Week 10: Welcome to 2nd Quarter. If you thought FIRST QUARTER went fast… hold onto your seats.

Hello Friends of Art with Korb! Mr. KORB welcomes you!

Rubrics and Assessment are moving along and the changes are going to be helpful for you the artist. Grids have been (or are being implemented into he self assessment portion so that they are easier to read. The check boxes are still there so let’s keep making use of those.

In 6th grade the artists are wrapping up Photography this week and next. What kinds of images have you been able to come up with as we use the CampSnap cameras? More than the photographs, how are you able to work with the computers and file management? As strange as it seems, even us artists need to know how to manage files and work with technology! Our last day is going to be spent learning the ELEMENTS of Art. We will take some time to work through the words and the definitions so be ready to be thoughtful as you put on your thinking caps.

7th Grade Artists have wrapped up the pastel prints (well done) and the DIGITAL IMAGES are going to begin. We should have the portraits from the neurographic images still available so – unless we re-shoot we will be using those. The use of PHOTOSHOP is going to be our main goal – yes – digital images and technology. (From here we are going to go into clay so buckle up as we use the time machine to go way back after we are done here.) Photoshop and the Visual Biography with layers and layers masking. This will be fun. Take art they say. It’s easy they say.

8th Grade Artists have now moved into the realm that Mr. Korb spends most of his (and Mrs. Korb’s free time) CERAMICS! We are working on the wheel and the slab build sculpture called Bas-Relief (pronounced like what a sheep says – BAAA-relief). The wheel is going to challenge one with the steps of throwing (centering, coming up and down, poking, opening, pulling, trimming, patience, and craftsmanship. And do not forget about cleaning!). While we also look at the ideas of what a Bas (or low) relief sculpture is. Make sure you keep your clay sealed while you’re not using it. If it dries – you are starting over mi amigo!

What are YOU doing in your studio?

Here are all of our Studio EXPECTATION


Here are the 6th-grade semester Lesson Plans to show you what our day will look like.

Photography with the Camp Snap camera allows us to make photos and not worry about the results until we upload them. This is going to be a new challenge as well while we log into the Apple Computers in the digital lab and work through Apple Photos to do our editing and uploading. This is going to be FAST and FURIOUS! What kinds of new ideas have you come up with about cameras so far?

This is not one of my kids works but this is the direction we are going. How can you use an element of art as the focal point for your work? These artists are using line! Can you explain how that is the focal point? Let me know. One point perspective is a great use of a lot of the art vocabulary – this is another goal this year. VOCABULARY!

Here is the assignment for Photography


Here are the 7th-grade semester Lesson Plans to show you what our day will look like.

We all make photographs, we all have passions and interests, and we all have a silhouette. What can we do with those in PHOTOSHOP? We are about to find out.

Using Photoshop and the internet to gather images (or maybe you can gather some of your own) we are going to spend time working with layers and masking. This is a high end artowkr with some high end computer skills that you are going to learn (and master?)! Beginning with yourself we are going to trace and import and erase and layer and resize and the list goes on and on and on… excited? I hope so!

Not one of our artist’s works but this is an idea that can take you places! What do you think about this artist and what they are interested in?

Visual Biography Assignment is HERE.

Here are the 8th Grade Sculpture semester Lesson Plans for you to see what our day will look like.

This post is the same as last week – the only thing that has changed is that the standards for height in the cylinder and a 4 is now 4″ versus 5″

As an artist for my entire adult life, this is what I have landed on for the past 5 years. This is how I start my day and end my day. My life and business partner do this work together and keep our little potter up and running in Korb Pottery. What the artists in the studio will be doing is the same… but maybe not as much or as large.

