NEON POP OUT SELF-PORTRAITS – 4TH GRADE!

They’re done!! (Well… most of my classes anyhow!)  I LOVE them so much! It’s a new lesson I started this year and I think it’s a keeper! Read below the pics to see how these were created!

This lesson took (4) 40 minute art classes to finish.

This lesson focuses on The Elements Of Art: (Line, Shape, and Color) and the Principles of Design: (Balance, Emphasis, Variety, Movement, Contrast and Pattern) as well as enhancing knowledge on drawing facial details and proportion.

I don’t think this self-portrait would be the same without the POP OUT 3D element! It makes it SO much more fun!

Plus, If you’ve been following my blog or Instagram account this year, you’ve probably noticed a lot more 3D artwork in the mix. I’ve made it a goal to incorporate more 3D elements in different art lessons for each grade level, since we don’t have a kiln for firing clay pieces at either school I teach in. This was definitely a fun lesson to teach and students seemed to really enjoy it!!

DAY 1:

On the first day of the lesson students drew their self-portrait large on a sheet of 12×18″ neon construction paper. Students had a choice of pink, lime, orange, yellow, or green.

I demonstrated under the document camera to start drawing the head a little bit more than halfway up the paper, and we reviewed ways to draw facial features. I also said they could draw their eyes closed or open, or winking! They were also encouraged to draw a pattern on their shirt for added detail.

Once drawn in pencil, they went over all their lines with a black sharpie to define them and make them stand out.

I absolutely LOVE the texture and movement of this student’s hair!

Check out the pattern on this student’s shirt!  Loving the detail!!!

 

DAY 2 – 3

The following art class students finished drawing and outlining if needed, then carefully cut out their self-portrait leaving a little neon color all the way around the edges.

They then traced their cut out self-portrait along the bottom of a piece of 12×18″ black construction paper, vertically with a pencil.

After that- they set the cut out one aside, and wrote positive attributes in pencil all around their traced self-portrait. We talked about VARIETY and BALANCE and to write some words larger than others and some diagonally, sideways, and straight across.

I had a printed list of adjectives that each student could refer to for suggestions if they needed it. Kids could write other things as well of course if it wasn’t on the list, as long as it was positive.

Then they went over their words with a white colored pencil, making sure to make some brighter and more bold than others. The bright white lettering adds CONTRAST against the black paper.

 

DAY 4:

On the final day, students then traced a variety of colored chalk pastels all along the traced outline on the black paper. We went over the color wheel beforehand and reviewed primary, secondary, warm, cool, complementary, and analogous.

They applied the chalk pastels in short, thick lines and then using their finger- smudged the chalk going outward and away from their outlined self-portrait to create a glowing affect.

Students washed their hands (or used baby wipes) after using the chalk pastels, then took their neon cut out self-portrait again and traced it once more but this time, onto a sheet of 12×18″ white 80# drawing paper. Then went over those pencil lines with black sharpie.

Then carefully cut that one out –leaving a bit of white paper showing all around the edges. Then glued it into place on the black paper using a glue stick.

Then later on I attached their NEON cut out to go over the white one. I originally thought it would be a good idea to hot glue strips of cut cardboard to mount between the two in order for the neon one to pop out.

HAha…. That proved to be waaaay to time consuming cutting cardboard into strips. Plus I’d have to layer more than two strips to achieve the thickness I wanted.

SOOOoooo…. scrap THAT idea!

Then I tried bending strips of cardboard (from the neon paper packaging) into an accordian fold and hot-gluing those in between the two. Like so…

That DID work….however….. it too was VERY very time consuming (and kinda hurt my hands after awhile folding back the cardboard over and over and over).

I knew it wasn’t a very good method, but went on with it anyways. I wanted to get what I could done, since I planned on working on them that afternoon, and only had those materials on hand to make the pop out portion work. I think I got through 20 pieces of artwork.

THEN…. had the idea of using SPONGES!!! I went to Dollar Tree the next day and basically bought out the store of ALL of their sponges!! They sold them in packs of two, for just a buck and I only needed 1 sponge per students art.

I also cut each one up into smaller pieces to help spread and distribute the needed pop out support. Cutting them with scissors was super easy, thank goodness!!! It went SUPER quick and worked out perfectly with the hot glue!

YAY! (insert happy dance)

TA-DA!!!

