Kindergarden students practiced tracing by using black crayons to trace cardboard squares and rectangles. Students had to trace ten shapes, overlap, and then go over all the lines 3 times with black crayon to make bold lines. Finally students used primary color crayons to fill inside the lines of each of the smaller shapes created by overlapping larger shapes.
4th grade students examined the art element of space by drawing a tree with branches that touched the edges of the paper and split the negative space into at least 12 different areas. Students then used oil pastels to blend two colors in each of the areas of negative space. Students were required to experiment blending analogous colors, colors next to each other on the color wheel. Student began to realize that analogous colors blend together nicely and that complementary colors, colors opposite of each other on the color wheel, will blend to create muddy or neutral colors. Student finished by using black watercolor to paint the positive space of the tree, creating a silhouette . Cool Color Kandinsky CirclesFirst grade students used recycled CDs and tape rolls to trace circles and then used color pencil to fill in the circles with only cool colors. Warm Color Overlapping ShapesStudents used various sized wood and paper shapes to trace and overlap. The composition created by overlapping shapes was then filled with warm colors using colored pencils. Again filling in color inside lines and without leaving blank spaces was stressed. Kandinsky Russian CathedralsStudents combined the previous warm and cool color projects to create these stunning collages to celebrate the work and life of Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky. The circles were connected to Kandinsky's famous circle paintings and the overlapping of shapes to create abstract compositions was compared to other paintings by Kandinsky. The two abstract projects were combined to create a cathedral in the colorful style of Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. Three shapes to the cathedrals were traced on the back of the warm color project. Students used scissors to carefully cutout the shapes and then glued the cathedral together on top of the cool color circle project. Finally students used oil pastels to outline the cathedrals and draw decorative lines on the cathedral. This was a complex project and challenged 1st grade students to trace accurately, selectively use color, carefully cut complex shapes, glue pieces of paper neatly and effectively, and control line. 5th grade students were challenged to use a ruler to measure and draw strait lines, find the center of the square paper and mark every inch on every line out from the center. Once students drew out the spider webs and outlined the line work with black marker, they picked complementary colors and created a pattern with colored pencil to first mark the pattern and then opaque watercolor paints. A few students who completed painting in time moved on to adding value by stippling. This project provided the opportunity for discussions on Optical Art, however the amount of time limited our discussions mostly to the developing control of the materials - using rulers accuracy, identifying complementary colors, using paints and brushes effectively and accurately, creating value, etc.
This project was inspired by artists Paul Klee and Laurel Burch. Although the art work and lives of these two artists differs greatly, their work provided great visual examples for class discussions on what is abstract art and what is realest art. The sequence of this project gave students the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of the following terms: border, outline, decorative line, fill color, abstract art, and realist art as well as painting terms brush, bristles, pallet, and pigment. Decorative lines discussed included strait, wavy, loopy, spiral, scalloped, castle line/box line, curved, dotted, broken, etc. Students used pencil, watercolor pencils, oil-pastels, and watercolor paints on watercolor paper. 3rd grade students used newspaper to collage onto poster board before drawing an organic doodle line which split up the composition into large organic shapes. The organic line was outlined with black marker and then shapes were painted within lines using watercolor paints. The handling of materials in a controlled and skillful manner was stressed in every class, poorly glued newspaper that peeled off was not accepted and poorly controlled painting resulted in students using colored pencil instead of paint.
This Kindergarden project aimed to improve the skill of fill coloring while creating pattern on a photocopied piece of construction paper. Advanced students went on to cut and glue paper shapes to create patterns after they had completed coloring. Kinderarden students have greatly improved their performance coloring inside lines and coloring without leaving white space. This was a difficult project for kindergarden and took a lot of practice sheets to get right before I allowed them to start a finial pattern project.
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Mr. AnewaltA is for Art and Art is for Everyone! Archives
December 2016
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