4th Grade - Laurel Burch inspired Printed Cat Portraits

Laurel Burch Printed Cat Portraits!  A very simple printmaking project with a couple fun embellishments!  A great  LINE, COLOR, TEXTURE and DESIGN lesson. You can lean any way you decide!

Week 1 - We look at the art of Laurel Burch, mostly her cats. We discuss their BIG human like eyes and beautiful patterns. Students drew their own cat portrait on a 6x9 piece of white paper. Then tape it and lightly trace it to a piece of printing styrofoam the same size. I like to use ball point pens to press the foam down further, to get it ready for printing. 

Week 2 - Students select 4 pieces of 6x9 pieces of construction paper in various colors. Then with old oil pastels, we color on the side a bit, making the paper multicolored. Once done, we printed our styrofoam with black printing ink. 

Week 3 - Students selected the best 2 of 4 prints to frame side by side on white 7x10, then down to a 12x18. We used colored metallic papers for eye balls, with black oil pastel lines if they liked. Then paper crimpers to make colorful whiskers. The final steps made them look more finished! A very satisfying product in the end!

 

5th Grade Picasso Selfies

These Picasso Selfies turned out GREAT! Every single one is framable! That is saying a lot since these classes are 32 students each! 128 fifth graders! We took a look at various Picasso Portraits, (Picasso Portrait Prezi).  This is another round of the bogus paper, black tempera paint and chalk pastels.  The students painted water with paintbrushes on area they were ready to chalk, and the chalks just melt on!  Since sharing this lesson on Facebook and Instagram, I have had several people make other great suggestions.  The queen of this technique herself, Phyllis Levine Brown, aka There's a Dragon in my Art Room, (http://plbrown.blogspot.com/) gave more great advice.  Paint the black with acrylic, then soak the paper in water, the paint will not run! Great idea... I am a step behind.  I will be trying it next year.  Others just simply dip the pastel in the water, then color.  Pick your technique! Do what works best for you! Have fun!

1st Grade - Picasso Clowns

This lesson is an "oldie but goodie".  My mother and her art teacher pals created this lesson years ago.  It has been a great one to pull out every few years.  Students look at Picasso Portraits, (Picasso Prezi), and Picasso's Clown he did with simple line.  We create ours with black tempera and warm and cool oil pastels.  They are always super cute in a group at the arts festival!  This is an easy 2 week lesson with great results!

2nd Grade - Calacas/Calaveras Portraits

These Calacas/Calaveras Portraits, (dressed up skeleton's for Day of the Dead), are all made with cut paper and a little paint.  The dress sombrero's are painted with silver tempera.  Pretty simple! These make me very happy!