TESTING CRAYOLA SPECIALTY CRAYONS FROM DOLLAR TREE

As an art teacher and a dad, I was curious to all the specialty Crayola Crayons in stock at Dollar Tree.  Some I had experience with, but most I had never used before.  I wanted to test them to see if they were really  something I'd purchase for my students or my own kids.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

BOLD & BRIGHT

Crayola's first version of construction paper crayons were good, but they leaned more towards pastel/muted tones. Sargent came out with their own version that was really wonderful.  The colors were truer & came in a wider range.  The Bold & Bright version of Crayola's construction paper crayons are really wonderful.  The 8 pack(what is available at Dollar Tree) is nice, but the 24 pack offers so many colors that are truly beautiful & work so well together.  

PEARL & PASTEL

I liked both the Pearl & Pastel crayons.  I'm not sure I'd say they are MUST HAVE's, but they would be nice editions.  The colors are nice & I feel they deliver on what they claim to be! 

NEON

The neon are just ok.  I think kids would enjoy them.  However, the color does not go down as well as regular colors & they really are a niche selection with limited use in most works of art.  

CONFETTI, METALLIC, GLITTER

Save your money!  I don't really get the Confetti crayons at all?! The ones that actually show other colors present kind of make mud.  The ones where the color doesn't show up just look like regular crayons. So why bother?  The Metallic & Glitter both have very little sparkle.  If you hold the paper just right in the perfect light, maybe.  Once again...why bother? Your money can be spent else where(like on the Bold & Bright!).  

Don't take my word for it...go to Dollar Tree and pick you up the ones you are curious about. You may love the ones I didn't?!? 

(One last test...all on black paper.)

Second Grade Abstract Fish

The all school art show is going to use abstract as its theme this year.  So we are starting to create some of those projects so the students can choose from several of their works. 

This week's lesson is inspired by Carole Watanabe. She is a CA based artist that works in fibers and paint.  I found her painting of a fish so beautiful & something that my students would get excited about.  It also allows them to select colors and shapes that they feel are best for their work.

Students are using pencils, construction paper, and construction paper crayons.  We will go into this work again next week using regular crayons to create the background. 

 

Hatching Dino Eggs: 1st Grade

How cute are these hatching dinosaur eggs my first graders are creating?!?! We are using construction paper crayons...which are always a hit! I have both Crayola & Sargent brand construction paper crayons.  I prefer Sargent because the colors are "truer"...and Crayola is more pastel "ish" in color.  The concept/vocabulary I'm focusing on for this

 project is overlapping/layering. This was both in what they drew & how they colored(overlapping color makes it brighter!) They turned out super cute!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST....
TWINS!!!!

This was totally this students idea!!! So amazing! 

3 in 1

The other day I posted about getting more bang for your buck in regards to using color diffusers for multiple projects at the same time.  Here are the results of the 3 in 1 diffuser project.  The students LOVED doing it because they were so excited by what the diffuser did & how it looked!!  We used pencils & construction paper crayons to add detail & create the monsters on the actual diffuser.  So many more possibilities....I'm thinking of a possible Dot Day project for next school year.

Construction Paper Crayons Review

One of my students who recently found my YouTube channel encouraged me to do a product review! He was excited to try the new Sargent Art Construction Paper Crayons out....but was wondering how they were different than the Crayola Construction Paper Crayons we had been using for several years.  So...here ya go!  I hope you find this helpful when you consider ordering construction paper crayons in the future.  

Takin' a Dip...

Here is a quick video to show you how we handle the "finishing" of the clay faces.  Years ago I went to a conference....and a professional clay artist gave us "permission" not to feel bad about not glazing in our elementary art rooms.  He said there are other options that are more time & cost effective.  The reality that when we do a clay project there will be over a hundred of that project makes glazing a bit daunting. This is just one way we finish our pieces in my art room.  The kids love it & it looks great.

