Thanks to Christmas

I'm sure most of you already know about Artsonia, but if you don't, it's an online gallery that I post my students' artwork on. Students' families and friends can view and comment on their artworks and also purchase items with those artworks printed on them with 15% of the purchase going back to me for supplies(so awesome for me!). Students can also write artist statements about their own pieces, which has been so much fun for me to see what the kiddos have to say about the projects and their work!


This artist statement written by a first grader was posted today and it is too brilliant and hilarious not to share!

"The red hot lava was about to burn the houses down. But thanks to Christmas, it snowed day and night. Then the snow piled up really high and slowly the lava started to harden and finally the lava stopped. I love Christmas time."


What an imagination!!!


This lesson was so much fun! I decided minutes before my class came in, that I was going throw my plans out the window for something completely different! It was a gorgeous snowy day, so I just couldn't resist having the kids draw the snowy scene in the hallway(with lots of windows). We then came back to the artroom and used q-tips to paint the falling snow. It was a lovely way to celebrate such a beautiful day!




Have you ever thrown your plans out the window in place of something spontaneous?

Sunflower Paintings

                                                         

For this lesson, we studied Van Gogh's sunflower paintings and used them as inspiration for a painting using toilet paper rolls for our flowers. 

 

               

We first had a discussion about Vincent Van Gogh's life and art. After comparing Van Gogh's paintings with others painted in the same time period, we talked about why his artwork was not accepted by most people. The kids were shocked that he only sold one painting while he was alive, which led to a great discussion about following what you believe despite what others are saying. 

                                          

During my demonstration, I showed the kids how to draw a vase to make it look like it was sitting on top of a table and open at the lip. I demonstrated drawing the sides of the vase first, then drawing a smile line at the bottom and a smile and a frown at the top(I point out that our vase must be happy since it has more smiles than frowns... SO happy I found a job where my goofy jokes are appreciated!) This technique of starting with the sides of the vase allows the kiddos to create more unique vases, and not copy mine! We then practiced Vincent Van Gogh brushstrokes in the air, so that we would feel those thick brushstrokes that show so much movement. The following week, we used oil pastels to adorn our vases with color and pattern as well as draw the centers of our flowers with connecting stems.

To make the sunflowers, we first painted a toilet paper roll with a few different shades of yellow. Once dry, we cut them in half and cut slits into the top to create petals. We used pencils to roll the petals back.

The kiddos did such an amazing job on these- they're so full of life and individuality! Seeing these everyday in the hallways makes me so happy and inspired!

 

 

 

 

 

Día de los Muertos Calaveras

I know it's a little late... but I just have to share 1st Grade's inspiring Día de los Muertos Calaveras!

The kids were fascinated with the celebration of Día de los Muertos. We looked at videos, listened to music and looked at lots of artwork of calaveras, costumes, and sugar skulls. We discussed how the Day of the Dead is not scary, but joyful and that it's different that Halloween.

 

We first drew the skulls onto a black sheet of paper. I demonstrated how to start with a circle and then add a half circle(or a smile shape) to the bottom of the circle. Then draw two circles for the eyes and an upside down triangle for the nose. We then drew flat circles(pancake shapes) for the neck bones and a rounded line for the shoulders. It always amazes the kids how something that looks hard to draw is easy if you break it down. I had one student who shrieked, "OH, I finally get it, everything is made out of little shapes!", and the others seemed to chime in with excitement about this new discovery! I absolutely love those a-ha moments! 


We then painted in our drawings, leaving the eyes and noses black.  I then demonstrated how to paint over the half circle(jaw) and how to add teeth. 

The next week, we used oil pastels to adorn our calaveras. I demonstrated how to draw marigolds, a significant symbol used in the Day of the Dead, often called 'the flower of the dead". I showed the kids a variety of ways to adorn their skulls and printed out many examples for them to use as inspiration.

True to Día de los Muertos, these artworks are so joyful and full of life!         

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

Autumn Tree Silhouettes

The past month has been bizarrely warm, producing some amazing and inspiring sunsets. Every drive home, I've been amazed at the vivid colors and beautiful silhouettes that have occurred. Most of the photos below were taken on my mostly boring drive home(by the way, I don't recommend driving while taking pictures!)

I knew I had to do a lesson on silhouettes!

4th grade looked at artist Kara Walker, while we discussed what silhouettes are. We talked about how the nature of silhouettes are mysterious because of the lacking detail. I had the students analyze Walker's art and come up their own interpretations of her work.

To make our autumn tree silhouettes, we started by painting a 12x18 piece of paper in a variety of fall colors. I gave little direction at this step other than demonstrating a variety of painting techniques(color mixing, swirls, etc). I also told them to make sure that multiple colors are visible, to avoid them mixing every color together. Although a few students couldn't resist mixing colors to make a single-colored background, but they turned out amazing regardless! Art is all about breaking rules, right!?

The next week, students used oil pastels to add line details to their paintings. Then they used black paint to add their tree silhouettes. I only demonstrated how to paint the trees, but they came up with many great ideas on items to add, like people jumping in a pile of leaves, birds, tire swings, etc. I am always amazed and inspired at my student's innovative ideas!

Lastly, the students had the option to add sequins to their paintings to represent leaves. Students displayed sparse leaves dangling on a branch, swirling leaves in the wind, and a heaping pile of leaves waiting to be jumped in!

These paintings are hands down more beautiful than the glowing skies I've been witnessing on my drives home! My favorite thing about them is that no two paintings are alike even though we used the the exact same colors and subject-matter!

Check out a forrest of these beautiful trees on Artsonia!