Week 1 Recap: The Art of Animal Studies Camp at IPSF

Last week, Session B of the IPSF Summer Camp, "The Art of Animal Studies," for grades 1-3, focused on imaginative animal art and environmental design.

Days 1 & 2: Scaled Animals and Environmental Design

Students explored transforming ordinary scaled animals into large-scale artworks. Through worksheets and discussions, they learned about artistic principles of scale, proportion, and innovative enlargement techniques. Class discussions also covered the construction and elements of urban and forest environments, encouraging students to connect their art to real-world ecosystems. They practiced "papercraft" methods to cut out their artistic subjects, preparing them for integration into painted landscapes. The final showcase highlighted meticulously assembled layers of foreground, middleground, and background cutouts, with instructors providing personalized guidance during one-on-one sessions.

Days 3 & 4: Animal Portraits with a Fashion Twist

The focus shifted to creating multiple practice animal portraits, incorporating creative wardrobe and fashion elements. Students explored how clothing, accessories, and hairstyles could alter the appearance and personality of their animal subjects, fostering creativity and understanding of character design. They learned proper sizing and composition for balanced and visually appealing portraits.

For their main pieces, artists worked in two parts: selecting an animal and designing an outfit, and painting a vibrant "wallpaper"-inspired background. This dual approach encouraged holistic thinking about the subject and its environment. Students cut out their subjects and pasted them to add depth and "pop" to their compositions, experimenting with layering and spatial relationships to enhance their artistic skills.