Blouse of clay

Blouses of clay by students of grade 6

You need:

1. clay


2. clay tools


3. clay boards

Bring a blouse in the classroom and show kids how it has to be folded. Ask children to try it themselves. Look at the folded blouse and discuss what parts of the blouse are still to be seen (collar, buttons, pocket, the folds on the side) and the parts that are hidden now. Give each child a ball of clay. Their task is to make a folded blouse out of one piece of clay. Except the buttons no part may be sticked, everything has to be made out of one ball of clay. Be sure kids scretch their name in a label in the back of the collar. After the baking process, the blouses can be painted with tempera and lacked with vernish.

Just like Modigliani

Amedeo Clemente Modigliani (1884 - 1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor. Modigliani's paintings are included in expressionism. He painted nudes and highly stylized portraits. He used stylized shapes and painted long, oval faces with elongated necks and long limbs, allowing the characters express a melancholy mood. The skin is often rusty and all forms are outlined. Eyes, noses and mouths in the faces are not the 'right' place, but still offer a balanced and credible image.

View with the children a number of paintings by Modigliani and discuss the salient features:

• faces are elongated


• faces are often skewed


• use of warm colours


• the shapes are outlined in black

You need:

1. black constructionpaper A4 size


2. oil pastels


3. coloured paper for background

The students get a sheet of black paper and divide it into eight sections. First middle vertically, then horizontally through the middle. Then the horizontal halves have to be halved again. Children have to draw an oval, starting at the middle line to slightly above the center of the top section. The neck lines run to the middle bottom section, and from there the shoulder line is drawn. Eyes have to be drawn higher than "normal" portraits and the mouth lower. In between the nose, which is also longer than usual.

After sketching the pencil lines have to be traced with with black oil pastel. Then everything has to be coloured. Watch the black lines: do not touch them with a different colour, it will get messy! Do the colouring carefully, especially in smaller components like eyes and mouth. If a lighter crayon spots black, clean it in a paper towel. Colour the background until you don't see any black. Paste the work on a matching background.

Made by students of grade 5

Just like James Rizzi

Houses in the style of James Rizzi, group work, grade 6

James Rizzi was born in 1950 in Brooklyn. He studied art in Florida (Gainesville), where he started experimenting with printing, painting and sculpting. Rizzi’s work often shows his birthplace New York. His paintings look sometimes childishly naive, with the bright colours and brilliant gaiety. In the art press Rizzi is often described as "Urban Primitive Artist '. Rizzi himself says he is influenced byzelf Picasso, Klee and Dubuffet.

Show some paintings of Rizzi and discuss the characteristics:

• bright colours



• no gradations within colours



• evertything is outlined with a black marker



• houses have human faces/characteristics



• the artwork is full and busy



• background is full too

You need:

1. white drawing sheets A4 size cut lengthwise



2. markers



3. scissors and glue



4. blue cardboard A1 size for background

Students draw a house in Rizzi style, a house with human characteristics like cloths, limbs, eyes etc. It must be a house, that means students must not draw a square human being! This can be done by drawing basic elements of a house in any case, like windows, doors etc.

Colour the house with bright colour markers. Outline the details with black fine marker. Cut the house and outline it with a black marker. Draw things in the air: stars, a moon, globe, hot air balloon, ufo's etc. Look carefully at Rizzi's paintings to discover what he has made.

To make a group work, every student has to draw one house at least. Make a composition of all those houses and paste them on blue cardboard. Start pasting with the second row of houses, so the first row can be pasted overlapping the second one. Be sure you don't paste two houses with the same colours next to eachother.

Paste the stars and ufo's on the background.     

Rizzi houses group work, grade 5

"artists who blog" 1 Year Anniversary!

Just a short note to say thank you to all the artists who shared their time and thoughts during the past year for this interview series! Each week you have inspired me with your words and images.

And of course thank you to my readers. Your comments and feedback make doing this series worthwhile!

All the best,
Stephanie

alessandra de souza : artists who blog

Alessandra's blog: www.gypsygirlsguide.com
Alessandra's shop: www.gypsygirlsguide.etsy.com

Why did you decide to start a blog?

After reading several creative blogs for a couple of years, I couldn’t help but feel inspired to create my own cyber home, to foster all my dreams, images, musings, and to connect with other likeminded artists. In addition, my underlining goal has always been to find my own voice and to walk the path towards making my creative dreams real.



How did you come up with the name of your blog?

