For their cultural project during first quarter, fourth graders learned about the Kuna Indians from Panama and the gorgeous molas the women create.
http://www.sciencejoywagon.com/kwirt/mola/molas.htm
The link will direct you to some of the history and pictures of these beautiful renditions of appliqué.
Fourth grade created their own molas from colorful paper collaged onto a black background. They decided on their own simple-form animal using layers of paper and pattern. Unfortunately, most of the fourth graders' molas have mysteriously disappeared! Hopefully they will turn up before Christmas break as I was looking forward to displaying them at our Christmas program.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
2nd and 3rd: Art to Remember
K4: Art to Remember
K: Art to Remember
Friday, November 11, 2011
1st Grade Totem Animals
For first quarter, first grade learned about Northern Native Americans and some of the art they created, specifically Totems of the northwestern tribes. Like the Greeks, much of Native Americans' art was functional along with beautiful. This is true for the totems.
Most of the time, totems were used as symbols of a person, tribe, clan or family. We discussed how these would be carved out of wood and then painted.
First grade drew their own version of a totem lightly in crayon. We talked about how to make the bird appear to be a cylinder in shape by keeping the drawing long and straight. It was also to be symmetrical and go right off the page at the bottom. These birds don't fly!
When the student was happy with his or her drawing, they were to go over it dark in black. The next week, we had fun with color and paint! With painting, I usually discuss contrasting colors and what that means. We kept the colors simple, bright, and fun. The last thing was to add pattern to both the bird and the background.
2nd/3rd Grades--Greek Collage
Okay, so we have been having problems with our internet provider....computer issues--gotta love them. Anyhow, this caused a huge pause in my blog posting.
I am going to do my best to catch up on our first quarter lessons for this year.
Second and third grades learned many things about ancient Greece during our first quarter. This collage took quite a bit of time and energy, but most were able to finish the entire assignment.
The first part of this collage was the scratch art Greek vases. I got this idea from Art Lessons for Kids. http://artlessonsforkids.me/2011/04/24/papier-mache-greek-vases-in-grade-seven/
The students took a look at pictures of ancient red-figure and black-figure amphoras and kraters. We discussed how important these artists were to the ancient Greek culture, also how these beautiful "vases" were really functional pieces of art used to hold wine, grain, olive oil, and many other things. The children first drew there own version of an amphora or krater on paper, then plunged into their "real thing" on the scratch art paper. They had a blast seeing what color emerged from beneath the black scratch paper. Each vase received a unique geometric design reminiscent of early ancient Greek design.
The next part was taking a look at ancient golden death masks. I know what you're thinking...how morbid! But who isn't fascinated by King Tut's gorgeous gold and gem-encrusted mask: http://wysinger.homestead.com/files/54_tut.jpg
We looked at the so-called "Mask of Agamemnon" after discussing the story of the Trojan Horse, which really fascinated the kids.
So we used cardboard from recycled cereal boxes to cut out ovals. The kids drew a symmetrical face. I demonstrated on the white board how to draw an accurate face. They then traced their drawings with glue. These were left to dry and then brushed over with a couple layers of gold acrylic paint which gave a raised effect. We also made Greek coins in this fashion.
Finally, the last step was an in-depth look at the Greek column orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.
The kids really took to this, which is amazing--I didn't even learn about this until college! I let them decide which one they could handle. They practiced drawing one of these orders on newsprint. We then took our stylus and pressed through the newsprint onto foam. (I reuse the veggie trays from the grocery store.) We printed these onto our 12x18" paper in white paint. Most of these turned out pretty well. It can be difficult if the design is not pressed deeply into the foam.
The amphoras, coins, and masks were then collaged onto the large paper.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Art to Remember and Cultural Projects
Art to Remember projects are officially finished, and classes have already begun their cultural art pieces.
I will be posting pictures soon of these fundraiser pieces. I am hoping things will go as scheduled, but we may have to extend the dates for Art to Remember as the school has not received our class labels or parent order packets yet. This will be fine, and orders will still be here in time for Christmas break!
Jr. Kindergarten has finished colorful handprint flowers for ATR and has also completed their Lascaux Cave art. This lesson was inspired from The Incredible Art Department's website: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/Lessons/6-cave.htm
The children were able to trace their own hand (a new thing for many of the students of this age), draw an animal after looking at pictures and discussing animal body parts: head, body, legs, antlers, etc., and color with crayon, cray pas, and paint. Kindergarten will also be finishing this project next class period.
Kindergarten was able to learn some things about perspective with their ATR projects this year. They were to draw a barn and silo on the top half of their paper. We discussed how this, along with the small size of the buildings, caused them to seem far away in the picture. In the foreground, the children created an adorable chicken with her 3 chicks using their handprint and fingerprints.
