Amsterdam by night

You need:

1. white drawing sheet A4 size


2. liquid water colour


3. brush


4. jar with water


5. indian ink


6. straw


7. black and yellow construction paper


8. scissors


9. glue

Paint the white sheet blue or orange with liquid water colour; add water to get a brighter blue / orange above. Let dry. Drip some indian ink and blow it upwards with a straw. Cut a row of canal houses out of black paper and paste it on the coloured sheet. Cut and paste windows and a moon out of yellow paper.

Paste the artwork on a black sheet.

Artworks made by students of grade 4

Northern lights

You need:

1. black construction paper A4 size


2. chalk pastel


3. white wallpaper with texture


4. scissors


5. glue


6. fine black marker

I found this lesson via Flickr on Pinterest, but don't know to whom I have to give credit...

Show some northern light movies on Youtube. What can you tell about the colours? What movements do you see?



Draw a horizon line a little below the middle of a black sheet. Use different colours chalk pastels to colour the sea. Do not use too much chalk, so that it can be smudged.

Cut a strip of mountains out of black paper. Paste it on the horizon line. Use white chalk pastel to make snow on the mountains. Draw the northern light above the mountains. Smudge colours.

Draw a polar bear on an ice floe on the back of a piece of white wallpaper. Cut out. Draw details with a fine black marker. Paste the polar bear on the sea.

Finally paste the artwork on a bright coloured sheet.

By students of grade 5

Building a burger

I did this lesson in October 2009, and soon saw it on many blogs. It's still one of my favorite lessons.

This week we had the Dutch Week of School Breakfast, a good reason to build a lot of new burgers with students of grade 4.

How to do this? Look at this post.

Printed mushrooms, group work

Group work by students of grade 3

You need:

1. piece of linoleum 15 x 15 cm


2. lino knife


3. block printing ink


4. flat piece of plexiglass


5. linoleum roller


6. white sheets


7. lino press


8. autumn leaves


9. scissors


10. glue


11. coloured cardboard

Draw a mushroom on your linoleum. Cut away the linoleum around the mushroom. Remember: what you cut away will not print. It is not important to carve deeply into linoleum, just enough so that carved area is lower than the linoleum surface. Always carve away from your hand, always keep your hand behind the back edge of linoleum. When you want to check your printing block, place a piece of paper on the linoleum and rub over the paper with a crayon. This will create a “rubbing” and will give you an idea of what the final print will look like.

Squeeze out “toothpaste” amount of ink on plexiglass. Roll ink out. The ink is ready when lines appear. Ink should look wet. 

Put your linoleum block on a newspaper. Roll one or two colours ink onto the linoleum printing block, working quickly to cover all areas. Lay the block on a sheet in the printing press and press. Take away the block and your print is ready.

To make a group work, all students have to cut out on of their their prints. Leave a white edge around the mushroom. Ask some students to make a collage of all mushrooms on  a piece of dark coloured cardboard. Paste some autumn leaves on the bottom of the collage.

Haunted house in the moonlight

Made by a student of grade 6

You need:

1. white drawing sheet A4 size 


2. black construction paper


3. yellow chalk pastel


4. scissors


5. cutting knife


6. lijm


7. white pencil


8. black marker


9. blue and purple tempera paint


10. sauzer


11. sponge

This lesson is all about Halloween and haunted houses. First make a word web about haunted houses: skeletons, spiders, bats, old, tombstones, dark, scary, etc.



Tear a strip of black paper from about 5 cm and paste it on the bottom of the white sheet: the ground. Draw on black paper ahouse that looks old and cut it out.

Use a cutter for doors and windows. Paste the house on the white sheet. Draw details such as bricks, ghosts, spiders, webs with a white pencil. Use a black marker to draw things in the white window openings.

Cut a circle, the moon, from a scrap of paper and lay it on the work. Outline moon and house with a yellow chalk pastel and smudge the chalk outwards. 

Use a sponge piece to stamp the background with purple and blue tempera paint. Do not get too close to the yellow chalk. Finally paste the artwork on a yellow background sheet.

Sunflowers in five different materials

You need:

1. sunflowers or pictures of them


2. white drawing sheet A1 size, cut in strips of 30 by 65 cm


3. five different colouring materials, like colour pencils, tempera paint, watercolour paint, oil pastels, crayons, coloured ink, aquarell pencils etc.


