Saturday, January 15, 2011

Kindergarten Art

Hello... I (Crystal Myers) was asked to share some projects I have done in the kindergarten classroom. 

This is the first art lesson I did for the kindergarten class. It is a lesson on shapes and was simple for the kids. It just takes a little preparation time, as there are many shapes to cut out. I started out by talking about the different shapes and asking the kids to identify them as I held them up. I also explained that you can make new shapes by placing two shapes side-by-side (two squares can make a rectangle or two triangles can make a square). I showed the kids my examples of a rocket-ship, houses, and a caterpillar (not shown), and then had them identify the shapes in the picture.
Example of rocket ship
Example of houses


I passed out to each table construction paper, glue, and then the shapes I had previously cut out (large and small squares of all colors, large and small triangles of all colors, and large and small circles of all colors). 
The kids chose which example they wanted to copy and chose the appropriate shapes. Once the shapes were glued on, they used crayons to add details and (most importantly) their names. 
   
"Rocket Ship" by Wyatt, age 6



The caterpillar example (not shown) consisted of a bunch of circles linked together to make the body and triangles below each circle to make the feet. On the first circle I drew antennae and a smiley face.


To the right is a version done by one of the students in the class. He even added men on the moon! (the red figures on the large yellow circle)



Example of jack o' lantern
"Halloween Pumpkin" by Wyatt, age 6
The next project I did was near Halloween, so using the same theme with shapes, we made jack o' lanterns. I cut out extra large orange circles for each student. They glued these onto a sheet of construction paper their choice of color. They then used crayons to draw vertical stripes on the orange circle.  Once this was done, I handed out to each table a variety of shapes in assorted colors for them to use to make a face for their jack o' lanterns. 
I was impressed with the creativity of the all the students!

The preparation for this project included cutting out small circles, squares, triangles, and stars in an assortment of colors.



Example of leaf rubbings
For November I did a lesson on texture. I talked about what texture is (how something feels) and the different kinds of texture (bumpy like the playground outside, sharp like a cactus, smooth like the tops of the tables, fuzzy like the carpet, etc.)
Example of leaf rubbings with orange mat
I then talked about the different types of leaves and their textures.
Next, I demonstrated how to place a leaf under a sheet of computer paper and using the side of a crayon (with the paper removed), color or rub the crayon over the leaf to make it's texture appear on the paper. I repeated the process with a different leaf and a different color of crayon until the entire paper was covered in leaves. Then I passed out supplies and let the kids go.
Once the students were done, they selected a sheet of construction paper in their choice of color to glue their leaf rubbings onto (an instant mat!).

Preparation for this project included finding a large assortment of leaves that I placed in zip-lock baggies for each table to share and peeling the paper off of crayons, which were also placed in zip-lock baggies for each table to share.
If you wanted to add a little bit of science/nature to this lesson you could identify the different types of leaves and the talk about the trees they come from (this leaf comes from a maple tree. We get maple syrup from some kinds of maple trees).


"Bubbles" by Wyatt, age 6
 For December I did a lesson in color. I had small bowls in which I added tempera paint. In the first bowl I had blue paint. In the second I had yellow and in the third I had red. I asked the students what colors these were. I told them these are the PRIMARY colors. They're called "primary" colors because these are the colors you mix to make every other color of the rainbow. In a fourth bowl I added a lot of yellow to a little bit of blue and asked what color these two colors would make. Then before their very eyes I mixed the colors and green appeared. I did the same thing in a fifth bowl with a lot of yellow and a little bit of red and orange appeared. Then in the sixth bowl equal amounts of red and blue to make violet (purple). To each of these bowls I added a couple squirts of dish soap and some water.
Each student was then given their very own straw (NO SHARING!) and asked to demonstrate how to BLOW. Once this was done, I demonstrated how to make bubble prints: place straw into paint/water/soap mixture and blow until bubbles come to the top of the bowl, then gently lower piece of white paper over the bubbles and then gently lift up. On the paper should be a print of the bubbles. 

I organized this activity by placing a different color of soap/paint/water mixture on each table. I had each group of students make a bubble print of the color at their table and then rotate (remembering to take their straws with them!) until each student made one bubble print of each color. Make sure that the students make the prints all over the paper, not just in one spot.
I've learned that computer paper is better than white construction paper because the construction paper absorbs a lot  of water and then wants to tear.

