Valentine Lovebirds

I have been meaning to do this project for a long time......it doesn't have to be Valentine themed but with the heart at the bottom I couldn't resist.

I also did a Hen and chick one.  You could do several, a long line of birds.





























MATERIALS NEEDED:

- corrugated cardboard
- paper towels strips
- book page strips, ( just check your library for discarded books)
- white glue and water
-acrylic or liquid tempera paint
- air dry clay
- heart cookie cutter
- coloured sharpies
- string
- felt hearts

PROCEDURE:

Draw some basic bird shapes on cardboard and cut them out.

Mix your glue and water in about a 1 to 1 ratio.

I used the book page strips to cover the cardboard shape on both sides.  I used some of the paper towel strips to build up the wing area. I covered this with more book page strips.



I like to work on wax paper.

When finished leave them to dry.  You may have to turn them over to help dry the back or prop them up.

Out of air dry clay I cut some heart shapes.  Use a skewer to poke a hole at the top for hanging.




Leave to dry turning occasionally.

When dry paint red.

When the birds are dry you can cut off any excess strips that are hanging off the side. You can also use sand paper to sand off those little bits.

Before painting I punched a hole at the top and bottom of the bird.  I used a ruler to make sure I had them in line.

I primed my birds with gesso.

I then painted and decorated them.

You also can use coloured sharpies to decorate.

I had these felt and sequin hearts from the dollar store so I glued them on the heads of the birds.

Finally tie on your strings.

That's it.


Gail

Papier Mache Hearts

I made these papier mache hearts with Grade 3 last year and did not get a chance to post them.

They turned out surprisingly well.










MATERIALS NEEDED:
- white glue
- recycled container
- kleenex
- wax paper
- cereal or cracker box (chipboard cardboard)
- scissors
- red, pink, or purple card stock
- white tissue paper
- red, pink, or purple liquid tempera paint
- yarn for hanging
- large sewing needle (tapestry or larger)
- awl, or sharp pointy scissors and a knitting needle
- hand written or printed text

PROCEDURE:

Take your cereal box and cut out a heart shape.

Mix some white glue with water in a recycled container.  I mix it at a 1 to 1 ratio.  Tear some kleenex into strips or pieces.

Working on a piece of wax paper, dip kleenex into glue mixture.  The kleenex will clump.  Place these clumps onto your cardboard heart.  Add some dry pieces once and awhile to soak up the excess glue mixture.

You are making the heart appear 3D.

Leave to dry for a day or two.




This is the 'cheap' method with supplies you have on hand.

Last year I used celluclay with the kids as I was testing the product.



You can buy this at your local craft store but the 'cheap' method is just as good.

The celluclay comes dry with the paste already mixed in.  You place in your recycled container, add water, and mix.  I find the celluclay very sticky!



You could also use paper clay or drywall medium to achieve the same result.

When the heart has dried cut a set of wings out of the remaining cereal or cracker box.

They kinda of look like a big moustache.  You will have to measure with your prepared heart to get the sizing right.

In the classroom I set up a painting station with a few art boards.  Use liquid tempera to paint the prepared heart.



Set aside to dry.

I gave each student a piece of coloured card stock.  They had to trace around their wings and then cut the card stock slightly larger.  This was glued to the coloured side of the cardboard.



They also received strips of white tissue paper to cut into squares.  They then smooshed these into loose balls.

They applied tacky glue to the cardboard wing shape and started filling in the space with the tissue paper.  I asked them to leave some space in the centre free of tissue paper.

When the hearts were dry we glued these into place.

When the glue had dried I took my awl and punched a hole at the top thru the heart and wings.

I threaded a large needle with yarn.  This made threading the heart much easier.  I passed the needle thru the hole I made and then tied off a loop for hanging.

We now added text.  The kids typed in sayings onto the computer and then choose a nice font and printed them off.  You could also just use your nicest handwriting.  Some common sayings were "You make my heart soar!" and "You give my heart wings."

Glue these into place on the heart and you have a great Valentine gift.

I know lots of Moms last year who were quite taken with their special valentine.

Papier Mache Mushrooms

Here are some papier mache mushrooms I've been working on.  Something new for the Nature Table.




I'm pretty happy with how they turned out but I think next time I'll make the tops just a bit  bigger.

I added some old book pages to give them texture to this set.

Others I just painted.

Picasso Mask Study

This is an art study project that will take a few sessions to complete but is very rewarding.


There are 2 parts to it.  Constructing the mask and then after careful observation creating a painting influenced by the design elements of that mask.  With a class you can have students reference their own mask or that of their classmates.

Before starting spend some time discussing Cubism and the work of Picasso and Braque with your students.  This particular art project looks at the early stages of Cubism, (almost more expressionism).


With Cubism, we are experimenting with form, stylistic distortion of form, and we are looking at the viewer's perception of that form.

During this early work you can see how Picasso was influenced by his interest in Iberian Sculpture and African art. (see Demoioselles d' Avignon, 1907) 




MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- balloon
- paper towels
- white glue
- water and recycled container
- wax paper
- scissors
- paint, acrylic or tempera
- wc paper or heavy sketch paper 
- resource material (African mask images, Iberian sculpture)
- pencil

PROCEDURE:

Take your balloon and blow it up to the size of mask you want.

