3rd grade Printmaking

At TGG today, we went outside and found leaves with interesting veins and shapes. 
We then painted the veins with white paint and used the leaves as a stamp to create these neat prints. 
Trying to maintain the texture of cut up sponges, the background was filled with tons of colors. (@ BT, we are doing this project for our Square 1 Art fundraiser.)
Here are a couple.

student painting the veins of her leaf

5th grade Name Pyramids

Ah, a clean(er) project! I timed this one perfectly considering we are in the middle of painting in grades 1, 2, and 3. Grade 4 is using pastels. We also have a ton of clay projects drying in the room right now and in November the clay continues among lots of other supplies.


The name pyramid project is a fun design project for 5th graders. They are working with their name to create a pyramid design which will rely on multiple Art Elements of Design/Elements of Art. 
After discussing the elements and how every single piece of art ever created has at least ONE element, we explore lines, shapes and color mostly. Some students will accidentally utilize additional elements in their designs! This lesson I saw browsing the Internet a while back. I will link to the source as soon as I uncover it again.


Here are students working DAY 1. 

Jasper Johns

I've liked Jasper Johns' work for a while now but this is the first elementary project we've done based on his work.
He's known for his American encaustic (hot wax dripping) 'Flag' and my favorite 'Numbers..'

In the past year or so, Jasper Johns was honored by the White House for his contributions in the art world.
We also share the same "JJ" initials. He has a fairly large amount of work at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Ok, now to the project.
2nd graders reviewed primary and secondary colors and we practiced single digit block letters filling a vertical page.
We wanted to keep the primary colors from mixing together so that we did not end up with secondary colors.


Here are students working:

Wanted: Colorful Yarn

If you have any yarn to donate to art, please bring it in. We can use very bright colors and the very textured yarn

Very colorful yarn needed

Soft, thick yarn

CLAY MADNESS!

Two grades at TGG, One grade plus two ceramic murals at BT being produced= clay madness. Kids love clay and so do I so it's worth it.

5th grade: We're making clay rattles at both schools. I love this project for a few reasons. 1. The kids take a simple clay hand building method (pinch) and combine clay forms using scoring, adding slip and a ton of smoothing. Then they can let their imaginations run wild by combining clay to the exterior creating all sorts of animals and imaginary creatures.

5th grade @ TGG only: We had a bit of time to explore the second form of clay hand building (coil) and created containers using the coil method. They actually liked coil better than pinch despite the methodical practice of making coils, adding and smoothing. Coils can create wonderfully strong ceramic pieces.

5th grade @ BT only(ceramic mural): We're getting started on a texture mural using our shoes for interesting designs and textures. I'll post pics soon!

1st grade @ TGG then @ BT: First graders created these adorable guppy fish in one class period. We discussed creating a simple pinch pot and the rules for combing pieces of clay. Nice job kids!

Breast Cancer Awareness "Garden of Hope" mural: As you can see, it's major production mode to create clay flowers and clay decor for our garden mural that will be put up next week.
Mrs. Finnegan stopped by the art room and made two flowers for the mural.
I've been working on the remaining flowers and pieces a bit each day. A few 5th graders have helped out but unfortunately this is a rare time where I am creating the majority of the pieces.
The students are working on curriculum projects and it's actually best to let them install the mural instead of create and install it.

Mrs. Finnegan made these 2 flowers and I added texture to the centers. We're most likely going to use the more ornate one as the sun in the sky shining on the garden.

           

           

                                                          

This is the empty wall @ BT that will be the location of our Garden of Hope mural.

update 10/25/2011.... and now the wall is pink....

Garden of Hope

We're working on a mini ceramic mural  roughly 12' x 4 'ft that all students @ Bear Tavern will help to assemble later this month.
The mural is dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness month and is in conjunction with the "mini walk" that Mrs. Overman is running. She has other activities planned but enlisted my help with the artsy part.
Here is a clay tag that 5th graders Julie, Anna and Tiffany made today. They will glaze it once it has been smoothed out and fired in the kiln. Nice job girls!

Grade 3: Pastel Pumpkins

One of my favorite materials of the moment is this Elmer's Gel Glue. We used it recently in 3rd grade to help create a composition of 3 pumpkins. After learning a trick to help make drawing circular shapes easier and more accurate, 3rd graders created a closed composition of pumpkins and then outlined in the gel glue.

Pastel was added the following week.

Polly G. working carefully

Annie S.

Michael S. 

John E.

Thomas G.

Elements of Art Video

1st grade Birch Trees Landscape

Here's how the art room looked on Thursday after the 1st graders finished their Birch Tree landscapes.

We left them out to dry for a few minutes while taking a tour of the art room. They are now hanging in the hallway. Key terms introduced: landscape, horizontal vs. vertical, texture, warm colors, composition. Check back for close-up photos and the hallway display

UPDATE!!    Here is a look @ the Birch Hall Display

Steve Tobin @ Grounds for Sculpture

Today I finally spent time exploring Steve Tobin's "Aerial Roots" exhibit at Grounds for Sculpture. I missed the opening earlier this month and couldn't wait to see the 7-acre expansion of GFS and this exhibit.
I dabbled in college with painting branches and roots of trees in a sculpture class so when I first saw Tobin's work, it felt familiar.
I am impressed by the size and beautiful fluidity of Tobin's massive pieces. I can't wait to try out some clay projects based on Tobin's work. (He makes maquettes in clay).
Here are some photos I took today... could the color of the sky be any more perfect?!

Standing underneath

1st grade Kandinsky Paintings @ TGG and BT

At TGG we just finished these Kandinsky inspired paintings using oil pastels and paint to observe the resist method. 

Not quite sure how to rotate this image so that it's horizontal :(

We're just about done @ BT... here are some students working!

working in the art room @ BT

BT Year Book Cover Contest

5th graders at Bear Tavern, your time has finally arrived to enter a design for the 2011-2012 Year Book Cover Contest!

Due by October 25, entries can be created using any medium...color pencils,  paint, oil pastels, etc.

Requirements, including pre-cut paper is attached to the art room door. Work alone or with a friend, get your entries in!

P.S. Don't forget to make sure you have spelled all information in your design correctly and that all writing is legible...

2nd Grade Value Paintings

My 2nd graders at Bear Tavern and Toll Gate practiced creating tints and shades in this fun painting.

Huge Thanks to Mrs. Finnegan @ BT for hanging this display

Student working @ TGG...

Tints all done, ready for shades...