Father's Day Coffee Painted Sepia Eagles!

Today we started a fun little one day project for Father's Day and Memorial Day. We need simple stuff since school is almost out so I had a can of Instant coffee and we made some Sepia artwork!! 

When I asked the students if their daddys/grandfathers liked coffee they ALL raised their hands!! 

We looked at several sepia photos on the internet, and then I had the students do the step by step draw along I created above

I gave each table a plate with some instant coffee....gently rub a wet brush on the coffee and it slowly dissolves into a nice sepia tone 

These are the parts they painted with coffee first

Then they could add a very small amount of color on the sepia painting

My daughter is in kindergarten, and I was so proud of how her Eagle turned out...I'm sure it won't be a surprise for daddy after I post this, Oh well :-)

Floating on to ___ grade!! End of the year project!

IF you are like me, you are looking for FUN, yet simple projects for the end of the school year!! I got this idea from this fabulous blog called The Lost Sock

I found these great videos to show the students before they get started!



Bubbles from baris parildar on Vimeo.




First we talked about the properties of bubbles. I blew some bubbles for the kids to look at (with their hands in their laps...pure torture) but I really wanted them to use their eyes. What shape is the shiney? Where is the light source? For example a window will make a window shaped shiney! What color are the bubbles and why do they start as a clear liquid and then turn rainbowy?

1 First students traced as many different circle shaped objects I could fine!!
2 They added at least two shineys to each bubble
3 Then colored the bubbles using oil pastels, and making sure to leave at least part of the bubble black to make it look transparent

So, first the students started drawing bubbles individually...

 Then, one student suggested that they put their papers together and connect their bubbles. Within a few minutes, I had an entire class on the floor connecting EVERY one of their papers to make a huge bubble mural! They were SO excited and I loved the conversations I heard as they ALL worked together as one giant group!!

The end product was a masterpiece and the kids were SO excited!! 

Some classes drew bubbles together to form words. You can see the words " Pie is Good" at the top of this class' Art!

The great thing about this project is that its fun for ALL ages! My four year old (below) drew her own bubble artwork (all by herself) and included herself blowing the bubbles in the bottom corner! She had fun searching for circles in the kitchen. There are Tabasco bottle circles, and salt shaker circles, coffee can lid circles, a soda can circle!

So get out your oil pastels and go create some Bubble ART to kick off the SUMMER!!!!

The great thing about bubbles is that they are inexpensive and fun no matter what age you are! My daughter got a bubble blower last summer that blew small bubbles inside large bubbles! We took this picture last August!

Dogs Dogs, and more adorable fluffy Dogs!!!

My fourth and fifth grade students have just finished a project for the Dog Show that is coming to town this summer!!! Most kids love dogs so this project is a big hit!! Students could bring a photo from home, but they had to draw a dog that was looking straight on. This is MUCH easier than a 3 quarters view with the head turned because a straight on face is symmetrical.

Also for a little shameless bragging, another inspiration was our new pug that we welcomed into our family this Spring! Her name is Birdie and fits in really well with BunBun and the girls!

I only had her for two days before I needed to paint her...thus the idea for this project happened!!

If you have ever drawn dogs, it is very hard to get the face 

proportional to actually look correct. With this project I FINALLY came up with a way that most kids were VERY successful in creating a drawing that looked lifelike!!!

1. First they chose a large photo of a dog from a book. The dog must be looking straight forward.

Measure the eye with a string and cut it

2. Then cut a string a bit larger and with a different color to use for the drawing. Students use the strings for one to one proportion to measure each part of the dog on the photo, then transfer that measurement with the larger string onto their drawing. 

The eye must have an iris, a pupil, and a reflection of light

3. Ok, now measure how many "eye spaces" are the eyes from each other. Most dogs eyes are 2 1/2 eye spaces apart, but some are further

transfer the information now to the drawing using the green "eye space" to place the eyes the correct distance apart

4. Now measure how many "eye space"s is the nose. Many of the dog;s noses were two eye spaces wide! 

5. Now measure how many "eye spaces" from the corner of the eye to the top of his head on the photo, and then count and measure on the drawing. THIS was what made the biggest difference in their drawings! Most students always make the top of the head too close to the eyes!

6 Next measure the eye to the head. Students can continue measuring the ears and neck if they want. This method REALLY makes a huge difference. 

We did a rough draft on zerox paper, then our final draft on watercolor paper

Students could make a colorful dog with a neutral background or a realistic colored dog with a dreamylike colorful background. This student started out with colors, then decided to paint his dog like the one in the book. It turned out quite fabulous!!

Students paint every color with value going from dark on the edge to light in the middle. They dry their brush before they dip it in paint to get the dark value on the edges, then rinse the paint out and use just water to blend the dark edge to a light value in the middle 

I encourage the kids to never use a solid black. I always like them to add color to their black or create their own black by mixing

 This face is SO CUTE!!

 Students could use a fan brush to add texture and hair like this painting below!