Kindergarten Fish Paintings

 I love kindergarten so much!  They grow/learn so quickly. I start each year with a "fish" unit so that my students can master the subject while being introduced to new media each week.  The last project of the unit is a fish painting.  We used the Crayola Washable Watercolor sets.  Not usually my favorite watercolor, but they worked nicely for this project.  They did such an amazing job. (sorry the pictures of their work was kind of a mess...I was in a hurry when I took them!).  

Creative Fun From Our Librarian!

Our wonderful school librarian is encouraging creativity & I'm here for it!!! She challenged the faculty/staff to decorate a pumpkin like one of their favorite book characters. I made mine from tag board and cardstock (some people are using real pumpkins & others plastic. I love the Pout Pout Fish books. So this was an easy choice for me! I love things like this that bring our faculty together in creative ways. Maybe you can encourage your teachers/staff to do it as well? Ours are on display for the month of Oct, but you could just do it for a week.

Story Time With Mr. E: The Pout Pout Fish

As school systems across the United States are closing because of COVID-19, we are faced with developing different ways to reach our students.  I read to my kindergarten students every time they come to art.  I wanted them to be able to still have story time with Mr. E.  So I'm going to start recording videos of some of my favorite books to share with my students (and whoever else would like to watch/listen!).  I had to start with one of my "new" favorite books. 

THE POUT POUT FISH by Deborah Diesen & illustrated by Dan Hanna

Story Time with Mr.E: The Pout Pout Fish Cleans Up the Ocean

This is my newest Pout Pout Fish book!! 

I hope you enjoy! 

 by Deborah Diesen & illustrated by Dan Hanna

Fish Paintings: Kindergarten

I was so excited about my kindergarten students' paintings...

I shared some pictures of their efforts on Twitter!  To my surprise...Peter H. Reynolds shared my post on his page & commented on it!!! WHAT?!?!  If you don't know who he is...YOU SHOULD! He is the author of The Dot, "ish", and other amazing books!!  How encouraging to have him take notice of my students. Anyways....here is a screen shot of the Tweet.

I kick off the year with a fish unit!  We can explore different media while staying consistent with the subject matter we're creating.  I feel students are willing to explore media if they are confident in what they are creating.  Last week we created fish using markers, and this week we are painting using watercolor.  I don't know if I've ever had a group of students so focused & able to follow the painting "rules" so early in the year! It was just a delight to watch them work, explore color mixing, and be so proud of their art!  

I start the lesson reading a Pout Pout Fish book.  If your are not familiar with them...they are wonderful & your students will LOVE them!  I then have students return to their seats & review creating a fish using basic shapes.  While students are drawing their fish...I begin passing out painting supplies.  As long as you tell the students up front (and give a few gentle reminders after that) that they need to not touch the painting supplies until you tell them to do so.....you will be ok!  However, before I give them the "OK"...I do demo painting & go over the procedures and expectations.  

MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR CLEAN UP!!! 

At least 5 more minutes than usual when you are painting with kindergarten!!!

Make sure you have a plan in place for getting paint, water cups, pencils to where they belong...and where you are going to place the paintings.  Drying racks are great, but kindergarten struggles to get them in the slots.  I'd find a flat surface...a couple empty tables...shelves...along the wall in a low traffic area on the floor.  

Here are some of the finished pieces!

Fish Paintings: Kindergarten

Oh how Kindergarten loves to paint!!  We did a very controlled collaborative painting the first week of school...but this is the first time they've gone at it in a full fledged lesson! We are about 5 or 6 weeks into the school year now....so they've learned a great deal.  They also are very confident with our fish/sea theme we've been working on this 9 weeks.  After a demo & explanation of painting expectations & procedures...they students got to work! 

THE RESULTS...BEAUTIFUL!!!!

I use the wide bottom tumbler cups from Dollar Tree/Dollar General(have had them for years and years).  I only fill them about 3 or 4 inches full of water(in case of spills.

