Third Grade Op-Art

During this last week in the Art room, before we switch back over to computers, students are using the remaining days working on some fun and interesting art techniques.  In third grade, we have looked at Optical Illusions and what different variations there are.  We focused on ways in which artists can use a simple pattern of lines and colors to give the illusion of distance.

After looking at examples from various artists and talking about similarities and differences that each piece had, we began creating our own.  Here are some examples of our Optical Illusion artworks using lines and colors:

First Grade Picasso Portraits

In first grade we are just finishing discussing Pablo Picasso and how he created his artwork using cubism.  We viewed as a group a lot of Picasso's paintings and discussed how he used shapes within each image to help create the subject.

We also reviewed the warm and cool colors, which all of my groups this year ROCKED! All the hard work and focus in Kindergarten is really paying off with their recall.

We took the idea of Picasso's paintings and how they utilized cubism to create our own portraits.  Within each portrait, students were asked to divide the space into shapes as well as the background.  We used crayons to color in and a felt tip marker for outlining when we finished coloring.  Here are some of our final products:

                                                        

Fifth Grade Romero Britto Drawings

We are back in the art room for our third quarter! This year we are rotating between computers and art, it has been fun and interesting for everyone! For our first project of the quarter, fifth graders are exploring the artwork of Romero Britto.  They really enjoy the bright colors that are seen within most of the artworks Britto creates, they were also intrigued as to why some appeared to be a little duller than others.

While looking at Britto's work, we discussed the ways in which he uses Cubism as well as Patterns.  Some of the works we viewed the colors and patterns made it difficult to see the subject of the work right away-while others the subject was easily seen.

The design challenge presented to students was to create their own artwork that has inspiration drawn from Britto's style.  Here are some of the solutions that students came up with:

String Crayon Rubbing

   In Kindergarten, part of our initial texture exploration involved us using crayons and string pieces to create crayon rubbings.  We read the book 'Where the Wild Things Are' and we looked at the illustrations and found places that were showing great texture- plants, fur...  We then looked at a power point that showed many examples of textured surfaces.  We discussed as a class how if we were to feel the image, it would not feel the way it appeared.  Students then were able to get a piece of string and then arrange it in many ways to create their own implied textures.  The students had a lot of fun experimenting with their strings and seeing how they showed up in the crayon.

   Here are some of our string implied texture artworks:

Line Paintings

In Kindergarten, as part of our line art series, we created a painting using various lines.  This was our first artwork in the line art series.  We started by working together on a worksheet where we practiced drawing various lines, some we were familiar with and others we were not- it was great! Then, the students drew their favorite lines on our Fancy paper and outlined their lines with oil pastels of ANY color, that was an exciting thing!

  The next day, we took our paints and then painted in between our lines.  Some students became so swept up in the excitement of painting that they went all over their paper, but it's understandable... it's painting!  They did a great job working and focusing on trying their best with their painting.

Here are some paintings:

Perspective Shapes

  In Third grade, we discussed perspective and how artists can use perspective in their work.  We looked at some artworks that used different types of perspective and how it helped to show distance, we even explored a bit of optical illusion artworks using perspective.  Students then were able to practice drawing in their sketchbooks using perspective and shapes.

  For our final artwork, students created a collage of papers they cut out and placed to create one point perspective.  They had a lot of fun with this style of artwork.

Here are a few of our works:

Self Portrait Prints

In fifth grade we looked at how artists create different prints.  We used an iPad app that allowed us to take an image of ourselves and then place a filter onto the photo that created a posterized look.  After we printed our photo, students colored over their image with various colors of oil pastels- they were encouraged to reflect on themselves and what colors they feel represent their personalities or likes.

 After students finished placing color on the image, they then rubbed the photograph onto a blank paper creating a Monoprint. There were many ooo's and aaahhhh's when they peeled off their photo to reveal their printed image.  This was my first project focusing on a printing technique that did not involve brayers and printing ink, it was definitely a professional learning experience!