The Gypsy Girl’s Guide Blog is the beginning of a vision and project I have in mind. The word Gypsy was meant to embody my adventurous and mystical spirit, weather I was focused on travel or simply on my life’s journey. I called it a Guide, because I truly believe that we always learn best from the honest exchange of knowledge and experience, whether it comes in perfect linear chapters or in messy heartfelt posts.



How has blogging affected your work as an artist/designer?

In every possible magical way! Blogging gave me a much needed structure to stay constantly inspired and taking creative action on the daily basis. It also gifted me with an amazing creative community, who keeps me motivated, holds me accountable and makes me feel supported. And finally, blogging gave my work some great visibility, presenting me with some very interesting opportunities and the official launch of my Photography business.



What are your favorite artist/designer blogs? Why?

This question literally stopped me on my tracks, because there are so many incredible blogs out there and I don’t want to leave anyone out. For years, I have been reading all the blogs listed as *Making the World a Better Place* on my sidebar. All of those blogs are a treat in their own special way and worth checking out.

With that said, here are some must reads, that in my opinion, combine the whole package of writing, art, design and consistent content:

Decor8: Holly Becker creates a wonderful catalogue of beautiful finds. Her blog is an elegant assembly of all my favorite magazines. She features all that is fresh, hip and colorful in Art and Design, and she does great work promoting established and emerging artists of all styles and mediums.

Shutter Sisters: Tracey Clark and all the talented sisters that participate on this site, have created an amazing community for Photography enthusiasts. This multi-facetted blog offers beautiful images, technical and artistic insights, weekly assignments, heartfelt inspiration, interviews, fabulous giveaways and more. I feel really proud to have contributed to Shutter Sisters a few times as guest blogger.

My Marrakesh: Maryam Montague runs a charismatic blog filled with visual recounts of her adventures in Marrakesh and around Africa. Maryam and I share the same gypsy spirit, with a passion for travel, color and ethnic design. I can’t wait to visit her guest house, the Peacock Pavillions, in the near feature.

Ink on my fingers: I have a major crush on Susannah Conway’s blog. I love how she weaves her personal story with her beautiful photography, her flawless writing and her design sensibility. Susannah’s blog has a progression and an intriguing unravelling of sorts. You just don’t want to miss any of it. It’s a complete package of beauty, inspiration and soul.



Do you have any advice for artists/designers who are starting a blog?

If the technical aspects of setting up your blog are stopping you, ask for help. Once you are set up, don’t get overwhelmed and don’t try to put yourself on a tight schedule to post either. Just take a minor commitment to keep posting. Soon enough you will find your own rhythm. I also would encourage you to visit blogs that you like and post comments, so you can start connecting with likeminded bloggers (this is how I ended up meeting some of my greatest friends!). Finally, make it first and foremost a gift to yourself. Watch it unfold... It will be magic!



What has been the most positive and inspirational aspect of having a blog for you?

I am constantly amazed by how many people are creating, sharing their artwork and also their hearts on their blogs. It is fascinating to watch someone’s journey as they spread their wings and take flight. Also, I have always been charmed by artists who wrote letters discussing their creative process: Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, Henry Miller, May Sarton, Rilke, etc, and I feel that blogging taps into that same passionate and soul-baring exchange, that is so inspirational to me. It connects me to my core, to a community, and it infuses me with a visionary bohemian spirit.



What do you find the most difficult/most rewarding part of having a creative profession?

I think they are both the same thing. The best and worst part of a creative profession is that everything is really about you taking creative action. I read something recently that sums it up perfectly for me: Until you dream, there isn’t a mold. Until you speak, there isn’t a promise. Until you move, there isn’t a path. Isn’t it brilliant?



Other than your blog, what has been the most effective way for you to promote your art/design?

I would have to say that it has been through other blogs, like this one!



How do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?

I am striving to schedule my weekly routine with enough walks, yoga, sunshine, home cooking, nurturing time with loved ones, personal photography, photo gigs, writing, computer time, budgeting & also some marketing. It’s always a tough balance, but I love it so much more than a 9-5(+) job.



What are your main goals for 2009?

First and foremost, I plan to photograph a lot more this year! My goal is not only to develop a strong body of work, but also to assist experienced photographers that are doing work I admire. I also plan to submit my work to magazines, approach licensing, and branch out from the online world, to participate in more conferences, workshops, gallery shows, etc. I would love to get a rep too (Any of you out there?). And I sure hope that some of the activities I mentioned above entail travel, because as you know, that is something I can’t live without!

