Freckle Face's Blog

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Art and Nature go Hand in Hand

Did you notice that the word “nature” has the letters A and R and T in it? ART!

(This post is meant to be.)

Earlier this school year my students created two nature-inspired art projects that I want to share on my blog. I’m showing the projects now for two reasons. 1) We all need a little boost and some entertainment while we wait out the quarantine. 2) The principal asked me to hold all the art we made this year for our art show this spring. We aren’t able to have a show so I am sorting art to return to the kids (eventually), and I’m getting to revisit the amazing art my students created.

The first project was done by fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh graders last September. They created fall trees, using pieces of Origami paper. I asked them to cut pieces of Origami paper because I thought the trees would look beautiful if they had a patchwork of various patterns. It is a little strange to show this fall-themed project in spring, but that’s okay. (And it is fall in the southern hemisphere, so…) Plus, it’s always fun to see what kids make.

The second project is one that all my students did, from Kindergarteners up through eighth graders. We learned about the famous Japanese artist, Katsushika Hokusai. If you are not familiar with that name, I’m almost certain that you have seen his best-known piece of art, The Great Wave (1831). The three boats in this woodcut print symbolized both danger and opportunity. Japan was facing change in 1831, when Hokusai created his print, because the country was about to end more than two hundred years of political isolation from the rest of the world.

My youngest students colored in a simple wave shape that I drew for them. The older students created their own waves, and added lots of detail. Some students copied the original print almost exactly (and I was amazed at how close they were to the original). Many students made stylized waves. The assignment was never about copying the original. Our waves were based on the overall shape and color scheme of Hokusai’s work, but I think it’s too much pressure to expect an exact copy. Plus, I want the kids have the freedom to imagine their own wave.

When I first started this blog post, I was not intentionally pairing Origami trees with Hokusai’s wave. These were two projects I had not yet shared in my blog, and I wanted to show the kids’ work. The fact that these projects share a Japanese aspect was a happy coincidence, so I will sign off using two of the few words I know in Japanese.

Arigato (thank you) for reading.

Sayonara! (bye)

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Cactus Huggers

“Homebody” has taken on new meaning lately. We all are staying home because of the virus that shall not be named. But life goes on, and school certainly continues.

At the elementary school where I teach art, the teachers have developed an online teaching system. I have posted two art lessons online, and I was delighted by what my students made.

I’d like to share three different art projects by my students.

First will be cactus drawings.

Second will be colorful wire sculptures made by my 8^th grade students before school was closed.

Last will be still life drawings done by my older students.

First, the cactus huggers. (Please note that cactus hugging is not advised, nor does it reflect the views of the author or the Blogspot website. Do so at your own risk.)

The cactus drawings were made by tracing kids’ hands onto paper. The sky was a sunset sky, created by doing a gradation of colors from light to dark. I encouraged the kids to add needles and flowers to their cacti. Although all the cactus drawings are similar in some ways, I love how each student personalized his or hers. Each sky and cactus has its own colorful look.

This creative paper sculpture was made by a student who wanted her cactus to be 3-D.

Next, we have a cute collection of small wire sculptures. My eighth grade students were asked to make something 3-D with colorful wire. Some followed a tutorial on caterpillars but a few students freestyled and came up with their own ideas. I thought this tree was particularly charming.

This tree has so much texture. I love how the student wrapped the wire.

Butterfly resting on a flower.

The still life drawings really impressed me. It’s hard enough for kids to do this kind of art in the classroom, with me right there to help them understand shading and perspective. But this project was given online, so the beautiful drawings done were finished with no hands-on assistance by me. I thought the kids did an amazing job.

My fifth grade student really amazed me with this one.

I love that this 6th grader was not afraid to use dark tones.

My online teaching will continue for the next month or two month as school may not reopen until the fall. So I will have more student art to share in the next few months. I hope you liked seeing what the kids made and I wish you good health and safety as we shelter at home. I also hope that if you are out in nature you are keeping a six foot distance from any cacti out there. Admire the cacti. Wave from afar. Tree hugging is fine, but please don’t be a cactus hugger.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

The Pyramids Come to San Diego

4th grade

Remember the 80s song, “Walk Like An Egyptian?” My art students are too young to know the song but we have been making Ancient Egyptian Art at school. Naturally, I dressed the part, because as everyone knows, you can’t teach Egyptian Art without wearing Egyptian accessories. (Well, you can, but…why would you?)

I’ve never dressed in costume while teaching the kids. I figured it would be distracting and they have enough trouble listening to me. But we must make exceptions for certain occasions and I’m so glad I did. The other teachers loved my accessories and many of the kids did, too.

In case you are wondering about my accessories, I made them myself. The head ornament is made of felt, paint and gems. The necklace was created with paint on top of scraps from an old pair of jeans. Why jeans? Because denim has more weight than cotton and I wanted the necklace to stay flat and hold up to the paint. I glued on a few gems and used glitter hot glue sticks for the paint. We had my belt already and I attached an old necktie, which I painted with gold. Total out of pocket: $1.

Kindergarten

I’m fascinated by how my students have interpreted this lesson. I always say that, but it’s always true. They astonish me with what they create, and I’m so proud of them. It’s impossible to pick favorites among the art projects I’ve taught but this one is truly one of my favorites because the results are so varied and so creative.

1st grade

2nd grade

My Kindergarten, first and second grade students were given printables to color in. If you're not familiar with the term, printables are like coloring book pages. The older kids created their own pieces. I encouraged the kids to draw a geometric border around their subject, as most Egyptian art has a border. It really enhances each piece, and makes it look more complete.

In the art room we often use photos for reference. I always ask the students to put their own twist on their art piece, rather than to copy exactly from the photo. Many of the Egyptian art photos were highly detailed, so I told the students that they could simplify the design if it was too complicated. Some simplified, but some added incredible detail. They rose to the task and here is what they made:

3rd grade

4th grade

5th grade

6th grade

7th grade

8th grade

Ancient Egyptians buried their dead with lots of gold, sculptures and art inside the tomb. They believed that these treasures would ensure an arrival into the afterlife. Because the Egyptian desert is so dry, many artifacts have survived over the last 5,000 years.

And so we brought a piece of Ancient Egypt to my classroom in San Diego. I’ve been thinking about this project for months and it feels great to have introduced the kids to the idea.

And now please excuse me. I must get back to my book, Hieroglyphics for Dummies…

Class dismissed.

8th grade