Would LOVE to hear what you all think! I hung up a bunch so far at both schools, (I have a total of (5) 4th grade classes doing this project) and will be adding everyone else’s SOON!! 🙂

To view other artwork by 4th grade from this year (and previous years) click on “4TH GRADE ART LESSONS” under the drop down menu!

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my blog! Join/Subscribe to my blog and submit your email to get up to date notifications!

Be sure to check back SOON for more amazing artwork! Take care and be kind everybody! 🙂

 

 

 

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BUBBLE BLOWING SELF-PORTRAITS- 1ST GRADE!

This was a really fun lesson where first-graders learned the difference between a self-portrait and a portrait! This lesson took (3) 40 minute art classes to finish.

I just love this artist’s winking self-portrait! So cute!

 

DAY 1

Students looked at different self-portraits by famous artists and then learned how to draw the head by drawing an upside down egg shape. They learned how to draw facial features in correct proportion and learned that eyes are drawn like the shape of almonds/footballs or lemons and ways to draw the nose, mouth, ears and eyebrows through a demonstration under the document camera.

Once they finished their self-portrait, students added a pattern of circles in the background, then traced over all their lines with a thick black sharpie.

DAYS 2-3

On the second day of the lesson I read them a story called The Colors of Us, by Karen Katz. I absolutely LOVE this story because it talks about appreciating each others differences and to notice the variety of skin colors we all have and that they are ALL beautiful!! We talked about how weird and boring the world would be if we were all the same skin color!

Students then found a crayon that best matched their own unique skin color, eye color and hair color and colored in their self-portraits. I demonstrated that they could combine and layer colors to create the colors they needed. I encouraged students to press hard when coloring and to try to color in completely so no white paper showed through.

For a final step, I poked holes in their papers using a pencil and a pre-tied balloon was attached to their self-portrait using tape on the back!

Students did a fantastic job creating their self-portraits! (*Some students are still finishing coloring and I will be adding more photos later on!)

Now a beautiful and colorful hallway!! 🙂

Thanks so much for dropping by!! Read below to check out yesterday’s post on 2nd grade artwork!

If interested– sign up for new blog post updates via email, (to the right, or scroll all the way down on a cell phone) 🙂

I will be blogging again tomorrow night on NEW 4th grade artwork (Neon Pop-Out Self-portraits!) Stay tuned!…

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SPRINGTIME BUNNIES AND BEAR CUBS- 2ND GRADE!

How adorable are these?!? My 2nd graders did such a fantastic job creating them!

This lesson took (3) 40 minute art classes to finish and incorporates the Elements of Art- Line, Shape, Color, Value and Texture! We also used overlapping, contrast and pattern in our work!  Students could choose between creating a bunny or a bear cub. Read below the photos of students artwork to see how they were created!

Sorry, there are A LOT of photos!! I couldn’t help myself–they are ALL too cute!

TEACHERS – You can get a free downloadable BEAR CUB template on my TPT page HERE

These are currently up on display!

I couldn’t decide which image to post –so I decided on showing both panoramic and regular!

DAY 1 

Students drew flowers all over their 9×12″ 80# drawing paper using markers and crayons. They were encouraged to draw the flower heads LARGE and draw LOTS!! Especially along the top and sides since later on the bunny or bear would be placed over their painting.

I demonstrated a bunch of different ways to create the flowers first, but students could draw them any way they wanted! I also encouraged them to use bright colors. If they drew flower heads with a circle center, they colored in the circles with crayon, pressing hard. Once their paper was filled they drew green stems from each flower head going all the way to the bottom, using a green crayon as well as a green marker for each one. 

DAY 2

Students finished up creating their flower heads and stems if needed (they really took their time with this step and loved created intricate flowers!!) then using just water on a paintbrush, they went over each flower with water.

This turns the marker into almost a watercolor consistency, which kids LOVED!! I showed them how to just do one flower at a time then rinse their brush before moving onto the next so the colors wouldn’t get muddy.

Then students went over all their stems with water. The crayon part of the stems would remain a solid line since crayons resist water.

We talked about the Element of Art “Value” and how the colors of the flowers would get softer and lighter in value once water was applied.

I absolutely LOVE this flower painting below!! Particularly the way the yellow flowers came out! So lovely!!

The wet flower paintings were left to dry until the following class. Students then either chose a bunny or bear cub template to start drawing lines with sharpie to add TEXTURE!

I downloaded and printed the bunny template from a website for teachers called Teachstarter (free template) and then created the bear one myself and made copies for kids.