Starting with one pound of clay and working to pull up a cylinder is the goal. How hard can that be right? Yeah – right! The biggest challenge is going to be the centering, then the opening, then the pulling, and don’t forget to keep the arms locked and the hands in place, and don’t forget to breath. Wedging? No way am I going to try and teach that – well maybe a little. One pound of clay kids…

AND at the exact same time we are working on SLAB constructions of a work of architecture. Their homes or another work of architecture that is important to them. Maybe I’d choose a work of Brutalist Architecture from our nation’s capital – I LOVE that work. Basic techniques will be revisited AND the work will be on their own. Solve some problems, work it out, don’t let it dry out. Ugh. All that one has to remember.

Week 9: It is SO HARDF TO BELIEVE that the first quarter is already done.

Hello Friends of Art with Korb! Mr. KORB welcomes you!

We have created cityscapes and interiors, portraits, and movies that are entertaining to everyone. The skills that have been learned have been many in all of the Artmaking experiences and in each class. Watercolors and markers are the heavyhitters in 6th and 7th grade so far AND we brought in watersoluable materials in the 7th grade portraits also. The use of a lot of materials is what middle school art is about. YES the products are important and so is the process (perhaps process is more important – YES – process IS more important – ALWAYS).

6th Grade has moved into the digital lab and begun working with Camp Snap Digital cameras. FOCUSING (haha) on the close up, some fun with animals and the environment, ALL of the elements (and maybe we will incorporate the principles), and approving life and photography from a different point of view. We will be making photographs for the next few days and then uploading them in the MAC lab, editing them with Apple Photos and then moving along to the next work. ALWAYS having a solid crit at the end to remind them of the successes and challenges they had.

7th graders have learned all about the soft pastel and created some wonderful landscapes or floral drawings and now have made those into soft pastel prints. We took the drawings and laid them on the 1970’s printing press, laid dampened watercolor paper over the top, and then ran it through the press. The pressure of the press and the dampness of the paper transferred the pastels (lightly) onto the watercolor paper (in reverse). This was a GREAT experience and the first time many of these kids (all of them) have been in the driver’s seat with a wheeled vehicle… maybe.

The 8th grade artists are jumping out of their skins to get a hold of clay and the potter’s wheels. THIS is the event for many of them. They have been looking at the wheels for that past 2 years and are itching to get onto them. I do not blame them, the wheel is SO COOL! We are going to be working on developing some skills in centering, opening, pulling them up, trimming, and then the hard part starts… waiting for things to dry so we can fire and glaze. We are working on a specific set of PRODUCT GOALS as well as the experience here – this is a departure from the past years. In addition to the wheel, they are ALSO going to be working on a slab built bas relief sculpture of their homes or another work of architecture. This is a challenging set of artworks for the kids and I am just about as excited as they are.

What are YOU doing in your studio?

Here are all of our Studio EXPECTATION


Here are the 6th-grade semester Lesson Plans to show you what our day will look like.

Photography with the Camp Snap camera allows us to make photos and not worry about the results until we upload them. This is going to be a new challenge as well while we log into the Apple Computers in the digital lab and work through Apple Photos to do our editing and uploading. This is going to be FAST and FURIOUS! Looking back at last week, the biggest challenge we had was learning our email addresses and remembering the passwords. SPACES and CAPITALIZATIONS COUNT!

This is not one of my kids works but this is the direction we are goin. Toys and putting them in a place where we could believe it is happening (right, like Darth Vader would actually push a Storm Trooper – he would use the FORCE!). One point perspective is a great use of a lot of the art vocabulary – this is another goal this year. VOCABULARY!

Here is the assignment for Photography


Here are the 7th-grade semester Lesson Plans to show you what our day will look like.

We are wrapping up the printing and the editiopning this week – mounting and naming, hanging and critiquing are all a part of the upcoming studio time. Thanks for the hard and dedicated work artists. Some colors work better than others. That’s part of the process. I think the look on the faces for some was a bit of a surprise as to how the images turnedout. I was a bit surprised as well.

What can you do with SOFT PASTELS? We are going to be working on landscapes or floral drawings and then we are going to make MONO PRINTS from them – assuming it all works for us – AND FOR THE MOST PART IT DID!

