April 2019 – Art with Mrs Filmore

Dandelion Puffs – 4th Grade

April 27, 2019 No Comments

Additional artwork below!!

This easy and fun 2 day art lesson focused on the elements of art; Line, Shape, Color and Value. Students also learned about a new watercolor resist technique using rubber cement before painting!

Special shout out to artroombritt.blogspot.com for this lesson idea!

DAY 1

Students observed various drawings of dandelions and reviewed the meaning of composition in artwork, (composition= the way things are laid out or where things are drawn/placed on paper).

Students drew three stems spaced apart a bit coming from one side of a sheet of 9×12″ tagboard with pencil. They could be drawn coming from either side of the paper going towards the middle.

They drew a small circle at the tip of each stem for the dandelions center and then lightly drew a large circle around it to act as a guideline to where their dandelion seed heads would be drawn to, to create a full, fluffy dandelion puff.

Students drew 1 large dandelion and 2 smaller ones on either side of the large one. Then drew a variety of seed heads stemming out from the center of each dandelion. I demonstrated various seed head tips for drawing before students drew on their own papers. I also offered a handout to refer to and observe, if they wanted while drawing.

Then once all three were drawn, they added drifting seed heads blowing away from the dandelion puffs in the wind. These drifting seed heads were drawn traveling in different directions (just like in real life) and not only adds interest, but creates a nice composition with the three dandelions along the opposite side.

Then students went over their stems lines and dandelion puffs lines and drifting seed heads with a black sharpie. After using sharpie they erased any pencil lines that remained.

Once that was done, after class, (when students were no longer in my art room), I brushed on a thick layer of rubber cement where each circular dandelion puff would be, as well as on the drifting seed heads. The rubber cement was a bit stinky and isn’t healthy to breathe in, so I worked next to an open window. This is why I applied the rubber cement and not the students.

The rubber cement was left to dry until the next class. (BTW- This doesn’t take up much rubber cement at all- I used about 3 small jars for 4 classes (roughly 24 students per class).

I used an old tempera brush rather than the rubber cements brush that it comes with. I found it was much easier to spread that way.

DAY 2

Before applying paint to our drawings, we reviewed warm and cool colors.

I had ice cube trays filled with liquid watercolors (one end with warm colors (warm colors=reds, pinks, oranges and yellows) and the other end with cool colors (cool colors= blues, greens and purples).

We also reviewed the wet-on-wet watercolor technique before painting. After demonstrating, students applied water only to 1/2 their paper quickly with a watercolor brush. THEN applied dabs of either just warm colored paint OR just cool colored paint onto the wet areas using one color at a time.

Students noticed how the paint spread outward from where they dabbed little bits of paint over the watered down paper. The water helps spread the paint and it also changes the value of the color making the color lighter and less vibrant (value= the lightness or darkness of a color).

Then once one 1/2 of their paper was painted, they dabbed the painted section with a paper towel while still wet, to help soften the color and spread the paint even more.

Then painted the other 1/2 of their paper with water only and applied paint to that wet area then dabbed off with a paper towel.

Once paintings were dry, the rubber cement was rubbed off, revealing the white dandelion puffs!

Thanks for visiting my blog!! Check back soon for new 1st grade artwork! Next week!

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Birch Tree Landscapes- 2nd Grade

April 21, 2019 4 Comments

This art lesson took about ( 3) 40 minute art classes to complete. Students learned about foreground, middle ground and background and how it creates a sense of space in artwork.

Read more below students artwork to find out how they were created!

DAY 1 – Creating the birch trees

After introducing foreground, middle ground and background to students, showing them multiple student artwork examples from previous years, and demonstrating the steps for day 1 of the lesson, students got to work creating their birch trees. We used 12 x 18″ medium weight tagboard for the paper.

Students drew 1 large tree in the foreground (area closest to the viewer- with objects drawn LARGEST along the bottom of the paper to show this) going all the way to the top of their paper.

