Hello all my arty bloggie friends!
I hope that you are able to enjoy your family & rest over break.....and we'll start again in the new year!
December 25, 2012
December 24, 2012
Snowflake Rainbow
The last couple days of school I was attempting to finish all my grading for the nine weeks. When that task was finished...I taught my students how to cut snowflakes. 4th grade was too busy finishing things...so they did not participate in snowflaking. I had my students go step by step with me for the first 2..but after that they were able to do it on their own. I only asked for 1 snowflake from each student to create this display outside my room. Not all finished more than 2...so I did not as many as I had been hoping for. I did the rainbow background because I just needed color in the hall!
I couldn't hack doing only blue background paper.
December 19, 2012
Nathan Sawaya: The Art of Bricks
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CIRCLE TRIANGLE SQUARE
Have you seen Nathan Sawaya's work? Anyone who enjoys Lego's will love his work...and probably wonder...HOW IN THE WORLD DID HE DO THAT?!?!?! I really thinks kids will LOVE IT!
Check it out!
http://brickartist.com/
December 18, 2012
Don't Let the Clown Smack Ya Down
I saw this on-line today and had to share...so funny!!! The title of the article was...
WHEN SCULPTURES ATTACK!
Hope you have a great Tuesday...make something wonderful of it!!!
December 17, 2012
WHEN PAINTING WITH small CHILDREN
My daughter is 3 yrs old. My wife & kids stopped by last week after school so Margaret could "paint like a big kid in daddy's room". I thought about many of you home school mom's, pre-school workers that have young children & want to do arts/crafts projects. It isn't easy!!!! I know if I had to teach our pre-school students at TGE...I'd go batty(or more batty than I already am). However, I've learned a few things in working with my children.
ART SHIRTS ARE YOUR FRIENDS!!!!
Tray's catch a multitude of messes.
Limited color palettes prevent mud from happening.
Keep it simple...and short. Long/involved projects will lose the youngster(and frustrate you!).
Have a drop cloth under the area where they are working.
YOU SHOULD WEAR AN ART SHIRT TOO!!!
My son is 17 months. Your best bet for this age is to strip them down to their diaper...and keep a sense of humor!!! ha ha Also..holding them will help you stay in control of the situation better.
AND YOU SHOULD WEAR AN ART SHIRT!!!!! (or a HASMAT suit if ya got one!?!?!)
2nd Place!
THANK YOU ALL WHO TOOK TIME TO VOTE FOR ART WITH MR. E!!!
The Art of Education blog will feature Art With Mr. E...along with the other top 10. This is a wonderful way to connect with new readers!!! Last year I finished 5th....and received many new readers/followers through the exposure on The Art of Education website. So THANK YOU ...THANK YOU ...THANK YOU for your continued support. No reason to blog if I didn't have all of you along for the ride!!!
December 16, 2012
Mr & Mrs E's Anniversary!
6 yrs ago I married this amazing beauty. We've had an amazing & crazy six years. I can't imagine my life any other way than with her!
December 15, 2012
ART IS FREEZING!
WHAT CAUSED THE DINOSAURS & MR. E TO GO EXTINCT????
THE ICE AGE!
YEP YEP....here we are a couple weeks after my last post about art being cold...and it is still not fixed!!! Friday morning I walked in & it was 60 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was 27 outside..so that accounts for it being even colder in my room. THIS IS CRAZY!!! 5 weeks now of this?!? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! If it does not get fixed over break....I will be calling some of my parents to call the news stations, because obviously that is the only way things might actually get done around here?!?!?!!?
December 14, 2012
PRAYERS GOING OUT/UP
Most of you have heard the horrible news about the shooting in Connecticut. Our hearts hurt for the school...the families...and the community. We can not truly know the horror of it all, but our imaginations all go to..."WHAT IF THAT HAPPENED HERE?" Our school met informally afterwards to pray for those impacted by this tragedy. I'm so thankful to work in a school that believes in the power of prayer....and has hearts for not only our children...but all children!!!!!!
IF YOU ARE A PERSON OF PRAYER....PLEASE JOIN US!!!!
