Abstract Assemblage

First grade created these abstract works of art by first gluing string circles  to paper. We discussed color and color combinations before they used watercolor to fill in the circles and negative space.

 

Pointillism

In Pre-K we used paint dabbers to make pontillism pictures. First we looked at several works of art from Georges Seurat and discussed the method of painting he used--applying tiny dots of paint to create an image. The girls were then given several colors of tempera markers (much like bingo dabbers only with paint) to create their own pointillism masterpieces.

Thanksgiving Feast

It's Thanksgiving time and the girls love talking about food! Each girl was given a paper plate after we brainstormed about the food we eat for Thanksgiving. It is interesting to hear about the different varieties of food and the similarities between families. We discuss the shape and color of foods before the girls get to work drawing their Thanksgiving feasts. When they complete the food, they can make a "china pattern" around the edge of the plate.

Elmer

After reading Elmer by David McKee, we discussed pattern and color. The girls were given a template of Elmer the elephant to decorate however they wished. We then looked at several works of art and pointed out the background. We discussed how the background in a work of art shows where the environment in the painting. The girls were given a large piece of paper to make a background for Elmer. They then cut Elmer out and placed him on the background.

Paper Collograph

Third graders viewed different types of butterflies and learned to properly identify their body parts before beginning this project. They then created a plate for a collograph by drawing a butterfly and separating its parts, by cutting them. Each part was glued in layers to the paper "plate". The plate was then inked and transferred to a colored piece of printing paper.

Chinese Dragonos

Fourth grade had such a great time learning the folklore behind Chinese dragons. They viewed a PowerPoint that showed many examples of Chinese dragons. It also taught them the symbols and importance of these interesting creatures to the Chinese people. I also made available many Chinese characters that the girls added to their paintings in the end.

Onion Domes/Architecture

After looking at several different examples of Onion Domes from around the world, we focused on St. Petersburg in Russia for this assignment. The girls used what they knew about pattern, variety, and emphasis to design these fantastic onion domes.

relief prints with foam plates

 Pre-kindergarten used foam shapes glued to poster board to make the plates for these whimsical prints. The girls were fascinated when the paper was peeled off revealing a backward image.

City-Scape Prints

Second graders made these colorful prints using foam as the plate. We discussed repetition, overlapping and variety before they designed their own downtown scene. The girls were amazed when we peeled the paper from the plate.

Color/Mood Portraits

Kindergartners viewed and discussed several portraits that are heavily focused on color and mood. Among them were portraits from Picasso's Blue Period, Matisse, and Kirchner.  I demonstrated how the order in which you paint is very important to the success of the painting. They started by painting their faces first, letting the paint dry before painting details on top. This helped greatly with bleeding and helped them avoid having to paint around small facial parts. We also discussed facial proportions and then they got to work.