Favorite Projects of 2nd Quarter - Part 1: Abstract Trees

5th Grade Abstract Tree with Monochromatic Sky

5th Grade students and I discussed the definition monochromatic. We broke this vocabulary word apart to see if they could figure out what the word meant. I questioned what prefix was contained in the word and many students were able to identify "mono". Most of my classes had at least a student or two that knew that "mono" meant one or single. Then we looked at the second part of the word, "chroma" which students didn't know at all. We looked up the definition using Google. I took this opportunity to show students a better way to search a definition on Google. 

We typed in "definition: chroma" into the omnibox and up popped the following:

So I then asked what they thought "monochromatic" might mean. Students responded with "one color?' Yay!! Now I know, why not just have them search for "monochromatic" in Google? Because...I love to engage students in thinking as much as I love them to engage in technology. Breaking apart words makes them think! I'm betting these students will have no problem figuring out what a monoprint is later in the year. 

Ok...back to the project. 

Students chose a color (primary or secondary) and practiced making tints and shades while painting a monochromatic sky. When they got to the ground they were able to chose any color they wished to paint it. Some students created a tint or shade when painting the ground. 

The next class we talked a bit about Abstract and Contemporary Art. I showed them some Abstract tree paintings from some contemporary artists. They painted their trees using black or black mixed with brown. Some students created more realistic looking trees while others created more swirly branches. 

The last class students used oil pastels to add circles or swirls or both to their paintings. They controlled what colors they were using. We did discuss how lighter colors might look better on the shade part of the painting and darker colors would look good on the tinted areas of the painting. 

The students did a beautiful job on these! You can see more here in Roosevelt's Artsonia Gallery. 

5th Grade Landscapes with Zentangle Inspired Lines

5th Grade students reviewed line quality in a work of art while creating these 

landscape paintings with Zentangle inspired lines.

Students first sketched out their landscape as we talked about using a horizon line and different levels of ground. They were then able to paint their landscapes with a creative color scheme. It was a blast seeing them get creative with the color.
I encouraged them to use different colors in each section of ground.


Once painting was dry, students reviewed line quality and watched a couple videos on zentangle drawings and then they began to fill the sections of their painting with different lines. Most of the lines were drawing using colored pencils. Some were done using black marker.

I love the variety the students ended up having in the finished works!

Color Experiments

 

In my quest this year to allow students as much creative expression and freedom within the boundaries of learning outcomes I felt a new approach to our color unit in my upper-elementary classes was in order. Instead of going over the color wheel as a lesson to introduce our color unit, I decided to give the students a chance to experiment and explore color mixing on their own before we even discuss Primary, Secondary, Intermediate, Warm, Cool,....and all the other color schemes we want our students to understand and be able to use in their artwork.

So much fun! The kids loved it and I loved hearing their conversations as they worked. "Hey, I just made sea green!" "Ewwww....this looks like my baby brothers diaper!" "How did you make that color? That is so cool!"

Some students chose to just paint blobs or lines as they mixed while others thought about using their mixed colors to paint images. They all were sad when clean up time arrived but by then they had used most, if not all, of the paint on their palette.

Animals with Zentangle Designs

My Example

One of the first things I focus on with my elementary students is to introduce or review the use of line quality in an artwork. I've done this in a variety of ways over the years with the different grade levels. One of the projects we are working on this year is animals with zentangle-like designs added to them. 

At one of my schools I decided to focus on the theme of animals in art. So this project seemed to fit right in. I focused on my 4th and 5th graders for this project.

We spent an art time drawing out an animal of their choice. My goal this year is to give students as much creative choice as possible within the confines of what I want them to learn or be able to do by the end of each project. So the choice of animal was extended to include imaginary, combined, or "creatures" of any kind they wished to create.

Once their drawing was done, I went over a few different watercolor painting techniques. We went over wet into dry, wet into wet, and adding salt to obtain different results. 

When the paintings were dry we discussed line quality and I showed some examples of zentangles. I showed the students some parts of YouTube videos by the artist Milliande that I have linked on my Art with Mrs. G website. I also showed them my finished giraffe. I had a blast making it and wanted to let them know that. 

Students are still working on their animals but here are some sneak peeks of them in progress -

Color Wheel Eyes

A upper-elementary project combining Art, Science, 

and even Math!

My 4th and 5th grade students enjoyed this project. They all were quite successful with it!

We spent one art class learning a little about the human eye. Students learned to identify the sclera (the white part of the eye), the iris, and the pupil. We also discussed the lines and shapes of the eye lid, brow, and lashes. We started drawing an enlarged eye by tracing a circle stencil I made from tagboard. Since we were going to do a color wheel on the iris, I wanted students to start with a good circle that was the same for everyone. I guided students in sketching out the rest of the eye.

The next class we spent some time dividing the circle of the iris into 12 sections. We had a bit of a math lesson on fractions during this process. Some of my classes were better at it than others, but all accomplished what they needed to do. We also reviewed how Primary colors mixed to make Secondary and then Intermediate colors. We lightly marked out what color went where on the color wheel and I demonstrated mixing and painting the color wheel in the iris.

The following art class most students were able to complete painting the color wheel and most of the black painting. A few finishing touches were added the first 10-15 minutes of the next class before we started our next project.

Here are a few finished student examples - 

Moon & Trees with Tints and Shades

5th Grade students worked with tints and shades while creating these beautiful paintings.

This was another idea found on Pinterest....yes, I know - I'm a thief! This was a quick 2 day art lesson - but may have even been done in less. After doing our color wheel worksheet and then discussing tints and shades, student were given blue and white paint. They began by painting a white moon towards the center of the painting. Then gradually created tints by adding a touch of blue to the white, then a bit more, and so on until the sky was completely painted. 

The second class we discussed what a winter or late fall tree would look like after the leaves have fallen off. We also discussed atmospheric perspective. Students were given blue and black this time. They painted the trees using different shades of blue - the darkest one large so it looked up close and smaller ones with lighter shades to look farther back.

The results were great! Definitely a keeper lesson!

See more at http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=445203