What do you notice about these works of art?
This week I was struck by what I think is an interesting a phenomena while grading. After looking at the pictures..can you tell what it is? No? Give up? The colors! These students gravitated toward a certain color palette this nine weeks in all their projects?!?!?! I know I've gone through phases with the colors I use in my paintings...but I've never really noticed elementary age students doing this. Just found it interesting.
December 13, 2012
Last Chance to Vote!
Hey friends...just a reminder to take a moment to go vote for Art With Mr. E for blog of the year. The site that is sponsoring it brings a lot of traffic to my blog. Last year I placed 5th. Lets see if we can do better this year!!! :) THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!
More Clay Masks: 3rd Grade
This group of 3rd graders had some interesting ideas when painting their masks. I love these!! Great pattern/texture! If you are an elementary art teacher...you realize that no lesson comes out the same..even if it is taught the same.
December 11, 2012
CIRCLE WEAVING: Step by Step Guide & Tips
CIRCLE WEAVING
I am not a weaver. I had never done any weaving before I started teaching (personality conflict with the weaving prof...she didn't have one....so I did not take it!). I remember seeing circle weaving in our curriculum and thinking...."HOW IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO TEACH THAT?!?!?!" You do learn so much by doing....and having a close group of art teacher friends doesn't hurt!! ha ha Hopefully after this post...you will feel better about the circle weaving process. If you don't...comment or e-mail...and I'll try to help you out the best I can. I was going to try to do a video...but I could
tape my Flip recorder to my forehead very well! ha ha
Start with your circle loom. I use "craft rounds" that I order through School Specialty(100 for under $15). You can use paper plates as well....but I would recommend the good thick ones...not the cheapo ones(they will give you major headaches)!!! On the back label your loom 1-11 clockwise. You can do 13...but 11 seems to work really well for my students. Have them make a small cut at each number. The numbers MUST...I repeat...MUST! be evenly spaced!!!!!!!! If not..the circle weaving will end up off center. I created cheat plates with notches cut out so the students can lay it on top of their looms and make the marks. on theirs. It has made life a lot easier!!!
Warping the loom can be confusing. I have a formula I write on the board...plus I show them 3x...once before I let them start, once after I let them start, and then for the struggling ones a little bit later. You start with about an inch or two on the back at the 1 spot (I have them tape it down to make sure it doesn't come out on them)
Here is the formula:
1 to 6 (across the loom)
6 to 7(hello neighbor)
7 to 2(across the loom)
2 to 3(hello neighbor)
3 to 8(across the loom)
8 to 9(hello neighbor)
9 to 4(across the loom)
4 to 5(hello neighbor)
5 to 10(across the loom)
10 to 11(hello neighbor)
11 to the middle of the plate(more on that later)
1 to 6 (across the plate)
6 to 7 (hello neighbor)
7 to 2 (across the plate...X marks the spot)
Continue following the formula.
11 to the middle....
Take the warp & go under all the crisscrossing strings. Then go around them..and under them again..coming out where you just came from. Some may tie this into a knot at this point...but I found just going loop-d-loop around the center crisscrossing strings is enough. You try & see what works best for you.
Tie the weft string onto the end of the warp string.
Start going around the circle(I go counter clock wise..not sure why?). OVER UNDER OVER UNDER...
OVER UNDER OVER UNDER.... I tell my student to go over under about 5 or 6 times before they pull the string through all the way. If they go much farther than that..it can be a real pain(for you and them)!
At the end of each string...I tell them to tie the new one on to the old one. We trip the "bunny ears" off at the end. I have them use 4 colors...encouraging them to go with 3 from a color family..and one contrasting color. You can do it however you wish. Tying knots & double(triple..or more) jumping is the biggest problem once they get started. They just have to make sure to go over or under each of the warp strings...they can not go over over..or under under.
To finish them off...I have my student create a pattern in pencil on the rest of the plate...then they use the same color of markers (as their yarn) to color their pattern.
THERE YA GO! I hope that helps...and if not...please leave a comment or e-mail me!!!
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