Then drew a land line in the middle ground –(area in artwork that is placed in the middle of the paper or canvas, with objects drawn a bit smaller in this area, to show it is a bit further away from the viewer.) I demonstrated to make sure that they jumped over the tree as they drew the middle ground! Then proceeded to draw 2 slightly thinner trees from the middle ground up to the top of their paper.

Then they drew another hill / land line to show grass and trees growing in the background. This line was drawn near the top of the paper to show objects that are the furthest away from the viewer. Objects along this area are drawn the smallest to show they are the furthest things away in the artwork.

Once these areas were drawn with largest to smallest birch trees, going from the bottom of their paper to the top, students used a small piece of recycled currugated cardboard dipped into black paint to create the birch tree bark.

Dipping the currugated side of the cardboard into a small amount of black tempera paint, then scraping from one edge of the tree to the other, students created the black lines within their birch trees. ***It’s important to tap off extra black paint on the paper plate, before scraping, otherwise sometimes too much black paint can create larger black blocks of sections as opposed to black “lines”.

After creating the black lines for the birch bark in each tree, we created 1-2 branches for each tree by tilting the cardboard diagonally along the edges of our trees, and dragged the cardboard downward.

DAY 2 – Creating grass, flowers and painting the landscape

Students drew grass blades within their landscape using 2 different shades of green crayons and yellow. They pressed HARD as they drew the lines– It’s important to press hard not lightly here because the crayon bits would be painted over in the next step (creating a “crayon wax resist” technique with watercolors).

I showed kids how to hold all 3 crayons in one hand, drawing vertical and diagonal lines for the grass. (Doing this makes it easier and faster!) Some students held all 3 ok, and some preferred holding 2 then drawing the rest with the 3rd crayon after.

Then they drew a variety of flowers using crayons within each grassy section.

I love the triangular shaped crayons Crayola makes! They don’t roll off the tables!

Once complete with grass and flowers, students painted the grass and sky with slightly watered down liquid watercolors! Creating a crayon wax resist.

DAY 3- ADDING THE WOODLAND ANIMALS TO THE LANDSCAPE!

Students referred to a variety of “step-by-step” how to draw animals that I had created and stapled together into packets to draw at least 1 animal to add to their landscapes.

Foxes, squirrels, owls, skunks, bunny’s, racoons, deer, and wild horses (which could OF COURSE be made into unicorns!) were in the packet.

Students chose 1-2 animals to draw, and used their observational drawing skills to draw them, color in with colored pencils, cut them out and glue onto their beautiful landscapes!

LOVE her Amelia Earhart outfit! Some 2nd graders were doing book report presentations on this day in their classrooms!

And there you have it!! Beautiful work everybody!!

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5th Grade- Mixed-Media Bouquet of Flowers

April 6, 2019 No Comments

This is a new lesson I started this year and I’m SO in love with them!! My 5th graders at Roosevelt just finished these yesterday and I couldn’t WAIT to post them to share!! Thank you Laura (Paintedpaperart.com) and amymcreynolds (Instagram) for the inspiration!

Finished artwork is 9×12″ with an 11 x 14″ white paper border hot glued to the back. Read more below to see how these beauties were created with steps and photos!

Here are some close ups!

This 4 day (four 40 min. art classes) lesson focuses on 6 of the 7 Elements of Art; Form, Line, Shape, Color, Texture, and Value.

We used white Modelite modeling material, printmaking with bubble wrap, splatter painting with watercolors, liquid tempera paints to paint the flowers, bubble wrap and flower’s stems and leaves, railroad board paper, 80# white drawing paper, and scissors and glue sticks to create these mixed-media flowers.

DAY 1

Students each received a small cut section of Modelite modeling material to make 5 flowers. This air hardening, super soft material is SO easy to manipulate and shape. If you’ve never used it, it’s very similar to ModelMagic. I found that (4) 8 ounce packages are more than enough for 1 class of about 25 students. I put each section in a plastic ziplock baggie ahead of time so they wouldn’t dry out and make passing out the materials for class easier. Then I just reuse the bags for the next class.

