Grade 1-6: Jim Dine Inspired Hearts

After practicing pattern and learning about different art media the K-6 students created a series of hearts inspired by the artwork of Jim Dine.  The focus of their first heart was contrast and patterning using a black sharpie pen on white card stock.  For the second heart the students used water color pencils to create patterns and then brushed on water for a watercolor effect.   For the third heart they used oil pastels on black paper to create bright, colorful designs.  The fourth and final heart of the series was created using paper collage techniques combined with sharpie or pastels.



Sharpie Pattern

 

 












Watercolor Pencil

 




Oil Pastel

 

















Collage

 

Mixed Media Series #1

Mixed Media Series #2

First/Second Grade Georgia O'Keefe Inspired Flowers

Before beginning this project the class looked closely at different flowers and observed the flower paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe.  Then we talked about cropping and how making the flower fill the page can create a dramatic, abstracted design.  After making two or three practice drawings the students picked one to transfer onto watercolor paper.  Black glue was used to trace over the pencil lines and left to dry.  The next week the students used watercolor pencils and watercolor washes to add color.

Third Grade: Picasso/Mattisse

Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse were two of the most well known artists of the 20th Century. Both artists adopted many different styles throughout their careers.    Matisse used patterning and wild colors.  Picasso distorted and rearranged the features of his subjects. For this project the class compared the art of both artists and then created portraits influenced by a specific style of either Picasso or Matisse.

Picasso

Mattisse

Using watercolor pencils to add color

Adding water to activate the watercolor pencils

Fantastic Fossils!

Sand Cast Fossils

The second grade classes were studying fossils.  We made our own "fossils" by making leaf and shell impressions in sand and then pouring plaster into the imprints.   When the plaster hardened the students "excavated" their fossils by cleaning off the extra sand with brushes.

Colorful Abstract Fossils

Fossils make great abstracts!  We looked for the elements of art in pictures of fossils and then made several sketches looking closely at the lines and shapes.  The object wasn't to copy the picture exactly but to use the lines and shapes they observed to make an abstract drawing inspired by the fossils.  Each student chose one drawing to trace onto a neutral dark paper and then outlined the pencil lines with black glue.   The following week pastels were used to fill the entire paper with brightly colored patterns.  They turned out to be quite beautiful!

Sketch fossil lines and shapes

Transfer drawings to pastel paper

Outline with black glue

Fill in shapes with colorful pastel patterns