We use the "Biggie" watercolor sets with 4 colors.  Tempera cakes would work also. It is more getting them use to holding a brush, rinsing out the brush, ...etc. 

I do not do step by step exactly...I do a demo and then let them do it.  I don't want all the pictures to look exactly the same...but I do believe in guidance for my kinders!!!

This girls fish is super fun..and very different from the others.

 LOVE IT!

It is amazing how so precise some of the kids are at such a young age!

Sharing is caring!! Also...I know...I need to get new paints!!(get the refills!!..cuts down on cost)

IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY FEARS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT PAINTING WITH KINDERGARTEN...PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT OR CONTACT ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!!

Collage Fish: Kindergarten

This week I'm introducing my kindergarten students to collage...which also means introducing scissors/scissor safety & glue usage.  Personally, I feel collage is more challenging than painting with kindergarten.  There are more elements & unknown variables.  Unlike years ago...students don't have the opportunity to cut & glue in their classrooms(and if they are...you can bet it is glue sticks!).  Kindergarten teachers have so many more requirements that they don't have time for activity type learning which requires these things in their classroom.  There is also that fact that fewer children are having exposure to scissor & glue use at home. Sooooo....when we get these awesome little sponges...we are going to be doing a lot of introducing and correcting.  I think the main issue I've been seeing this week is scissor grip.  I've literally had students that had NO IDEA how to pick up, hold, and use scissors!  I know I shouldn't be amazed by this...but I kind of am!

I've only had a few students that just couldn't get it at all.  Most of them were able to do "something".  I view this as a time to introduce & build upon skills....so I'm looking at the long term & not just the immediate.  Some of the kids that are struggling now...will be master scissor users by January!!

Painting With Kindergarten

Are you afraid to paint with Kindergarten.....

WELL YOU SHOULD BE!!! 

BE AFRAID...BE VERY AFRAID!

ha ha Just kidding! ha ha

Painting with Kindergarten is truly a joy for them....AND YOU!

However, you need to set yourself up for success. Many of your students will have limited experience painting before your classroom.  You have to be very organized & very clear in your expectations.  

Set yourself up for success!!!

I have the BIGGIE PANS watercolor...where there are 4 giant pats of paint(Red, Blue, Yellow, Green).  However, they were looking a little rough, and it is going to be awhile before I can order.  So instead I set up the four colors in the refill strips I had left over from last year.  Limiting your color choices helps prevent MUD from happening by young artists.  It also helps encourage the mixing of colors to make new ones!! 

Pre-fill water cups half full. I use the fat/short tumbler cups from Dollar Tree/Dollar General.  They last forever and don't tip easily.  I also go ahead and place two paint brushes in each cup.  This helps speed up the process.  You need your attention to be on the kids...not getting things ready.  Paper towels at the ready for messes...you never know with Kindergarten.  Sometimes they're great...sometimes they are a hot mess! ha ha  I also use cut up old art shirts for rags.  I wet them and squeeze them out so they are good to go when cleanup time happens at the end of class.  

I place the water cup and paint on their table and tell them NOT to move them.  Placing it right between the two of them will help avoid them standing up, reaching, and bumping the table...causing their table partner to mess up or spilling the water cup!  I also go a through a whole funny thing about tap tappin' the brush on the side of the cup(something they are NOT allowed to do...because it makes a mess and it is annoying to listen to!)....and a shtick about washing your brush every time so you don't mix colors.  The kids this year have done AMAZING so far...but it isn't always like that.  Reminding often for young artists is NOT a bad thing!! ha

The results of their hard work!!  I love how different & beautiful each one is!!

(These are a part of a larger fish unit I do at the start of the school year to build confidence and explore different media!)

LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...HAPPY TO HELP!

AND THE WINNER IS...........

I know this was a long wait.......but the winner of our Pout Pout Fish

 contest is K Hyman!!!

