Matisse Inspired: Fish Bowl

Here is what’s happening in the art room this week for 2nd Grade! 

 

Cumberland University 3-D Foundation Plaster Project

This semester I've been an adjunct instructor at Cumberland University in Lebanon,TN (half hour east of Nashville).  It has been an interesting transition to teaching a 3-D class online!! Right as we were moving to online...I met with my class one last time to take pictures of their soft sculpture class & to pass out their plaster blocks to carve(subtraction method). They were due this past week, and I had some I wanted to share with you!

Art With Mr.E: Make a Cardboard Tube Creature With Me

Supplies: Cardboard Tube, Construction paper, Scissors, Glue...and you might also what to use crayons, markers, or other supplies you might have at home.

Cumberland University: 3-D Design

Here are the pieces created in my 3-D Design class at Cumberland University. It was a cardboard 3-D Relief project.  The students were to focus on PEOPLE, PLACE, THING, EVENT that was meaningful in their life. The variety of subject & style makes my heart incredibly happy.  My students come from extremely different "art" backgrounds...and two of them are actually English majors.  I am really looking forward to our future projects!!

Artober Nashville: Modular Art Wall

   

Artober Nashville is almost upon us, and things here at Tulip Grove are kicking into high gear(even though we're only a week away from the end of the nine weeks & fall break).  Last year I had a community art project that we worked on at our Fall Festival.  You may remember our Kandinsky fence....if not look up Kandinsky in the word cloud to the right hand column.  

This year, someone donated sound proof ceiling tiles to our district's art teachers!?!?!  Odd...but exciting!!  Sometimes I see possibilities before I know how to actually follow through with things?!!? ha ha  I envisioned an ever changing art wall made from cubes.  The tiles were bigger & heavier than I imagined.  I first tried Liquid Nails.  It worked, but has to dry for 24 hrs..and set on a flat surface.  NOBODY HAS TIME FOR THAT?!?!  Though I had my doubts about hot gluing it (because of the weight)...I tried it.  AND IT WORKED!!  Now I went through a lot of hot glue sticks, but they seem very sturdy after double seaming it.  

I then tried different paint on the surface.  Tempera worked, but it took a lot of paint because of the absorbent surface(I already new acrylic would be way too expensive!!).  I then tried watercolor.  To my surprise, the watercolor really went on nicely!  It is a little light, but we might be able to go back into them later and add focal points using tempera or acrylic in small areas.  

So tonight....we have our Fall Festival.  I'll have the cubes set up in my room for parents & children...teachers & whoever else comes...to paint!!  I'm excited to see how it turns out.  

STAY TUNED!!!!!!!!! 

Plast'rcraft by Pacon

http://pacon.com/?s=plast%27r+craft&orderby=relevance

I got this amazing big box of Plast'rcraft by Pacon this summer, and decided to test drive it with a student I give private art lessons (she had just finished 4th grade).  I'm not a 3-D person...but LOVED this project & product! 

We started by creating an armature using plastic water bottles & masking tape.   My student created a rhino/bear creature....and I made the fish.

The directions are simple!  However, I should have thought things through a bit.  Precutting  the Plast'rcraft into smaller strips would have been best for a project such as this.  Cause once you get messy....it is harder to backtrack. 

The product went on well...and clung to our armature.  If you like the texture of the gauze, then you can leave it.  If you want a smoother surface...just dip your finger in water and rub.  The plaster fills in the spaces nicely for a smoother finish.  

I think having a solid armature is important.  The masking tape we used came from Dollar General, and wasn't the greatest.  I ended up using the Plast'rcraft to "hold" things together.  Next time I'll make sure my tape is a better quality.  

We still need to paint them, but they turned out great!  I was amazed at how strong they came once the product dried.  I know...should have guest plaster based products would do such a thing!?!?! ha ha  A project like this in a classroom would work, but would have to be broken up into 3 different class times more than likely.  Day 1, sketch & create armature.  Day 2, cover armature in Plast'rcraft.  Day 3, paint sculpture.   Managing supplies is also essential.  It is going to get messy...so be prepared! 

I have an idea one doing step 1 & 2 the same day...but that post will have to wait till I actually give it a try!  Stay tuned...and try Plast'rcraft by Pacon!  It is really fun stuff!!!

LIKE PACON ON FACEBOOK!!!  THEY OFTEN HAVE SPECIAL OFFERS/GIVEAWAYS/INFORMATION POSTED!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pacon/167928493245302

Completed Ugly Dolls: 4th Grade

I LOVE MY JOB!  

These Ugly Dolls make me happy!!  The kids are having so much fun adding the details & sewing on the hair.  In the spring I'm planning on having the 4th grade create pictures by sewing buttons onto fabric.  I really want them to not only leave me with a strong art background, but a life skill that they will take with them forever.  If ya didn't realize this...sewing is a lost art/skill!!!

The Start of Ugly Dolls: 4th Grade

Last year was the first time I tried having my 4th graders create "ugly" dolls.  I had used burlap, but this year switched to felt.  It is a little harder to sew through with the plastic needles, but doable & more attractive.  

Day one I have students draw what the want their finished doll to look like, create a pattern for the main basic shape, cut the felt out, and begin sewing.  Yep..busy jammed packed hour!!!!!!!  Can't wait to see how they end up!  Stay tuned!!  

Monster Dolls/Soft Sculptures: 4th Grade

I have a few more posts coming with these guys!!!!  I really do love all the little personalities they have.  

ENJOY LOOKING THROUGH THEM!!  

(ps..I'm still getting the storage message error/issue thing! However, by going to photo manager in microsoft (standard on our school computers)...I resize the photos to Web Large...and am able upload them. Photos below a certain size do not count against your storage)