Watercolors

This project began by experimenting with watercolor techniques. First we did flat wash, graduated wash, resist, wet in wet and watercolor crayons for different techniques. Using these techniques we then created our background for our fish. I applied the graduated wash for the purple part of my background. For the green part I used the watercolor crayons then painted over the crayon with water. Before applying the water I colored around the green with a regular white crayon to give the resistance effect. For my fish I used the resistance effect again coloring different distuingishing parts of the fish such as an eye, fan tail and a scale.

An extension project I could include with this project is reading about other sea creatures and completing an art project to coincide with that animal. For instance, next I would read a book about octopi, then whales. At the end of the sea unit, my class will watch Finding Nemo to incoporate all of the sea animals together.

Painting & Printmaking

This project began with a fun mysterious activity. Each student went around to eight different bags, stuck their hand into the bag and then wrote what they thought was in the bag. Once we were all done looking, the teachers revealed what was in the bags. This was to help us gather ideas for different textures we coudl get from different objects. Next, we got to pick several objects to dip into paint, then roll out onto paper to see what the textured look would be. Next, we had a clean sheet of paper that we had to put a pattern or abstract textured picture together. We had to include two primary colors, one secondary and one intermediate color. I chose to do a pattern with the colors and textures. My first primary color was yellow, which i painted onto bubble wrap and stamped onto my paper. Next I created a secondary color with blue and yellow, creating green. I painted the green onto sandpaper and then stamped it onto the paper as well. I did not get the textured result as desired. I think I applied too much paint to the sandpaper. For my intermediate color I added more blue to the green to get a intermediate color of blue-green. I then used tinsel and sponged it onto the remaining space of my paper. My name is painted on in the second primary color required. I chose the primary color red.



An extension activity that could be done with this lesson is a scavenger hunt. Students could bring in small objects from home in paper bags. Then the other students will feel inside the bag, trying to guess the different objects.

Oil Pastels-Foreground, Middle Ground & Background

This activity was brought to life and we were instructed to create a picture inside a snow globe with oil pastels as it was snowing outside! Definately help make it feel like we were actually in a snow globe! First, the class practiced working with oil pastels to shade and blend colors together. Once we had enough practice, we traced circles to be the outline for our snowglobe. We could create any scene that was important to use, we just needed to try include an object that was the foreground, an object in the middle ground and an object in the background. Foreground is the object that appears closest in the picture. My foreground object is the Christmas tree. The middle ground, which is what appears in the middle of the scene, is the fireplace. Finally, the background, the object farthest away, is the tiny pictures on the wall. I chose this scene as this depicts the living at my home at Christmas.

An extension activity that could be done with this is researching and learning about artist who do an excellent job of creating a scene with foreground, middle ground and background. For instance, Terry Redlin. Then, if possible, a field trip could be taken to his art Museum to see in person his pictures using foreground, middle ground and background.

Monochromatic Painting with Shapes

This lesson was about learning shades and tints of colors using shapes. First I chose to trace a circle cup for my shape. Next I chose the color purple. We first experiemented how to make tints of the color we chose by adding white. We took it another step by adding more white to make a different tint than the first one we created. We did the same thing for shades except that we added black to our original color. For this painting, we had to have our original color present in one of the shapes and then at least two shades and two tints. Once our paint dried we had to outline the shapes with black marker to give defintion to the shades and tints with the shapes.

An extension activity I would include with this project would be geometry. Students could learn about sine, cosine and tangent.

Pinch Pots

This is the lesson I and Ms. Schafer taught to the class. We started by giving background information about pinch pots along with new terminology as the class had not worked with clay before. Once we gave each student a portion of clay, we had the class press it into the table to rid any air bubbles in the clay. Next, we had the students throw the clay back and forth between their hands to form a ball with the clay. Then, students were instructed to use their thumbs and "pinch" down into the center of the ball. The class then repeated this over and over until they have the desired thickness and shape to their pot. Students were required to add different techniques to their pot which included slip, texture, lines, and indents in the clay. I added slip to the top of my pot to make the edges smooth, a textured bottom, and added an H to the center using the slip technique. The H is for my fiance's last name.

An extension activity that could be done with the pinch pots is researching and writing a paper about the tribes that make pinch pots still today, what the use of the pinch pots are for and differnt kinds of pots that can be made.

Hidden Safari

This was one of my favorite art projects! The Hidden Safari! First we were given different animals from the wild that we could use as a guide to draw, but we had to draw looking at the picture upside down. This was to help our eyes focus on the line we needed to draw instead of the whole picture. To draw the picture, we needed to use a cool blue colored pencil color so it would be easily disguised. After drawing our animal, we then had to use warm colors such as red, orange or yellow to make a repeating pattern over our picture. This would help distract our eyes from the drawing. Once we had our picture covered in patterns, we used our safari glasses we created to see the hidden picture! It was fun trying to see everyone else's safari animal.

An extension activity that could be done with this project would be included in Social Studies. As the class is learning about different continenets around the world, when we come to Africa, we can learn about the culture there along with different animals native to that land. Then students can pick an animal and create their own hidden safari!

Starry Night Tissue Collage

This art project started with us cutting all different kinds of shapes out of tissue paper, then glueing the piecing down onto construction paper. Once we had most of our construction paper covered with tissue paper, I covered the entire sheet by painting over it with an adhesive. This adhesive helped secure the tissue paper along with giving it a glossy look. Then, I took a piece of red construction paper to cut out my city sky line. I choose red as the saying goes, "Paint the town red". I colored in windows, brick lines and other city features on the red construction paper with a black marker. Once the adhesive was dry, I glued my city outline down. Then, I outlined all of the tissue paper with a white oil pastel.

An extensive activity that could be done with this project is about stars. We could look up how to find different consolations during the night, how stars form and burn out, along with if seeing stars is easier in the city or countryside.

Starry Night Finger

To begin this lesson, the class discussed Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night painting. Then, we were given a sheet of paper and were to finger paint a drawing of our own. We could either try to recreate the Starry Night painting or we could create one of our own. I choose to create my own painting. Every weekend I travel home to see family so I decided to draw the trip home. By mixing primary colors, I created a sunset skyline, the grass along the side of the shoulder and the paved road I travel home. By applying extra paint to some areas I was able to create a sense of texture in the picture.
As an extension activity to this project, we could research information about Vincent Van Gogh, then write a short bibliography about him using proper writing technique learned with the 6+1 traits.

Eric Karl Collage

This was a two week project where the first week I made different secondary colors from mixing different primary colors. We were able to use different texture items such as rollers or the back of our paint brushes to create patterns in the paintings. The following week we came back and were suppose to have an idea in mind for a one page illustration. I chose to make an illustration of how two enemies can be friends. Elephants are scared of mice but in my illustration the two are friends. Using different paintings I created and ones other students in the class created, I used different colors to create my objects. I wanted certain objects to resemble life like colors such as the sun, grass and water but other objects such as the elephant and mouse I wanted the colors to be different to appeal to the imagination.

An extension activity that could be done with this lesson is the class could have written a short story together, having characters, a problem in the story and a solution. Then, the students in the class would have to create the illustrations using the same technique as when they created their own illustration.