Clay Faces: 3rd Grade

Last week of school before Christmas Break...and I'm trying to get things finished, graded, and back to students to take home!  Yep..it is as tiring as it sounds! ha ha  However, I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing these projects completed....always amazed by the talent of my kiddos!!

I had done an underwater unit with my students, and encouraged them to created a clay face inspired by what they had previously been working on.  Some did.  Some didn't. Some...I'm not sure?!?  No matter...they are awesome.  We used construction paper crayons and watered down black tempera/acrylic bath.

  

The Little White Owl: Kindergarten

I recently posted my "go-to" winter books for kindergarten!  

This week I'm reading The Little White Owl.

I have some amazing...I mean AMAZING kindergarten artists!!!!  I had them cut out the ovals for the eyes from white paper so they really POPPED on the page.  We drew our picture first.  They were instructed to make a fun pattern on the belly of the owls.  We then used construction paper crayons to color.  I really push "finishing" their work craftsmanship wise....so that it truly looks completed.  I love the results!!!

This owl has seen things!!!!

Find of the Century: Target

So a week or so ago my wife was shopping at Target, and she found several boxes of Construction Paper Crayons(Class Sets).  They were $25 at the time...great deal, but I told her don't get them.  This week she goes in and finds them marked down to $18 a box!!!! WHAT!!?!??!  I couldn't pass that up.  The question is...why would Target have class set boxes?  Maybe someone ordered from Target.com and then brought them back to an actual store location?  I don't know...but I'm glad I was able to snag such an amazing deal!!!  What is the best deal you've ever gotten in an odd location?  

Practicum Student Ms.H: Lines With Kindergarten

I open my room to student teachers, practicum students, and observations every year.  I believe in helping to develop the next generation of art educators, and truly enjoy my time with them.  This looks like the first year in about a decade I'm not going to have a student teacher.  

However, right now I'm hosting 3 practicum students from MTSU.  They have been a wonderful group!  This post is about Ms. H's lesson.  She chose to work with Kindergarten.  I love when people are up for the challenge of our littlest people!!  She really did well for her first time developing a lesson plan & teaching it!  In the picture she is teaching the students about lines in a kinesthetic manner. So much fun!!

They applied the lines they learned about in a turtle drawing.  They used construction paper crayons to finish their work.  This was the first time Ms. H used them...and she LOVED them(I do too).  One of the greatest things about Ms. H....she wants to grow!!!  I love when a up & coming teacher comes humbly to the table...and just wants to learn!  She is going to learn...she is going to grow...and she is going to make a great art teacher!!

Pattern Fish: 1st Grade

        

End of the year is almost here!  I like to do some projects with my younger ones to make sure they they have mastered some of the important skills.  Cutting, gluing, pattern, craftsmanship(in coloring)...stuff like that!  These fish get all those skills into one project(two class times).  We looked at Zentangles for inspiration.  I feel that some of the sites out there can really open students eyes up to patterns being more than circle square circle square!!!  

   

     

Hands Across Time & Place: 3rd Grade

My third graders have been looking at cultural connections world wide.  We've tried to find themes, similarities, and shared experiences.  We've really enjoyed looking at "HANDS" through out history...and through out the world! Here is a great website if you are interesting in doing a project such as this ....... CLICK!!! -WEBSITE ON HANDS-CLICK!!!

::QUESTIONS::

"WHY WOULD HANDS BE A COMMON/SHARED THEME AROUND THE WORLD & THROUGHOUT TIME?"

"WHY ARE HANDS STILL IMPORTANT TO US TODAY?"

"HOW CAN WE MAKE HANDS PERSONAL?"

Students started by tracing & cutting out their hand.  On their first day they selected their color palette & used color pencils to go around their hands. On the second day they used oil pastels, watercolor, construction paper, and construction paper crayons.  The oil pastels & watercolor had to be within the color palette the selected before...and the construction paper had to be a contrasting color.  I loved the results, but do think we could spend another class time adding a bit more to them.