I demonstrated under the document camera ways to create a few different flowers, but students could make any kind they wanted.

Students rolled a small chunk of material into a small ball, about the size of a ping pong ball, then flattened the ball with their palm a bit (to about the thickness of an oreo cookie. Then used scissors to make cuts towards the center all the way around, then cut small triangle sections out from those cuts to separate and create the flowers petals. From there they used their fingers to shape and point the ends if they wanted, or leave them more straight on the ends. The leftover clay from the triangle cuts were balled up to make the flowers center. Other small balls of material were made into tulips, circle “button” flowers, and daisy’s and many other fun creative flowers! Kids got really creative! Take a look below!

For any students out there reading this, it’s important to keep them separate on the plate so they don’t touch one another. This material is very sticky and will dry stuck together.

Students could create a variety of 5 flowers, or they can all be the same flower!

One day in school, I realized I didn’t have plates for them ( I don’t know how, since I make like 500 trips to dollar tree for this kind of stuff each week!!!) BUT… the cafeteria staff came to the rescue!! These lunch plates were perfect! 5 separate sections!

Flowers were stashed away to dry until the next art class (I see each class once a week). To completely harden it takes 72 hours.

DAY 2

Students painted their flowers with liquid tempera paint. I put the paints in ice cube trays as seen below to separate colors. What a game changer!!! I had never thought of using these until THIS YEAR?!? Super cheap to buy at the Dollar Tree (pack of 2 for $1)!

Students could paint their flowers any colors they wanted! Kids started on the petals first, leaving the center last, in order to hold them down while painting. They rinsed their brush well in water and wiped on a paper towel between changing colors. Kids did a great job of keeping the colors clean! Trays were covered in tinfoil and stashed away until the next class.

Love all the colors, and layering of color! Flowers were left to dry until the next class!

DAY 3

Students created 2 different painted papers for their table and vase. First, they created a print using bubble wrap. They painted the bubble side with liquid tempera and could use any colors they wanted from the trays. Once painted, they laid a sheet of 80# drawing paper on top, rubbed their hands over the paper and then peeled the paper off revealing their print!

Even if the print produced some areas with less color, students could use other sections of their print to cut out and create their tables and vases.

After they printed, they did some fun splatter painting with watercolors on a separate sheet of 9×12″ paper. Kids LOVED this and had a blast!

Paintings were left to dry until the next class!

DAY 4

On the final day students assembled everything together! To prep, I hot glued all students 5 flowers onto a sheet of 9×12″ railroad board (like bristol board with both sides colored). Teachers out there reading, this took a bit of time (about 1 hour per class of 27 students). I picked out the color for the paper, and had 2 hot glue guns going as I worked, then wrote each students name on the bottom of the paper. After, I placed all their papers with flowers in a large cardboard mason box to disperse in class later.

I demonstrated to students under the doc camera to measure one of their selected painted papers using a ruler. They measured 4″ from the bottom of their 9×12″ sheet, making 3 marks. Then they draw a straight horizontal line using the ruler along those (3) 4″ marks. Then cut along the line and glue with a glue stick and apply to the bottom of their railboard paper to create the table.

Then they choose another section of painted paper to create their vase. I suggested they use both painted papers (one for the table and a different one for the vase) for more visual interest, but they could use the same paper if they really wanted.

I created 4 different vase example drawings and photocopied them on cardstock to use as either a visual aid to observe and draw from, cut out as a tracer then trace on their painted paper, or they could create their own vase entirely. I wanted to offer a variety of methods, and including a tracer was helpful, since getting the sizing right to fit the paper under their flowers might of been a bit tricky.

For a final step, students used 2 different shades of green liquid tempera to paint flower stems and leaves.

