I passed out Summer Art Challenge Sheets at the end of the school year last year. Any of the students could participate in it over the summer and then turn in their artwork at the beginning of this year. It is kind of like a summer reading program, where you record what you’ve read and get prizes.
Here are the basic parameters of the challenge:
“Welcome to the Summer Art Challenge! You are invited to play along and stretch your creativity this summer.
These challenges are designed to keep the creative part of your brain playing over the summer. They might be fun for a rainy day or a family outing. Some of these may require adult supervision or help. Your mission if you choose to accept it is to complete as many of the challenges listed below.
Level 1: Complete 5 challenges in any order.
Level 2: Complete 10 challenges
Level 3: Complete 15 or more challenges!
Documentation is important. All challenges should be recorded with things such as a photograph, writing, a computer print out or an actual artwork. Some of the finished work will be put on a bulletin board in the fall. Use a folder to gather items.
Turn in your challenges when you return to school in the fall.
Small prizes will be given to those students who move up the levels.
Good luck! Marcia”
At the bottom of this post are all the challenges.
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| Students brought in pictures of what they had made or the actual artworks. |
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| This is a FAERIE HOUSE! |
The official challenges:
1. Art Outing: Visit an art museum while on vacation or in Madison (The Chazen Museum of Art or the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art). Documentation possibilities: a photograph of you at the art museum, a postcard from the gift shop or a sketch you drew of a favorite artwork.
2. “Me” Collage: Use magazines, photos and your own drawings to create an “About Me” collage. If you need inspiration, go to google images and search for “collage artist”. Documentation: a photo of your collage or the actual collage
3. Read a graphic novel or comic: Go to your library and check out a book with images or comics. For older kids, two good suggestions are The Invention of Hugo Cabret or Wonderstruck by Brian Selcznick. For younger kids, Garfield and Walt Disney classic comics and stories would be enjoyable. Ask your librarian for suggestions! Documentation: Write a short description of the book you read or create a bookmark for the book.
4. Play with an online drawing game. Print out your results. Here are some ideas:
5. Take an art class or summer workshop. Visit the Madison Art Cart (the schedule is in the summer program guide at the mscr.org website) or make something in the art studio at the Madison Children’s Museum. Documentation: Your finished artwork or a photo of you making your artwork.
6. Recycled Art: Find discarded objects around the house (old junk mail, pieces of wood scraps, random toys or old stickers you don’t want anymore) and create a new inspiring collage or sculpture.
7. Environmental Art: Use leaves, rocks and other natural objects to make a piece of art. Look up the art of Andy Goldsworthy for ideas. Documentation: Take a photo of your finished artwork.
8. Photomontage: Take lots of photos. With permission from your parents, cut out faces or parts of the pictures and combine them to create an interesting photomontage. Look up the photomontages of David Hockney if you need ideas. Documentation: Turn in the original artwork.
9. Collaborative Artwork: Collaborate with a friend or family member and make a work of art together! Documentation: Photo of the two of you working or the finished artwork.
10. Sidewalk Chalk Masterpiece: Use sidewalk chalk in a creative way to make a masterpiece. Take a photo of your finished work.
11. Comic Art: Draw a comic about something that happened to you this summer. Documentation: Turn in the original comic.
12. Fashion: Decorate a t-shirt or sew a piece of clothing! Ideas: tie-dye, stencils, sew something on it, paint pens or fabric paint. Documentation: Bring in the item of clothing or a photo.
13. Jewelry: Make something to wear. Ideas: friendship bracelets, glass (go to Fire It Up Pottery!), beads. Documentation: Bring in the jewelry or a photo.
14. Rock Painting: Find the perfect rock outside. Decorate it with paints and anything else you’d like. Documentation: Photograph it or bring in the actual rock.
15. Sculpture: Design an artwork to hang from a branch of a tree. Take a photograph of the sculpture in the tree.
16. Musical Instrument: Create a musical instrument using materials around your house. Documentation: photograph or bring in the instrument.
17. Building: Using Legos, blocks or other building materials, spend an hour or so designing a unique construction. Take a photograph of your masterpiece.
18. Make a piñata using paper mache. Break it with some friends! Take pictures.
19. Create edible art: Play with your food and turn it into an artwork. Or, decorate a cake. Take a photo and then eat it!
20. YOUR CHOICE: Come up with a creative activity to do by yourself or with your family.
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I LOVE this idea…I think we make a difference to all our students, even if it's as simple as learning to see the everyday with a new perspective. But it's those few that you manage to really inspire who go on to do great things! This is one of those projects. Wonderful!
Really, really cool project!
What a great idea! The projects are great! Really love the fairy house! 🙂
LOVE this idea. 🙂
Thank you for inspiring to do this!!!
Just wrote up my own to go home with my students this summer. Thanks so much for the wonderful idea!
I totally used this idea and tweaked for middle school. Hope you are ok with my fairly close version… I shared on my blog and gave you credit. http://www.artechtivity.com/summer-art-challenge/
Sure! Thanks for linking to my blog.
OH my goodness… This is great! I’m going to take all of your ideas! So GREAT!!!! You are wonderful!
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