Lots of Lines!

Students in grades 4-6 created these fun layered line designs! We began by doing layers of different types of lines. The only requirements were that they should go from one edge of the page to another and stay relatively thin. We looked at lots of different examples of patterns and lines for inspiration. Next, students added more lines that needed to overlap to create depth in space. During the final class, students needed to use paint to create a strong contrast between the lines and the negative space. The results are both beautiful and fun to look at!

Seascapes and Pattern Fish

Students in grades one through three created these beautiful underwater seascapes. We began by painting the ocean during the first class. Students had to mix different tints of blue using white paint. We also used curvy lines to simulate the movement of the ocean. During the next class, students drew and painted their fish using several different patterns and brightly colored watercolor paint. During the final class, students attached the fish to their seascape, added seaweed, and used stamping to create little crabs on the ocean floor. Lower elementary students need to be able to identify seascapes as well as know art vocabulary like tint and movement so this is a great lesson to reinforce those concepts!

Fall Pumpkins

This is a great project for teaching watercolor painting, color blending and how to use space in an artwork. We began by doing sketches of pumpkins. I made sure students used contour lines while drawing and focused on details like vines and leaves. Once students were comfortable sketching the pumpkins, they then transferred that drawing onto a large piece of paper. The students had to be very comfortable with the drawing because the large drawing had to be done with black glue. Once the glue was dry, students used oil pastels to create three-dimensional pumpkins. The final step was to paint the background and add a texture.

These paintings were very fun to do and extremely successful! I received many compliments and they made for a great autumn display.

Watercolor Masks of Nepal

International Academy students created these traditional style masks from Nepal. We began by learning about the country of Nepal. We looked at the native people, discussed the religions and languages spoken there, as well as the geography of the country. We saw that seven out of the 10 tallest mountains in the world are in Nepal, including the tallest; Mt. Everest. Students learned the uses of these masks for ceremonies and why they are so fierce and vibrantly colored. Students created sketches of several masks and chose the strongest designed to create a larger version. The masks needed to be drawn and painted symmetrically, have a third eye and sharp pointed teeth, as well as contain some type of color blending.

Catching Fall Leaves

Students in grades PreK and Kinder created these wonderful watercolor paintings. We began by tracing our hands on different colored construction paper. Students chose a color that was close to their own skin tone. We then blended blue and violet paint to create a beautiful sky background. We then did several leaf rubbings and colored them in using warm colors for fall. Students got to do lots of experimenting with blending paints to create these paintings to welcome autumn!

Autumn Leaves and a Van Gogh Sky

This is a great lesson for teaching observational drawing, color contrast, watercolor techniques and art history. And the best part: almost all students succeeded  in creating a beautiful painting! 

I taught this lesson to first through third grades. We began by completing observational drawings of leaves. These were then outlined with a black glue(Elmer's glue mixed with black tempera paint). During the next class, we painted in the leaves with warm colors. I showed students how to blend the watercolor paints to create intermediate colors. For the final class, students learned about Starry Night and created lines in the background that demonstrated movement. We also discussed how cool colors are opposite warm colors on the color wheel and how placing them next to each other creates contrast. 

This is a great seasonal project that introduces so many important design principles in an easy and fun way!

Wiley Inspired Self-Portraits

Students in grades 4-6 made these self-portraits inspired by contemporary American painter Kehinde Wiley. We began by drawing out the portrait- I explained all the proportions of the face so the students would know how to lay features out in the right places. We also used mirrors and as students filled in with colored pencils we incorporated highlights and shadows to increase the 3D effect. We then learned about painter Kehinde Wiley, most famous for painting the official presidential portrait of Barack Obama. Wiley often uses complementary colors in the backgrounds and very detailed patterns. Students rocked these portraits and the resemblance of each one is amazing!

Mandalas

Mandala is the Sanskrit word for circle and is a form of art stemming from the Buddhist and Hindu traditions. A Mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol that represents the universe and is meant to increase focus and strengthen meditation. These mandalas were created by middle school students by repeating a design to create radial symmetry. Students then outlined these designs with black sharpie and used colored pencils. We learned different techniques with the colored pencils- like blending colors, shading light to dark and creating smooth coverage. More advanced students were able to incorporate more detail into their patterning as well.

Line Monsters

This is a super fun lesson for Kinder and PreKinder students on line, shape and color! We started by drawing out a bunch of different lines. Straight, curved, zig zag, cloud, castle, etc. Next, students took watercolor paint and filled in the sections between the lines. This was our first attempt at painting so students learned all the techniques and procedures for the first time! For the next class, we cut out the shape of our monsters and added arms and legs. The final class was spent learning how to change the eyes, mouths, and eyebrows to make the monsters have an emotion. The kids loved how these turned out and some even resemble the artists!!