Shadow tracing is a project that students from about 2nd or 3rd grade and up will love doing. It fits right in with discussions about composition, color theory, and positive/negative shapes. In the interest of full disclosure, one of the reasons students love it so much is that they have to go outside to do it! I guess we don't get out as often as we should in Art class, so … [Read more...]
Class Management with Sign Language!
I was recently asked how I handle questions and interruptions while I'm teaching. If you have a group of more than about six students, questions and other interruptions can take your class off-task and eat up your teaching time, whether you're teaching Art or any other subject. Here's what I do to really cut down on that!First of all, I emphasize from the beginning that I … [Read more...]
Creativity takes courage!
"Creativity takes courage."~ Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954)Still Life with Fruit by Henri MatisseFrench painter, Henri Matisse, is considered to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century. He tells us that "Creativity takes courage," and he should know! His flat shapes, expressive abstractions and vivid use of color was highly controversial in his day, earning him … [Read more...]
Foreground, Middle Ground, Background
"The Luncheon of the Boating Party" by Pierre-Auguste RenoirCan you identify the foreground, middle ground and background in this painting?Here's an Art concept that applies to many 2D projects from still lifes to landscapes. You can teach and/or review it no matter what medium you're working in. This is the spatial concept of foreground, middle ground and background.The … [Read more...]
Paper Trivia
I learned an interesting bit of trivia the other day while preparing for a lesson in the art of Japanese Paper Folding, a.k.a. "Origami". This may not change your life, but it does make a great conversation starter and I guarantee your students will not be willing to just take your word for it!So, here it is.... did you know that it's impossible to fold a piece of paper (any … [Read more...]
Screen Shots!
For those of you who enjoyed creating Abstract Art using Miltos Manetas' website (from yesterday's post), there is a way to save your creation, even though the website itself doesn't give you a way to do that. You can take a picture of all or part of your computer screen using “screen shots” or “screen captures.” While this isn't exactly a secret, I'm sure there are a few … [Read more...]
What Is Art??
So what is Art, anyway?? Not to get all philosophical or anything, but you have to admit that's a good question! If you ask 100 people, you're likely to get 100 different answers. I recently attended an exhibit at the Denver Art Museum titled, "What is Art?". This question was posed to exhibit viewers who responded on sticky notes that covered an entire wall. Reading … [Read more...]
Art Rules!
"Yay!! It's Art time!"Every teacher enjoys getting an enthusiastic reaction from students. To hear students exclaim, "Yay!! It's Art time!" or "Art rules!" is music to an Art teacher's ears. Yet only when students feel safe to create, comfortable in the vulnerability of putting a part of themselves into their work, will they respond this way. So, how do you begin to create … [Read more...]
A Case for Creativity and the Arts in Schools
Creativity and the Arts are often not given the attention they deserve in schools today. As a result, kids miss the important lessons that creativity and the arts provide. Many of them develop unrealistic standards for the work they create. They expect perfection and struggle to allow themselves to fail, missing the learning opportunity that failing provides. Then these kids … [Read more...]
Tips for Working with Oil Pastels
Oil pastels just might be my favorite Art medium for kids! Both set-up and clean-up are quick and easy, and with a few specific instructions, every student can achieve great (if not totally charming!) results. Here are a few tips to help your students find success with oil pastels. You will probably find yourself repeating these instructions over and over, but eventually it … [Read more...]