This Valentine Op-Art lesson was inspired by the art of British artist Bridget Riley. I knew that the boys in my 5th grade class were not going to go for the traditional valentine project this year, so adding a heart to an Op-Art hand drawing seemed like the perfect compromise! I've done this project a few times now, and some of my 5th, 6th and 7th graders have … [Read more...]
How to Paint Colorful Hearts Inspired by Jim Dine
These colorful hearts for grades 1 and up are inspired by American artist, Jim Dine (1935 - ). They make a fun, framable project for Valentine's Day or ANY day you want to share some love! You can see my demo (above) and a few of my 1st grade artists' paintings below. Yes, those paintings below are by 1st graders! Keys to success There are two keys to success with … [Read more...]
A Heart for Moms…. or Anyone!
Hearts, flowers, and a handmade touch are things that come to mind when I think of a gift for Mother’s Day. So why not combine all three to show some love to a mom.... your own or another special mom in your life? My friend Hazel McNab is famous for her hearts. She inspired herself with a challenge and a creative goal and painted a heart a day for several years. Now Hazel … [Read more...]
Hearts and Grit
Four years ago, I wrote a blog post about Hazel McNab, a woman who challenged herself to design a heart to go with an inspiring quote every day for a year. She held herself accountable by posting her journey online. It just so happened it was a Leap Year, hence the name of her blog: 366 Hearts. Well, it’s four years later, and let me tell you she is still going strong! As I … [Read more...]
Say, “I Love You” with Clay
There’s something about ceramic projects that makes them such special keepsakes. Maybe it’s the permanence of the glazed and fired clay, able to last well beyond a generation. Maybe it’s the tactile nature of the medium itself and the way it reveals each impression left by the artist’s hands. Or, maybe it’s that there tend to be fewer of these projects than the more common 2D … [Read more...]
Valentine Color Mixing – Paint 100 Hearts!
With Valentines Day (and the '100th Day of School') just around the corner, I thought I’d post this heart-themed version of my 'Mixing 100 Colors’ lesson! Mixing the colors and then painting hearts requires a little longer attention span, so I’ve found that 4th grade and up does best with this version. But younger students can also do this if they just work a little larger and … [Read more...]
Quilled Paper Designs
Quilling, also known as paper filigree, is an art form that involves rolling and gluing thin strips of paper into various shapes and arranging them to form designs. Quilled paper designs can be very simple or as complex as you have the dexterity and patience for! The art of quilling dates back to the Renaissance when French and Italian monks and nuns would use … [Read more...]
366 Hearts
If you're looking for ideas for Valentine's Day, this story may give you the inspiration you're looking for! When I first discovered the 366 Hearts project, I stayed up half the night with inspiration for all the new ideas I wanted to try. Talented U.K. artist, Hazel McNab, challenged herself to create a new heart every day from Valentine's Day 2012 until Valentine's Day … [Read more...]
Valentine Color Mixing
You can mix a "tint" of any color just by adding white to it. Painting with tints lends itself well to Valentine projects, like this colorful card made from a 12"x18" painting folded in half.1. First, place a "quarter-size" amount of red, yellow and turquoise tempera paint on a paper plate. (I like to use "turquoise" rather than "blue", because it's closer to "cyan", or "true … [Read more...]
“Hide-a-Heart” Valentines
This lesson is adapted from Karen Card, my children's middle school Art teacher. You can do this versatile project with any grade level, scaling it up or down as needed. It's fun to give kids a little structure and a lot of freedom to be creative.... then watch as all the great ideas start flowing out!1. Talk about how the elements in a design can be obvious or more subtle. … [Read more...]
