Are you looking for an easy project that will give your youngest students more practice with scissors? This very basic Japanese Notan lesson is perfect for working on cutting and gluing skills, and kids will love the striking designs they create! Notan is a type of Japanese art that uses the contrast of light and dark to make an eye-catching composition. (Pronounce it just like … [Read more...]
Christmas in July! Japanese Notan-Inspired Ornaments
Even though Christmas falls on the same day every year, it still manages to sneak up on me! Why is that??! My best intentions are always to post some new Christmas art projects & ideas a month or two ahead of time, but then the busyness of the season just gets the best of me! So my answer to that is to get a head start by posting them in July! My 5th graders loved making … [Read more...]
Positive/Negative Space Collage #2
This project is similar to the last one I posted, but this one has a mirror image that works vertically as well as horizontally. It's really not that much more difficult, especially if you've already done the first one, but it's definitely impressive! (Both are adapted from the book Wild & Wonderful Art Lessons by Gene Baer, a great resource which unfortunately is long out … [Read more...]
Positive/Negative Space Collage #1
Cut paper collage is a great way to teach the concepts of positive/negative space and symmetry. This lesson is inspired by the art of Japanese 'Notan', which emphasizes the contrast between light and dark. Each student's project will look unique, everyone will feel successful, and it's not even messy! You can't beat that combination! 1. Each student will need two pieces … [Read more...]
