Gumball machines!

We are learning about Wayne Thiebaud in my classes this week and Kindergarten is working on these fabulous gumball machines!  I showed them a short little video clip about Thiebaud and also focused on his painting called "Three Machines."  We drew these together and talked more about exactly HOW to stay inside the lines when coloring.  They are doing a fantastic job!!!

Finished pinecone paintings!

4th and 5th grade are finishing up their amazing pinecones this week.  I'm thrilled with how these turned out.  Students did an excellent job learning to shade with color and they look so realistic.  This will definitely be a repeated project for next year!

This one is still in progress but she was doing such a great job I had to post it as well.

Kinder snowmen and snowladies!

Kindergarten is finishing up their snow people this week and I love all the personality these have! 

Cardinals in 2nd grade

I've done cardinals in many different ways over the years, and this year with a little help from Art for Kids Hub, we've created another version!  We put our cardinals on evergreen branches to make them more of a winter project since we're hoping for some more snow before spring!  Well, at least I am, but my coworkers may not be! :)

For the pine needle "leaves" the students have a few guidelines to follow.  The needles must be as long as their index finger, they should be at least 2 shades of green, and they should be close enough that some of them touch, but not all of them.  This way we end up with fuller branches and no Charlie Brown Christmas trees. Ha!

Harp Seals in 3rd grade!

Before Christmas, I showed my students a short video clip from Art For Kids Hub and they loved it so much I found a few more for winter projects!  These baby harp seals were quick and easy, and for this time of year when we have so many students absent from sickness, it's nice to pull this video back up and let them catch up while I continue working with the rest of the class.  This project was also perfect for practicing a gradient in the background!

I'll post the link to the tutorial at the bottom!

Here's the video!  We love Art for Kids Hub!

Baby Harp Seal Tutorial

Happy Thursday!

5th grade pinecone progress...

We had some beautiful snow a couple of weeks ago and a few school delays, so my classes are a little behind on the projects they started at the beginning of January.  I wanted to post a few in progress pictures of the pinecones that my 4th and 5th graders are working on.  I have really enjoyed this one so far and I will definitely be adding it to my regular list of projects for winter.  The students have learned about so many of the elements of art AND principles of design with this one.  We've discussed value, shape, form, texture, and of course line.  They learned about repetition while drawing the pinecone, and are now practicing shading with black, brown, and white paint.  I can't wait to share our finished ones!

Grant Wood Pumpkin Farms!

This one of those awesome projects that I repeat for 2nd grade every year.  It's great for teaching depth as well as foreground, midground, and background. 

Kindergarten watermelons

Here are a few more of our finished fundraiser projects.  Kindergarten learns about balance and repetition while creating these watermelon paintings.  Those borders alone take an entire class period! Whew! :)

  We learn about creating even spacing and also how to use our red top glue bottles.  They are called tap-n-glue caps and if you've not tried them they are amazing for keeping students from using too much glue!  They're a bit pricey at first but they last a while. Definitely worth it to avoid a mess!