1st Week K-4th Collaborative Project

Every year I try to kick the first week off with a large collaborative project......something that will get the kids excited about art...and something that will have great visual impact in the school!

  Some years I paint....some years not.  This year I decided to use marker. I pre-cut the circles in different colors.  Each child created a "face" (Person, Animal, Monster, Alien) and were limited to two colors and black for outlining.  I had some students help re-outline some that were not very solid or those that were not finished by class end.  I also had students help arrange and glue the circles together for display.  I was thrilled with the results....however....there was a problem!!!

My inspiration for this project came from fabric I saw at IKEA in Memphis,TN.  I snapped a picture of it, but did not have the name of the design or artist.  I thought...no problem!  GOOGLE!!!  Well, much to my surprise...Google doesn't know everything.  I also tried uploading it to Pinterest to see if it would populate other images of the fabric/design.  NOPE!  Finally, this week I Tweeted IKEA USA, IKEA Canada, and IKEA UK and asked if they could help me out.  IKEA Canada was the only ones who responded(THANK YOU!!!).  They were able to give me the name of the art work (ALIEN CROWD) and that it came from Graham & Brown. I then Googled that information and came to a design firm website.....AND I FOUND THE ORIGINAL ARTIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

His name is Kev Munday...and his work is AMAZING!!  You have got to check him out!

https://www.kevmunday.co.uk/

So armed with that information...I found his Twitter account and Tweeted him a message & picture of the kids artwork.  AND HE RESPONDED!!!!!!!!!!!!  My students were beside themselves!!! 

CHECK OUT MORE PICTURES OF THEIR WORK BELOW!!!!!  

KICK OFF THE YEAR WITH COLLABORATIVE PAINTINGS

For several years I've kicked off the school year with a collaborative painting project with all my students.  This year because of how they scheduled Kindergarten...I was only able to have one of their classes participate.   

• We looked at the artist Jason Woodside (http://jasonwoodside.com/)  He is AMAZING...and has a large mural here in Nashville! If you don't know his work..check it out.  The kids LOVED IT! 
• I had a very thick/canvas type material donated to me that I used for the students to paint on.  I used a cheap plastic table cloth underneath knowing that some of the paint would seep through.  
• I used a yardstick to draw basic lines down first. Later I had students help in drawing the smaller patterns after the first class each day painted in the background color.  I had rulers and circle shapes available for them to trace.  
• The class was working on self portraits at their seats while I brought groups of four back to paint on the collaborative piece.  We used tempera paint because of its fast drying & washability(it was not washable paint, but most tempera does wash out fairly easy if messes are made...and on the first days of school...messes can be made! ha ha)  
• The last group of the day used asked if they could add black out lines...I was ok with that, but once they did it...it looked more like Romero Britto than Jason Woodside.  Oh well...still beautiful! 

DAY ONE                           DAY TWO

DAY THREE                        DAY FOUR

After the work was dry...I cut out sections of the fabric and mounted it on the cardboard backing of these picture frames.  They use to have class in them...but over the years the glass had broken.  Lucky for me...they had just shoved them in a closet!! I asked the principal if I could repurpose them...and she was more than happy for me to do so!  I had to fix some hooks, patch up some scratches, and rewire some backs...but it was totally worth it!  I was able to get 7 works hung from the fabric we painted in the four days.  The halls look lovely & kid focused....and everyone has commented how much they enjoy them!! 

FIRST WEEK BACK

The 2017-2018 School Year is underway! 

(I'll have my room & bulletin boards posted soon!)  

A few years ago I started kickin' off the year with a little RAZZMATAZZ!  

I wanted to get away from the same old rules/procedures, and get the kids excited about the upcoming year in art.

It really is a hybrid kind of day.  I still briefly run through THE ART ROOM WAY & classroom procedures(less then 10 min!)  I still have the kids create a full body self portrait (something they can work on while I'm working with small groups painting).  

