Blue Dog Inspired Animals!!!!

I am SO EXCITED to write this post!
We have been learning about one of my favorite artists, George Rodrigue, for the past few months.
Here is a video about his Foundation for the Arts!
He is dedicated to funding and encouraging art education programs all over Louisiana!

One thing Rodrigue says is that "Success is doing what you like and doing it for a long time."

 When he gives advice he says, "PAINT WHAT YOU LIKE!!" 

We watched lots of videos of George Rodrigue and the French Quarter in New Orleans where he lives and has his studio. His artwork records the folklore and history of the Cajuns in New Orleans! His famous Blue dog is a popular and fun symbol of New Orleans and inspired by a weird, wild, werewolf dog from a story he heard as a child! 

SO, to go along with Rodrigue's style of  painting what

  YOU LiKe,

 we painted blue dog INSPIRED animals. 

Yes, each child chose THEIR FAVORITE animal to paint

Some kids chose a dog, but we had bunnies, horses,owls,girraffes, bears,frogs,snakes, and even ostriches! 

My BIG BIG BIG

DREAM

is for George RODRIGUE to come VISIT OUR SCHOOL!!!since Houston is just a weeeeee tiny ways away from Louisiana 

Here are just a few of their Blue dog inspired animals!

First they drew them with crayons, and then painted with tempera paints and accented and outlined with oil pastels

They were all so unique and individual, I wish I could post all of them, but there are hundreds and hundreds. I did this with every grade level!

They are BIG BOLD and COLORFUL!! I just love every one of them and am so happy with how they all turned out!

I cannot wait to display them all in our building and have a special Blue Dog Inspired Artwork Gallery walk with all of the kids!

100 Day! Spongebobs

Today for 100 Day my students made Spongebob with 100 green spots. I can't belive its been 100 days of school I could have sworn we were in the 200's already!

 I was going to make gumball machines but our ever so creative first grade teachers beat me to it. I am so happy to know that they are making art in their classrooms! I love spongebob as long as I don't have to hear his annoying little laugh! He's a crowd pleaser in art that is for sure!!! 

(It only took me about two hours to cut out all those little boots and ties but it was worth it!!!)

The goal was to get them to make ten groups of ten spots with various shades or GREEN!

 Kindergarten

 First Grade

Paper Mache (Easy button) Rainbow Heart Crayons and smelly markers

We have been making heart sculptures the past few weeks. Some kids used plaster craft which was really fun, but we ran out and the rest are using paper mache.

YiKES! Is the first word that comes to mind...however

it can be made very easy

FIRST, no more collecting and tearing newspaper..(that makes your fingers all gray and yucky).just use the  butcher paper (bullatin board paper) that way if they want a red heart, it is already red!

This stuff is THE BEST. Just add water and it turns into a whole lot of clear slime! I can fill four coffee cans full with one box. Dip the paper in the slime, stick on the armature, and smooth with hands. No more nasty flour and water concoctions that end up getting moldy.

Storage is always a problem (I have not solved yet) I have piles of heart sculptures everywhere but I LOVE them!

I put some of this pearlescent medium in the paste and it made their sculptures really sparkle!

On a side note, do you have buckets of od broken crayons?

For Valentine's Day incentives, why not pick up one of these silicon baking heart trays at the Target Dollar spot, simply wet crayons to make peeling the paper easy

fill trays

and stick them in the oven on 350 for about ten minutes, and VOILA!! I have been giving them as good behavior incentives and using them for a free draw station all week and the kids think they are SO AWESOME!

As for markers...I have recieved SO many emails about the Kid Smart 60 Day Cap off markers...they are no longer making them...

I now use these Mr. Sketch Watercolor SCENTED Markers. They have a good variety of colors, last a long time and of course they smell SO GOOD which incorporates the five senses which increases memory and brain connections!

the only draw back....speckled noses!!