Insects- One Subject, Many Media

Insects provide an engaging subject for study and expression.

1st grade artwork, yes, 1st grade!

When we work with one concept but change the medium, we give ourselves the opportunity to deepen our understanding and make new connections.  

Kindergarten and 1st grade paintings

Kindergarten artwork

Interaction

3rd grade artwork

3rd grade artwork

Discovering a way for your hand to interact with your art was the challenge for this lesson.  First we have to think about all the things we do with our hands.  Next, we have to consider size and placement so the drawing and the hand become one.  

Now You See It- Now You Don't, Shifting Perspectives

Bunny in Landscape , Sarah, 2nd Grade
stencil used: airplane

Picasso's Head of the Bull was the inspiration for this project.  Picasso didn't build the seat.  He didn't build the handlebars.  What he did do is shift perspectives. He innovated the existing elements as we did here.  Ordinary stencils were looked at in new ways to create wonderful and unexpected artwork. 

2nd grade artwork
From top to bottom:

Sailboat and Lobster  
stencils used: frog, goldfish and dinosaur

Engine and Smoke with Boy
To me, this one seems like it could be part two of  The Scream



source

I love the engaging juxtaposition of objects and feelings

Themes in Artwork- Abstract and Non-Objective Sculpture

Just like stories or movies, artwork also has subjects and themes.  The challenge was for each group to decide on one theme and have each member create a small abstract or non-objective sculpture depicting that theme.




Viola
Theme: Vision
I made the shape sort of grotesque because it represents our insecurities.  How we feel inside, insecure about the  future.






Michael
Theme: Direction


 

left and bottom right- theme, Direction

Melanie, top right
Theme: Vision
...I chose pink because it represents how people are naive...we are unable to see things that we should see but can't.  The gold shape symbolizes how we all have potential to feel despite this.  I  have shapes disrupting the view of the eye.  Being open to the possibilities of new opportunities is what this piece is about to me.  

Envelope Art, Artistic Gifts

 

As artists, we're constantly searching for ways to transform objects, it's as if some force imposes itself on us to create(!)...been there?  Here, we've made envelopes from a heavy weight paper and painted them in a way that was pleasing to us.  The next step is to create an artwork that coincides with the envelope that will be placed inside and given as a gift.

Tips:
You can design your own envelope or use this pattern to trace onto a paper better suited for paint.  You can find many envelope patterns on Pinterest as I did.