Tag: art projects for kids

Summer Art for Kids

If you are like me, you are ready for the children to go outside! There are plenty of art activities they can make or draw outside. Plenty of children of all ages like to draw with sidewalk chalk. Children can be inspired by drawing a large circle or square and adding a variety of lines and shapes and colors. Older ones can print out abstract paintings of Picasso with noses going in one direction and eyes in another. Tomato Soup cans of Warhol can be inspirational.

I have a product containing art lessons for the outdoors for sale in my store on teachers pay teachers. Here is the link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Art-Lessons-for-the-Outdoors-3849980

 

Jungle Animals Art Projects

Mizz Mac’s Easy Artsy Jungle Animals Art Projects is a group of 9 art projects organized from the beginner to the more advanced student. The jungle animal art of Henri Rousseau, Albrecht Durer, and the Oxacans is mentioned as artists in history to view. The projects begin with working with shapes which can be used to reinforce the geometric common core standards of math. Science and nature are also reinforced with the inclusion of observation drawing of jungle flora and fauna. These projects can be visual presentations of what has been learned academically.
The group contains a content page, an introduction, a list of jungle animals, supply lists, and examples of each finished project.
Animal Shapes Collage- creating natural shapes (animals) from geometric shapes(cut construction paper)
Animal Shapes Paintings-create animals using blob shape painting method
Brightly watercolored animals-create using the wet on wet watercolor technique
Night wanderers- creating shapes using a variety of media
Papier mache animals https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Jungle-Animal-Art-Projects-1122694

Symmetry and Snowflakes

Last weekend my town had a bit of a scare- we thought we were going to get a bit of snow. Those of us in the South run to the store and get a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, and a gallon of milk. Why milk? Who knows. It may have all gotten started back in the early ’60s when we had a powerful ice storm hit and the pine tree limbs broke the power lines. We were without electricity for about two weeks. I was a child but I guess we all lived off peanut butter and bread and the milk stayed cold outside!

For those of you getting hit with the current ice and snow storms here is a product of mine on tpt. There are instructions for cutting out snowflakes and ideas as to what can be created with the snowflakes. For the math teachers there is also a note on symmetry.

On the Farm an art project Fall theme

Many teachers use the farm theme for fall. It is a good one to teach children about animals and where our food comes from. October is a good month for corn and corn mazes and scare crows. Art teachers can teach color mixing with paint. Little ones can learn red and yellow make orange pumpkins.  Creating art with warm colors can be taught with an “On the Farm” theme.

Plastic farm animals can be bought at the dollar stores or the dollar bins at the big box stores. These are great for children to use to draw and create their own symbols or art style. Of course the internet is full of farm animal images to choose but sometimes these are difficult to draw and there may be copyright issues.

Fall landscapes of farms can also be taught. Artwork by artists such as Grandma Moses or Grant Wood can be found and projected and analyzed for colors used, how texture is created, and how was depth (close-up and far away) achieved.

I have created an On the Farm product with art lessons and examples of the steps. Here is the link:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/On-the-Farm-art-projects-2068051

cover-for-on-the-farm-art-projects

Click on the link above for my product’s page. There you will find a preview, thumbnail examples, a description, and purchasing information. Mizz Mac

Paper Mache and Cinco de Mayo

Some thoughts and ideas about organizing supplies for papier mache projects

I just love papier mache! As an art teacher though it took me a few years to find ways to organize and make good products with the children doing all of the work. Keep in mind I had 6 art tables with 4 chairs at each table and a double sided easel on each end of the tables. I kept large clips on each easel. Each table was a color and each table had a designated table captain. I did have assigned seats which were moved each month.

First of all there is the glue- A veteran art teacher advised me to use a product called Art Paste. It comes in a dry pouch and mixes in a gallon of water. The glue is a vegetable based product so there shouldn’t be anyone allergic to it and it’s not made from animal’s hooves so it shouldn’t offend any religions. I had large gallon size plastic ice cream containers with lids. I would mix up the glue in each container, one per table, and an extra one for spare.  That was enough glue for one whole grade of 3 classes.  Each gallon container can be placed on the table. Or small bowls like frozen whip containers can be used at each table. Each table captain can refill the bowl as needed.

The tables were covered with either newspaper or vinyl tablecloths.

I would also have either a Styrofoam tray or a paint cup with masking tape for each person’s project to dry on. A helper can put the tape on ahead of time.  Students would write their own names on the masking tape with pencils or crayons.

Now the paper to use- I found it easier on the students to figure out how many layers they used if we used different kinds for each layer. I would begin with newspaper strips for the first layer. Second layer would be colored newsprint strips. The third and last layer would be white newsprint.  I found plastic boxes to use to put the paper strips in. Either I or an intern or any helper can tear  paper strips ahead of time and place in the boxes. It’s a lot of work to do ahead of time but well worth the effort!

On applying the glue to the strips- personally I like to dip the strip into the glue and squeeze the extra glue off with my fingers but some children are too squeamish to do it. Plus it takes a lot of time to wash the glue off the hands. Inexpensive sponge brushes work nicely for applying the glue and can even be thrown away.

Ok well those are my thoughts on setting up supplies for a paper mache project. I hope they were some helpful ideas.  Mizz Mac

Check out my art lesson in my store:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Paper-Mache-Animals-for-Cinco-de-Mayo-661250