5th Graders have spent the last few weeks working on an open ended watercolor project. The students were given a lot of freedom in what and how they worked but each day we worked in a new medium, (watercolor, ink, marker and graphite) adding layers into our projects. I love how unique these are.
4th Grades created tinfoil scultptures focusing on createing a proportional person who show some movement. We are currently working on paintings to go with our scluptures that show movement and color families.
We began this lesson by looking at vases from the Ming Dynsty in China and Delf Vases from Holland, Netherlands. Students discussed the vases from both cultures, why they were made, what they looked like, how they were created, and what the artists goals were. Then students were asked to create their own vase painting using a cobalt blue stain. We then cut out our vases and placed them on a background paper that we graded a color onto and added a table top. (I love how much art history we were able to discuss durning this simple lesson.)
5th Grade begain this project by looking at the works of Georgia Okeefe and Wayne Tiebolt. Then with candy in hand we drew from life trying to focuse on the details that made the candy unique. Then we used chalk pastel and marker to finish the project. With the chalk students attempted to create a range of values so that their work would look 3D.
We did this as a simple 1 day project. We looked at VanGogh's bedroom and chair and I asked the students to tell me what they liked about the paintings. Kids always like the perspective, the 3d as they said that makes it look 'real' or 'like a box'. After talking for a while about Perspective the 1st graders then drew their own chair and on their chair they put something they loved (a stuffed animal). I debated about spending another day working on these just to add more detail but the kids were really excited about the 3d look and excited to bring these home so I let them go. So next week we can study someone new again.
Paperwaving is a tough skill for the kindergartens but they did a lovely job. They did all the cutting which in itself can be tough for some kiddos and then to add in the complexity of waving it can seem impossible but they all got it done this week and I am very proud of them and the end result looks great. 
