Grab your Smock & Smile

I just realized I didn’t explain why I titled my page Grab Your Smock and Smile. It is simple really when I get my smock out of the closet I have to smile! When I see students pulling their smocks on in class they start to smile. Art lifts me up and it relaxes me. Having a smock on the back of my chair or rushing down the hallways of school in my smock I smile. I feel like a super artist ready and willing to help students create something new, ready to build confidence.

So even if you might not make a mess in art class today put on your smock and smile that your there!

Cloud Study

I wanted to teach the students about John Constable, he was landscape painter from in England in the 1800’s. New York states New Common Core wanted students so discus his cloud paintings. I thought that it would be a great opportunity to teach them how to paint clouds that looked more sophisticated and like the clouds had movement.

First I showed a PowerPoint about Constables cloud study and Alfred Stiegliz cloud study. I talked about why artist would have concentration or a study of the same topic many times. The students learned about the types of clouds in the sky adding a little science to the lesson.

 We started painting the blue backgrounds adding white mixing on the canvas to show atmosphere. While that was drying the students played a matching game on the smart projector. Matching the clouds from famous paintings with photos of clouds.

I showed them how to tap in the white pushing all the white paint out of the brush before getting more. I explained how to make the paint have layers of white built up for high lights on the clouds.

When the paintings had dried and hung in the hall as you may have guessed none of the clouds looked alike. As students would look up at them in the hall everyone would say that clouds looks like … just like if they laying the grass starring up at the sky.

Visual Art Careers

My first experience with stations in art went really well.
I wanted the students to learn about art careers. They learned about fashion designer, graphic artist, and architect. I created baskets with supplies so that students had easy access to what they needed. Each group of careers had a different job.

Fashion Designer
They need to create two outfits for a party.
I gave them books with fashion ideas, pattern paper to cut in to dresses or pants. I also encouraged them to draw the styles they liked. Each student got a template of the body to put the clothing on.

Graphic Designer
The job was to create a cereal box for the new cereal called Krunch Munchies.
They work on what making the words standout. They had rulers, markers, stencils and markers.

Architect

They had the job of designing a home for a family of six.

Students had rulers, stencils, books of famous architects and color pencils.

Each class the kids came in excited for the new station they also liked knowing what was coming next.

Bamboo and Chinese Calligraphy

Children truly enjoy learning about different cultures. Day one students worked on Chinese Calligraphy using markers and black water color paint. The next class students worked on step by step how to create bamboo they had practice paper. Lastly putting both calligraphy and bamboo together. The students made the final copy with black water color paint. This could be done with ink.  I really love the black and white I feel like it makes their work look very sophisticated.