You can tape it to an old yogurt container if you want to assist in the drying process as well as making it easier to maneuver while constructing.

Cut up your paper towel into strips.  Mix up your white glue with some water (1 to 1 ratio) in an old recycled container.  Place some wax paper on your work space. Start constructing your mask.  Put some strips into your glue mixture and apply to your balloon. Cross the strips over one another.  You only need about 2 coats here.  We only need 1/2 the balloon covered to make a mask. Every once and a while add a dry strip to soak up extra moisture as well you can soak up all that excess glue mixture on the wax paper.  You want your mask to be moist not sopping.

You can add some details to the face by adding rolls of paper towel and applying eyebrows, a nose, as well as lips if you wish.


Leave upright to dry.  Here I placed the cup I had taped to my balloon into another old yogurt container.  You might have to put some weight into the container to keep that balloon upright.

Let dry.

When dry pop the balloon.  Take a pair of scissors and trim away the excess strips to get a nice edge around your mask.

Take your mask and paint it with either acrylic or tempera.  Try to incorporate design elements you saw in your reference material.
- African masks
- Iberian sculpture

Once the masks are completed you want to work on your painting. Tape down your wc paper or heavy sketch to your art board.

Using your own mask and/or ones by your classmates pick out specific design elements (lines, shapes, colors) and add these to your composition.  Draw it out in pencil first.  You're not looking to replicate the mask here only pull out elements that interest you and place them in a new arrangement.

Display your masks and paintings together.


Give it a try, it's very interesting to see what features or elements the kids focus on.

How to make a Teotihuacan Inspired Mask

Here is one of the projects I presented at my conference sessions.  It's a papier mache mask based on an ancient Teotihuacan mask. 

I find it artistically interesting because of the use of a mosaic on the mask, that's not something you see everyday.

Here is a picture of the original.  This project was part of my "From Primitive to Post Modern" session.  One of the advantages to this project is that because it is based on an ancient mask that is showing some decay or wear, the mosaic does not have to be fully finished.









 Museo Preistorico ed Etnografico
Pigorini, Roma


There is also a paper version I'll show you how to do at the end in case your are not up for papier mache.

















Before I start with the "how to" I have another featured Design post on the Hive right now that you might want to check out.  the product I'm testing is Aleene's Paper Napkin Applique Glue and I show how to make this Star Wars book bag.

MATERIALS REQUIRED: Papier Mache Version

- a cardboard box
- mask stencil that you will make
- paper towels
- newspaper
- tape
- white school glue
- water and a recycled container
- black paint, tempera or acrylic
- red and green tempera paint
- copies of archaeological maps, #1, #2
- white paper, posterboard, or bristol
- string
- red beads

PROCEDURE:

Take a piece of paper (8.5 X 11) and fold in half.

Draw out 1/2 of the mask shape including an eye and mouth.  Use the fold as the middle of the mask.

Cut out your stencil.

Take your cardboard box and tape your stencil on the side utilizing the corner to run down that middle line of your mask.

Trace out the shape and then cut from the box.

By using the corner you build in the angular shape to the mask.

Roll up a piece of newspaper and tape into place for the nose.

Using a 1 to 1 ratio mix up the white glue and water into your recycled container.  Cut some strips from the paper towels and begin maching the mask.

Try to overlap the strips in a criss cross manner.  You only need about 1 to 2 coats here.

Now you may find you cardboard starting to sag a bit, losing that angular shape due to the moisture so prop it into shape and leave to dry.  Should only take about 24 hrs.

To add an extra layer of meaning to your mask print off copies of the actual archaeological maps of the Teotihuacan site. (check google images)

Paint these with the green and red tempera paint.  We will use these papers for our mosaic.

Let dry.

In the meantime paint your mask black.

Using posterboard, wc paper, or bristol tape in sections of paper on to the eye holes.

Paint in some eyes on the paper.  Lots of room here for different expressions.

Take your red and green paper and cut into strips and then into squares.

You don't want them to all be the same size.

Make sure to keep about 1/2 a page of the red paper in reserve.

Start gluing your mosaic into place.  you can follow the design of the original or come up with your own.

Take the reserved red paper and cut into long skinny triangles.  Apply a little glue on the back and roll onto a pencil or knitting needle starting with the wide end.

This will make some beads for the necklace.

When you have a few beads tape a string under the jaw of the mask on one side.

Line up your beads, (both your handmade ones as well as some pony beads and/or buttons).

String these onto your piece of string and then secure the end on the other side of the jaw.

Finally you can add a coat of Mod Podge if you wish.

MATERIALS REQUIRED: Paper Version

- black paper
- pencil and eraser
- red, green and white tempera paint
- copies of archaeological maps
- glue
- white pencil crayon
- white paper
- black sharpie, pencil crayon,

PROCEDURE:

Take a sheet of black paper and trace out your mask shape in pencil.

Using the white liquid tempera paint, paint in your eyes.

Start gluing on your mosaic design.

With paint, sharpie, or black pencil crayon color in your eyes.

When the mosaic is dry cut out mask.  You can add some detail with the white pencil crayon if you wish.

Glue to a contrasting background.

That's it.