This art project is a lot of fun and very messy. Beware of students who blow their bubbles WAY too big for their bowls! Also beware of students drinking the paint/water/soap mixture. It's hard for some kids not to suck-in when they have a straw (I've had this happen a few times); the soap/paint/water mixture tastes yucky, but is harmless. I've learned that computer paper is better than white construction paper because the construction paper absorbs a lot of water and then wants to tear. Also, use TEMPERA paint instead of acrylic paint. Acrylic paint stains clothes!

Example of bubble print turned into picture
Example of bubble print turned into picture
A variation of this project is to have the students just make two bubble prints and then have them turn the prints into a picture. (fish, turtles, dinosaur eggs, possibilities are endless!)



Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Assignments for Value

Mona Lisa (la Gioconda) By Leonardo Da Vince
Famous Paintings coloring page


This month I have thought about a few art projects that correlate with the element of value.


First
The coloring page linked above goes with my first idea. 


Choose a coloring and print it out.  Get enough copies to take to the class.  (the school could copy for you)
Then let the students choose a color. They only get one color to color with.  The cool thing is they are going to use the concept of value to make this picture interesting.  Color lightly, then dark, add some black this could turn out very cool.
You may want to start out with a simple shape like Andy Warhol's Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse By Andy Warhol

or 

Suprematist Composition By Kazimir Malevich

I think that you may be surprised at how wonderful this could turn out.  The student will really enjoy this project. This is also a project that could look great for the Art Show that we plan on having in the spring.



Second

I would go to the link above and read the lesson posted there if you are interested in this.  I really liked this and thought that it would be a great lesson.  If you would like to just do your project in one color to emphasize the art element of value, that would be great.  Just assign  a simpler picture.

Georges Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte
 a close up



Third

In high school my art teacher Mr. Carter taught me about value. 
   

He gave each student a piece of paper.  We were to make a border around our paper about 1/2 inch in from the edge.  Then we had to scribble.  It needs to be an open scribble, meaning that it should have some good space between lines for coloring in. We were told to color each spot in inside the scribbles.  The rule is that they can not have two spaces of the same value touching.  When we did this in high school, we just used our pencils to do different colors of gray.


Fourth

Crosshatching and hatching


  The last idea I came up with today was to use crosshatching and hatching to show how you can get different values from shading in this way.


Many examples of this can be found.  I would recommend using this with an older age group as they will have more control with their fine motor skills than that of a 5 or 6 year old student.  



To find a lesson plan on how to use crosshatching in value you can go here and there is an excellent lesson plan to follow.


Lastly

If you find that you are in need of more ideas for this month I know that the book I have had put in the Little Red School House (How to Teach Art to Children) has many more ideas.  I can think of one in particular that looks like it would be a blast.  So go ahead, take a looksy!  

When you find that marvelous project, let me know what it is!  I would love to post it on here so that we can show it to other Art Moms so that they themselves aren't scrounging around feeling stressed about what it is they need to do.  


Works of Value

Charles Sheeler, The Open Door.  1932










Georges Seurat, Lying Man, 1883






















144 Empty Parking Lots
Jenny Odell, 144 Empty Parking Lots







Value


This month the art element I am going to highlight is value.



"Value is simply the artistic term for light and dark.  An area's value is its relative lightness or darkness in a given context.  Only through changes of light and dark can we perceive anything.  Light reveals forms; in a dark room at night we see nothing and bump into furniture and walls. What you are reading now is legible only because the darkness of the type contrasts with the whiteness of the background."


In the example on the right there are 11 values of gray going from white to black.

"The term value-contrast refers to the relationship between areas of dark and light.  Because the scale in the example is arranged in sequential order, the contrast between any two adjoining areas is rather slight and termed low-value contrast."  The crescent shape in the center of each value is the exact same color of gray.  It is interesting to see that this shape seems to change visually depending on the background.  It does make it hard to believe that the crescent shape on the top and on the bottom are precisely the same value.



Quotes taken from Design Basics, fourth edition, pg 212.