Kindergarten cows

Does it GET any cuter than these cows?! I found this idea on Pinterest several years ago and it has become my favorite kindergarten project.  I guess you could say I save the best for last.  The next few posts will also be of some of my favorites! 

zebra surrealism!!

This is of my favorite projects for 5th grade that I repeat almost every year.  It's great for learning about surrealism and the anatomy of the eye.  We look at artists who painted surrealistic paintings like Dali. Of course their favorite is The Persistence of Memory.  They love the melting clocks, and who can blame them?! They're so cool! 

We also discuss the parts of the eye,  what their purpose is, and why they're the color that they are.  When they discover that the pupil is a hole in their eye it completely grosses them out!  Ha!

Last, we use our favorite method of shading with analogous colors.  They use their color wheels to determine the best combinations for their stripes.  Using watercolor, we paint each part in a specific order so certain areas are dry for the next step, like the eyelashes.  No one likes an exploding eyelash. :)

I'll post finished pieces when we're done!  

More winter projects!

Here are a few of the projects we've been working on lately!  

4th grade created these snowy value landscapes.  We did this project a bit backwards to achieve the values in the snow.  We painted our entire paper first with shades of blue and white.  Then drew our trees and painted the snow between them.  The blue shows through the white just enough to create the shady areas.  Last we painted the trees.  I feel as if they need just a little something else but I'm just not sure what... 

This project is an awesome "fast-finisher" project for students that have completed their work early.  We trace the heart shapes first.  Then fill the abstract shapes created by the overlapping lines with simple but bold patterns.  Younger students just color the abstract shapes.  We used color sticks for these. 

5th grade is going to the opera!!!  A 5th grade teacher at one of my schools asked if their classes could create flowers to take to the opera.  They were supposed to bring paper flowers for the singers.  So we took a little break from our winter project to create these giant flowers.  Early spring anyone?  :)

Another one of those cute little first grade snowmen!! 

Third grade finished up their birch trees this week.  This is one of my favorite projects. (I know... I have a lot of favorites!!  But this one really is!)  I just love how the black lines make the trees pop!

Another 4th grade winter tree and Valentine project combined!!  

Snowmen in first grade!

1st grade has been learning about perspective while drawing these towering snowmen and snowladies.  Here are a few in progress!

Here is one before coloring or painting.  We drew them together and traced in permanent marker.  Then we colored the buttons, scarf, eyes, nose, and mouth with color sticks.  We are in the process of painting the background.  Can't wait to show the finished ones!

Sneak peek of cardinals on branches

These are turning out great, I can't wait to share the finished projects!

Wintry sneak peek!

A little sneak peek of what we're working on in 5th grade!  A review from October in value and blending makes this project really turn out well.  I can't wait to show you the finished pieces! 

Oops! Something went wrong...

So I JUST realized that all the posts I'd written from November and December didn't publish from the blogger app!  My apologies for the delay!  It appeared as though they had posted from the app but I obviously should have double checked!  Here's Christmas only about a month late! Yikes! 

1st grade Santa paintings

A new one this year is first grade's Santa faces.  Another great quick project when I'm running out of days in December.  Things pop up here and there and I miss seeing a class in the rotation, so this one is a great in that they were able to complete it in just one art class. 

The sticky note flags helped to remind them where NOT to paint.  They get a little carried away sometimes! :)

Third grade baubles!

This is one of my favorite projects found on Pinterest that I repeat each year in third grade!  It's perfect for teaching shape, texture blending and analogous colors, as well as value and highlighting.  

We start by tracing circles onto white paper, adding a highlight, and painting.  We discussed blending and the color wheel, taking care not to get paint into the highlight. I usually use watercolors, but this year I tried tempera.  I think I like this version, but I just love the fluid texture that watercolor usually gives them!

Next we cut out our circles and glue them onto black paper so that the highlights are all turned the same direction. 

Adding the branches with color sticks and if they had time, they could add lights. 

Rudolph in Kindergarten!

My little Kindergarten "deers" :) finished up these adorable Rudolph paintings this week!  I did a modified version at one of my schools because we were short on time.  I love how these turned out! Another quick and easy project to teach line, shape, and foreground, mid ground, and background! (Unless you're short on time!! Then it's a close-up! :)