Chihuly Inspired Cieling

 

Third Grade Chihuly inspired Faux Glass

These beautiful faux glass ruffle bowls, or Macchia, were inspired by the works of glass artist, Dale Chihuly.  Students learned about Chihuly’s life and work and installation art before using transparency overhead films to make their personal pieces.  Combined, these create a miniature version of several of Chihuly’s overhead installations. 

 

Students began by cutting an organic shape from an overhead transparency.  They used Sharpie marker to color the edge for contrast.  Then using their knowledge of colors and color mixing they painted a thin layer of acrylic paints mixed with an acrylic gloss medium to make it a bit more translucent.  Next they used texture tools to remove paint creating spaces for additional light to flow through the work.

When the overheads were dry, I used a heat gun over a metal tumbler to melt them to these forms. 

The forms were then strung together with fishing line (holes were easily poked using a tack) and attached to the light covers with paper clips.  The window pieces are just taped to the window with packing tape loops.  Enjoy!

 

Barbara, our art therapy intern, had the awesome idea of having some of the pieces cascading across the ceiling and down the window.  Love it! 

Primary/Secondary Color, Line Direction, and Tape Resist

First Grade Color Line Art

First graders created these beautiful abstract pieces while learning about line direction, primary and secondary colors and water color techniques.  Students began by using masking tape to create horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines on their paper.  Then they used a wet on wet water color technique to add red, yellow and blue liquid water colors to each section.  The “Ahhs and Oohs” as all the secondary colors erupted were such fun!  Finally students carefully outlined each section with Sharpie to create additional contrast. 

 This lesson was shared by Christie over at Fine Lines.  Thank you, Christie! 

Frameworks:  .1 Use a variety of materials and media, for example, crayons, chalk, paint, clay, various kinds of papers, textiles, and yarns, and understand how to use them to produce different visual effects 1.2 Create artwork in a variety of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) media, for example: 2D – drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, weaving; 3D – plastic (malleable) materials such as clay and paper, wood, or found objects for assemblage and construction 1.3 Learn and use appropriate vocabulary related to methods, materials, and techniques 1.4 Learn to take care of materials and tools and to use them safely 2.1 For color, explore and experiment with the use of color in dry and wet media Identify primary and secondary colors and gradations of black, white and gray in the environment and artwork 2.2 For line, explore the use of line in 2D and 3D works Identify a wide variety of types of lines in the environment and in artwork

 

 

 

City Reflections

 

Second Grade Cityscapes

 

Second graders are learning about communities in their social studies curriculum, so we created cityscapes in art!  We learned that most urban areas develop near water as this is a valuable natural resource people need to survive. 

 

Second grade artists were introduced to the “artist trick” of drawing overlapping to create the illusion of depth.  Notice how some buildings appear closer to the viewer with other buildings behind them. 

After drawing and coloring with markers, cityscapes were sprayed with water to dilute the ink.  Then we pressed the image creating a reflection and helping students understand the concept of symmetry in art and our world.

 This is another inspiration from Christie over at Fine Lines.  Thanks again, Christie!

MA Visual Arts Frameworks: 1.1 Use a variety of material and media. 1.2 Create artwork in a variety of two-dimensional media. 2.4 Explore the use of shapes and forms in 2D and 3D works. 2.5 For pattern and symmetry, explore the use of patterns and symmetrical shapes in 2D and 3D works.

Atmospheric Perspective

 

 

Third Grade Atmospheric Perspective Landscapes

Third graders learned about using value (the lightness and darkness of a color) to create the illusion of depth in artwork.  This is called atmospheric perspective.  We began by creating value scales using tints (adding the color to white), shades (adding black to the color) and tones (adding grey to the color).  Then we examined several examples of atmospheric perspective in photographs and paintings.  Students created several tints, shades and tones pages and finally assembled them to create these beautiful landscapes.

