Friday, February 23, 2024

Making a Clay Animal-Third Grade

Natures Creatures-Animal Textures-First Grade

Texture is how something feels.

Texture in art makes a work much more interesting to look at. When describing texture we can use words like smooth, wet, bumpy, rough, fuzzy, sharp, or soft.

actual texture (texture you can feel)

implied texture (textures you can see),

Today we are adding texture to our animals, and coloring them.

Art from Around the World- Huichol Yarn Painting

Huichol Yarn Art

The Huichol Indians of Mexico are known for their yarn paintings.

The Huichols take beeswax which they melt in the sun, and spread it over a piece of wood. They then push colored yarn into the wax to create images. Modern Huichol artists use glue or spray adhesives.

Each color, every line and symbol, no matter how abstract, has a meaning.

You can create your own yarn painting using glue and scraps of yarn and wool.

play first part of video

connection questions

Monday, February 12, 2024

Sustainability-Painting on Paper Bags-Third Grade

Why should I reuse paper grocery bags?

In the U.S., over 10 billion paper bags are consumed each year, requiring the felling of 14 million trees. Paper bags are made from a renewable resource and are biodegradable.

Paper bags, with their biodegradable materials and recyclable disposal, are often considered to be the environmentally friendly choice when compared with their plastic bags.

Renewable Resource

The pulp used to make paper grocery bags comes from quick growing trees that can be replanted to produce more pulp, which is good, but if we are using trees to make a bag, why not reuse the bag?

Tempera Painting on a paper bag

World Art-Chinese Brush Painting-Second Grade

panda

Chinese Brush Painting

Chinese painting is one of the oldest painting styles still used today.

The subject is usually nature:

Bamboo

Flowers

Birds

Fish

Afternoon Snack by Cindy Pon - Chinese Brush Art

Panda Bears

The "Six Principles" for Chinese Brush Painting

1. Your state of mind in shown in each brush stroke.
If you are feeling calm and peaceful your brushstrokes will be calm and peaceful. If you are nervous or stressed your brushstrokes may look different.

2. Using your brush correctly is very important.

3. Look at your subject and only add the most important things. Not many details.

4. Colors don't need to be correct.

5. Keep most of your paper white so the picture is simple. Avoid symmetry. (Things being the same on both sides)

6. Look at and copy the work of the masters. (People who are experts at Chinese brush painting)

You can try Chinese Brush Painting. Children all over the world practice this style.

Video:(start around 3:20)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_94fxvcDTY

You can look at this painting and try to copy it.
Write your title vertically.
Add your initials (this is called your “chop”) at the bottom with a red marker.

After students have completed their paintings, encourage them to discuss the differences between copying to perfect your technique vs. self-expression. Ask your students which method they prefer and why.

Nature's Creatures-Drawing animals using shapes-First Grade

You can draw many different kinds of animals easily, using basic shapes.

Watch the video lesson, complete a "Drawing Animals" worksheet, and then draw an animal in pencil on a 9x12 drawing paper. Trace in Sharpie when finished, erase pencil marks and save for next week.