Thursday, October 27, 2011

Oh My! Op Art

Op Art

Last weeks lesson blew me away!  It had its pros and cons.  It was very difficult to teach, although a simple concept.  You wouldnt believe how many children did not know how to use a ruler.  Is it because of all the computers we use now and we dont need to measure anything, the computer does so much for us? 

The lesson was Op Art, which stands for Optical Illusion Art.  By teaching the children how to make a few simple lines, they could achieve something that looks like an optical illusion.  The results were amazing!  I was so happy to see it finally click with the students, thats what makes my job so well worth it!

Here are the results:















Introducing NEW Paperless System

I want to let everyone know that I am now introducing a new paperless system.  At the end of each class I usually give the students a piece of paper that explains the lesson and how we created the work.  As more and more students join my class, I am using more and more paper and ink.  More paper and ink equals more money that I spend on paper and ink.  SO, I would love to spend the money towards the students and buying art supplies for them rather than on ink. 

I also would like to direct people towards visiting my blog more often because I feel it is a great resource for parents and students and I do dedicate alot of time blogging the information. 

With that being said, here is the first lesson I am using for my Paperless System.

This weeks lesson was pretty Spooktacular!  I love when the holidays come along, I get to do some holiday themed lessons with them.  Since we only had 1 more week left till Halloween, I wanted to get in one more lesson that represented the season.

VAMPIRE BATIK LESSON 

The lesson is called Vampire Batik.  It is a combination of chalk pastels, oil pastels and a black acrylic wash.  It was so interesting to see the results. 

The students first sketched out their vampire on a sheet of sketch paper.  Once they mastered the vampire, they transferred that image onto a Watercolor Paper using a chalk pastel.   They then colored in the vampire using oil pastels.  They were told to make it thick and cover the entire surface.  Once they colored it all in, they painted over the entire surface using the black acrylic wash.  I let it sit for about a minute and then ran it under water to wash away any remaining black paint.  Wherever they applied the chalk pastel is where the black paint stuck to, leaving a great batik effect on the paper. 

The kids did a great job.  Here is some of theire work:










Thursday, October 13, 2011

Art Hearts are Back!

I know, its been forever since I have posted anything in my blog.  Between track out camps, art classes, kids, and face painting, I have been busy!

I spent a few hours with my camp kids painting some of my semi-famous art hearts!  So for those of you who are not familiar with my art hearts, I will key you in on a little secret.  I made these hearts to give away as prizes during art classes.

The are painted wooden hearts, embellished with stickers, paint, glitter, and then covered with a special coat of paint that leaves a smooth finish on top.  The kids love them and they are turning into collectibles like silly bands!

Its so much fun to make them and I love how the kids look forward to winning one.  Here are some that I made.