Penguin Portraits

I completed these penguin portraits with Grade 1 in my last 2 residencies, (about 100 penguins!).






They were quite effective.

Here are some of the student's work.














MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- substrate, we used 12"x12" hardboard but you could use cardboard, poster board, heavy paper or canvas
- recycled cardboard for belly
- drywall filler
- snow glitter
- acrylic paint in dark blue, purple, light purple, yellow, and white
- disk tempera paint
- white paper for painting
- black paper
- large googly eyes, you could also make eyes out of white and black paper
- pipe cleaners in assorted colours
- piece of yellow craft foam for beak
- glue
-small snowflakes
- mod podge, optional

PROCEDURE:

This is a 2 session project.

Out of recycled corrugated cardboard cut out the belly shape. It's an egg shape but then cut straight at the bottom.

Coat one side of the cardboard with drywall filler.  While it is still wet shake on some snow glitter.

Take background and tape off a horizon line.  I do this with Kindergarten to Grade 2. When they start painting the background they have a tough time stopping, the tape gives them a visual finish line.

Paint the background.  We started at the top with dark blue, then purple, and then light purple.  We tried to do some blending so we were not too stripey.



Set aside to dry.

I have this great roll of corrugated cardboard. I think it is sold as packing material. You could also use paper feed thru a crimper or just regular cardboard.

I gave each child a rectangle and they painted it yellow.  This will be for our feet.



This was the end of session 1 for us.

Session 2:

I gave each child a rectangle of white  paper about 4"x6".

Using disk tempera paint we painted it for our ear muffs.  They could do stripes, dots, etc.

Remove tape from background.  Paint bottom with white acrylic.

I gave each child a 8.5'x11' piece of black card stock. We turned it the short way.  Place the now dry belly on the paper, lining it up at the bottom with the paper.  Trace around but leave a gap. You want the black body to be larger than the white belly.

On the sides draw 2 wings.
Cut out the pieces.

Glue the black paper body in place on the background, glue on wings.

We needed to use a glue gun on the belly. (adults only)

Add 2 googly eyes.  I gave each child a small square of yellow craft foam and they cut a triangle for a beak.  I gave them some fabric snowflakes that I get from true Dollar store to glue on the background.

Cut 2 ovals out of the painted paper for ear muffs.

Glue to the sides of the head.  Add 1/2 of a coloured pipe cleaner for the band.

Finally you can add a coat of lodge to seal everything down and give you a nice shiny finish.




That's it.

I wanted to show you our valentine butterflies that we completed in kindergarten.


We used the same lesson as the warm and cool butterflies but cut 2 hearts for the wings.  We also used our Valentine colours.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day everyone.


Gail

Mother's Day Portraits

So I'm stuck at home with a sick kid today but that has given me time to prep for tomorrow's lesson with Grade 4.





As a Mom I love handmade Mother's Day gifts.  This year Grade 4 will do portraits.

Last year Kindergarten did one for Father's day.















MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- canvas board, you can get this at the Dollar store, 2 for a $1.00, we are using 6x8
- acrylic paint
- decorative tape
- plain paper
- coloured pencils, crayons (twistables)
- fine sharpie
- scissors
- bright buttons
- coloured paper, scrapbooking paper
- bright buttons
- 'M' letters, I used the Cricut 
- Mod podge
- ribbon and glue gun for hanger

PROCEDURE:

Paint canvas board with acrylic paint.  Set aside to dry.

Using  a piece of paper cut slightly smaller than the canvas board sketch out Mom's portrait.

Add some colour using coloured pencils and crayon.  Because we are going to podge this portrait we do not want to use anything water soluble or it will just smear.

Using a fine sharpie do some outlining.  With Grade 4 we will do the sketch technique.  We don't want to do every line and we want some gaps in our outlines so it looks more like a sketch.

Cut out.  You can get tight to the portrait like with the Dad portrait or leave some background.

Set portrait aside.  Wrap the edges of the canvas with decorative tape which I also found at the Dollar store.

Now we add the word MOM.  I cut out a bunch of M's with the Cricut but you could also hand letter or print letters out from the computer and trim.

For the O we are making a little flower.  Mine is quite circular but you could also cut in petal shapes.  Out of scrapbooking paper or coloured paper cut 2 circle shapes. Glue into place and add button.

Give your portrait a nice coat of podge to secure everything and to add a nice gloss.

Add a ribbon loop to the back for hanging.




That's it.

Dragonflies Part 2: Portraits

In this project we take the larger Dragonfly and attach to a background for a nice portrait.





I'm going to show you a few options for backgrounds ranging from canvas to paper. 

In the Style of Picasso: Portraits

METHOD 1

Picasso is always a hit with the kids.  I especially like doing self portraits in his style as it allows the students to be a bit more open without the inevitable "I don't know how to draw....or I'm just not good at this" type comments. (Seems to hit at Grade 4)

I have 2 methods to show you.

When describing the portrait I ask the students to see how he represents both the head on view and the side view together. I know that is a bit of a simplistic interpretation but all of a sudden I have kids really trying to interpret his paintings.....great to watch unfold.













MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- watercolor paper or heavy sketch/drawing paper
- pencil, eraser
- access to mirrors or use the partner method
- tempera disk paint
- sharpies or markers
- mounting paper

PROCEDURE:

To start get the students to draw an oval face with a neck and shoulders.  Head on view.

Now if they have access to mirrors (class set of Dollar Store hand mirrors works well), have them draw a line down the center of the oval,  (can be off kilter for a different look).
This will include the side view so they have to include some profile features like the nose in this line.


Now if you don't have access to mirrors a simple solution is to have the students working in pairs sketching their neighbor.

Now that the sketch is done it's time to paint.  You can use realistic color choices or to add some drama unusual colors.  (I usually go on here about how unusual colors signify dreams, visions, etc. in art)


Paint in all your sections.  In my sample I've kept the colors of the side view different from the heads on view...it's up to you.

Finally to give our portrait some "pop" I take my trusty sharpies and use black and silver to outline my portrait.



Mount onto a contrasting color and you're done.

My friend and colleague, Kim McCllough, recently did this lesson with her Grade 5s.  They used pastel instead of paint.

Terrific work everyone!

METHOD 2

The second portrait is a cut up face.
























MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- colored paper, or white drawing paper
- paper for mounting
- pencil and eraser
- paint, markers, pastels or pencil crayon
- scissors
- glue

PROCEDURE:

Take your colored paper or plain white and sketch out a self portrait.  Use hand mirrors or the "sketch your neighbor" method.

You can do a head on or profile view.

Now add some color.  Here I'm using colored paper so I'm only adding lines with black, grey and white.  Incidentally I'm trying to keep to my value scale here. (good to do with older students)

Black lines are in shadow, white are highlights and grey middle value.

Now take those scissors and cut up your face.  You want pieces around 2 inches (5 cm) or so.  Try to keep some of the identifiable pieces intact, i.e. eyes, nose, mouth.

Take your mounting paper,arrange the cut up pieces and then glue into place.  Remind the students that this is not a puzzle, the pieces should be out of synch.

That's it.

A interesting study you could do with your students is to do both methods and then display both side by side.

For additional Picasso study be sure to check out my previous post on an "Mask Study".








See you soon.