Thanks Alex!

dolan geiman : artists who blog

Dolan's website: www.dolangeiman.com
Dolan's blog: www.dolangeiman.blogspot.com
Dolan's shop: www.dolangeiman.etsy.com

Why did you decide to start a blog?

Many people who see my work wonder about the inspiration behind the pieces, as do most viewers of art, and I decided a blog was a great way to give clues to my creative process. For example, Nature Corner is a monthly segment pertaining to my musings on and observations of the natural world, sometimes imbued with anecdotes from my youthful encounters with jellyfish and sundry fauna of my travels. Over time, Ali has expanded the blog to include other features like 15 on 15 (15 Handmade Items We Love), highlighting other handmade works we have discovered through our travels across the country and web.



How did you come up with the name of your blog?

I was looking for something easy to remember, but wanted the title to also fit together with our website so it shows up regularly during web searches for my name. Daily Dolan Geiman encourages people to check back daily while giving them a name to follow.



How has blogging affected your work as an artist/designer?

Blogging itself hasn’t really affected my work as an artist, but it has been a great measuring stick for my progress, allowing clients to freely watch my progress and comment on the information I have been able to share. I like the idea of being able to create a work of art and then share a bit of background information on that piece, all the while remaining open to instant comments and critiques from the online community. It’s nice to know people are watching and it also adds a necessary pressure that I think all performers would agree keeps us working hard and challenging our creativity.



What are your favorite artist/designer blogs? Why?

Ali spends more time checking out other artist blogs, while I’m usually checking out the birding and nature blogs. For example, Ecobirder. I recently have been getting more into typography, so I’ve been trying to find a blog devoted to typography. Any suggestions blog readers? I think the first artist blog that I ever read and still my favorite is Chicken George’s Chicken Dead Chicken blog. Chicken George (George Zupp) is a friend and artist living in Texas and was a great inspiration to me in starting my own blog. Another blog we have long admired is Emily Hamma Martin’s blog, The Scoop.




Do you have any advice for artists/designers who are starting a blog?

When you are just getting started, I think the most important key is to blog fairly regularly, at least once a week, so people can rely on coming to your blog on a regular basis. This way, your readers will take you seriously, and you will build the readership that will stay with you and help promote your blog elsewhere.



What has been the most positive and inspirational aspect of having a blog for you?

Having a blog has been a good way for me to keep a public journal of my progress, and so it has been nice to look back over that progress, when I get stuck or a little depressed, to see that I have done quite a few things and have discovered a handful of great people along the way. Featuring other artist’s work on the blog has also been a way to stay inspired, as well as stay connected to the larger art community. There is no real race in the art world, but there is a heavy sense of competition for new ideas and trends. I like to think that I can rub shoulders with those who are in the upper ranks and even pop out in front every now and then. Having a blog gives me a chance to let others decide if this is true!



What do you find the most difficult/rewarding part of having a creative profession?

The most difficult part of having a creative profession is dealing with your significant other when it comes to discussing the bills. For me, I’m totally screwed because I happen to work with my significant other..haha. But besides that, it can be a challenge to stay optimistic and to feel that I’m working toward something I feel is noble. Lately I’ve been battling a few mental hurdles and for me the past year has been full of ups and many downs, but it’s been challenging and that means it’s still worth it. If things were too easy, I’d probably lose interest. The most rewarding part is when someone looks at a piece I created and really digs it or decides to buy a piece I’ve put a lot of my heart into. Reward for one's labors—that’s a big bonus in these trying times.



Other than your blog, what has been the most effective way for you to promote your art/design?

Thankfully Ali, my fiancé and business partner, is an online marketing whiz and devotes many hours each week to the promotion of my artwork. It’s difficult to separate the individual components of our marketing program and say this piece, above all, is the most effective way we promote my artwork. E-mail marketing, online and print advertising, social marketing sites, a link exchange program, and a regularly updated website have all been fundamental to our growth and business development.



How do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?