  Students then created a painted background using acrylic paints, whichever pattern or design they felt reflected themselves in some way.  The printed image was then cut out and glued onto their background.  Some students wrote a poem onto their artwork that was a portrait of themselves in writing, which was a great way for students to add a written element to their artwork.

Here are some of the results:

Kindergarten Color Monsters

In Kindergarten, we started the year off by reviewing/introducing the colors.  We watched some fun videos that display colors by Sony (their Bravia t.v advertisements) and then we read a book- Monsters Love Colors, by Mike Austin.

This group of kiddos were all so good at identifying all of the colors and calling them out, I think we are going to have a talent filled year in the kindergarten art room!

For the project, the students colored in circles that I had drawn onto the paper with the necessary colors.  They were then instructed to think about how they could turn their circles into monsters!  They were all very excited with the opportunity to create their own monsters, they all turned out very unique and had great details!

Here are a few of our Monster Circles:

Winter Lights

  In Third Grade we took some time for a fun project using our learning concept of Value, we created winter lights.  I've seen this project done on various art teacher blogs around the web and I knew that the kiddos would absolutely enjoy creating it.  We first created our light string- yarn glued onto our background paper, set this aside to dry and moved on to the lightbulbs.  I had created a stencil students could use if they did not want to try out their own lightbulb shape.
   We discussed the details of a lightbulb- the filament and the shine that occurs on the outside (glare).  Students used Oil Pastels to color in their lights and then used Chalk to outline around their lightbulb once it was glued onto their background paper.  The chalk was then pulled away from the lightbulb, creating a value change and the illusion of a glow.

Here are some 'in process' pictures:

Here are some final products ( I ran out of black paper so some students did it on white):

Line Sculptures

In Kindergarten we have started to discuss various types of Lines that can be created.  We started off by filling out a line worksheet and talking about the lines that were on it, we created a line painting, and finally we created our own Line Sculptures.  This project was a lot of fun and challenged the students to use their fine motor skills with the various types of paper folding and rolling.  They all did a great job!  I demonstrated the different ways in which they could fold their construction paper strips to achieve a different type of line.  It was up to them how they then glued their strips onto the paper, my only goal was that the line stuck up and away from the paper base.  

  We discussed what a sculpture is and how it's different from a painting or a drawing, students were then given the paper strips and glue and let loose!

Here are some of our Line Sculpture solutions:

This is a favorite of mine, a racetrack!

Warm Color Pumpkin

  In Kindergarten, we had learned about the warm colors through many different projects.  One of the projects dealt with the field trip that their classes took to the Rocca Berry Farm pumpkin patch.  Students talked about what the pumpkins looked like- the outline wasn't a perfect circle or a straight line. We worked together to create a drawing of a pumpkin, then we put the warm color paint inside of the drawing.  Students were allowed the ability to mix together the warm colors within their pumpkin, this was a lot of fun for them.

   We then started to create the background on the second day.  We talked about the cool colors and how they can be used to create a background.  Students painted with purple and blue in the sky and green for the grass.  We used some scratching with our brush end to create line designs in our sky and ground.  The next day students cut out their pumpkins and glued them onto their painted backgrounds.

  Here are some of our warm color pumpkins:

First Grade Sculpture Fish

   In first grade we just finished learning about sculpture and what it is.  We looked at a power point that showed students a variety of sculpture that allowed them to start building an understanding of what sculpture can be. 

   We then had an activity that students did where they applied their learning, they were grouped by tables and were given images of artwork that was both sculpture and not sculpture.  The students were challenged to look through the images and organize the images into what was and was not sculpture.  They had a lot of fun with this activity and it allowed them to talk about their learning.

   We then created our own sculpture out of paper, a fish.  The students created their own fish and then rolled paper strips and glued them onto a base to create water.

   Here are some of our products: