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Search Results for: books

Model Magic Insect Sculptures

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"Model Magic Insects" showcasing a colorful clay insect with googly eyes, pipe cleaner antennae, and decorated wings, highlighting creative insect sculptures.

I often like to connect what we are doing in art to what they have learned about in science class.  Insects can provide a lot of inspiration for artists.  The colors and designs in insects can be intricate, beautiful and amazing. Start by showing the students pictures of many types of insects (or collect real ones, if you are brave.)  Talk about the parts of an insect.. head, abdomen, thorax, antennae, wings.  Looking at reference photos and begin sketching insects.  … Read more… →

Back to School Ideas

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Colorful image with text: "Let's Get Start-ed!" and lockers with an "Art Class" sign. Art Ed Blogger's Network logo above, perfect for back to school inspiration.

I am not quite ready to go back to school yet and I am guessing you are not ready either.  But, the Art Ed Blogger’s Network is here to help you start planning!  Our topic this month is the “first week of school”. A few years ago, I compiled a huge list of tips for the first days of school.  These tips were submitted by art teachers all over the world.  This gigantic list of tips will help you get … Read more… →

Create a Summer Art Journal

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Colorful Art Journal pages with butterflies and flowers. Text: "Awaken in your own time," "Summer takes flight,"

Isn’t this graphic the cutest?!  I am part of an Art Ed Blogger’s Network which is a collective of writers who blog about a certain topic each month.  At the bottom of the post is a link to all the participating bloggers.  The theme this month is about Summer Art. What is an Art Journal? An art journal is a visual diary… it is place for artists to express themselves using imagery, words, colors, patterns and designs.  An art journal … Read more… →

Nest & Chicks added to our Silhouette Mural

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A silhouette mural of children and a dog painted on a school hallway wall, depicting various activities and a tree branch with a nest and chicks.

We made a few updates to our mural at school. We painted the original in 2015. This year, after some unfortunate defacing with Sharpie, we cleaned it up and realized some areas needed touching up. So my helpful middle school study hall kids decided to touch up and help me with some additions. They added the chicks and chicken at the front (every other year our Science department hatches chicks). And then we decided to add a tree branch with … Read more… →

Fairy Houses and Gnome Homes- Drawings & Sculptures

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Illustrations: 'Fairy Houses' text with a mushroom house, flower tower, and a fairy with long hair and colorful dress.

What could be more fun than fairy houses and gnome homes?  I don’t know, but let me know if you find out!  I’ve discovered that kids love 1) Open-ended projects  2) Getting to choose from a huge pile of random, colorful materials  3) Miniature things   4) Using their imagination.   This project is a winner for all of these reasons. I saw a question on an art teacher Facebook group which reminded me of this project my 4th/5th grade students did … Read more… →

Ideas for Early Finishers in Art

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Activities for Early Finishers" text on lined paper with doodles of stick figures and art supplies.

This month, the Art Ed Blogger’s Network is talking about how to enrich art class for students who finish early. I think this is an ongoing concern for most art teachers.  Kids work at all different paces.  Some students will finish their artwork lickety-split with half the class period left.  Others will work on the same technique or project and spend multiple periods working on the same piece.  So you will often have students at all different paces and at … Read more… →

Pipsticks Envelope Opening: Sticker Subscription

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Colorful craft stickers from Pipsticks, featuring a smiling shooting star, planets, and various small shapes, spread out on a table.

You may have heard me mention Pipsticks before.  I love stickers.  One of my dreams is to own a toy/craft/art supply/STICKER store.  Who knows if that will happen some day, but I have always loved stickers!  When I was a kid, I even made up a (short-lived) club called Sticker Maniacs. They are fun to use in art journals and to stick all over greeting cards. You’ve seen those toy unboxings on YouTube right?  Today, I am going to do … Read more… →

Zen Painting Workshop

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Zen Painting Workshop

I went to a really fun painting workshop last summer for a weekend which I never shared on my blog…. until now!  The workshop is called Zen Painting and it was taught by Jodi Ohl.  I have been following Jodi Ohl’s blog for many years.  When I was looking for some hands-on professional development for the soul, I noticed she was teaching at Shake Rag Alley, which is only 45 minutes away from my house.  My co-worker Martha, who teaches … Read more… →

Fashion Design Activities: New Product Alert!