Mr. E Asks 3: Dan Hanna (Illustrator)

http://www.bluebellylizard.com/

http://www.danhanna.com/

In celebrating the release of the new Pout-Pout fish book...I have another Mr. E Asks 3 

with the illustrator of the series.  He is pretty funny!!!!  I hope you enjoy the interview...and don't forget about the chance to win the Pout-Pout series!!!!!  Leave a comment with a 2 or 3 sentence description of a fish lesson you use in your classroom!  I'll draw a name from those who do this...and the winner will receive a complete set of The Pout Pout Fish Books!  Please "Like" Art With Mr. E on Facebook & "Follow" me on Twitter to see if your name is selected!!! 

1) What was your early inspiration for creating art/illustrations?

My childhood bedroom wall and a box of crayons.  There are so many things that have inspired me:  other artists, picture books that I read when I was a kid, comics, nature and on and on and on… In particular, "The Far Side" single panel comic was one of my favorites when I was younger and one of Gary Larson's anthologies was called "The Prehistory of the Far Side".  It showed his rough ideas before he would clean them up.  This was an epiphany for me because his scribbles looked just like my scribbles and it was the first time I remember thinking "I can do this!"

2) How does your personal art and illustration differ?  

Do they influence each other?

They can't be in the same room together.  My personal art thinks that my illustration art is childish and my illustration art thinks that my personal art is narcissistic and a waste of time.  Only after many interventions and couples counseling sessions have I finally gotten them to start working together.

Actually my personal art is more experimental and my approach with "The Pout-Pout Fish" books derives from some of my more successful experiments.  I used to draw more carefully and deliberately but the results would often look lifeless.  At one point I made an effort to loosen up my style by starting off with scribblier scribbles.  I've found that these small, quick scribbles ultimately lead to drawings that feel more lively and humorous and which surprisingly have better structure.

I've also learned that I get better results if I don't draw from reference images.  I'll usually do a bit of research but then I'll just draw based on my faulty memory.  There is something about mistakes and misinterpretations that tickle the mind.  As a child I remember noticing that the game of telephone often produced a result that was far more interesting than the source.

If you're building a bridge then mistakes are probably something to be avoided.  But if you're an artist, a mistake can be an adventurous friend who takes you to fantastic, out of the way places, that you'd never have thought to visit on your own.

3) What are your words of encouragement for 

those wanting to get into illustration?

Think of pens, pencils and paintbrushes as magic wands.  Everything is possible.  You can draw a simple rabbit being pulled out of a hat or conjure up entire universes filled with nothing but hat wearing rabbits.  To become an illustrator is to become a wizard!  You will astound yourself with the fantastic stuff that tumbles out of your head onto a piece of paper.  So the next time you pick up a pencil – make some magic happen!

BUY A COPY
POUT POUT FISH ON AMAZON
OR  http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780374360955

Mr. E Asks 3: Debbie Diesen (The Pout-Pout Fish)

...OUT JUNE 24...

BUY ON AMAZON

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780374360955

I hope you all know the joy that is THE POUT POUT FISH!  My students love these books!!!!  Several years ago Debbie Diesen, the author of The Pout Pout Fish, commented on my blog after I had used her book as inspiration for a lesson.  I so appreciated her taking the time to comment....love that she has that kind of connection with her audience!!  Well, I contacted her to see if she would want to be part of Mr. E Asks 3....and she shared that The Pout Pout Fish had another adventure about to take place!!  The Pout Pout Fish Goes to School!!!   I love this...because my oldest daughter will be going to kindergarten this fall, and I can see her connecting with this story!!!  Ok..enough of me going on and on....

I HOPE YOU ENJOY MR. E ASKS 3: Debbie Diesen!!! 

(OH...and read all the way to the bottom of the post for something extra fun!)

Do you have a favorite place to "create" your stories?  

If so where is it & why?

Ideally, I love to be outside when I’m writing, though that’s not always

practical here in Michigan.  But regardless of where I am, I prefer to have

a pen or pencil in hand when I’m writing.  I do use the computer later,

after I have a complete first draft, but pretty much everything I write

starts out handwritten.  Having a pen in my hand helps me tap into the

writing part of my mind.