This year's "razzmatazz" is a collaborative banner.  I cover the table with a plastic sheet(Tape it down so it doesn't scoot too much!).  They are painting on a cotton fabric(I think it might be duck cloth...I believe that is what I've heard it called in the past).  I have each class create a new "layer".   Groups of 4 to 6 students at a time work on the banner...until all students have contributed. We use an acrylic paint..which dries quickly when spread thin.  By the time the next class runs through rules/procedures & begins their self portraits....it gives it will be dry enough for the next layer.  Make sure students have art shirts on!!!   Each day creates their own banner.

(Kindergarten's contribution is not added yet...they have half days the first two days of school.  I'll have them start adding to the banner's tomorrow!!  I'll share the finished product in a later post)

DAY 1's WORK

1st grade painted in the background color for the banner.

2nd grade added vertical lines on top of the background color.

4th graded added zigzags on top of the other layers.

3rd grade brainstormed a list of words about school.  

They each selected a word to add to the banner.

DAY 2's WORK

1st grade painted in the background color for the banner.

2nd grade added horizontal lines on top of the background color.

4th graded added curvy lines on top of the other layers.

3rd grade brainstormed a list of words about school.  

They each selected a word to add to the banner.

You Asked For It: Details of Painting K-4 Week 1

So I posted through out the process of painting the first week of art on the ArtTeacher Facebook page, tweeted about it, and posted a couple things on here along the way.  I was hoping it wasn't "overkill", but you all asked for more.  I'm not sure I'll hit all the points that you want...so please feel free to comment or connect with me through FB, Twitter, or E-mail.  I will tell you I don't have a "lesson plan" for this.  We are not required to write out lengthy lesson plans...so mine take place in blocks with just main ideas/important information.  

       

So this is what the finished product looked like.  I LOVE IT!  The kids, parents, faculty/staff loved it as well.  I believe I'll keep it up in some form all year(but not in this incarnation or in this location).  The individual sections are below...you can click on them to see them a bit closer up if you wish.

         

         

The hanging system is not all that sophisticated.  I measured the overhang where I was "installing" them so I didn't cover up any of the circles.  I then bent coat hangers out, duct taped them to the back, and glued a sheet of paper over top of the duct tape.  Like I said...not rocket science.  They've been up for 5 days now and nothing has fallen down/apart!! So far so good!   I taped the sections together so they would not curl/turn/flap.  

         

          

You can read a few posts back on how I painted with Kindergarten.  The details are pretty good there...and I don't feel a need to repeat them.  However, if you have questions..please ask!

The first two days I used the water color for Kindergarten.  I guess watercolor is my safe place(my concentration in college).  However...after an art teacher posted she used liquid tempera on the first day of art with her class.....CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!!! ha ha ha  

        

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL OR COMMENT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!

THIS TURNED OUT BETTER THAN I COULD EVER IMAGINE!!

Day2 of Painting the 1st Day of Art!

So this was Day2's offering!  Day two went well...and my Kindergarten students did an AMAZING job on their section.  I was totally impressed.  However, as I was finishing assembling this...I was in the midst of Day3.  Day3 did not go as smooth.  Larger class sizes(we have two 2nd grade classes that have 27 students..that is a lot for us..but I know is nothing for some of you all), EL students that did not understand all my directions, and some not so great combinations of students.  I always want to be honest with ya'll...everything isn't roses and sunshine in Mr. E's world all the time!! ha ha  It was a challenging day, but I'm still enjoying painting with all my students the first day of art!!  Two days left to go till I've seen all my students!! Stay tuned!!

Painting With Kindergarten On Day 1

So I shared with ya'll in a post about painting with all my classes on their first day in the art room(5 day cycle/5 classes per day).  Today was Day2 for us...but the first day Kindergarten came to special areas.  AND YES...I PAINTED WITH KINDERGARTEN ON THEIR FIRST FULL DAY! 