4. brushes


5. pencil, ruler


6. coloured paper


7. scissors

Look with the students at some sunflowers or pictures of them. How thick is the stem, what can you tell about the leaves, how are the petals divided, what colours do you see in the heart of the flower, etc.

Divide the sheet with thin lines into five strips of 13 cm high. Draw some sunflowers. Make sure the flowers themselves are drawn at the demarcation of the strips. Make sure too that in each compartment at least half a sunflower or leave is drawn.

Choose five different colour materials. Use in every compartment a different material. Consider yourself the order of the materials, for example from bright (markers) to less bright (aquarelle pencils).

Paste the work on a coloured background. Or cut the five compartments and paste them with some space between on a coloured background.

Made by students of grade 5

Artist Trading Cards exchange with Australia

Another Artist Trading Cards, this time with Anna Pietrolungo from Essendon North Primary School in Australia.

Contact with a school contact with a school on the other side of the world is so exciting for my students! We searched the school on Google Earth, visited Anna's art blog and the school's website.

Many ohs and ahs when they saw the Australian students wearing school uniforms. That's inconceivable in the Netherlands and it took quite a time to discuss the the pros and cons (although most of my students didn't see any pro at all!).



My students made about 35 cards. Subjects and materials were their own choice. I laminated them and sent them to Australia. Hopefully their cards are almost ready, because we only have two weeks school to go before my students leave us to go to highschool!

Weaving flowers

 

Made by students of grade 1

You need:

1. beer coaster


2. coloured yarn


3. weaving needle


4. paper plate


5. white sheet


6. coloured construction paper A4 size


7. scraps of coloured paper


8. tempera paint


9. brushes


10. glue


11. scissors

Cut notches in the beer coaster at intervals of 1 cm. Be sure it is an odd amount. Wrap cotton yarn around the tray, back to front, until the whole beer counter is wrapped. Start weaving in the middle. Use different colours of yarn. Don't weave too tight, to keep the work flat.

To make the flower you have to paint a paper plate with tempera paint. If you use plastified plates, the paint will give a wrinkly effect. Cut a circle ouot of a white sheet circle which is two cm larger then the plate. This will be the outer edge of the flower. Paint it too.

Paste the woven circle on the plate. Paste the plate on the coloured circle. Paste it all on a coloured sheet. Cut petals and a stem out of green paper and finish the flower. 

Abstract relief

You need:

1. piece of grey cardboard 18 by 24 cm (cereal box)
2. tissue paper
3. wood glue
4. several zijdevloeipapier
5. houtlijm
6. various free materials like rope, pasta, shells, sticks, buttons, etc.
7. varnish
8. coloured cardboard for frame

Look at the painting Catalan landscape of Joan Miró (Google pictures). Discuss what is on this painting, what things are definable and which are not. Explain the difference between realistic and abstract.

Tell the students they are going to make an abstract relief. Students make a composition of different items on their grey cardboard. They have to make a horizon line at least. Paste the different items with glue. Don't paste the items too close together and make sure it is not too full.

When the composition is ready, bring wood glue on all items and the cardboard. Cover everything with tissue paper. Push the paper firmly against the pasted items to make the tissue paper crumple. Here and there the paper will rip, so paste multiple layers of the same colour paper.

Finish with a layer of wood glue or wait until the artwork has dried and then apply a layer of varnish. Paste the artwork on a coloured background.

All artworks are made by students grade 3

Thanks to Ann de Naegel and her students.

Cool web, big spider

You need:

1. white drawing paper 20 by 20 cm
2. left overs of white drawing paper
3. yellow crayons
4. liquid watercolour
5. thick brush
6. jar with water
7. scissors
8. glue
9. black construction paper

Students draw a web with a yellow crayon. The easiest way is to first draw diagonal lines from the corners of the paper. Then draw more lines from top to bottom, left to right. The lines must all go through the center. After this draw circles around the center, until the sheet is full.

Paint the sheet using liquid watercolour ink in cold colours. Take two colours. Leave the work to dry.

Draw some leaves with a warm colour crayon on a white sheet. Draw the veins. Paint the leaves with warm colours liquid watercolour. Let the leaves dry.

Make a spider of black construction paper. In the example above, the spider is made of a circle with a diameter of about 4 cm. Cut the circle in to the center and stick the cutting edges on each other so the center rises. Draw a cross on the back if you want to. Cut a smaller circle for the head, draw eyes on it and paste it on the body of the spider. Cut the feet: 8 strips of 8 cm by 1/2 cm. Glue the legs on the underside of the body. Make a fold inwards on the mid of the strip, and 1 cm from the end a fold outwards.

