ATCs

Artist Trading Cards are a fun "extra" project.  These trading cards can be given to a friend or taped in your sketchbook.  These kids used shape stencils, markers, colored pencils and shape rubber stamps to make theirs.   I have a huge collection of artist trading cards that I have traded over the years and I will show the kids these sometimes.

Free Fonts!

Thanks to Pinterest, I found this cool site that has tons of FREE Fonts.  They are all fun and contemporary handwritten fonts.  I thought they would be fun to use when I make up signs for bulletin boards.

Beach Paintings

To make these fun beach paintings, we started off with a mixture of blue paints and the kids used forks to scrape wave lines on them.  Then, we used sea sponges to sponge prints shades of sand colors on the beach.

Then, the kids drew and cut out things that would be on a beach.  Many of the kids got creative and had things popping up off the picture.

Some of the kids decided to make waves that rolled off the page!

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Face Prints with Cardboard--1st Grade

This week the 1st graders started making printed pictures of faces.

1. Cut strips of cardboard in varying widths.
2.  Place small paper plates with black paint on tables.  Give each child a piece of paper.  Demonstrate how you can dip the edges of the cardboard in paint and print lines. 

Next week, we will add color with crayons and markers.  I also have a box of alphabet rubberstamps which they will use to add text to their pictures if they choose.

3rd grade Animal Habitats..

Pointillist Trees- third/fourth grade

We learned about the artist Georges Seurat by reading Scholastic Art magazine. Students identified and described Pointillist paintings.   They created a Pointillist painting of trees showing dimension and form by color mixing.

Step 1:  Introduce the work of Georges Seurat.
Step 2:  Choose a smaller sized piece of paper.  We used 9 x 12".  Lightly sketch a landscape with pencil. 
Step 3:  Using a paintbrush, Q-tip or pencil eraser, dip the end into paint and dab dots of color on your picture.  Include various shades and colors in each section.  For example, in your grass, use dots of yellows, greens and browns. 

Sock Snowman

Here is an easy, no-sew snowman that my after school art class is going to make.  I'm so excited to try it with the kids and of course I will post pictures to show you their results.

1.  Gather supplies:  rubberband, fabric scissors, white tube sock, colorful infant sock, stuffing, rice, buttons, felt and ribbon.

2.   Cut off the top of the tube sock.  Experiment to see what works best for you. 

3.  Drop a large handful of dry rice down the sock.  This will help weight the snowman and allow it to stand up.

4.  Next, stuff it full of stuffing.

5.  Tie a rubber band around the neck.  Tie a rubber band to top off the head.

6.  Next, take a colorful infant sock and stick it on the top for a stocking hat. 

7.  Use Elmer's glue or hotglue to glue on buttons, felt facial features and so forth.

8.  Tie a colorful ribbon around the neck for a scarf.  This will cover up the ugly rubberband as well.

9.  Add any other embellishments you wish!  Ta Da!!!  Snowman!

Frogs on a Lilypad with Monet-- 1st grade

       In Art class, the 1st graders looked at Claude Monet’s artwork, especially his paintings of ponds.  Using a variety of painting techniques the 1st graders painted a pond with watercolors.  Frogs were drawn with crayons and markers. Lilypads were added with construction paper and tissue paper.  The children were studying frogs and toads in their Science class and read about them in LA/SS/D.

Medieval Coat of Arms-- 5th grade

Our 5/6 class is going to host a Madrigal Dinner, complete with musical acts.  The music teacher asked us to make decorations for the dinner.  The kids each made their own Coat of Arms.  We read a little bit about the significance of Coat of Arms and the symbols used.  The children then drew their own Coat of Arms with symbols and designs that represented themselves and their family.  Then, we assembled them all on to long banners of blue fabric.  I used hot glue and the Smart Fab fabric.  Smart Fab sent me some rolls for samples earlier this year.  I liked cutting the fabric, it was very easy to cut.  The hot glue burned some holes through the fabric, but that is ok, because the paper covers up the holes.  We made several long banners with about 6 Coat of Arms on them and then a few shorter ones with only 2 Coat of Arms on them.  Here are some pictures.

More Finished Abstract Trees

Here is a bulletin board of some of our finished abstract trees... aren't they beautiful?!

Native American-- Kindergarten

We are starting to make rattles like the Native American rattles.  Here are the steps so far: 

Tape a wooden paint stirrer to a small paper plate.

Place beans, rice, dry noodles on the plate.

Put another paper plate on top and tape shut! 

 Our next step will be to add paper mache on top and paint symbols on the rattle.  We will also add feathers and yarn to the handle.


I divided the kindergartners in 2 groups so that they could receive extra help while they made their rattles.  The other group was using Native American symbol sheets to draw symbol stories.  Here are some of them: