Monday, February 26, 2018

Galaxy Silhouettes



First place watercolor paper under the sink and run water over it until it’s completely wet. Then use black, blue, turquoise, and magenta watercolor paint to make the galaxy background 

Then use an old toothbrush and white tempera paint to splatter the stars 
Next use an old projector to trace the profile silhouette of each student on the back of the paper. Cut it out very carefully in one piece. 
The galaxy needs to be painted light if it’s going to be on black paper ( not too much black) If you want it on white paper then you can use more black. 
Next, use positive and negative stencils of clouds with tempera paint and a sponge. Overlap them at the bottom and keep the bottom dark to separate them.

 If you use white paper you can make white clouds on a daytime sky with a sun in the negative space using chalk. If it’s black paper then add some stars to the black space

You can also use the background paper to make a hand and put an animal or the moon or something creative in the hand!!







Last, create a moon and headphones with white paper and chalk. Glue this on last. Details can be added to the sky with chalk and India ink 


Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Faux Fordite Pendants


Fordite is a stone made from layers and layers as years of layers of paint that dripped from the cars at the Ford factory many years ago! When polished it is very rare and beautiful!

To begin this project, first cut TruRay “bright colors” construction paper into 3 inch by one inch rectangles. Students will glue 30 strips together. 
I used a glue soaked sponge because it allows the perfect amount of glue and covers the whole paper easily. They just tap the paper on the sponge. When the glue is dry, you sand the paper on a belt sander. I let two kids on each sander and it works fine. Make sure kids have no loose clothing and any long hair is tied back in a ponytail. 
When they are finished sanding you will poke a hole with an awl and use a paint brush to paint resin over each “stone” place on an egg carton so resin can drip off the edges. Add glitter or gold leaf if you want! The fumes from the resin are toxic so you must do this step yourself after school, not with kids. I wear a mask and use gloves when using it. It will be solid as glass when dry!!  
When the resin is dry, add a pinch clasp to the hole and attach to a cord! I bought all these items on amazon!