I am special

Kindergarten is a great year to promote art about ourselves. I found this little book a while back at a book store in a nearby ski town. I love the sweet message of  venturing out,

and being unique. I also enjoy the lovely bright fish. Since we had already painted Klee fish this year. I chose to let the kinders paint a background free and however they chose. I encouraged them to show their personality in their  choice of color, line, and shape. While they were painting, I interviewed each child for their favorite food, playtime activity, and who they loved in this world. I also took a profile photo of each child. Next week we will cut out our profile, and 3 words to collage onto our painting. Another  fun Pinterest idea!

Moose Art

First graders are learning about friendship, moose, horizon line and reviewing neutral colors. Thank you Deep Space Sparkle for this wonderful project.  We read  the book, "Ernest the Moose Who Doesn't Fit." Then discussed horizon line, where the sky and earth meet. The students are ready to not just paint a blue stripe at the top edge of their paper to indicate sky.  We are painting like "First Grade Artists" now!We drew and painted our backgrounds. Next we used brown and black water colors to paint " moose fur". This is a great way to use up these often overlooked colors. Next week  we will draw our Moose with antlers!

A Literary Art Spin off

One of my third graders was inspired to write a book at home, while  we were working on Australian dot and x-ray art. I just love it and had to share. She gave me permission to photograph and post it here on our school Art Blog. Thank you Elise for this adorable story about your Koala!

Pinch Pot Monsters

I have seen many versions of these on Pinterest and online. so I decided to see what my 5th graders could do. Last week we sketched ideas as we finished our owl prints. Today I briefly demonstrated on the document camera how to make the pinch pot, and attach pieces using the score and slip method. Everyone who had me for kindergarten knows how to make a pinch pot... But I was stern about attaching pieces. Their grade depended on "lasting" construction. They got to work and had a blast. Even those who didn't get to sketch prior, were running away with ideas. They were brainstorming as they created, sharing inspirations, and techniques. It was wonderful to see the room come alive with little wide-mouthed-creatures. Clay is a rather rushed process in my art room, ony because it has to be a one day event. I literally have no room to save items in bags for a week. They end up too hard to work with after 7 days anyway. So the pressure was on! Look at the amazing products. I can't wait to see them glazed. Look forward to that posting!

Third Grade Australian X-Ray and Dot Art

Third Grade learning about Australia in our Art room, and its Aboriginal Art. We handled a real didgeridoo, and have sample some actual didgeridoo recorded music. In accordance with our standards we looked at, and respectfully discussed, the art from this wonderful culture. We are  now learning to draw specific animals found in Australia. Then, Mrs. Jackson-style, we are taking it up a notch and sparking it with some color. The x-ray free-form shapes are colored in with metallic pencils. then

 embellished with patterns of shape and line. The dots  around the animal are made with the eraser end of a new pencil, dipped into metallic tempera paint. We are concentrating on purposeful design. No random marks on these works of art!

Fourth Grade Storytellers Painted

Using Neutral colored tempera paint, brown, black, white, students decorated their clay story tellers.
They were encouraged to use geometric shapes, dots, lines, similar to the original Clay Pueblo Storytellers.  Their clay characters really show their personalities.