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Fashion Design Activities: New Product Alert!

Have you ever wanted to introduce your students to clothing design, but had no idea where to start? This art packet has 27 pages of art activities and handouts to introduce your students to the art of clothing design using simple materials such as paper, markers, magazine pictures and watercolor paints. Here are the pages included in this packet: Pages included: 1. Cover 2. Design a Shirt with a Positive Message (long sleeves) 3. Design a Shirt with a Positive … Read more… →

“Not Just a Scribble” Creatures

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“Not Just a Scribble” Creatures

(Affiliate links are used in this blog post, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Art is Basic!) In my last blog post, I told you about a children’s book called I’m Not Just a Scribble. The author, Diane Alber, gave us a behind the scenes interview about her process and her future books. After reading this book, some of my students in grades K-3 created these cute scribble creatures with BIG personalities! (The one on the … Read more… →

I’m Not Just a Scribble: Children’s Book Author Interview

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Colorful crayon artwork with a rainbow, clouds, and flowers, featuring a happy stick figure with glasses at the bottom—ideal for a children's book.

(Amazon Affiliate links are used in this post at no extra cost to you.) Have you heard of the book I’m Not Just a Scribble… ?   “Scribble, the book’s main character, never thought he was different until he met his first drawing.  Then, after being left out because he didn’t look like everyone else, Scribble teaches the drawings how to accept each other for who they are.  Which enables them to create amazing art together!”-  from the book’s description. I’m … Read more… →

Cooperation and Playground Rules Posters

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A colorful drawing with "Support Others" and comic illustrations showing a person helping another who fell down stairs, highlighting the importance of cooperation.

This year, our school has been focusing on kindness and cooperation.  In art class, my students created posters to display around the school about kindness, cooperation and playground etiquette. Students cooperated together to make posters about cooperation! Each group received a slip of paper with a cooperation “slogan”. The Power of Cooperation C – Care for each other – Be Kind O – Obey rules O – Offer to help others P – Participate together as a team E – … Read more… →

Romero Britto Inspired Animals

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Romero Britto Inspired Animals

Romero Britto‘s colorful and bold style appeals to children and many people of all ages. Why do I love Romero Britto? Because he’s making things that are HAPPY and the world needs more of that. It works great to tie in with the study of patterns. His art is full of color. Kids can relate to it. His artwork has been made into many products, which shows ways artists can make a living as a contemporary artist and the potential … Read more… →

Artists That Inspire Us — Art Ed Blogger’s Network

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Artists That Inspire Us — Art Ed Blogger’s Network

Hi! Are you interested in learning about artists that inspire?  Are you looking for new contemporary artists to teach your students? One of my favorite parts about blogging is connecting with other bloggers online.  Some art education bloggers recently formed an Art Ed Blogger’s Network.  We are planning to post once a month about the same topic. This month’s topic is Artists that Inspire Us.  Most readers probably know about the most famous artists that are typically taught in an … Read more… →

Interview with MazeToons artist Joe Wos

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Cartoon maze by artist Joe Wos featuring characters navigating paths, starting with a boy in a yellow shirt and ending at "The Doctor is In" booth. This MazeToons creation invites you to embark on a whimsical adventure.

I have a treat for you today!  While I was researching ideas for a maze art project, I came across some really intriguing and fun mazes by an artist name Joe Wos. I am totally in love with the creativity, fun and artistry of these mazes. Joe has made a career out of his illustrated comic mazes, which he calls MazeToons.  Joe agreed to be interviewed for my blog.  Here is the interview. 1.  Tell us about yourself.  How did … Read more… →

  • Banner with colorful artwork promoting an art shop featuring kindness coloring pages, artist activities, and resources for teachers.