First grade completed Native American pouches. During this process, they learned a bit about Native American culture, sewing, weaving, pictographs, and using beads in their work. The past week we began learning about northwestern totems. After learning the purposes for these large carvings, students were able to draw the bird of their choice. These will be painted later.
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/0876287887_63_64.pdf
For Art to Remember, 1st grade will be using the beautiful renditions of Van Gogh's Starry Night which Mrs. Wallace teaches the first graders every year.
Second and third grades learned about wax resist--how wax crayons or oil pastels resist water color paint. They created really cute geckos, snakes, butterflies and more for their ATR projects. They have also been learning quite a bit about the famous vase artists of ancient Greece and how art played such a huge part of their culture. The students were able to draw their own kraters and amphoras from real pictures of ancient versions. They then decorated each with geometric patterns in the style of ancient Greece. The next step was to transfer this pencil-drawn image over to scratch-art paper. The kids had a lot of fun seeing the bright images "pop" out of the scratch paper.
Fourth grade and fifth grade were able to use more of their own creativity with ATR this year. We drew a circle on the paper, and we discussed the Indian Mandala. They then decorated the circle with either rotating colorful pattern or turned the circle into a creature of their own design. Fourth grade has begun their cultural artwork as well. They have been learning about the Kuna Indians' Mola. This is a fabric appliqué process. They have been learning to draw a primitive-shaped animal and then cut this shape out in three colors while growing in size. This has proved to be quite a challenge for the 4th grade, but one that will stretch their artistic skills. We will continue working on our Molas for the next couple of weeks.
Fifth grade is becoming acquainted with ancient Egypt. This seems to be quite a fascinating subject for them. They are learning to draw in the stylized methods of this ancient culture, creating static figures amongst hieroglyphics as seen in the paintings of old.
Art to Remember pictures are coming soon, along with pictures of our cultural art as it is being completed!
I will be posting pictures soon of these fundraiser pieces. I am hoping things will go as scheduled, but we may have to extend the dates for Art to Remember as the school has not received our class labels or parent order packets yet. This will be fine, and orders will still be here in time for Christmas break!
Jr. Kindergarten has finished colorful handprint flowers for ATR and has also completed their Lascaux Cave art. This lesson was inspired from The Incredible Art Department's website: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/Lessons/6-cave.htm
The children were able to trace their own hand (a new thing for many of the students of this age), draw an animal after looking at pictures and discussing animal body parts: head, body, legs, antlers, etc., and color with crayon, cray pas, and paint. Kindergarten will also be finishing this project next class period.
Kindergarten was able to learn some things about perspective with their ATR projects this year. They were to draw a barn and silo on the top half of their paper. We discussed how this, along with the small size of the buildings, caused them to seem far away in the picture. In the foreground, the children created an adorable chicken with her 3 chicks using their handprint and fingerprints.
First grade completed Native American pouches. During this process, they learned a bit about Native American culture, sewing, weaving, pictographs, and using beads in their work. The past week we began learning about northwestern totems. After learning the purposes for these large carvings, students were able to draw the bird of their choice. These will be painted later.
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/0876287887_63_64.pdf
For Art to Remember, 1st grade will be using the beautiful renditions of Van Gogh's Starry Night which Mrs. Wallace teaches the first graders every year.
Second and third grades learned about wax resist--how wax crayons or oil pastels resist water color paint. They created really cute geckos, snakes, butterflies and more for their ATR projects. They have also been learning quite a bit about the famous vase artists of ancient Greece and how art played such a huge part of their culture. The students were able to draw their own kraters and amphoras from real pictures of ancient versions. They then decorated each with geometric patterns in the style of ancient Greece. The next step was to transfer this pencil-drawn image over to scratch-art paper. The kids had a lot of fun seeing the bright images "pop" out of the scratch paper.
Fourth grade and fifth grade were able to use more of their own creativity with ATR this year. We drew a circle on the paper, and we discussed the Indian Mandala. They then decorated the circle with either rotating colorful pattern or turned the circle into a creature of their own design. Fourth grade has begun their cultural artwork as well. They have been learning about the Kuna Indians' Mola. This is a fabric appliqué process. They have been learning to draw a primitive-shaped animal and then cut this shape out in three colors while growing in size. This has proved to be quite a challenge for the 4th grade, but one that will stretch their artistic skills. We will continue working on our Molas for the next couple of weeks.
Fifth grade is becoming acquainted with ancient Egypt. This seems to be quite a fascinating subject for them. They are learning to draw in the stylized methods of this ancient culture, creating static figures amongst hieroglyphics as seen in the paintings of old.
Art to Remember pictures are coming soon, along with pictures of our cultural art as it is being completed!
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