This was new to us last year and the CRAYONS did not work out (cheap and not as good as the ones I have used int he past) so we are switching to SOFT PASTELS – MUCH BETTER! We will also take a look at Wolf Kahn’s pastel works! He was a contemporary artist who did landscapes in soft pastels – the colors are great! The Soft Pastel drawings are WONDERFUL and the Printmaking comes up this week. I feel like it is going to be ONE PRINT and that’s it. This was a GREAT experience – and it CAN open up a whole new direction for the making of art.

Ok. Above is NOT one of the middle schoolers, it is Mikey one of the Waterford 7+ artists I work with over the summer. We did not make prints but we DID work with Soft Pastels and BOY oh Mikey did they do a great job! Thanks for the hard work 7th graders (and Mikey).

Soft Pastel Assignment is HERE.

What do YOU remember about Soft Pastels? Here are some techniques to explore.


Here are the 8th Grade Sculpture semester Lesson Plans for you to see what our day will look like.

As an artist for my entire adult life, this is what I have landed on for the past 5 years. This is how I start my day and end my day. My life and business partner do this work together and keep our little potter up and running in Korb Pottery. What the artists in the studio will be doing is the same… but maybe not as much or as large.

Starting with one pound of clay and working to pull up a cylinder is the goal. How hard can that be right? Yeah – right! The biggest challenge is going to be the centering, then the opening, then the pulling, and don’t forget to keep the arms locked and the hands in place, and don’t forget to breath. Wedging? No way am I going to try and teach that – well maybe a little. One pound of clay kids…

AND at the exact same time we are working on SLAB constructions of a work of architecture. Their homes otr another work of architecture that is important to them. Maybe I’d choose a work of Brutalist Architecture from our nation’s capital – I LOVE that work. Basic techniques will be revisited AND the work will be on their own. Solve some problems, work it out, don’t let it dry out. Ugh. All that one has to remember.

Week 19: That’s a Wrap! Here are some student thoughts about the year. See you soon! Enjoy your summer.

First – a little music: Teach Your Children Well by the Staffers Lounging

  • Christopher Dunmire – Percussion
  • Charles Kuban – Clarinet
  • Rebekah Stege – Bass
  • Emily Knutson – Vocals
  • Nate Jenkins – Vocals and Lead Guitar
  • Frank Korb – Vocals and Rhythm Guitar

Our Studio with Frank Korb: Discipline

Be Self-Disciplined. That is rule #5.

https://www.corita.org/about/corita to learn more about Sister Mary Corita Kent and her art. Thanks!

Let’s talk about that – Come on over.

The full series of episodes can be found HERE! Come on over.

