Eight and nine year olds created abstract designs using a set number of circles, dots, straight and curved lines. They used rulers, markers and color pencils for their creations.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Patterned Hands
In kindergarten and first grade we spent some time identifying patterns around us, in paintings in the studio, on fabric swatches etc and how they contribute to making artwork look interesting and cool.
Five and six year olds traced their left hands, and I did their right ones (with a few exceptions ;))
Then each child drew lines and circles in their hands to create designs.
Lastly children filled them in with colored pencil.
It's tricky to stay in the lines and not to let the white paper show under the hands.
Color Value Self-Portraits
We embarked on our second self-portrait of the year in December, but this time we focused on the principle of value in art. To lay the foundation, five and six year old students created quilts of color of different gradations. Seven eight and nine year olds experimented with watercolors and tried to see how many different values of a color they could create.
Next children examined themselves closely in mirrors and drew themselves in fine-tipped color marker. Lastly, they colored in their self-portraits using colored pencil, crayon or craypas. Children were asked to include light, medium and dark values in their finished works. They ended up being a beautiful hallway display!
Fall Carrot Still Life
After observing a wide variety of farmer's market carrots seven, eight and nine year olds drew careful renditions on watercolor paper with permanent marker. We talked about the different ways to orient the paper and the subject on the paper. Next was using watercolors to paint their still lifes.
Everyone was so excited to see how illustrating carrots could come out so cool :)
Fall Vegetable Still Life
I started this project by talking to children about farmer's markets, why they are special and what it means to buy and eat locally and seasonally. I brought in beets, carrots, and apples for them to children to touch and examine. They really enjoyed noticing all of their lines, colors and grooves.
Everyone got black 7x9 construction paper and craypas and represented the still life at their table. Children were asked to color the background in no more than two colors.
Didn't they come out beautiful?
Folded Symmetrical Masks
I started this project by showing kids a variety of masks from various cultures. We spent some time discussing the reasons and meanings of the masks in the cultures presented. We identified common aesthetic elements in the masks we observed.
Then each student got a basic oval of brightly colored cardstock folded in half and a basket of construction paper, scissors and glue.
Students had to create masks that considered the following: symmetry, breaking the edge(extending beyond the contour of the mask) and layering of color. Ideas I gave them for "breaking the edge" were adding horns, hair, beards, scalloped edges...
Next I demonstrated a variety of paper sculpting techniques that can be appied to masks (curling and crimping for hair, folding for noses, curving for eyelids etc.) to give them a 3D effect.
Graphic Design Initial Collages
Seven and eight year olds created collages using the first initial of their name and pre-cut rectangles and squares. We spent some time playing around with different possible compositions, until everyone decided on the one they liked the best
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