End of Year Student Art Show

Once again our art year wraps up with a student show during the May Open House event...

Today I Feel

2012 David Lubin Garden Tour and Chalk it Up

Spring Cherry Blossom

This 2nd grade projects is a wonderful way to welcome spring, introduce water color techniques and explore Japanese ink painting all in one, one day project.

Using handouts and visual supports introduce the students to Japanese ink painting/watercolors and photographs of cherry trees in blossom. If possible share in the classroom a real (or artificial) cherry blossom branch.

The paper is pre-cut students write their name small in the lower corner.  Direct drawing techniques  work well for younger students. Through a series of steps the main branch and side branches are painted with black watercolor. Blossoms are added with red watercolor. Some can be blowing in the wind giving the picture movement.

Where is the vase?

I shared this project with 2nd grade artists but it can be adjusted to challenge a variety of age groups. Where is the vase, reinforces the use of foreground, middle ground and background using watercolor and both torn and cut paper collage. Van Gogh's Sunflower paintings and other classic still life pieces are a great visual support element and discussion focus.

This project can also connect to color theory and the elements of art.

Make some Money

This fun project introduced 3rd grades students to art/skill of print making. Using small  pre-cut foam board and wooden stylists they created their own money. A simplified self portrait provided the center piece for this art project.

Connects to 3rd grade standards (money) and supports Art History (Andy Warhol).

Great Birds of North America

Supported by observation and discussion students created several pencil sketches of North American birds. They were provided with table top hands outs and other visual supports to create these drawings and collect them in a sketchbook/portfolio.

This project supports skill building and  connects Early American History themes such as Mr. Audubon (explorer/artist)  and his work regarding the birds and wild life of early North America. These drawing were then transferred to soft printing plates using a wooden pencil. Plates were printed with water base wood block ink. Students learned to sign and number their prints and artist's proofs.

Rainbow City 2012

What is a City? What does it sound like? What does it look like?

Compare and contast city and country. I found art prints of famous paintings very helpful in this discussion.

All of the building rectangles were precut from scraps-great way to use up those bits and pieces at the end of the year.

This kindergarten project connects to shape and color identification and introduces students to using a ruler (to create a horizon line). Crayons, color pencils, metalic crayons and paper scrape details were added later to complete each cityscape and help it come alive!

There's no people like Snowpeople...

Sorry about the title pun-this kindergarten lesson can be expanded to provide challenges for artists  of all ages. Draw 3 circles one on top of the other from large, medium and small in size. Review size and position. Use a variety of visual support materials and have students practice stacking the various shapes.  Draw together a horizon line to give the snow person some grounding.

Finished project was completed in chalk pastels using expressive colors.

Van Gogh inspired watercolors

5th grade students created small Van Gogh-Starry Night inspired watercolors. This one session studio project started with a review and discussion regarding the composition and elements of Van Gogh's work. Using a direct drawing step by step process with crayons on white card stock the students drew the basic shapes and forms.Yellow liquid watercolor was used first to create the star and light elements, then students were given blue and purple. They were encourage to create movement on their composition using curving lines. Black was the last liquid watercolor made available to the students. Works were finished with a dusting of salt to enhance the star effect.

cave drawings

Black and White Op Art

Complimentary Picasso inspired Profiles

 Complimentary Colors-Picasso inspired portraits Part I

4th grade Sugar Skulls

In honor of Day of the Dead students decorated pre-formed sugar skulls.