Project # 5 Hidden Safari

In this project, I experienced a new way of drawing, upside down, along with a unique way of using cool and warm colors. I began by practicing small parts of sketches of various objects. I then chose a large "safari" animal, an elephant, to sketch. I turned my visual example upside down. Using contour lines, I drew the elephant on my blank sheet of paper using a cool colored, light blue, drawing pencil. I think that drawing it upside down helped me focus more closely on the lines I needed to replicate. In the next step, I used the warm colors red, orange, and yellow to make patterns which would "hide" my elephant. I learned that layeriing various geometric patterns worked best to "hide" my elephant. Using the "magic ruby red glasses" I had made earlier from red cellophane paper and red construction paper, I could actually see the elephant that I had drawn hidden behind the warm colored camouflage.

I could make a project like this an extension project for almost any elementary age student. I would have the subject to be drawn related to the topic currently being studied; for example, for lower elementary we could craw a leaf to hide if we were studying trees or a fish if we were involved in a thematic unit featuring the ocean. It would also be fairly easy to adapt this project to older students who draw with more detail. Again, this project could be incorporated into almost any unit of study.

Project #4 Collage Illustration

In this project, I created an illustration in the style of Eric Carle who uses painting, cutting, and gluing in collage making. I painted sheets of paper using colors and textures that I expected to use to complete my illustration. As the colored sheets of paper dried, I sketched my idea on another sheet of paper. I then cut out patterns and used them to construct the colored pieces of my illustration, layering by pasting appropriate shapes and colors to complete the illustration.

I could make this an extension activity for students in my classroom by first reading a book authored and illustrated by Eric Carle to expose students to his style of illustrating. I would create interest in the illustrations and ask students to try the style of collage making as they would compose their own illustrations for a make believe children’s book. The goal would be not only to help students be aware of different styles of illustrating, but also allow and encourage them to practice the art of collage making. Using supplies of paints, paper, sponges, brushes, etc. students would utilize materials and painting techniques in order to create original material to use in their collages. Students could personalize their creation by making up a 2 page layout of a scene from a children’s story they fabricate or from a story they already know. There would be no “right” or “wrong” way to illustrate so all children would experience a degree of success to further encourage them. Such a project would give them practice in using many different painting techniques as well as practice in cutting and gluing.

Project #3 Fingerpainting

I call my project #3 “Pasture from the Porch.” It is my attempt to paint a landscape using several of Van Gogh’s techniques. Van Gogh’s is known for his vivid colors, use of lines, and presence of emotional impact. His art gained popularity after he died. He did many paintings, drawings and sketches many of which were self portraits and landscapes. In my painting, “Pasture from the Porch,” I used the element of lines, one of Van Gogh’s techniques. I used my fingers to make lines which gave shape to the clouds and the sky in which I used lines to try to represent wind. I also used my fingers to make lines which composed the branches of the pine tree and horizontal lines on the lower part of the barn to represent siding. I also used lines and varied tints to shape the grassy hills behind the barn. I created depth making the black cows on the far hill represented by small black dots while the cows on the hill closer to the viewer are images that are larger than but not as big as they would be if they were next to the barn.

I would use this as an example if I were to have my students do a painting that is done exhibiting some of Van Gogh’s technique(s). We would first spend some time studying Van Gogh, including his techniques and his impact as an artist. Then I would instruct the students that they paint a landscape scene using one of more of Van Gogh’s techniques. They could pretend they are painting a scence viewed from a window in a car or from a house or just a scence from their imagination. I would have them do the painting with their fingers because not only do you get to experience the various paint textures, it’s a unique way to experiment by blending colors and forming lines.

Project # 2 Principles and Elements of Art

In this project, we were to shoot a minimum of 12 digital photographs to explore the elements (lines, shapes, textrue, space, value, color) and the principles (balance, rhythm/movement, contrast, unity/variety, emphasis, pattern/repetition) of art. I enjoyed this project as it took me outdoors and taught me how to look for the elements and principles of art in the world around me.

Value


Value is the lightness or darkness of a hue. I chose this photo because of it is an excellent example of value which is illustrated in the colors of the horizon as the sun rises. An extension activity could begin with talking about the values of color in sunrises and sunsets. I could have each student do an original sunset or sunrise on a large piece of paper. I would instruct my students how to make tints and shades of a particular color and encourage them to use them in their paintings. I could also incorporate a science lesson by explaining why we see certain colors of the spectrum on the horizon as the sun rises and sets but not in the sky when the sun is overhead.



Organic Shape

An organic shape is a shape based on natural objects. I

chose this snow banks photo because the snow banks are so uniquely formed--basically each snowbank form is a one-of-a-kind. An extension project I would do with a photo like this one would be to ask my students what organic shapes they may see as they look out of a window. The window could be one in a building or one in a vehicle. We could talk about the differences in man-made shapes versus nature-made shapes and how to tell the difference. The students could pretend that the shape of their paper is the shape of the window and draw or paint what their mind's eye sees as it looks out of that window. A math lesson on shapes could also be incorporated here. We could look for the geometric figures vs. curved lines both of which are incorporporated in the math standards.

Project #1 Footprints

Darcy's Footprints

This project allowed me to use many different mediums to express the "uniqueness" of myself. It allowed me to feel like a "kid" again as I haven't taken the opportunity to complete an art project in years. It was fun to cut out paper dolls and pictures from magazines. I was also able to play with fabric, wood, construction paper, chalk, ribbon, and even grass! If I were to explain this project to another educator I would tell them that I had a great idea on how to get to know your students at the same time that they get to know one another. I would tell them to have their students draw the outline of their foot or feet. Next students could use as many different materials and elements that they wanted to choose with a minimum of three. I would encourage them to make a separate list of things about themselves that they would tell someone who didn't know them. They could then use this list to choose the item and medium to decorate their footprint. Upon completion, each student could take a turn explaining their decorated footprint(s). This activity is a great way to introduce giving a presentation in front of a group. The material is simple and is familiar which elevates the comfort zone for someone new to speaking in front of others. An extension activity that might follow this is to explain the characteristics you chose to put on the footprint on a 1-2 page paper; or, a student could pick one characteristic (a favorite) and write a paragraph about it. Both of these writings could be incorporated as Language Arts lessons.