Winter fun bulletin board!

We are always working on landscapes and atmospheric perspective so I threw this up for the new year! I would love to have the teacher's write a  goals for the new year on a snowflake and post it on the board for the children to see. You never outgrow goal setting!!

sNOw goal is too high this New Year!

Last year, my school goal was not to be at school past 4:00 unless I was sponsoring an after school activity. I did pretty well by setting my setting my phone alarm to go off at 3:45!

Making Hardcover Sketchbooks, Step by Step

So, I was showing someone the sketchbooks we made this year and I realized that I never posted the steps we used to make them! Here they are!

You need an inexpensive sketchbook and canvas board twice the size of the cover. Scissors to cut the fabric, a light weight fabric scrap the length of the book and a paper cutter to cut the canvas board.
Let the sketchbook maker paint the canvas board.


Next, add glue to the cover and stick one side of the fabric into it. Add some glue on top of the fabric and place one half of the canvas board on the cover and hold it. I like to put the cut side towards the spiral binding.

Flip the book over and repeat these steps.with the second half of the canvas board.

Cover the spiral binding with the fabric. 

The fabric will keep the spiral covered and keep other decorations from sticking to the binding. We used craft tape to cover the fabric. Some of the stiff glitter stuff could use a bit of tacky glue, but the fancy patterned Duct Tape works like a dream!

Wanted: An Amazing Art Show

Last year, my third grade team asked me if I could help with a project (PBL) they do in the spring. I have a huge curriculum the third grade scope and sequence is one of the longest that I teach so I could not import the project into the art room, which was their first choice. I started thinking about ways I could help without being in their classrooms. First, I made a video on poster making and using guidelines.  Then I decide to include some of these skills in our self portrait unit. 

 

 

The students created Wanted Posters based on character studies they were doing in their classroom. We expand the learning by looking at Fredric Remington's depiction of the Old West. The independent, adventurous, brave, honest spirit of the Western pioneers, Native People  and soldiers that he illustrated inspired many to travel into the American West.

First students created an identity web in their idea books (https://youtu.be/IC96j35WQkk). Then they were asked to choose a positive character trait to be "Wanted" for as well as an Old West style name that was positive and personal. Some went so far as to make the name match the trait in context. Using rulers guidelines were drawn in and letters were printed and centered. (Math! Divide to find the center point!) Students reviewed facial proportions and learned how to draw hats onto their portraits. Finally the paper was trimmed to make it look ragged and stained with liquid watercolor to give it the illusion of age.

Then the posters were laminated and hung at the Regal Cinema 16 in Green Hills for the month of October! We opened the show with a reception for artists and families with popcorn and lemonade. We had a wild time celebrating these outrageous characters!!

Picture This...

No fooling...My friend Mr. E scheduled me to teach a workshop this month, on April Fool's Day!! I have to say I was energized and exhausted from NAEA but my Nashville elementary art teachers did not disappoint!!

Children's Literature in the Elementary Visual Art Classroom

Book 1: My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks

So, what did we do all day...well the topic was how to use children's literature to inspire young artists.  Our first author, illustrator and artist was Hanock Piven!! These are Piven inspired self portraits using found objects!! The best part is that every object used not only has a similar shape to a need facial feature, but it also holds a clue to the artist's personality. You may be familiar with the iPad/iPhone app inspired by this artist called Faces I Make! Here are some more created by the art teachers in my class!!!

"How Great Is That!?!!"