The student above, on the left discovered how cool the BACKSIDE of his splatter painting was and decided to use that side instead for his vase! And look at that gorgeous rose on the top right! Beautiful!

The student above wanted to outline her vase and add black details with oil pastel! LOVE LOVE LOVE! It reminds me of Matisse!

They all turned out so lovely! I love the variety of flowers, textures, colors AND unique artistic decisions!! I can’t wait to mount them all on white paper and display them in the halls!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Check back soon for more artwork by 2nd grade, 4th grade and 1st grade!!

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3rd Grade- Complementary Creature Prints!

April 1, 2019 No Comments

3rd graders did such a fantastic job printmaking!! 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!)

This lesson took about 5 (40 min.) art classes to finish, and create three prints of one drawing. We used markers and styrofoam printing plates to create our prints.

DAYS 1-2

On the first day of the lesson, I showed students prints students created from previous years as well as my own examples. Then I showed them the first portion of my video tutorial and discussed what printmaking was. The book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak was inspiration for this lesson.

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 take photos of kids drawing 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 onto a sheet of styrofoam (the printing plate) to trace. Being sure to tape it to the top in two areas where there wasn’t any image, so the paper wouldn’t move on them while tracing.

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

Below you can see the image has transferred to the styrofoam plate.

Once that’s done, students trace over all their lines indented in the styrofoam plate. They used a colored pencil for this step as well. The reason they trace twice (once with their drawing over the styrofoam and once on the styrofoam only) is so the indentations are deep enough for printing a crisp, clear image of their drawing.

Styrofoam plate all ready for coloring in with markers!

DAYS 3-5

Students learn what complementary colors are, (colors opposite one another on the color wheel and consist of one primary color and one secondary color. (red + green, blue + orange, and yellow + purple).

Students learned that when complementary colors are used next to one another in artwork, it makes an image pop and helps make the artwork stand out.

On the styrofoam using regular washable Crayola markers, they colored their creature with one set of complementary colors, and then their background with a different set. It’s important that the markers are juicy (aren’t dried out) for this. (I saved and set aside a large box of markers for just this lesson, to ensure students would have juicy markers!)

After the styrofoam is completely colored, they take off their taped on drawing and sprayed a sheet of 9×12″ 80# drawing paper using water from a spray bottle. (For the spray bottles, I just use recycled empty spray cleaner bottles after thoroughly rinsing out).

They sprayed the paper 6 times- two on top on either side, two in the middle on either side 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 gently 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 all over for about 10 seconds, they used a brayer (which is like a mini paint roller except it has a rubber roller) to roll over the back of their printing plate to help further push and transfer the marker to the damp paper to create their print.

(I explain to students it’s VERY important to always have one hand holding down the styrofoam plate, while pressing with their other hand or using the brayer, so they don’t move their styrofoam which would smudge their print, thus creating a blurry one).

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, they lift the opposite corner with the other hand to check if there are any bald spots. If there are any bald spots (where their isn’t any color), they roll over that area again and/or use their fingers to press into any smaller detailed areas where needed.

Once they check all areas, they lift off the styrofoam plate to reveal their print!

There are a lot of steps involved in creating these prints, which can be tricky to remember! So I have students watch the printmaking steps of my video tutorial in the beginning of the first couple of art classes when they have begun printing, to review and help them remember!

I’m so glad I decided to make that video for this lesson! Students find it helpful to watch and such a time saver from constantly having to set up and waste paper and marker ink each time as I would while demonstrating…. and since it’s recorded- I don’t ever have to worry about forgetting to tell them something!

Once they print their first print, they repeat the process of coloring their printing plates and wetting their papers to print, and pressing 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!

Here is my video tutorial on this lesson!

https://youtu.be/njw-xLPtq_k

Thanks so much for stopping by! To view other art tutorial videos I’ve made click on “Art Instruction Videos” under the drop down menu or visit my YouTube channel!