Second Grade Monster Portraits

Second graders have been exploring texture, pattern and watercolor resist. For this quick project, we created monster portraits. We were inspired by the work of Jim Henson. We looked at many of his monster-like creatures and noticed how they often included textures, crazy colors and silly details.

To create their own monster portrait, students began by using black oil pastel. They first created the outline of their creature. Next, they colored in the whole background black, allowing the finished monster to stand out. They used colored oil pastel to add texture, pattern and details. Finally, they painted their work using watercolor. Because watercolor resists oil pastel, the paint did not cover their drawing, but instead allowed their line work to show. Here are a few finished examples, but check for more on Digication:

Happy Halloween!

Kindergarten Observational Drawing Beginnings

I cannot express how important drawing from observation is at every age. With observational drawing, children learn to really look and to express their interactions with objects. Nancy Smith's Observation Drawing with Children is an excellent resource for teachers and parents interested in developing a child's looking and drawing skills.

I love the first time we explore looking and drawing in kindergarten. Students are sometimes nervous about getting drawings to look just like their subject, but instead we focus on looking at and including as many details as we can. For our first observational drawing experience, we looked closely at leaves. First, we used our sense of touch to explore a leaf in the mystery box. Students were not told what was inside before this experience, so they had to feel the leaf and share with the class what they noticed with their hands. Next, students looked closely at the shape of the leaf. We also listed all of the details we saw on the leaf--veins, holes, spots, etc. After this long investigation, students were asked to choose one leaf and went back to their table to draw it.

In the same class period (Kindergarten artists work FAST!), we came back to the rug and talked about warm and cool colors. Students noticed that warm colors remind us of things that are hot and cool colors remind us of things that are cold. After reviewing the watercolor painting procedure, students went back to their drawings and added color. They were directed to use warm colors inside the leaf and cool colors on the outside. They did a fantastic job!

More on Digication. (You have to see these!)

Second Grade

Second grade artists have been working on a variety of projects in the past few weeks. The first was creating "texture cities." We explored how the architecture of a city is different than that of a place like New Canaan. Students reflected on their neighborhood collages and thought about what would have been different if they were depicting a city. Next, we looked at examples of art and architecture from New York City. Students looked at how illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg depicts a city. We also looked at some examples of interesting architecture such as the Guggenheim Museum.

Students were then asked to create a drawing of an imaginary city. They needed to create all of the large elements by tracing basic shapes. They could then add free handed details. Students were reminded of how we can show background, middle ground and foreground by overlapping and varying size.

Next, artists added color to their work using crayon. Instead of simply coloring the shapes in, students explored how texture could add interest to their work. They used texture rubbing to fill their work with color.


Next, students began working on monster portraits. For the next two projects, we will be exploring watercolor resist. Here is a sneak peek, but I will post more about this project once all of the classes are finished.

Keep up the good work second graders!

The Year So Far: Fourth Grade

Fourth graders have been learning about abstraction. We looked at Several Circles by Vasily Kandinsky.

Several Circles

We learned that it is an abstract piece of work because it does not depict something we immediately recognize. Students were asked to create their own abstract composition using circles. First, they created a their composition by tracing a variety of circles. They were asked to think about placement (overlapping, touching, apart, inside) while creating their composition. Next, they added color using construction paper crayons. Some decided to used solid color while others included pattern. When we shared the work, we noticed that although we used the same shape and materials, each piece was unique.

Be sure to check out the display of this work in the lobby! This unit was inspired by one done at Briargrove Elemtary. Thanks for the inspiraton Mrs. Gonzalez!

Next, fourth grade artists created an abstract composition using pattern and line. To begin, students created their composition by tracing their hand twice. They used the same ideas for placement and composition (apart, touching, overlapping, inside) as in the circles project. Next, they made three lines crossing their hands. Once finished, they created a different pattern in each section of their composition. We discussed balance when creating a composition. Students thought about how the relationship between darker and lighter areas should be balanced and spread throughout their drawing.

Fourth graders will now be moving onto a unit exploring more representational work. Nice job!

The Year So Far: Third Grade

Third grade artists have been working on a drawing project. We have been exploring castles. Students looked at a number of examples of castles and artistic representations of them. We have been focusing on how artists create texture with line and shape. We also discussed how castles were historically built for protection, so were made out of materials like brick and stone.

via Wikipedia

Third graders have been working on creating their own castle drawings. They began with drawing the basic shapes. They used pencil first and then outlined everything in Sharpie.

Next, we explored how you can create simulated texture using line and shape. Artists went back into their drawings to add texture and detail. Each artist is including at least three types of texture in their work.

These drawings are large (18x24) so we continue to work on them. Throughout this project, we have been discussing craftsmanship. Since it is easy to quickly rush through the texture stage of their work, students have been practicing working slowly and concentrating. The work is coming out beautifully and I will post pictures of the finished drawings as soon as they are done.