Ceramic Cupcakes (or Snakes) Students used a mold with a pinch pot to make the bottom of the "cupcake" container. Then students rolled out a clay coil and formed the "icing" lid (or snake or other object if they didn't want a cupcake). If desired, students added cherries and other details to the top. Each student had their own creative way to paint their cupcakes.
Northern Lights Chalk Drawing Students are starting a chalk drawing of the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights. We watched a few minutes of videos explaining how these beautiful lights are created in the sky. We also looked through some photos that captured the beauty of the lights. They sectioned off their paper with pencil on black paper. Next, they added their color choices, being careful to pick colors that would mix well together (using the color wheel as a reference) and applying them in a direction that showed the movement of the lights. Once the color was on the paper, they smoothed the colors out in the direction of the lights movement... this was a highly messy step!! Luckily chalk cleans up easily :) After they finished, I sprayed the chalk to keep it from smearing. Then students added stars using splatter paint. The last step students add a silhouette of the horizon line using black ink. This could have mountains, trees, and other fine details.
Snowmen at Night We started the lesson by reading the book Snowmen at Night. Students drew out ideas for their own snowman and what it might do at night. We painted a background using only blue and white. Students used different values- the light and dark of one color, to make the snow appear to have shadows at night. Next they added the snowman body. Students had to consider several factors: how the snowman's body would move based upon its action, how the moonlight would create shadows on the snowman's body, and how the snowman would create a cast shadow onto the ground. Once those tasks were completed, students were finally able to use some other colors to add arms, outfits, background details and props! They look FABULOUS!
Pumpkin Patch Perspective Drawing Students drew the pumpkin patch lines using one-point perspective. They lined up their ruler with a vanishing point to create the effect that the farm was receding into the distance. Next, students added pumpkins and other details being careful to have objects in proper scale. Objects further back in the distance will be smaller compared to objects closer up. They considered a light source for their drawing, and then students added highlighted and shadowed areas to their pumpkins. They also created cast shadows from the objects in the pictures. We used a variety of media from pen, color pencil, watercolor pencils, watercolors, and even splatter paint! The results are beautiful! Lesson objectives: -one-point perspective -drawing objects in scale within space -highlight and shadow, cast shadow -mixed media (color pencil, pen, water colors, water color pencil, tempera)
Name Symmetry We created silly, scary, funny, and creepy creatures using symmetry. We started with folding the paper to create the line of symmetry. They wrote their names on one side, and traced it through on the other to create a symmetrical reflection of their name. Once this was completed, students added details to their name in pencil to make their creatures. To finish the work off, they added color with color pencil and crayon.
Art To Remember This fall, the art room is creating art work to send in to a company called Art to Remember. The company offers the families in our building the opportunity to purchase items with their student's art work on it (like coffee mugs, keys chains, mouse pads, tote bags, ornaments, etc...). And as an added bonus, 25% of the proceeds go directly to our art class for the purhcase of additional art tools and supplies! Fourth and Fifth grade looked at the art work of Robin Mead, an American artist known for her bold colorful nature watercolors. We discussed how the arrangement of a composition is important. They were challenged to take a small object and zoom in to create a composition for their project. They traced the drawings with sharpie, then added crayon rubbings or patterns. Last, they used watercolors to complete the design. Here is a link to Robin Mead's work: robinmeaddesigns.com/