 

National Visual Arts Standards:

Connecting:  Cn11.1.3

Creating:  Cr1.1.3, Cr1.2.3, Cr2.1.3, Cr2.2.3, Cr3.1.3,

Presenting: Pr4.1.3

Responding:  Re7.2.3, Re9.1.3

 

Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Frameworks:

Standard 1: 1.1-1.4

Standard 2: 2.1, 2.6

Standard 3: 3.2, 3.3

Standard 4: 4.2, 4.3

 

Kinder Line and Shape

 

Kindergarten Line and Shape Art

The afternoon kindergarten students learned about the elements of art- line and shape- while creating these colorful non-representational masterpieces.  A line is a point moving through space.  It can be curved, straight, zigzag, etc.  Students first learned about lines and then used black tempera to create a variety of lines on their papers.  Next, we moved onto shape and learned that lines that connect creating a closed area are called shapes.  Students used markers to connect their original lines to create shapes.  The last step was continuing to develop brush control and technique while using tempera cakes to add color to the individual shapes.  

 

         MA Frameworks addressed- Use a variety of materials and media, for example, crayons, chalk, paint, clay, various kinds of papers, textiles, and yarns, and understand how to use them to produce different visual effects 1.2 Create artwork in a variety of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) media, for example: 2D – drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, weaving; 3D – plastic (malleable) materials such as clay and paper, wood, or found objects for assemblage and construction 1.3 Learn and use appropriate vocabulary related to methods, materials, and techniques 1.4 Learn to take care of materials and tools and to use them safely 2.1 For color, explore and experiment with the use of color in dry and wet grade 4 media2.2 For line, explore the use of line in 2D and 3D works Identify a wide variety of types of lines in the environment and in artwork

 

Jim Dine inspired Value Texture Hearts

 

 

Jim Dine Inspired Texture Value Hearts

Second graders learned a bit about pop artist Jim Dine.  They were also introduced to value and how it can be used to create the illusion of form (more on this in fourth grade).  Then we reviewed texture and how artists use actual or implied texture in their work.

We glued crinkled tissue paper for our backgrounds and then considered contrast and desired effect when selecting the colors to make our hearts.  Most students chose to use a complimentary color, or opposite side of the color wheel combo, to make their hearts really pop!  Students choose a light, medium and dark value of their selected colors and learned to blend using oil pastels.  The oil pastel hearts were then added to the tissue backgrounds and outlined with black to create additional contrast.  Enjoy!

This lesson was developed and borrowed all the way for Australia and shared via an awesome blog Use Your Colored Pencils.  Thanks for sharing!

Masking Tape Sculptures

Fourth Grade Figure Sculptures

Inspired by the work of Surrealist Artist, Alberto Giacometti

 

Fourth graders learned about the Surrealist art movement and Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966).  Surrealism was a literary and art movement that began around 1920.  It was heavily influenced by the events of World War One and the work of psychiatrist Sigmund Freud.  Surrealism was meant to express the artist’s imagination from dreams and the subconscious. Surrealist works feature the element of surprise. They often include images of things that we know do not exist in real life, or they show situations that could not possibly happen.  They are often odd, illogical, irrational, disturbing or exciting.

Giacometti’s sculptures of human forms were elongated and had a cast shadowlike quality to them.  In 2010, one of Giacometti’s life size bronze sculpture of a man sold at auction for $104,000,000- that’s ONE HUDRED FOUR MILLION DOLLARS!

Fourth graders worked with wire to create their armatures (sculpture frames) and then wrapped them with newspaper strips and masking tape.  Finally figures were posed, painted with metallic paints, and mounted in position.

 MA Curriculum Frameworks- 1.1 Use a variety of materials and media , and understand how to use them to produce different visual effects 1.2 Create artwork in a variety of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) media, 1.3 Learn and use appropriate vocabulary related to methods, materials, and techniques 1.4 Learn to take care of materials and tools and to use them safely 5.2 Classify artworks into general categories, such as painting, printmaking, collage, sculpture, pottery, textiles, architecture, photography, and film 5.3 Describe similarities and differences in works, and present personal responses to the subject matter, materials, techniques, and use of design elements in artworks 3.10 Create 2D and 3D images that are original, convey a distinct point of view, and communicate ideas 2.4 For shape and form, explore the use of shapes and forms in 2D and 3D works.