The Stunning Simplicity of Notans

Fourth grade art students created notans by cutting shapes out and flipping them to create symmetry. Supplies: Small construction paper to cut out of (I use 9″ x 9″) Large paper to glue onto (I use 18″ x 18″) Scissors Glue sticks Downloadable PowerPoint: Notan I was unsure about doing a notan project with 4th graders….

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Klee-inspired Watercolor Crayons

Inspired by Paul Klee’s artwork, second grade students used watercolor crayons to create artwork with geometric shapes. Supplies: Light poster board Rulers Assorted circular lids for tracing Watercolor crayons Paint brushes Cups Downloadable PowerPoint: Klee Watercolor Crayons This quarter I have the 2nd graders that I had at the beginning of the year. I have been…

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The Magic of Wax Resist

Inspired by James Rizzi, fourth grade art students drew landscapes or cityscapes in crayon, then painted their art with watercolors to create a wax resist. Supplies: Poster board (I used light weight) Crayons Watercolor paints Cups Brushes Downloadable PowerPoint: Wax Resist Scapes I love love love the first painting project with a class! For 4th…

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Color Theory Branches

Students in third and fourth grade classes worked collaboratively to paint branches using analogous and complementary color schemes. Supplies: Tempera paint Big and small brushes 6 or more branches Dental floss Binder clips or small metal hook Downloadable Sign: Color Theory Downloadable PowerPoint: Collaborative Branches Every quarter I get to collaborate with the Music and…

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Encourage Creativity with Hand-prints

Teaching creativity is almost an oxymoron. How can you teach something that inherently has to come from within another person? My goal this year has been to encourage creativity by presenting projects that are open-ended and allowing students to take their artwork in a new direction.

Listen Up! Game

Listen Up! Game is perfect for introducing elementary students to the art classroom.

Eagle Challenge

High school art students created their interpretation of an eagle to display at a concert.

Functional Clay

High school art students created functional artwork out of clay. They chose between throwing on the wheel or hand-building.

Figurines

High school art students created small figurines out of clay using hand-building techniques.

Abstract or Realistic?

Abstract or Realistic? A student-led approach to teaching the element of Space. Students chose between creating a drawing using perspective or a notan using positive and negative space.