I came into the art room this morning and our other art teacher was setting up this still life for the kids to Quick Draw at the beginning of the class. The skeleton models were borrowed from the science room and the lights were already on the skeleton. funny!
To complement their study of explorers, the Primaries made clay Viking ships. We started by rolling a flat slab of clay with a rolling pin and then cutting out the bottom of the boat. Next, we rolled coils of clay to build up the walls. Finally, students could choose to add a dragon head to the ship and shields. We painted a fabric sail while the clay projects dried. After these were fired in the kiln, we painted them with … Read more…
2nd GRADE:We read about the art of Jasper Johns. He used everyday, ordinary images and created art so people would view ordinary things in a new way. We made a collograph printing plate using letters and numbers cut from foam, cardboard and yarn pieces. We printed them on paper using white printing ink.
These are some winter murals that we made this week. I was inspired by the murals on Mr. E’s blog.
To complement their study of Native Americans, the kindergartners made symbolic shields. The shields (by the Plains Indians) were used in battle and they believed the symbols on the shields had magical powers to protect them. They were often adorned with symbolic items, such as bones, feathers and other natural objects.
This fabric collage is approximately 9 x 12″ There are some painted papers, ribbons, regular fabric, hand-painted fabric and gesso. I like the contrast of colors in this one. Art is a learning process! I’m reading this great book now, and I can’t wait to try out some of the techniques:
Here are some of the projects crossing my desk lately… Scrapbooky type mixed media work embellished sketch scrapbooky type page
The Intermediates (grade 3) are studying Africa in their Social Studies class. We learned about the African Korhogo Clothes. See this link for more details. This project focused on how symbols are used in African art. The students designed their own painted Korhogo cloth on muslin. They decorated the border with symbols and drew their main figure with Sharpie. Then, they added paint with watercolor.
I really like to knit, but I’m not that skilled at it. I would say I’m probably an intermediate level knitter. I’m not good at precise things, and many times I’ll be knitting something and end up with extra stitches or something will look wonky. So, when I found these knitted balls, I got really excited. So many possibilities! Christmas ornaments? Dog toys? Toys for my toddler? A bowl of balls for a decoration? I really want to make 1000 … Read more…
These are drawings by 4th/5th graders. Who was Keith Haring? What is gesture drawing? The 4/5s learned about the artwork of Keith Haring and practiced figural drawing. In pairs, the students posed for each other and practiced gesture drawing and longer posed drawings. Then they drew stylized people, kind of in a cartoon-like way. We read pages from this book about Keith Haring and analyzed the meanings of his artwork. The kids were encouraged to add their own symbols … Read more…
Working on a journal page… page, magazine scraps, drawing, paint pens,
This is hanging in my living. Inspiration was a dream I had about an octopus strangling me and then I was looking through some children’s books and saw some odd pictures of octopuses (octopi?) and I did a series of octopus artworks.. the others have since seen their demise. This was oil on masonite board. (pretty sure it was oil.. I made this about 10 years ago.) I’ve been reading a little bit of Michelle Ward’s street team crusade challenges … Read more…
work in progress going a little sew-crazy bah! humbug! a christmas doodlebug
Easy Clay Hearts for Kindergarten This project teaches how to roll coils and basic glazing techniques. 1. Step one, Demonstrate rolling coils.2. Form the coils on a pre-drawn heart handout. Press firmly to adhere together. A little bit of water may be added as needed.3. Teacher pokes hole through top.4. After firing, glaze with clay glazes. Limit the color choices for the little ones.5. Tie yarn and raffia through the hole. Voila! A nice little ornament or wall hanging for … Read more…
