Sunday, January 29, 2012

Kindergarten Mary Cassatt Double Portraits




     During my last six week session at Suffield, we worked on these double portraits based on the paintings of Mary Cassatt.  Before this, we made self-portraits by drawing with a teacher-led step-by-step process.  So for these artworks, the students were challenged to draw a picture of themselves touching a special adult in their lives.  This idea is based on the many sweet mother and child paintings Cassatt did.  The students tried really hard to remember all of the necessary body parts (including necks which sometimes go forgotten in Kindergarten!), and to remember to not use stick arms or legs. 

     To finish them, the students colored small shapes with crayons and then painted to rest with watercolor paints.  We added titles at the end so our viewers would know who they were looking at!





 






Thursday, January 12, 2012

5th Grade Hundertwasser Collage Portrait Paintings


     I adapted this lesson from Deep Space Sparkle about one of my most favorite artists/architects Friedensreich Hundertwasser.  I have taught lessons on Hundertwasser's archtecture, but not on his paintings and prints before, so I was so excited to try this out!

     In 5th grade at Suffield, we talked about the representational and abstract qualities of Hundertwasser's artworks.  The students kept this in mind as they worked to try to end up with both types of elements in their artworks as well.  You can see the step-by-step process of these collages at Deep Space Sparkle.  In my version, we added photos (I encouraged students to try to do a pose that nobody else has done), and then the students tried to really make their photo look like it belonged in the collage.

     Thank  you Deep Space Sparkle for great inspiration!







Monday, January 9, 2012

Just had to share..


I just had to share this gorgeous drawing of a dinosaur who went shopping and bought ALL of the clothes, leaving empty garment racks behind.  I love this drawing by Payton B. in 1st grade!