I demonstrated how to draw straight lines close together in between each section using sharpie. Students could leave the eye area as it was, or go over the lashes and create longer lines. We discussed how the lines created fur- like texture. We also discussed how the black & white vs. the colorful flower background would create CONTRAST.

DAYS 2-3

Students continued drawing lines if needed, then carefully cut out their animals and glued onto their flower background! I just LOVE how simple yet beautiful this lesson is! Plus- kids continue to understand how they are applying the elements of art while creating!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog! I hope you enjoyed viewing their beautiful artwork 🙂

To view additional 2nd grade artwork, and other art lessons, click on “2nd Grade Art Lessons” under the drop down menu! Follow me on Instagram for more work too!

Be sure to stop on by again tomorrow (SUNDAY!) to view NEW artwork by 1st Grade —then Monday night for NEW artwork by 4th grade!!!

Have a great weekend everybody! Take care and be kind 🙂

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COMPLEMENTARY CREATURE PRINTS! – 3RD GRADE

3rd graders finished up their prints! They did such a fantastic job!! Take a look below! 

(Read more below the pics to find out how they were created, and to view my YouTube tutorial on this lesson!)

(haha don’t mind the “Dirty Water Bucket” in the background ….I don’t have a sink in my art room and use a water bucket system to dump out old water between art classes. I’ll probably blog about how I go about that for lessons involving paint at a later time. If you’re an art teacher and don’t have a sink in your room, please share what methods you use!) 

A panoramic picture of the 3rd grade prints –up now on display!! I love all the bright colors!

And then a pic of the same display… only non-panoramic because sometimes I can’t decide which way to post it!

 

This lesson took about 4 (40 min.) art classes to finish, and students created three prints of one drawing total. We used markers and styrofoam printing plates to create our prints! 

DAYS 1-2 

On the first day of the lesson I read students the book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak for inspiration. We discussed what printmaking was and I showed them students prints from previous years as well as my own teacher examples. They also watched the first few minutes of my video tutorial before they began drawing their own creatures.

Kids then got to work drawing their own made up creature on 8.5″ x 11″ regular printer/copy paper with pencil. The goal was to create a unique creature, large on the paper, with simple lines and details. I explained their creature could consist of a combination of animals, aliens, monsters, inanimate objects, people, sea creatures, food, fantastical creatures….whatever they wanted!  Something that was from their own imagination.

(I didn’t get a chance to snap pics of kids doing this step so this pic and the next few with the pink background are ones I created for my video tutorial) 

 

Once drawn, students then taped their drawing to a sheet of styrofoam (the printing plate). They only taped it to the top in two areas so the paper wouldn’t move on them while tracing.

Then using a dull colored pencil (not to sharp–if its too sharp, it could tear or puncture the styrofoam) they traced over all their lines to transfer their image to the printing plate underneath. I have them use a colored pencil so they can see clearly where they’ve already traced.

 

Here you can see the image has transferred to the styrofoam plate

 

Once that’s done, students trace over all the lines indented in the styrofoam plate once more. They used a colored pencil for this step as well. They trace twice so the indentations are deep enough for printing a crisp, clear image of their drawing.

 

DAYS 3-4 

Students learn what complementary colors are, (colors opposite one another on the color wheel and consist of a primary color and a secondary color–red + green, blue + orange, yellow + purple). They learned that when used next to one another in artwork it makes an image pop and really stand out.

They colored their creature (on the styrofoam printing plate) with one set of complementary colors, and then their background with a different set, using markers. I saved and set aside a large box of markers for just this lesson to ensure we’d have juicy markers!

Students were creative and made some cool unique creatures!! 

 

After completely colored, they took off their taped on drawing (if they haven’t already) and dampened a sheet of 9×12″ 80# drawing paper using water from a spray bottle and damp sponges –(For the spray bottles, I just use empty spray cleaner bottles after thoroughly rinsing out).

They sprayed the paper 6 times- two on top, two in the middle and two along the bottom on either side of the paper.

Then using a damp sponge, they hold down the paper along the bottom, and wipe going away from their fingers in one direction to help spread the water evenly all over the paper.

 

They then lay their colored styrofoam color side down onto the wet paper. They press all over the back of their printing plate using the flat of their hands to help transfer their image to the dampened paper. After pressing for a few seconds, they used a brayer to roll over the back of their printing plate to help further transfer their image. I explain to students it’s very important to always have one hand holding down the styrofoam plate so they don’t smudge their print.

