1st Grade - Eric Carle Flower Gardens

I LOVE this lesson... so much fun in the Spring! 

The first class, we make several pieces of painted paper, Eric Carle style, using scrapers and sponges. Each table or class makes a batch of a color for everyone to share. (red/oranges. yellow/oranges, blue/violets. yellow/greens, magenta/violets)

The next class, I have it prepped for everyone! 2x9 strips for cutting grass and stems. 3x3 squares for cutting flowers and a 2x9 strip for cutting suns and rays. Once finished, we use Crayola Twistables to draw some flying "friends". They LOVE to draw the flight path for each. 😀

These are 8x8 for Square 1 Art. Even small, they are super cute!

5th Grade - Jasper Johns Camouflage NUMBERS!

Camouflage can be in any colors!  And not just for hunters!  This is a great lesson to teach CONTRAST and lack of contrast. We were inspired by Jasper John’s and his camouflage numbers.

I did give the students numbers to trace.  They were very thankful.  If they wanted to draw their own, they could.

We are working on a big color mixing unit with my Studio classes.  I set up several colors at tables and they were able to travel to the colors they desired.  We talked about color schemes, they needed to have one, choose 2-5 colors and try to stick to tones of those colors when mixing. They did a pretty good job! These are our finished works of art!

6th Grade Abstract Landscapes!

This lesson has become a staple for my 6th grade Core Art Class.  Landscape is a great subject, very broad subject.  Then choosing several artists with interesting, painterly techniques to inspire composition, approach to colors and mixing... you have a great lesson!

We look closely at Mandy Budan, a current Canadian Artist, and Vincent Van Gogh.  Students create smaller thumbnail sketches in their sketchbook, (4x6), and practice painting with both artists techniques.  Once they decide their own style, inspired by the two artists, we draw on a larger 16x14 paper.  Students are required to have foreground, middle ground and background.  Once drawn, sky and background are painted first, then middleground, followed by foreground. Each quarter, the students manage to create very different looking landscapes! No two are alike!