Were you involved in the arts as a child/teenager?

I loved to write when I was young, and I was very lucky to have parents,

teachers, and school librarians who encouraged me in my writing.  I was

pretty shy and timid back then (something I haven’t yet entirely outgrown!),

but the encouragement I received in those early years gave me confidence in

myself as a writer, then and now.  I am very grateful!

When you first wrote the Pout Pout Fish, 

did you know his story was going to continue? 

When I first wrote the story, I didn’t know Mr. Fish would have more

adventures.  And in fact, I didn’t even know he’d ever see Miss Shimmer

again!  At the time, I imagined the life-changing kiss of the first book to

be a Random Act of Smoochiness.  But after Dan Hanna’s delightful art

brought Mr. Fish and his friends to life, it became clear that Mr. Fish had

more stories to tell.  It has been a joy beyond measure to create and share

those stories with children!

AUTHOR SITE- http://deborahdiesen.com/index.htm

HERE IS DEBBIE'S BLOG - http://jumpingthecandlestick.blogspot.com/

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A SET OF 

THE POUT POUT FISH BOOKS?

Leave a comment with a 2 or 3 sentence description of a fish lesson you use in your classroom!  I'll draw a name from those who do this...and the winner will receive a complete set of The Pout Pout Fish Books!  Please "Like" Art With Mr. E on Facebook & "Follow" me on Twitter to see if your name is selected!!! 

The Pout-Pout Fish at KOHL'S!

As part of Kohl's Cares...the Pout-Pout Fish is at Kohl's!!! The hardback books are $5 (they also have the sequel..The Pout-Pout Fish & The Big Big Dark) & the stuffed animals are $5.  I believe it will be there as long as supplies last.

This book is WONDERFUL.....and great as a spring board for lessons!

Mr. E's Pout Pout Fish Pinch Pots

Ms. Malone's Pout Pout Lesson!

Learn More About the Author

 Deborah Diesen

Want to know more about Kohl's Cares...check out this link!

KOHL'S CARES

Pout-Pout Pinch Pots

If you've been following my blog for a year or two...you'll know how much I love The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen!  If you don't have it...here is the Amazon link  BUY IT ...YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!

In our curriculum for 1st grade we have pinch pots starting off the nine weeks.  Pinch pots are great & all...but a little boring in & of themselves.   You've probably seen a number of other ideas on Pinterest or your fav. art blog of how you can jazz up the lesson.  I love doing fish & underwater units, and this fits in perfectly. 

I LOVE THIS OVER THE HEAD SHOT! 

TO BE CONTINUED....

The Pout-Pouts gathering place!

Watercolor Fish: Kindergarten

 Continuing on in the world of "fishdom"...we used watercolor for the first time.  This group of kindergarten students did an AMAZING job!!!  Not all the groups were so successful.  I used the big pan/biggie/4 color sets...and everything else was the same as how I paint with the older students.  We really focused on painting inside your lines..complete coverage..and keeping it watery.  LOVE THEM!!!! 

 

PD Day Projects: "The Pout Pout Fish" Inspired Craft Wars

Have you seen Craft Wars?!?  I really want to be on it!!  We have decided to do a one hour Craft Wars at the start of each PD Day(we have 5 this year).  We have random supplies laid out...and give the teachers a few objectives that must be accomplished in their creation!  My wife actually gave me this idea!! The teachers that attended our PD Day on Assessment/Grading yesterday created these beautiful works while listening to The Pout Pout Fish.  My friend Janet and I were leading the workshop..and we had to find a way to work that into the day!!! ha ha  Every elementary art teacher should have this book in their classroom library! I did a dramatic reading(really..just how I normally read..ha) while teachers were getting underway with their project.  We only told them that their must be a fish...there must be an environment...and craftsmanship must be excellent!  I know that the images you are looking at do not look like The Pout-Pout Fish.  HOWEVER...I am not really a fan of copying images from other artists.  So this is inspired...not a copy.   This work was later a part of the grading/assessment portion of our day.