Crazy wallpaper

I'm liking the crazy wallpaper in my classroom. It creates a nice backdrop for photos. It doesn't distract the students as its hidden between two big wooden bookshelves at the very corner of the room. The wallpaper is created by carefully sticking contact paper (for books) onto the wall.

Above: Year 7 students are enjoying their 'Selfies' drawing unit.

Above: Gave a prize out to a student today. Pokemon is still popular even though the app 'Pokemon Go' has died out.

I spent my afternoon recharging by watching asian dramas. I find the best de-stress method is to watch some Cantonese drama, make some DIY project or go shopping. 

I did manage to do some work as well. Made some study notes (a few pages long) for my Year 11 Visual Arts students who will be in exam period during Week 9 and 10.

Above: A small section from the study notes file.

I have been hearing art teachers rave about a new series on Netflix: 'Abstract: The Art of Design'. I spent around 45 minutes watching the first episode based on illustrator Christoph Niemann. The episode looks into how the artist thinks. Christoph often starts off with a million ideas and he keeps subtracting ideas until he finds one that he likes (abstracting). At the same time, he also talks about how hard it is to find a 'spark'. When a client expects a spark, he compares it to having a gun pointing at him and demanding that he wins the lotto again. Some days there might not be any sparks, and it is something that cannot be planned. There's zero control of it.

Above: Screenshot from the Netflix episode.

He compares himself to an athlete and a musician. Christoph believes that daily practice will improve his own art practice. The episode also explores his daily battle of wanting control and freedom.

My two favourite quotes from him:

'Audiences change all the time, I change all the time'

'Some people like it, and some people don't, that's life'