Here are all of our Studio EXPECTATION


  • The landscape painting was fun because I was able to research someone and learn new ways to paint instead of just painting how I would normally do. Mixing the colors was also a very fun part because it helped me learn how to add different amounts to make a specific color I wanted.
  • The still life was also one of my favorite units because it was the unit that was the reason I took art 2d design. It helped me learn a LOT about ways to shade, and the different types of pencils to use from darkest to lightest. Although this one took a lot of time, it was worth it!
  • I liked the boxes because because they are cool to make and are accually things unlike little kid thing and people can buy them
  • I liked taking pictures, I have never been able to go around the school and take pictures. In elementary school we never got to do anything like that.
  • Photography. I enjoyed this because I participate in photography outside of school. I often go to theme parks, sports events, or just outside and take photos. In my outside of school photography I enjoy going outside with legos and making scenes from “A man in a huge world” to “plane crashes”. Photography relaxes me and helps me see the world differently.
  • I think that my One-Point Perspective was my favorite unit because I always overlooked those beauties. Before, I almost always made a straight, humanlike view. I never thought about looking from below or above.
  • My least favorite unit was probably printmaking. It wasn’t that bad, but carving the linoleum took quite some time. Also it was very difficult to get the same amount of ink to press onto the paper each time. It was still a fun unit though.
  • Doing the printing and ghost prints. It’s not that it was my least favorite it just felt more of a rushed project and not as fun as the other projects. I would like to do it again but maybe with a bigger print or a print that I more enjoy.
  • clay because it felt to stressful
  • i really didn’t like the camera portion because when we had to edit them it was really challenging getting it to load
  • the one point perspective thing because it was kinda hard and like i didn’t get to put a lot of detail into it because i’m not that good at drawing and i didn’t really get to see because i was in the back of the room
  • I think that the keepsake box was my least favorite unit because so many things could and went wrong. The occasional losing clay and it might dry out. One simple touch could ruin a slab. I also am not a huge fan of slipping and scoring, especially small pieces.
  • Maybe making a group art project. It could open up a lot more creativity and originality. It would show social skills and things like that.
  • For the printmaking, I probably could’ve taken more time and attention when trying to evenly spread ink on the linoleum and try to maintain consistency.
  • I could’ve made my cardboard piece more realistic to what I like. I didn’t realize that while we were making our cardboard project it was supposed to be a landscape. So I just put some random stuff on it.
  • For the printmaking unit, I do not know what would make it better, but I might have had more fun if I knew about how to use the height of different objects better.
  • I think I could have paid more attention on the pantings for the first project.
  • The best part of art class was having really fun projects and having a teacher and peers that are capable of respecting others learning
  • The whole semester was pretty amazing the whole time, but the drawing and painting units were a very great part of art as well
  • Being able to move arround and sit with friends because it makes it more fun and a better experieence
  • I think that the best part was having fun doing the artworks, like the clay boxes.
  • mr.korbs jokes
  • going outside and drawing.
  • I would have planned out my kiln guardian better because near the end I was rushing trying to figure out what to do
  • i would have payed more attention
  • I would have taken my time more in the building protect because i hurried to get it done.
  • I think I would like to focus more on how much I like rather than how it would affect my grade.
  • I wish we had the white charcoal pencils for still life, and it would be cool to have different ink colors for printing
  • Once again I think they should go into this class with a positive attidute and enjoy what they get to do new in art class.
  • Maybe we could have a free day with clay where you get to make whatever you want and you get to glaze and fire it.
  • probabky camp snaps again because it was fun (6th grade photography)
  • I think they should make a giant clay lizzard and they can learn how to paint it how they want.
  • be sure to make sure you slip and score correctly or else
  • Techniques. I think you should introduce the idea that when you watercolor, if you want to show light, first put the background color around it and then put the yellow for the light (wet on wet). It is really beautiful when I experimented with it on my makeshift canvas!
  • enjoy it you can be with your friendds doing amaxing things
  • Try and have fun with whatever project you are doing because if you don’t have fun then you won’t enjoy it.
  • just do your best, and even if you fail mr Korb will help you
  • on the clay unit use the slip then score then slip again
  • dont mess around with paint and colors and throw stuff around
  • Don’t give up on something even if its hard and always trust your gut because it could always turn out nice.
  • I think they should listen very well and have fun and meet new people but you have to pay attention in art when he wants you to.
  • do your best and just try it, it does not have to be perfect.
  • Don’t rush and enjoy all of it. Also don’t talk to your friends very loudly because we all know how that’s going to go (2026 5A S2 reference :).)

#MerryChristmas, #HappyHolidays, #HappyNewYear and enjoy the #BREAK!

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I wish you ALL the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Year’s.

Thank you to my students for making this an incredible, productive year of art and learning. Thanks to my fellow staff members for collaborative learning opportunities for our students and one another. Thanks to my administrators for continued support of our students and the visual and other arts. Thank you to the art club members and leaders for makingthe extra time so worthwhile asks teaching out to kids not immediately involved in an art class. Thanks to all my followers and friends in the digital platforms for the sharing of ideas and support.Thanks to all the artists of the past and present for inspiring our artists of the present and future. Most importantly, thank you to my family for all your love and support. I hope all your days are filled with JOY, HAPPINESS and AWE INSPIRING ART!

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"Merry Christmas"