Chalk Pastel Work and This Week in Art....

A couple of the great things about working with chalk pastels is that they can fill a large area so quickly and blending colors is so easy.  The larger the paper the better so kids can really use their entire arm for the strokes and marks.

 A few techniques practiced:

• laying color down with the side of the pastel
• letting the color of the paper "break through" with one coat of pastel
• layering colors for a more opaque look
• using the tip of the pastel to draw thinner lines
• using the side of the tip to draw a broader lines
• adding details at the end (after all the color has been layed down) to leave opaque marks
• blending colors with fingers or a napkin
• keeping the side of the hand up while working to help prevent smudging

 

Collage Two Ways, Torn Paper and Cut Paper

Paper Cutting is so engaging for kids.  Learning to cut various line types or just exploring what shapes might arise brings such an element of wonder to learning...(wait, isn't that how learning should be!?).





or click on this link to watch video


Working with paper by tearing it with your hands rather than cutting it with scissors is quite a challenging activity.   What I love about tearing the paper is that your imagination takes center stage.  You don't know what shape you'll get and then your mind naturally imagines what it looks like or what it reminds you of. 

Cut Collage

Cut Collage

Torn Paper Collage
Tearing with the grain and against the grain

Torn Paper Collage

Torn Paper Collage



Cut Collage

Cut Paper Collage



Cut Paper

Cut Paper Collage

She Did It Her Way

2014-10-17 09.46.47 from let there be art! on Vimeo.
Love Mom by a 4th grade student


I have a student who follows the beat of her own drum, and it's awesome.  The project was to look for colors and interesting textures to use in a collage.  Most kids followed the particular path below, which is great also, but she on the other hand did it her way.  If you look closely, you can also see that the face is torn into pieces and then put back together again.  The title, Love Mom

One Line Contour Drawings, Emotional Portraits

Art challenges us to view life from the perspective of the artist. 

 This was the central idea for this lesson.  We looked at a self portrait by

Jacob Lawrence and analyzed the elements in order to interrpret the image.    I demonstrated how to do a one line contour drawing which helps us focus on looking rather than remembering.  Working with a partner the took turns drawing one another.  The next class period we  dicussed color theory and personality traits.  Each student painted either their portrait or their models (they could choose) using color symbolically. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recycled Magazine Collage

 

Keeping with the concept of Respect, we talked about how artists can also show what they respect through the materials they choose.  We looked at various recycled art pieces as inspiration. 

The students considered colors and interesting textures to use for their image. 

 

The students could choose to work with a stencil as a starting point or they could draw their own image.  These are a combination of 3rd-5th grade 

 

  

Chicken in Nest

 

Batman

Shark

Trophy Cat

Nature Bird with Jewlry Basket

Fazzy Wazzy Horse



City Bird

Dog

This Week In Art...Recycle, Reuse, Reduce

As artists we can also show who or what we care about through the materials we choose to use.  We were looking at the work of various artists who find inspiration from items that have been discarded. Our discussion involved asking questions about why an artist would choose items like this as opposed to newly bought materials.  

I know we have a lot to compete with... all of the technology and resources available to kids today.  But I can't say enough about how much they enjoyed the creative process of taking simple materials and transforming them into imagined creations. Just check out the video below to see for yourself...

some are still in progress!

I'll post more as they finish...

Student Talk

The volcanoish birdhouse

(Click on link above)

This group of 3rd graders met a lot of challenges with their materials.  Nevertheless, a volcanoish birdhouse surfaced.  As before, the were limited to only a few basic supplies that were on the table.  But then again, creativity is limitless.

New Eyes Part Two

First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.

Napoleon Hill

source

So it was a lot of fun working on these recycled sculptures, and not just for the kids!  It was great listening to all of their different ideas and seeing them come to life.  In case you didn't catch the previous post, the groups were given a box with a few items that could be repurposed in some way.  From that point on they were left to their own devices!

All sculptures are from first grade

Robot

Minnie Mouse Christmas

House with Windows and Waterfall 

Bird Nest with Eggs

Guy In City

Airplane with Passengers

Tank

New Eyes

There are many ways in which we can show respect.  Words, thoughts, actions.
There are many ways we can show respect as artists.  The idea of re-purposing or re-using materials to create something new pushes us to see familiar objects in new ways.  We see with the eyes of an artist; we see  lines, shapes, space, textures and forms.  
And all the while,  new ideas arise, new connections are made. 

Exploring Big Concepts in Art...Respect

First Grade Artwork

K-5 is exploring the concept of Respect.  

We started with the central idea being:

As artists, we can show who or what we care about through the art we create. 

We first looked at some Winslow Homer pieces and the students came to their own conclusions 

as to what he may of respected or cared about.  Some responses were:

nature

children

the idea of play

peacefulness

art

the ocean

We then made a connection to ourselves by having conversations and asking questions:

What do you care about and respect?

How do you show you respect that particular thing?

Can we only respect people?

Can we respect objects, places, ideas?

Each student then created a piece based on respect. 

I respect astronauts because when they go to other planets the come back and help
us learn about them

I respect learning about dinosaurs, I learn  a lot about them

My mom, I use kind words with her and we help each other

My fish,  I feed her everyday

My family

The mountains

I respect a tree

My toys, I follow the directions and put them away in the basket

My family

My friend Adekunle, I treat him nicely

I respect trees, they are alive like humans

I respect my sister because she makes me think I can do anything in the world...