Students roll the brayer over the entire backside of their plate for at least 15 seconds, then while holding down a corner with one hand, lift the opposite corner with the other hand to check if there are any bald spots. If so, they roll over that area again and/or use their fingers to press into any smaller detailed areas where needed.  Once they check again, they lift off the styrofoam plate to reveal their print!

I have students watch the printmaking portion of my video tutorial in the beginning of the first couple of art classes where they print, just to help them remember all those steps!

So glad I decided to make that video for this lesson! It’s such a time saver…. I don’t have to waste paper or marker ink each time as I would in a demonstration for the kids…. and since it’s recorded- I don’t ever have to worry about forgetting something while explaining!! I wish I had started make youtube tutorials a long time ago for those reasons!

Also— if I must be completely honest, students are way more engaged and STAY silent throughout the ENTIRE time watching my video— rather than when I am demonstrating in person under the doc camera! What’s up with that kids?!??!

As you can see in the photo above I have printing supplies (pre-dampened sponges, spray bottles, brayers, 9×12″ paper, and box of fresh new markers) along my extra “supply” table. Kids get their needed supplies and bring them back to their seats and print there. Water bottles, sponges and brayers are shared so I don’t need a ton of each.

Once they print their first print, they repeat the process of coloring their printing plates and wetting their papers to print  etc. to create 3 prints of the same image total. This way, students have some practice with printing and have the opportunity to create a good, clear, colorful print!

Click HERE to view my video tutorial on this lesson!

Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post! If interested, you can get email updates on when I blog next by signing up with your email over on the right hand side of the top of this page!

I’ll be posting again REAL SOON on new 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 4th grade artwork!! STAY TUNED!!!……

 

 

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MIXED MEDIA BIRD NESTS- 5TH GRADE!

LOVE, LOVE LOVE THESE!! This is a new lesson I introduced this year for 5th grade and it’s definitely a keeper!! Thank you Painted Paper Art for this wonderful lesson idea!

These are created by 5Y, 1 (of my 5)  5th grade classes! (Other classes are going on day 2 of the lesson later on in the week). It’s a 3 day art lesson (40 minutes each) and incorporates ALL the Elements of Art (value, shape, line, color, form, space, and texture!)

HERE ARE A FEW CLOSE-UPS OF INDIVIDUAL NESTS!

 

DAY 1: 

Students created the nest using oil pastels on a 6×6″ sheet of manila tagboard. They drew a large circle with pencil, then chose whatever color blue they wanted, to fill in the background.

They then drew a small black circle in the center, a loop of dark brown around the black circle, then looped various shades of brown oil pastel within the remaining part of the nest, layering as they went around. After that they drew short, curved lines extending outside the nest with brown, to create little pieces of hay or sticks sticking out from the nest.

Students then used various shades of yellow and golds to overlap the brown, until the manila paper was completely covered with oil pastels. As a final step with oil pastels, students used black to lightly draw circles close together extending outward from the center, to create the illusion of space and the nest going inward in the center.

 

For the last step on day 1, students glued on strips of pre-cut, painted papers all around the nest, to add texture!

 

 

DAY 2: 

On the second day of the lesson, students shaped and created 3 eggs out of model magic air dry clay and glued them on in the center of their nests with tacky glue. Then they glued down 8-10 small twigs using tacky glue to add even more texture to their nests! (BTW- Twigs were collected while walking my dog in the park on a previous day. With only 7 more art classes remaining before summer break, (although it might have been fun), I didn’t want students to spend an art class searching around the school for them!!)

I love the various shades of blue in this one!

I have to say, I REALLY LOVE tacky glue!! I’ve used it for so many art lessons recently and it’s WAAAAAY better than regular old white school glue! It adheres quickly (which is super important for this lesson) and best of all—dries clear!

These were all set aside to completely dry in Mason paper box tops until the following week!

 

DAY 3: 

Students painted their eggs using liquid tempera (students could choose from a variety of blue/ blue-green paints).

They had the option to then add spots of white and brown speckles using the end of a paintbrush handle.

 

Students did a wonderful job creating their beautiful bird nests and eggs, I couldn’t WAIT to hang them all up!!!!

I hot glued twigs to create their sign and added some colorful cupcake liners for flowers! More nests to come SOON  to fill in the empty spaces on this bulletin board!!! 

 

Thanks for checking out my blog!! Be sure to check back tomorrow (Tuesday) night for another new post on some NEW artwork!!! To view other 5th grade artwork -click on 5th Grade Art Lessons under the drop down menu! 

 

 

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