If you're not familiar with the rainbow wall, here's a quick summary of the project from a previous post:
Every year, students draw a self portrait in any style they choose, and fill it with patterns, textures, and their class color. By the time students graduate 8th grade, they will leave with a portfolio full of portraits documenting their growth as individuals and artists. It is amazing to see how much change occurs between each grade, especially the youngest grades.
The wall is posted each year climbing up the central staircase. At the bottom of the stairs you will see kindergarten's very first self- portraits, full of trial and error as they work to create their first face drawing. Traveling up the stairs, you will reach first, and then second grade. Take note of the amazing growth in control and design that occurs within these grades. Continuing up the staircase you will encounter the intermediate grades: 3rd, 4th and 5th. In these grades you will notice that students begin to develop a more clear establishment of individuality to their portraits. You will see unique clothing, hair styles, and pattern choices. Finally, as you make it to the top of the stairs with the middle school art, you will begin to see a greater attachment to realism. Students in upper grades like to use reference photographs and how-to-draw books to improve the realism of their work.
Below I have posted photographs of this year's rainbow wall. Here is the key:
Kindergarten: Pink
1st Grade: Red
2nd Grade: Orange
3rd Grade: Yellow
4th Grade: Green
5th Grade: Teal
6th Grade: Blue
7th Grade: Indigo
8th Grade: Violet