An Art Adventure with Vincent Van Gogh....



1st grade:  Following Anna's Art Adventure

Vincent van Gogh

"I am not an adventurer by choice but by fate."

Vincent Van Gogh, "Wheat Field with Crows"



slide from Anna's Art Adventure powerpoint

In first grade we are half way in our Art Adventure in finding that toilet!  Our pursuit has taken us to a "Wheat Field with Crows" where a 'trembling' man in a yellow straw hat was painting with many glorious shades of yellow.....
Vincent van Gogh.

We started our discussion with a short biography of Vincent van Gogh's life and how his emotions influenced his paintings.  His bold colors and 'shaky' lines were the perfect avenue for my students to look and explore the elements of art.



slide from Anna's Art Adventure powepoint



When we were discussing the various slides from the powerpoint, the focus was encouraging my students to investigate, study, analyze and evaluate (talk about) Vincent van Gogh's paintings in an effort to create a foundation of visual literacy.  Wonderfully enough, my students have become accustomed to looking, listening and talking, so we can spend 45 minutes doing just that!

A lot of the references and questions target the text from Anna's Art Adventure, building my students' skills of recollection and using prior knowledge towards offering answers.

slide from Anna's Art Adventure powerpoint

  

 Inspiration for this project came from Vincent van Gogh's numerous paintings of his sunflowers.  We did not paint sunflowers.  Rather I emphasized the idea in the book, regarding color to employ what they already know and introduce something new.

Looking at the artwork of Van Gogh really lent to a deeper study of color and the introduction of the color, to help my students understand how all these glorious colors that he used could be made.  We use our prior knowledge of the primary colors, learned much earlier with "Mr. Kelly" and "Mr. Mondrian", but this time we approached them in a very different, very mathematical and scientific way. Just like in math, we learned "ART EQUATIONS" and took notes to help us understand placement of colors on the wheel and reason.

                                                                   

For example:  

1+ 1 = 2  

Primary (1) + Primary (1) = Secondary (2)

Red= Primary= 1

Yellow= Primary = 1

Red + Yellow= Orange (2)

popcicle sticks were used to mix up each secondary color

It seems a lot more complicated than it really is but the students really grasped the idea.  To figure out the answer to each equation, we experimented with mixing the colors.  The amazement and incredible joy the students expressed from figuring it out was awesome!

 

slide from Anna's Art Adventure powerpoint

 

Part of the emphasis in the story about Van Gogh is his use of many different hues of the same color.  In the  book Vincent used sulfur yellow, ochre yellow, the pale yellow of lemonade.  So what can you do???

You make the "thirdary" colors....

Highlight: As I was at the board, writing out equations, talking about making another set of colors, out shouts a students, "Like the Thirdary colors??!!"  At that point I understood, that they understood the sequence created by color theory.  So what can you do?  

"Yes, we are going to make the Thirdary colors."

this color wheel was used to emphasize "families of colors"

We proceeded to learn how just a little white added to a little bit of color creates a lighter hue, making them part of the "families" of colors.  Of course this is the very simplified version but it worked ;-)

The students did a fantastic job following the instructional sequence and demonstrated new knowledge acquired everyday.  Although this part of our adventure was long, it was well worth the final results.

oil pastel helps the students organize their painting

oil pastes were force fields containing all the paint

Materials Needed:

white drawing paper

pencils

erasers

oil pastels

 tempera paints--primary colors 
 white tempera paint

    small brushes











 

painting

 

 

 

 

 

What to do:

This process, of course, will vary depending on your own teaching practice, your students and your style:)

This art lesson took about 5-6 weeks (1 hour per week)

Thinking and painting

1. read page of Vincent van Gogh from Anna's Art Adventure

2. discuss the life and work of Van Gogh, show lots of examples---GET THEM LOOKING AND TALKING!!

painting with really small brushes, really helps

3. create color wheels by tracing paper plates and figuring out where colors go.  Help them understand "family colors" by organizing a big box of crayons

4.  draw their vase with a least 3 big blooms with LOTS of petals (I told them they needed 24 petals for each flower)

mixing "Thirdary" colors for wallpaper and tablecloth

5.  trace their pencil lines with oil pastels choosing colors they will use to paint

6.  paint within their oil pastels the coordinating color from our palette

7.  retrace with oil pastels to find all the lines we lost in the painting process (it always happens but we know how to find our drawings again)

8.  introduce "Thirdary Colors" and use them to create a patterned tablecloth and wallpaper 

9.  sign it! only first names----just like Vincent:) 

WOW!!! how in the world did we make light orange!?

me and my students: demonstrating painting technique

I love to see how engaged and "into it" my students are when they are excited and enthusiastic about what they are learning.  It makes me want to give them more.

