First Grade Solar Systems

First Grade has been learning all about our solar system with their classroom teacher.  So we created our own solar systems in Art class to reinforce their content knowledge.  Students cut out and traced the planets onto painting paper using the template below.  I provided some images of planets to reference when painting their sun and planets too.  Students then splatter painted a black piece of paper with white paint for their starry skies.  To finish, students cut out and arranged their painted planets onto their starry skies.

David Hockney: Abstract Landscapes

It's been a while, so let's just jump right in!  Second Graders have been working hard learning all about how to create depth in a landscape.  We started by looking at some David Hockney landscapes and learned to identify the horizon line, foreground, middle ground and background.  We then
learned that artists can make things look near and far by using overlapping, changing the size of objects and changing the placement of objects.  We always practice these new skills in our sketchbooks first.  Finally we created our own David Hockney inspired abstract landscapes.  And here is how they came out!

David Hockney Landscape

let them have tape!

Tape is one of those materials we stow in our desks and out of reach of curious little hands.  I say let them have tape!  For these tape drawings we looked at the work of 20th century abstract artist Piet Mondiran  , best known for his grid paintings.  These kindergartners were then given long strips of pre-cut tape that I stuck to their desks.  They had the choice of cutting the tape down to the length they wanted.  I limited the colors to red, yellow and blue and demonstrated before they started how to create basic geometric shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles) by connecting and overlapping strips of the tape.  It was also great seeing them help eachother carefully lay down the tape so it wouldn't get out of their control.  I used electrical tape from a 99cent store but colorful masking tape would be great too because it is much easier to tear.

So I don't forget....

I come across amazing artists all the time and think to myself "kids would LOVE this". Just so I don't forget about London artist, Marcus Oakley, I'm throwing up some of his work that I think could inspire some brilliant work in the classroom.  I also love his Holiday Sketchbook. 

Contact Paper Collage

This may have been one of my favorite projects all year.  It is a really good one day project with little to no mess or clean up and a great way to use scrap and tissue paper.  The subject of these sculptural collages was Spring, though it could go in so many other directions.  Students got pieces of contact paper that I precut into 8 1/2in by 22in (more or less) sheets.  They were told to fold a crease in the middle and lay the paper open with the sticky side up.  They then peeled away the protective sheet to the crease and were given little pieces of tape to secure each corner to their tables.  At this point, half of the sticky paper is exposed and half is still protected.  On the sticky side, students arranged scraps of tissue paper to create Spring landscapes.  When they were finished, they removed the other half of the protective paper and folded this half over to cover the exposed tissue paper collage.  The finished pieces were kind of magical; students were surprised and amazed that they had created art that they could see through and enjoy from both sides.  Also great was that they had to help each other manipulate and fold the sheets of contact paper.  These would be beautiful hanging from a mobile or in front of windows.  

Brooklyn Post Cards + Pen Pals

My mom teaches 3rd grade in San Francisco so when I met my 3rd graders for the first time I knew I wanted to do a Pen Pal project.  Who doesn't love getting a personal, hand made card in the mail?  I also thought it would be a neat way for the kids to teach each other about their cities.  We looked at images of Brooklyn cityscapes and urban landmarks and thought of special places in our own neighborhoods.  To create the cards, Students then watercolored a background on postcard sized watercolor paper that I found at a craft store.  To make the cityscapes even more "New York" they cut out buildings and city elements from the New York Times.  They finished off their collages with sharpies.  On the back they wrote letters to their Pen Pals in San Francisco, telling them about their favorite places in Brooklyn.  The most exciting part was getting wonderful cards back from San Francisco.  

Art Room Rules

I am a huge fan of illustrator and guerrilla artist Keri Smith.  I found this list of Art Department Rules on her blog and had to share.  If I ever get an art room of my own (fingers and toes and eyes crossed) this will be up on my wall.