Picasso Portraits

In Under the Influence of Art, I decided it was time to paint. I repeated a project I've done in previous classes, based on Picasso. We started by looking at portraits Picasso had done, some realistic and some abstract. We looked at his color choice as well. The students drew self portraits in pencil (though, I also let them draw anyone else, including their pets or a fictional character). Then they went over the image in black marker. Lastly, they chose one color with which to work. I gave them that one color, along with a little black and a little white. Using these colors and water, they created different shades and tints. They then labeled the pictures their "blue period" or their "yellow period" depending on their color choice, just as Picasso went through his different periods.

Fairy Focus

This week in PreK Art Lunch we read 2 great books: The Very Fairy Princess by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton and Alice the Fairy by David Shannon. When we were done, the kids made crowns/tiaras and magic wands/swords. They decorated them with paint, gems and sparkles. 

Bedrooms at Nettelhorst

This week in Under the Influence, we learned about Vincent Van Gogh. In the past, we've done Starry Night, and I loved that project , but this time I wanted to try something different. So, I went with Bedroom at Arles. The students mapped out their own bedrooms in pencil, then added color with colored pencil. If they wanted, they could add even more color with pastels. I also said they could add any colors and or objects to make it their "fantasy" bedroom. I enjoyed seeing the whole process, and the results are great.

You might notice that my daughter Sam is in her pjs. She didn't finish her picture during classtime, but right when we got home, she took out the colored pencils and completed her work. Also, when I took Aidan's photo, he didn't want to hold his picture, but it is one of the ones below. And the picture of him by himself is just so darn cute. : )

Let it Snow

It's so appropriate that I am posting this art class on the coldest day of the year (or so I heard).  This week in PreK Art Lunch we read a bunch of books about snow. Our project was making snowpeople based on Snowballsby Lois Ehlert. The children worked on their cutting skills to make the snowballs and then attached objects with glue to decorate them.

I really look forward to this class. I'm enjoying getting to know Beatrice and Teo. They're both really opening up. The first day, Beatrice didn't want me to take a picture of her project, but this time she let me take a picture of her. And Teo has been talking more, answering questions and offering his opinion. They are both great kids, and I'm loving our Thursday time together.

Fly Your Flag

This week in Under the Influence, we learned about Jasper Johns. The students learned that he often painted everyday things (a flag, a bullseye, numbers). After looking at samples of his work, I guided their pieces by suggesting a flag (though it wasn't a must, as I want them to do whatever they feel like...within reason) incorporating a bullseye and/or numbers if they chose. They used pencil, Sharpies and oil pastels, learning how to blend the colors to create a painterly effect.

I was so impressed with how focused the children were, and by how great each piece ended up.