Abstract Designs

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.  

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 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?

Ebony Pencil Self-Portrait

Children spent a lot of time looking in the mirror and observing all the lines and shapes that make up our faces.  Students created self-portraits based on their careful noticings.

Alphabet Abstract Art

Second grade students studied the graphic and colorful paintings of Stuart Davis.  Working together in pairs and trios, students created alphabet abstract art inspired by his work.  In particular we focused on Davis' painting, Blips and Ifs, 1963

Exploring Line

Beginning of the year included studying the principle of line in art.  Kindergarten and first grade students created line designs using different types of direction (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) and character(curly, wavy, jagged) lines.  Check out their beautiful work!