Check back for updates to this blogpost with finalized project photos!  

See you back in the

SMocKroom

xoxo, SMocK you.    

   



The day it rained hearts at the Palatine Public Library....

What a wonderful evening!

Second grade students from Sanborn Elementary School showed off their art skills during their art exhibition at the Palatine Public Library.  The evening started with a book reading of "The Day it Rained Hearts" and ended off with young visitors taking pictures amongst the "raining hearts".  It was great to see lots of my students drop by, give hugs to one another, show off their art work to their parents and be a part of this wonderful event!

Wall display

Thoughtful response to "Love is..."

  

Check out Palatine Public Library's webpage for upcoming projects and events!



It's raining hearts...so I have to wear shades...





The amazing staff at the Library set up a "photo booth" in a corner of the exhibit space.  The sunglasses are just a clipart to conceal the student's identity.  She's super cute either way!
 

 Along with mingling with friends, checking out the awesome art work and treating themselves to some cookies and juice, visitors were able to hang out and create their own hearts to take home. 

Lucky me....I was given one ;-)

Check out more photos HERE

See you back in the

SMocKroom

xoxo, SMocK you.

"love" bugs....

Valentine's Day Inspirations....

   

a classic inspiration



Sometimes simple shapes and a couple googly eyes make a masterpiece.  The craftful MILE students cut, stamped and glued their way through the buggy way of love....

Love Bugs..

Materials: red construction paper, black tempera paint, goggly eyes, scissors, glue, heart stamps (bought or made)

 

 

xoxo. SMocK you.



Love is......Jim Dine and the community of Palatine

Second grade love songs.... 

student work in progress

"Love is...when I push my grandpa in his wheelchair because his legs were broke"

2nd grade student, "Four Hearts"



Around this time of the year, an art teacher favorite is Jim Dine and his many many interpretations of a heart.  While thinking about my 2nd graders journey in connecting themselves to the world, I thought how do I emphasize that art and their art making can impact the community....with an art show: You Can't Have Art Without Heart 
The overarching goal of this art unit is to explore the idea of love and understand the different ways people use actions to show it.

 

Our leading question was,

"Love is.......?"

 

Jim Dine, "Four Hearts"

 

While considering this question, the students were responsible in creating a set of four hearts using a variety of different materials.  Much like a studio class, the experimentation of how materials worked (or didn't work) together developed the students' understanding of various mediums and afforded them the independence to explore and discover. 

Their art lesson was divided into two segments:

First, the students created a drawing, referencing Jim Dine's, Four Hearts.  Dine's playful, imaginative and instinctive paintings inspired my students to think past the traditional heart symbol.  Some of their goals were to use at least two different mediums within one heart and refect on "show me your heart".  In a group discussion we really focused on  what the heart shape symbolizes, the uniqueness of everyone's heart and how people show love differently to different people.



student work



Materials:

8.5"x11" cardstock with heart xeroxes

oil pastels

watercolor paints

markers

colored pencils

metallic crayons

brushes

water



Jim Dine heart sculptures

Second, we looked at how Jim Dine created sculptures with the simple heart shape.  In this segment the students translated a 2D drawing into a 3D mini-sculpture, using a "CD" the base for our "Love is....".  The primary focus was the students' ability to transfer from one idea to another by adapting their 2D skills to a 3D format.  

Students rolled, pinched and cut out their squishy hearts made from Model Magic.  They traced a CD to create their heart base and proceeded to apply the same steps from their drawings.  This activity employed the students to reflect and really process what they learned the week before; what steps they took and the process of working with various materials.  The most significant component was their "Love is...." statement.  All students reflected and interpreted the way love is expressed.  In completing their statements, they need to express an action ("-ing" word), aside from kissing and hugging.  Although 2nd graders still tend to be a bit squeamish about those two actions.  "EEEEwwwww", was the resounding response.

After completion and left to dry, we hot glued the heart to the center of the circle.  Now, all we need is a turntable.

student sculpture and drawing

 Materials:

CD or round template

Model Magic

same materials as drawings

scissors

hot glue gun

The student drawings and sculptures will be on display at the Palatine Public Library!