Here are the details...just in case the thought of it scares the pee out of you!!

(it is Kindergarten...pee on the floor happens! ha ha)

I STARTED BY READING "THE DOT".

I was not going to pass out my usual water cups! ha ha I decided to place sponges in rectangular pans I had, and saturate the sponge enough to leave a little bit of water laying the bottom.  This worked out extremely well.  Students had enough water to paint with, but even if they would have knocked one off the table...it would have made minimal mess.  At the end of the class just rinse out the pan & sponges, and they'll be good to go.

With my other classes I'm using tempera paint, but I'm just not that brave with kindergarten.  BIGGIE CAKES WATERCOLOR (or you could use tempera cakes) are one of my favorite go-to supplies with the little ones.  I wanted to limit the color palette...so I placed wide painter's tape over the colors I didn't wish the students to use.  I do trust my kindergartners a little later in the year, but being the first day and not knowing the students at all....better safe than sorry!

I did precut the circles they were using, but they were asked to draw out their design before painting. I was so impressed with their drawings & painting.  I don't really believe the results were "normal"....but I'll take 'em!!! ha  ha  I still have four more kindergarten classes to go....we'll see how the rest of them do!?!?  I had the students bring their work over to two empty tables in the back of my room.  They did not drop them, spill paint, or stack them on top of each other.  WOW!  

So friends....the moral of the story...it is worth the risk!!  Be organized, modify, and have wet towels & cleaner at the ready!!   

LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!

First Day Project: PAINTING

Yep!  I'm officially crazy!!!! ha ha

A few years ago I went to my first NAEA conference(Fort Worth).  I met amazing educators that were passionate about teaching visual arts.  I loved talking "shop" with people that loved their job as much as me!!  One of the topics we talked about was first day practices.  I had always started the school year with seats, rules, and a self portrait.  It seemed "SAFE" & a way to "EASE" back into things.  There is total validity to that practice..and no one should feel otherwise if it works for them!!!  You spend time with other passionate art educators & you will quickly realize that there are a million "GOOD" ways to do things.  There is not a one size fits all...and no one should feel bad about doing things differently.  However, I feel it is our obligation to consider what we do and see if it is the "BEST" way of doing things.  This allows us to grow.  

ANYWAYS...LET ME GET TO THE FIRST DAY PROJECT!!!

So this year I decided I was going to paint with my students on the first day.  I knew I had to get students seats assigned, go over some key rules....and then try to fit in the painting.  This means I had to have things ready to go.  Paint already served up(limited color palette...varying it a little each class so I can get the super cool gradation) & brushes ready to go.   I gave the students a 9x12 piece of 90lbs paper.  They were required to draw as big of a circle as possible.  They then had to draw a design based on circles/dots on the inside of their larger circle.  1st grade mostly looked like chocolate chip cookies,  but they had a blast creating.  2nd - 4th really seemed to "get it" and do a great job. I discussed Principles of Design with them(quickly) & showed them some examples. Now Monday I'll have Kindergarten for the first time(they go half days the first week...and do not come to special areas).  I will precut their circles and probably use BIGGIE WATERCOLOR sets with them(covering two of the four colors to limit their palette).  I cut them out after they dried and had older students help me with the black outlines(using tempera).  The whole process is very busy...very fast...furious..... AND A WHOLE LOT OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!

If you are wondering...yes...I'm going to connect this to THE DOT.  My plan is to switch the colors each day till I have a rainbow of awesomeness!!!  I'll display this in the hall...connecting the sections on the wall...each section being a day's worth of circles(I'm afraid it will be too heavy if I connect all 550 circles together before hand).  

I'll review & reinforce classroom rules and procedures when they return to art(I know some of you really want to make sure your kids get it...and I do too!!  I just loved the idea of capturing their attention in a new way on the very first day of art!!!)

Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions...hope this helped for those of you who were asking on Facebook!!