she learned several time-saving techniques when making perspective drawings but working with watercolor was new to her.
Prejean’s painting won third place in the statewide Louisiana School Board Association art competition. The students’ work will be on display from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. May 14 at Gonzales Middle School in the Canine Theater.