Ha ha. Seriously? I really don’t think it’s possible when you own your own business and live in a major metropolitan area. We’ve always struggled with trying to find a way to work less, but that just doesn’t seem to happen. I know there are hoards of designers who have these lovely places and who are raising families and sitting at home reading this and to them I say way to go. But as a self-employed working artist, it’s been a hell of a struggle. And not for a lack of work ethic. Ali and I clock 14 hour days every day of the week. No weekends off. No joke. And I ‘m not bragging, it’s just how we roll because we are 100% nuts. Of course, if I had a trust fund or worked another job before devoting myself to my art, I’d probably be great. Or if I had a ton of debt, I would probably be living on credit cards and just pretending to be doing fine. But we’re actually very concerned with the bottom line and things like insurance, retirement money, etc. If some art product of mine isn’t making money, I don’t make it any more. Simple as that. So, that means I have to take time to come up with sure fire artwork that sells. This leaves little time for “play”. And I know all that stuff about a well rounded life; heck I preach that stuff all the time. Yet, it’s really hard as an individual artist to make the money necessary to afford a house, kids, etc. On a lighter note, we get to travel to a lot of shows and so when I can, I take my fishing pole and sneak off after the show is over to meditate on the possibility of breathing underwater.



What are your main goals for 2009?

To catch a big catfish, to see 50 new birds, and to spend time with my nephew who is currently learning how to talk and also eating a giant mango somewhere in the Philippines.

Thanks Dolan!

brandi strickland : artists who blog

Brandi's blog: www.paperwhistle.com/blog
Brandi's website: www.brandistrickland.com
Brandi's shop: www.paperwhistle.com

Why did you decide to start a blog?

My blog has been a part of my portfolio website since its launch two years ago. It started as a place for news but soon included posts with sketches, works in progress, photography, and other things that didn't fit into my portfolio. It's become more personal over time, and now I regard it as a (primarily) visual journal.



How did you come up with the name of your blog?

The Brandi Strickland blog was a no-brainer, I wanted to just stick with my name to make it easy. My bf and I just launched our new art and design blog together, called Paper Whistle, and we wanted something more fun. Its name came from my love of paper and whistling. I can't really whistle that well, but my grandpa sure could, and now just the word makes me happy.



How has blogging affected your work as an artist/designer?

I can't even count the ways that blogging has been positive for me. I love the immediate feedback, the sense of community, the stimulating atmosphere. I usually blog by posting pictures to flickr, then the pictures are automatically pulled into my blog. I've found it to be easier and more comfortable than writing and planning out a whole post. Because of blogging (& flickr) I've become acquainted with many artists, designers, and people that I admire.



What are your favorite artist/designer blogs? Why?

FecalFace - They’re the best ever, period.

My Love For You - Meighan always features great work. She also has really fun guest writers.

Booooooom - They highlight talent across many fields and always deliver a smile :)

Leah Giberson - I love her work and viewing her process is exciting.

Little Paper Planes - Kelly writes about great openings and other art finds that are often under the radar.



Do you have any advice for artists/designers who are starting a blog?

Just blog about whatever gets you really excited! For a long time I've only blogged about my own artwork and life--I’ve been way too shy. Lately I’ve enjoyed discussing other people’s work, and I am excited to be more involved with the community through the new Paper Whistle blog.



What has been the most positive and inspirational aspect of having a blog for you?

The best part is connecting with people. Working as an artist can be very solitary, so keeping up my connections prevents me from feeling isolated. Blogging involves me with a community of very likeminded people, who I probably wouldn't otherwise be able to know.



What do you find the most difficult/most rewarding part of having a creative profession?

The hardest part is switching gears between art and business. I have to set clear goals and deadlines to keep myself motivated and on task. It's hard to apply deadlines and tasks to creativity.



Other than your blog, what has been the most effective way for you to promote your art/design?

A lot of little things add up. After selling through various online communities for almost two years, we decided it was time to have our very own shop. Taking that step to have our own place has been a big help. Etsy and flickr have been invaluable, and showing in galleries is great way to get the word out. Lots of kind people have helped through various blog features, PDF magazines, and interviews.



How do you maintain a healthy work/life balance?

I *try* to keep a good balance, but I haven’t perfected this thing yet. I do my best to take breaks when I'm feeling burnt out, and to alternate tasks. To stay sane I take pictures, spend time with people I love, walk, play Dr. Mario, poke around online, cook, travel, take baths, clean up the house, go see good bands...



What are your main goals for 2009?

Paper Whistle! My bf and I have collaborated on a new art shop / art blog. The shop carries limited-edition, archival quality prints of my work, (originals coming soon), while the blog features all kinds of nifty art and design posts. I also just became a member of the WAFA collective, and I’m super excited about upcoming collaborations.

Thanks Brandi!