When the work is completely dry, cut the leaves and paste them on the web. Put the spider in the web by pasting the lower parts of the legs and the head.

Paste the artwork on a black background. You may draw the spider web lines on the background too.

Design your own board game

World Cup 2010 game

You need:

1. coloured cardboard
2. coloured paper
3. clay
4. scissors
5. glue
6. laminator
7. markers
8. various materials

Truth or dare

At the end of elementary school, in our Dutch group 8, when musical stress strikes (every group 8 in Holland ends its elementary school career by performing a musical) and motivation to learn decreases, making your own board game is a great job. In groups of two or three students invent a game , complete with all attributes and a set of rules.

CASH!

First, I let the children think about the basics of their game. Then I ask those groups to make a list of the materials they need. Cardboard? Paper? Colours? Sizes?

The teacher ensures that all materials are in the group, as far as possible. Maybe children will also want to bring things from home.

Detail: pawns out of clay

After drawing, cutting, pasting, writing and colouring, question cards can be laminated. And if all games are ready and everybody's game has been admired, the games must be playedof! Always a successful lesson!

What's for supper tonight?

Made by Lotte, 10 years old

You need:

1. drawing paper A3 size
2. colour pencils
3. tempera and brushes
4. or coloured paper and glue

Talk about food. What do you like most? What is healthy food? Why do we have to eat vegetables and fruit? What about burgers and fries? Talk about china and cutlery and how a table has to be set.

Draw the meal you like most. Draw everything from above; so a glass is just a circle. Draw your plate with food, a saucer, a glass, knive, spoon, fork and colour everything with colour pencil. Then cut out all parts.
Paint a sheet with a pattern and colours that fits to your china; your placemat. You may also use coloured paper and glue to decorate your placemat.
When your placemat is ready, paste all cut-out parts on it.

Made by children from 10-11 years old

Carnival portraits

You need:

1. a shelf
2. balloon
3. newspaper strips
4. wallpaper paste
5. toilet rolls, bottle caps, polystyrene etc.
6. toilet paper or paper towels
7. acrylic paint or tempera paint
8. brushes
9. glitter
10. confetti
11. black marker

Blow the balloon. Paste newspaper strips on the half of the ballon. Be sure you have at least eight layers. Let the work dry.

Take the balloon uit. Cut the edges and lay this half balloon on the shelf. Use costless things like toilet rolls, bottle caps or polystyrene to shape the face. Fix these parts with newspaper strips and wallpaper paste. The last layer has to be toilet paper or paper towel. Let the work dry again.
Paint the portrait with acrylic paint or undiluted tempera. Give the face a body. Sprinkle glitter or confetti in the wet paint.

This lesson and photographs were sent to me by Ghislaine Aarts.

Birdhouse of paper mache

I've got this great paper mache lesson from Ghislaine Aarts.

You need:

1. box from boots
2. scissors
3. masking tape
4. saw
5. 2 wooden paint stirrers (DIY store)
6. wallpaper paste
7. newspaper strips
8. toilet paper or paper towels
9. brushes
10. acrylic paint or tempera paint
11. brushes
12. varnish
13. artificial snow
14. small decoration items like pineapples, peanuts or berries
15. glue gun
16. wood for frame

Make a rectangle from the lid of the boots box by cutting the sides. Cut three rectangles from the box and glue them up with masking tape. See the photograph.

Saw one of the sirrers in two halves. Lay the halves of the stirrers and the complete one on the board. Lay the cardboard roof above. See photograph 2.

Paste everything together with newspaper strips and wallpaper paste (paper mache). Your latest layer has to be toiletpaper or paper towel. Leave the work to dry.

Paint the bird house with acrylic paint or tempera. Paint one or more birds upon it. Let your work dry carefully and then finish it with colourless varnish. Scatter some artificial snow on the roof if you like it. You may glue some berries, pineappels or peanuts around the bird house for decoration. Frame your work.

Valentine's day (with Jim Dine)

You need:

1. white paper 20 by 20 cm


2. cardboard 10 by 10 cm


3. pencil and ruler


4. scissors


5. glue


6. colour pencils


7. oil pastel crayons


8. chalk pastel


9. salt


10. tempera paint


11. different kinds of coloured paper (ribbed cardboard, tissue paper, crepe paper etc.)