            You Can't Have Art without Heart

When: Wednesday, Feb 13 2013, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Event type: Kids - Family Events

Where: Main Library

Story: The Day it Rained Hearts 

Gather the family for a "rainy day" of hearts, storytime, and a chance to create your own heart craft to take home for Valentine's Day. Student artwork from Sanborn Elementary School will be on display.  All are welcome to attend.

student work

see you back in the

SMocKroom

xoxo, SMocK you 





Somewhere...there is a vase with flowers.

In first grade, we are adventuring through an art museum, trying to find the toilet.  Along the way, we have met many artists that have inspired us.

I just had to post this painting.  We have recently met Vincent van Gogh and discovered his 'trembly' lines and vases full of flowers.  As class was ending, I pulled over a student and said, "Angel, you are not exactly following the steps of the lesson and your painting doesn't really look like a vase of flowers, but I just love it!"  He responded, "I was trying to be shaky like Vincent".

My day here is done.

see you back in the

SMocKroom

xoxo, SMock you.

Investigating Andy Warhol and screen printing...

CSI: ART ROOM  INVESTIGATION

SUSPECT:  ANDY WARHOL

CRIME: USING POPULAR IMAGES IN A REPEATED PROCESS TO ACHIEVE FAME...HE ALSO HAD MANY CATS AND A BIG 'SILVER FACTORY".  ANDY USED THE SCREEN PRINTING PROCESS TO CREATE MANY MANY ART WORKS IN A QUICK WAY.

CASE: FIGURE OUT HOW HE DID IT

A couple of  years ago, I was stumped by how to expose my students to the process of screen printing.  I had bought larger screens, all the supplies and then thought to myself, "Well, how in the world are all 4th graders (80-ish of them) going create their own unique screens?"  And then I looked at my bedroom wall at home, where in which I one of my installations comprised of embroidery hoops.  Then it came to me.....simple, feasible and student friendly.  

This process can be used for just about anything!  Along with making amazing artworks, the process itself lends to a community atmosphere, similar to what Warhol achieved in his Factory.  Much like most of my art units, the students really have an incredible amount of independence and run of the art room.  I KNOW sounds scary but it works.  

I presented  this process to a room of art teachers at the Illinois Arts Education Association conference in 2011 and it was a great hit!  They were really excited about how easy the process was and the flexibility of what you can do.

 

 Materials:

embroidery hoops

silk screen material 

(really sheer fabric works too)

Mod Podge

small brushes

1" inch flat brushes

felt 

acrylic paint/screen printing ink

What to do:

cut fabric about an inch larger than hoop

pull thru until taut like a drum

trace or draw your image with hoop flat

***flip hoop so the fabric does not touch the table

brush/paint on Mod Podge -2 layers

***seal all the little holes!

 let dry for 24 hours

 

Screen Printing:

a little paint goes a long way....

place paper on felt

***the felt provides the cushion needed when screen printing 

Flip hoop to be flat on the paper

push down with one hand

use flat brush to 'push' paint 

***students need to stand for better control    

 

Taaaadaaah! screen printing!

***students rinse and pat their screens dry before changing colors

HIGHLIGHT:  my students were so excited of how successful they were...I heard a few times, "I'm awesome at this", "This is cool!" 

As an art teacher, I tend to think less about what students need to do and more about what they need to think.   The entire "Investigation" began with color theory and understanding how colors interact with one another.  After our practice prints, we took a step back to review the color wheel, color intensities and complimentary colors. We explored different materials and how they interact together, showing different results.  We used oil pastels, watercolor paint and acrylic paint in a layer process.
We worked on two different types of paper to challenge them and their learning, exploring different color combinations.  The results were amazing! More importantly, the students were really proud of their work. 

Now the only thing left is to choose which is better????  and why ;-)

see you back in the

SMocKroom!

xoxo, SMocK you.

All you really need are toilet paper tubes....

Happy February 1st Everyone!

The holidays have come and gone...and I am guilt ridden.  My blogging goal as been less than reached.  It feels like just when you have a good groove going, something you can't resist pops up.....So, here's something quick:

With my MILE students one direction always leads to a maze.  We have learned to go with the students' instincts and let them lead the way.

This quick project was suppose to be a winter scene with snowmen made from stamping the edge of toilet paper tubes.  We soon realized the students had a different idea and made these wonderful abstract paintings.

I have to admit....their idea was better;-)

See you back in the

SMocKroom

xoxo, SMocK you!