12. watercolour paint


13. brushes


14. markers


15. red or pink paper for background

Jin Dine, born in 1935 in Cincinatti, is a sculptor and popart artist. Hearts, ties and tools are recurrent themes in his art. Let children learn about Jim Dine by showing and discussing his artworks. Because of upcoming Valentine's day a lesson about hearts today! Basic colours are red and white (and making pink of these of course!).

Children get a sheet from 20 by 20 cm. They have to divide this sheet with ruler and pencil into four squares from 10 by 10 cm. Fold the little cardboard and draw a heart against the fold. Cut it out. Trace this heart in the four squares. Divide the different colouring supplies on different tables. Stimulate children to experiment with these materials. What happens when I sprinkle salt in watercolour paint? How can I make my heart pop up from the paper? Can I combine chalk pastel and oilpastel? What happens when I sprinkle water on tissuepaper? Students have to colour their hearts and backgrounds by using as many supplies and techniques as possible. While doing this, kids may walk around through the classroom(s) and choose the place where the art supplies of their choice are. The only restriction is: when all chairs are occupied, you have to choose another supply first. When the four hearts are ready, they have to be pasted on a red or pink background.

All artworks are made by children of 10-12 years old

Chilly penguin

You need:

1. grey construction paper A4 size
2. black shiny paper
3. white wallpaper
4. glue
5. white tempera
6. q-tips
7. leftovers of coloured paper
8. fleece fabric

Children cut a penguin body and wings out of black shiny paper. The belly has to be cut out of white textured wallpaper. The earmuffs and scarf are cut out of fleece fabric. Eyes and noses are cut out of coloured paper.
Snowflakes are stamped with a q-tips and white tempera paint.

Made by children of grade 1.

This lesson is done by Lilia Bezemer and based on examples found on Artsonia.

Winter coat

You need:

1. pattern winter coat
2. fabrics
3. buttons, straps
4. needles
5. sewing thread
6. textile glue
7. cardboard

Pattern winter coat

Make a copy of the pattern, enlarge it if you want to and print it. Cut the coat out of paper. Fold the fabric and pin the pattern on the fabric with the middle of the pattern against the fold. Cut the coat out of the fabric. Avoid fraying and use a lock or sewing machine.

Time to decorate the coat by sewing pockets, sewing buttons, embroidery, etc. When finished, paste the coat on cardboard.

In the style of ... Christo

A wrapped globe

Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, Christo, is a famous artist. Christo works on large art projects. The artistic strategy of Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude (she died in november 2009) is to 'wrapp' large buildings or landscapes with fabrics. The wrapping of buildings or objects leads to the abstraction. Examples of his work are the wrapping of Pont Neuf in Paris (1985), the Reichstag in Berlin (1995) and The Gates in Central Park New York (2004). Christo wants his work to be seen by lots of people. The result is intended purely aesthetic. People will look at the environment "with new eyes".
All work from Christo is to be seen on his website.

Wrapping like Christo

Tell the students some days before the lesson, to take an object from home that:

1. is larger than a soda can;
2. fits on a table;
3. is not breakable;
4. is not expensive;
5. may stay in school for some days;
6. has a particular form (not just a box)

Discuss with the children why people wrap things: to protect, to surprise (presents), to ship.
Why has Christo wrapped things? What is the effect of the wrapped objects? Look at some Christo projects and discuss them.

A wrapped easel

You need:

1. an object for each kid
2. big fabrics, pieces of plastic, garbage bags, wrapping papier, toilet paper, aluminum foil and plastic wrap
3. materials to tie, like rope, yarn, tape, wire, fishing line, painter tape and fabric strips
4. materials to decorate, like feathers, paint, markers, coloured paper, textile markers, glitter glue, buttons etc.

The goal for today: wrap your object to hide details; tie it, to make the form visible again. When your ready earlier than others, you may decorate your artwork using different materials.

When children go to work, walk around and stimulate them. Each kid wraps in his own way, nothing is wrong. Stay mentioning the goal: wrap to let disappear details, tie to recognize the form again.
When everybody is ready and the classroom is tidy again, ask children to exhibit their work. Are the goals achieved?
Finally children make some digital photo's of their own work.

A wrapped Christmas decoration

Lesson and photo's received from Linda Vroemisse